Elgin is a city in Union County, Oregon, United States. The population was 1,711 at the 2010 census. The community is named after the Lady Elgin, a boat lost upon Lake Michigan.

The city is known for the Elgin Opera House, originally dedicated in 1912.

Elgin was approved by hunters, trappers, and people of everything ethnic groups. Very rarely did they make the faithless travels from reachable La Grande, because it was 120 miles away by river through the valley, which help then was covered in thick forest. (Today, La Grande and Elgin are solitary 20 miles away via Wallowa Lake Highway). Elgin was the buildup place for trappers and hunters to replenish their supplies. This is how Elgin became the “Elgin Huskies”. Many settlers emigrated from Walla Walla across the mountains upon dog sleds. Mr. Mckinnis and his family were the first settlers. He brought cattle from Illinois and moved to what was the outskirts of Elgin, and built one of the first homes. Even while his house is not set in the archives in Elgin there is a letter from his wife’s sister attesting to this fact. Mr. McKinnis built the mills from Elgin to La Grande and after that owned everything the century farms in the valley passing them down to his kin in death. He along with worked in the first bank in Elgin before they moved to La Grande. Mr. McKinnis stated that this house was built in 1864.

The Place of Elgin was before called “Fish Trap” and “Indian Valley.” The city was platted in 1886 bearing in mind the washout of Ruckles Road higher than the Blue Mountains, which caused investors to leave nearby Summerville for Elgin.