Illinois’ legendary skatespot known as the Elgin pipes, named after the town of Elgin where they resided. Legends, myths and truths trickled throughout the Midwest like.. oh I don’t know, hazardous chemicals leaching into the water table? Here’s a few I remember, located next to a mental hospital, someone was murdered there, spikes welded on to keep skaters out… the list goes on. This is Michael Hammecker with a tail stall to nose grab. Let’s hear some Elgin pipes stories. Enlarge-o-rama.
Elgin pipes circa 87
12-3-2009 by Kilwag modified 3-17-25 - 17 comments
Categories: Back In The Day, Found Terrain, Skate
Tags: 80's, Elgin, Elgin Pipes, full pipes, Illinois
Categories: Back In The Day, Found Terrain, Skate
Tags: 80's, Elgin, Elgin Pipes, full pipes, Illinois
12-3-2009 by Kilwag modified 3-17-25 - 17 comments
Categories: Back In The Day, Found Terrain, Skate
Tags: 80's, Elgin, Elgin Pipes, full pipes, Illinois
17 comments
Rich D.
I remember learning to get there early, before the tubes would heat up. I think I still have a few burn marks from that little lesson.
brad
I lied that I went there to impress a girl from New Trier High into giving me a BJ. Than you Elgin Pipes.
Kopplin
Hey I just set up a Facebook Group celebrating this amazing place and time. Please join the group and share photos and stories if you got them. Thanks!
https://www.facebook.com/groups/156834301328607/
KR
I learned to skate vert at this spot. We stopped going after some dead bodies were found there, at least that was the rumor.
Marc, I used to skate the Coin ramp too. Those guys skated our ramp in Glen Ellyn too.
Marc
I grew up skating/riding there. Kilroy do you know Todd? Coin ramp? The tubes were scary. If I was there and a car pulled up, I would get nervous. People would come from out of state and I remember being surprised that they found them even with the best map. I remember a couple times when they were filled in with dirt, and I remember a fence with Rottweilers. They parked trains a couple hundred yards behind them and I remember being scard that some train hoppers would be there. I remember that the song “there’s a little black dot on the sun today” by Sting was popular when I was going there.
Erick
I grew up less than two miles from the pipes..big spead in bmx plus in 84ishlet know if anyone needs to know anything . A body was found and that was the end of jthenm
dry bones nation
there was a second set of full pipes that were in elgin/dundee about 3/4 years ago. they arent skateable anymore because the employees of the yard flip out on people, you can still see them, but definitely not a good idea to go. and i think they are set up shitty.
kilroy
i skated those pipes. at one time there were decks on part of the pipe. tory ruled everything in illinois.
his ramp was sweet back in the day.
NWxRIP
Are these still around? I live in Chicago an remember seeing some pipes out in the Elgin / Dundee area about 8 years ago. Never been able to find ’em again.
PRBL
I’ve got a bunch of pics of guys riding those pipes that were sent to my skatezine…Tory Boettcher ruled that spot and got a pic in an old Thrasher from a contest there.
skaterhusseindave
Heard a rumor, never made the pilgrimage…
Hammecker
Haha, you’re high.. Yeah, I suppose it could look posed.. but there’s no platform on those pipes and the edge is about 3 inches thick, there’s no way to pose..
I may be balanced kind of sketchy, but… haha
So don’t post my shit Kilwag and then run your mouth.. but whatever man, Im 38, still skate and I ripped those pipes as well as anyone.. keep hating, I keep skating.. I’ll try to dig up some more..
kilwag
You are posed.
Hammecker
@Sk8 D.. hahaha, that shits funny..
@Grover.. That shit ain’t posed sucker! I used to rip those.. Dont hate, skate!
Grover
That shot is posed.
Kilwag
How do you pose a shot of someone dropping in? 😛
Sk8 D
Is that the bully from A Christmas Story