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Outdoor Activities ...
As we travel, we like to pursue some of our interests (such as astronomy and bird watching).
When in Elgin, we use the following websites to find information relevant to Elgin and the surrounding area.
- Astronomy & Satellites ...
- Whether using binoculars, a small telescope or the naked-eye, the Heavens-Above
website can help you to find your way around the night-time sky. In addition to detailed
sky charts, their website will help you find planets, asteriods, comets, satellites and their tracks across the sky.
- To give accurate results, Heavens-Above requires the latitude and longitude of your location. As a starting point, when we link to Heavens-Above,
we pass this GPS location for Elgin:
- 40.742623, -84.475441
- Once you're on the Heavens-Above website, you can improve its accuracy by giving a more precise longitude and latitude as your actual position.
- Open the Heavens-Above website centered on Elgin
- Bird Watching ...
- We enjoy finding new spots for bird watching and we use the eBird website for local sighting reports and to help identify hotspots.
- The eBird website is organized on a county-by-county basis. We have selected Van Wert County as the starting point when you click on the link below:
- Open the eBird sighting report for Van Wert County
- Since Elgin is near Mercer County and also Allen County, we have provided a link to their eBird sighting reports:
- Open the eBird sighting report for Mercer County
- Open the eBird sighting report for Allen County
- Waymarking ...
- Looking for somewhere out of the ordinary? Find a unique place and want to share it with others? Then it's time to visit Waymarking.com:
- Open the Waymark.com report for Elgin
Communities Also Named Elgin ...
We found 38 communities that are also named Elgin.
Within Ohio, the name Elgin is unique.
Beyond Ohio, we know of 38 communities that are located in the United States and Canada. Of these 38 communities, 32 are located in the United States and seven are in Canada.
- Communities Elsewhere In North America ...
- Alabama
- Lauderdale County
- This Elgin is located in Lauderdale County and lies 436 miles [701.7 km]<1> to the south southwest of the Elgin that is located in Van Wert County.
- For more information, please visit our profile page for the Lauderdale County community of Elgin.
- Tuscaloosa County
- We found mention of this community, but have little information.<2> For the information that we do have, please visit our profile page for the Alabama community of Elgin [Tuscaloosa County].
- Arizona
- Pima County
- We found mention of this community, but have little information.<2> For the information that we do have, please visit our profile page for the Arizona community of Elgin [Pima County].
- Santa Cruz County
- This Elgin is located in Santa Cruz County and lies 1,573 miles [2,531.5 km]<1> to the west southwest of the Elgin that is located in Van Wert County.
- For more information, please visit our profile page for the Santa Cruz County community of Elgin.
- Arkansas
- Jackson County
- This Elgin is located in Jackson County and lies 504 miles [811.1 km]<1> to the southwest of the Elgin that is located in Van Wert County.
- For more information, please visit our profile page for the Jackson County community of Elgin.
- British Columbia
- This Elgin lies 1,937 miles [3,117.3 km]<1> to the west northwest of the Elgin that is located in Van Wert County.
- Georgia
- Butts County
- This community is historic<3> and we have very little information. For the information that we do have, please visit our profile page for the Georgia community of Elgin [Butts County].
- Idaho
- Bingham County
- We found mention of this community, but have little information.<2> For the information that we do have, please visit our profile page for the Idaho community of Elgin [Bingham County].
- Illinois
- Kane County
- This Elgin is located in Kane County and lies 216 miles [347.6 km]<1> to the west northwest of the Elgin that is located in Van Wert County.
- For more information, please visit our profile page for the Kane County community of Elgin.
- Iowa
- Fayette County
- This Elgin is located in Fayette County and lies 398 miles [640.5 km]<1> to the west northwest of the Elgin that is located in Van Wert County.
- For more information, please visit our profile page for the Fayette County community of Elgin.
- Kansas
- Chautauqua County
- This Elgin is located in Chautauqua County and lies 684 miles [1,100.8 km]<1> to the west southwest of the Elgin that is located in Van Wert County.
- For more information, please visit our profile page for the Chautauqua County community of Elgin.
- Sedgwick County
- We found mention of this community, but have little information.<2> For the information that we do have, please visit our profile page for the Kansas community of Elgin [Sedgwick County].
- Manitoba
- This Elgin lies 972 miles [1,564.3 km]<1> to the northwest of the Elgin that is located in Van Wert County.
- Michigan
- Ottawa County
- We found mention of this community, but have little information.<2> For the information that we do have, please visit our profile page for the Michigan community of Elgin [Ottawa County].
- Minnesota
- Wabasha County
- This Elgin is located in Wabasha County and lies 459 miles [738.7 km]<1> to the northwest of the Elgin that is located in Van Wert County.
- For more information, please visit our profile page for the Wabasha County community of Elgin.
- Missouri
- Shelby County
- This Elgin is located in Shelby County and lies 399 miles [642.1 km]<1> to the west of the Elgin that is located in Van Wert County.
