Local Brick Gives Elgin's Historic Downtown Its Look

Elgin's downtown has its own texture. The Main Street district covers 14 blocks of shops and old work buildings. More than half use locally made brick. The buildings date from 1872 to 1947.

Elgin made downtown a local historic district in 1991. The Elgin Commercial Historic District joined the National Register on February 16, 1996. The city also takes part in the Certified Local Government and Texas Main Street programs.

The brick story is not just a slogan. Downtown still puts that local material at eye level, while the nearby Union Depot, built around 1903, holds the Elgin Depot Museum.

Brick and rail are really one Elgin story. The railroad created the town in 1872, and brickmaking later became one of its defining industries. Downtown lets you see both histories together: local brick across the district and the old depot nearby.