Veterans' Memorial Park was established in 1913 when the ladies of the New Century Club signed a lease with the railroad for the right-of-way land which has been occupied by the Mutual Lumber Co. The railroad assisted the ladies in their plans for "a park that will afford a place for band concerts in the summer, a place for people coming into town to come and rest". The original Veterans' Memorial Park was home to a small gazebo and water fountain. As of 1972 the original 1913 gazebo and fountain in Veterans' Memorial Park were destroyed due to lack of maintenance. The current gazebo in Veterans' Memorial Park was built in the 1990s as a memorial.
The Union Depot (1903), which has been restored and adapted into a museum, is directly across Main Street from Veterans' Memorial Park, and the H&TC Freight Depot (1872) is adjacent to the park and is currently the home of the Greater Elgin Chamber of Commerce and Visitor's Center.
As a part of the 2013 - 2015 Sustainable Places Plan, the City of Elgin purchased additional lots along the Union Pacific Railroad line between Avenue C and Avenue A, making Veterans' Park a full 5 acres. Based on input from the community during the Sustainable Places Plan feedback and feedback provided in 2020-2021 for the Parks, Recreation and Open Space Master Plan, improvements for the Veterans' Park Expansion Project are proposed below.