- For more information, please visit our profile page for the Shelby County community of Elgin.
- Sullivan County
- Although located in Sullivan County, we don't know the location within the county.
- For more information, please visit our profile page for the Sullivan County community of Elgin.
- Montana
- Carter County
- This community is historic<3> and we have very little information. For the information that we do have, please visit our profile page for the Montana community of Elgin [Carter County].
- Nebraska
- Antelope County
- This Elgin is located in Antelope County and lies 709 miles [1,141 km]<1> to the west northwest of the Elgin that is located in Van Wert County.
- For more information, please visit our profile page for the Antelope County community of Elgin.
- Nevada
- Lincoln County
- This community is historic<3> and we have very little information. For the information that we do have, please visit our profile page for the Nevada community of Elgin [Lincoln County].
- New Brunswick
- This Elgin lies 1,030 miles [1,657.6 km]<1> to the east northeast of the Elgin that is located in Van Wert County.
- New York
- Cattaraugus County
- This Elgin is located in Cattaraugus County and lies 334 miles [537.5 km]<1> to the east northeast of the Elgin that is located in Van Wert County.
- For more information, please visit our profile page for the Cattaraugus County community of Elgin.
- North Dakota
- Grant County
- This Elgin is located in Grant County and lies 950 miles [1,528.9 km]<1> to the west northwest of the Elgin that is located in Van Wert County.
- For more information, please visit our profile page for the Grant County community of Elgin.
- Nova Scotia
- This Elgin lies 1,142 miles [1,837.9 km]<1> to the east northeast of the Elgin that is located in Van Wert County.
- Oklahoma
- Comanche County
- This Elgin is located in Comanche County and lies 858 miles [1,380.8 km]<1> to the west southwest of the Elgin that is located in Van Wert County.
- For more information, please visit our profile page for the Comanche County community of Elgin.
- Garfield County
- We found mention of this community, but have little information.<2> For the information that we do have, please visit our profile page for the Oklahoma community of Elgin [Garfield County].
- Ontario
- This Elgin lies 496 miles [798.2 km]<1> to the northeast of the Elgin that is located in Van Wert County.
- Oregon
- Union County
- This Elgin is located in Union County and lies 1,704 miles [2,742.3 km]<1> to the west northwest of the Elgin that is located in Van Wert County.
- For more information, please visit our profile page for the Union County community of Elgin.
- Pennsylvania
- Erie County
- This Elgin is located in Erie County and lies 257 miles [413.6 km]<1> to the east northeast of the Elgin that is located in Van Wert County.
- For more information, please visit our profile page for the Erie County community of Elgin.
- Quebec
- This Elgin lies 594 miles [956 km]<1> to the east northeast of the Elgin that is located in Van Wert County.
- South Carolina
- Kershaw County
- This Elgin is located in Kershaw County and lies 496 miles [798.2 km]<1> to the south southeast of the Elgin that is located in Van Wert County.
- For more information, please visit our profile page for the Kershaw County community of Elgin.
- Lancaster County
- This Elgin is located in Lancaster County and lies 466 miles [750 km] to the south southeast of the Elgin that is located in Van Wert County.
- For more information, please visit our profile page for the Lancaster County community of Elgin.
- Tennessee
- Scott County
- This Elgin is located in Scott County and lies 304 miles [489.2 km]<1> to the south of the Elgin that is located in Van Wert County.
- For more information, please visit our profile page for the Scott County community of Elgin.
- Texas
- Bastrop County
- This Elgin is located in Bastrop County and lies 1,018 miles [1,638.3 km]<1> to the southwest of the Elgin that is located in Van Wert County.
- For more information, please visit our profile page for the Bastrop County community of Elgin.
- Utah
- Emery County
- This community is historic<3> and although located in Emery County, we don't know where within the county.
- For more information, please visit our profile page for the Emery County community of Elgin.
- Grand County
- This Elgin is located in Grand County and lies 1,361 miles [2,190.3 km]<1> to the west of the Elgin that is located in Van Wert County.
- For more information, please visit our profile page for the Grand County community of Elgin.
- Virginia
- Shenandoah County
- We found mention of this community, but have little information.<2> For the information that we do have, please visit our profile page for the Virginia community of Elgin [Shenandoah County].
- Washington
- Pierce County
- We found mention of this community, but have little information.<2> For the information that we do have, please visit our profile page for the Washington community of Elgin [Pierce County].
Curious and Interesting Names Near Elgin ...
As we travel, we always see a community with a name that gives pause. While there are names which are interesting or familiar, some catch our attention or strike our fancy. We always wonder about such a name. If time permits and the community is not too far, we'll usually try to make a side-trip.
