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The city gathered this past weekend to help raise funds for Elgin’s longest standing residence, nearly complete with its first phase of renovations.
The Mary Christian Burleson Foundation held its second annual Mary’s Day Music Festival, March 1, to aid in the local landmark’s transformation into a community center, event space and public park.
“Mary was a pioneer, she was an incredible woman, we lovingly refer to Mary as the Forest Gump of Elgin,” said board member Dan Kleiner. “We owe a lot to Mary’s legacy and that’s what we’re celebrating today.”
Mary’s homestead, at 117 Louise St., dates as far back as 1840, and was officially designated Elgin’s oldest home by state officials when the city first got ahold of the property, according to Elgin Depot Museum’s Sandy Murphree.
The forerunner went on to donate the land on which the Elgin lies in 1870, when the railroads came through. Elgin was officially made a city in 1872.
The MCB foundation is comprised of residents and history buffs with the shared goal of bettering the city through saving Mary’s homestead. With over $150,000 in state and federal grants, the organization expects to finish exterior renovations by the end of the month. The group organized this event and brought locals together to help attain their new goal of $120,000 for phase two, the interior.
The foundation has been working towards this progress for 15 years, according to Jake Carter, board president.
“It’s been an ongoing process, through the hard work of a lot of people. We’re sort of just the latest caretakers and we’re moving it along,” Carter said.
With a local musician spotlight at Lightnin’ Bar and art showcase at downtown’s The Clever Tiger Art Studio and Gallery, the two day affair was not only a way to honor Mary’s legacy and history, but to celebrate community and friends.
“One of my favorite things about this group is how many people that I know here in Elgin, that I’ve grown to care for and love, that have been a part of this project over the course of many, many years,” added Kleiner. “That’s just the spirit of Elgin, the spirit of this community…coming out, helping, representing our community with pride and being a part of this close-knit group of people we’re all so lucky to be a part of.”
Through the donation-based affair and a percentage of art sales, the team is one step closer to the completion of their communal gathering point.
There’s not much event space for rent in the city, according to Carter, and the group wants to provide an event center that can be rented out for low cost or no cost for the city.
“It’s a great way to fund the organization without having to have a museum in the back side of some town that no one has ever heard of,” Carter said.
The outside space should be open to the public once phase one is complete. Interior work will begin shortly after, with ideas of a “museum on the wall” floating around. The foundation would also like to fill the need for a park in that side of town.
“It’s going to be a community center, a space for kids to come out and learn about history, for organizations to come and gather at,” added the president.
The MCB Foundation is always looking for volunteers to help with cleanup days and appreciates any donations. More information can be found at mcb.info.