- Converse
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the east)
- Dull
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the west)
- Dull is located in Van Wert County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Dull
- Harbor Point
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the south)
- Harbor Point is located in Mercer County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Harbor Point
- Idlewild
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the south)
- Idlewild is located in Mercer County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Idlewild
- Jonestown
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the northwest)
- Jonestown is located in Van Wert County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Jonestown
- Mariners Point
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the south)
- Mariners Point is located in Mercer County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mariners Point
- Middle Point
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the north)
- Needmore ‑ Historic
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the east)
- Needmore is located in Allen County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Needmore
- Neptune
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the south)
- Neptune is located in Mercer County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Neptune
- Rushmore
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the northeast)
- Rushmore is located in Putnam County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rushmore
- Sandy Beach
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the south)
- Sandy Beach is located in Auglaize County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sandy Beach
How Far From Elgin to ...
We spend a lot of time looking through Gazetteers that were published in the late 1800's and early 1900's. Many of the Gazetteers include the distance from a village such as Elgin to various places of note, such as the White House.
With a nod to our favorite Gazetteers, the straight-line distance beginning in Elgin and extending to:
- Van Wert, which is the Seat of Van Wert County, lies 10 miles [16.1 km]<1> to the north northwest. If you could walk a straight line from Elgin to Van Wert, with an average speed<5> of 2.2 miles [3.5 km] per hour, it would take four to five hours to make the trip. A horse and buggy averaging 3.2 miles [5.1 km] per hour would take a little over three hours.
- Columbus, which is the State Capital of Ohio, lies 94 miles [151.3 km] to the southeast (SE). Driving, with an average speed of 63 miles [101.4 km] per hour, would take less than two hours, a buggy would take most of three days and walking would take 6 days.
- The White House (Washington, DC) is 414 miles [666.3 km] to the east southeast (ESE). Driving would take most of a day, a buggy would take 17 days and walking would take 24 days.
- The shortest distance<6> to Jerusalem (specifically the Temple Mount and the Dome of the Rock) is 6,117 miles [9,844.4 km] and it lies to the northeast (NE).<7>
- The distance to the Great Mosque of Mecca (specifically the Ka'bah - or Kaaba ) is 6,846 miles [11,017.6 km] and it lies to the northeast (NE).<8>
- The distance to Saint Peter's Basilica (The Vatican) is 4,724 miles [7,602.5 km] and it lies to the northeast (NE).<9>'
Footnotes ...
| <1> | Our distances are not driving distances, but are calculated as a 'straight-line' distance. A straight line distance ignores obstructions like rivers, canyons, lakes, et cetera - it's truly a line from Point A (ie- Elgin) to Point B. In other words: 'As the crow flies'. |
| <2> | If we encounter the name of what might be a community, our methodology is to add that name to our Gazetteer as a placeholder. As we find more information about that community, it will be added to our Gazetteer.
Just as a reminder: Our definition of a community is rather broad and includes those places (or areas) where several families lived and had a name which identified that place. For example, you might hear somebody say that they are going over to Rock Creek to see Pete ... Rock Creek is just a gas station and a couple of homes at the crossroads. While it might not be on the map, everybody in the area knows it by that name.
Places of interest include buildings at a crossroad, several families clustered in a hollow or maybe the location of a way station. It also includes places like mines, lumber camps, ferry crossings, etc. The community might still exist, is now gone or only existed for just a short period of time.
Also keep in mind that Elgin could have been on the original document by mistake, misspelled, the original/alternate name of a community that we've listed elsewhere or was placed in the wrong county. Sometimes a post office or train station would have a different name than the community where it's located, so two names might be referring to the same community - we're working to straighten it all out. |
| <3> | We use the term 'Historic' broadly and it generally means that the community no longer exists. However, it can also mean that the community might still exist, but was significantly larger or had a more 'official' existence in the past than it does now. Unfortunately our sources of data have proven to be unreliable. If you can provide us with more specific information about Elgin, please let us know so that we can improve our accuracy. |
| <4> | While we're fans and frequent users of TripAdvisor, you should know that we're also members of the TripAdvisor affiliate program. |
| <5> | While we have tried to pick reasonable speeds, the rate of travel is very theoretical - obstacles like fences, hills, lakes, river crossings and rest stops have been ignored. When we say 'Days' of travel, we're assuming 8 hours of travel per day. |
| <6> | The shortest line can be visualized by stretching a string on a Globe from Point A to Point B - this is known as a Great Circle Route. Where you might expect the shortest route from Elgin to the Middle East to be East and South, the Great Circle Route actually lies to the North and East.Our distance measurements begin at a specific point in Elgin. The point we use is located at these GPS coordinates - Latitude: 40.7426, Longitude: -84.4754 In this case, the coordinates for Elgin have been provided by the Geographic Names Information System (GNIS). |
| <7> | The calculated bearing (or angle) to Jerusalem is 312.391 degrees. |
| <8> | The calculated bearing (or angle) to Mecca is 308.837 degrees. |
| <9> | The calculated bearing (or angle) to the Vatican is 307.386 degrees. |
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