Elgin's Finest was painted by artist Rikk Johnston and honours the many men from Elgin County's 91st Battalion Canadian Expeditionary Force, and the railways which were used to transport soldiers, weapons, and food during the First World War.
The mural depicts a crowd of 20,000 gathered at the Michigan Central Station seeing off 940 men of the 91st Battalion; Union Jack flag; 91st Battalion Regimental Colour; Military Medal, British War Medal, and Victory Medal; a field of poppies; Canadian Red Ensign; and four men of the Collins family that served in the war, two did not return. The artist used a family photo of the men in uniform when he hand painted them. Depicted left to right: Private Roy Robinson (stepson), Provost Corporal W.T. Collins (father), Private Frank Robinson (stepson), and Private Clarence Earl Collins (son).
The Canadian Red Ensign, Canada's flag until 1965, depicted at the far left of the mural is from after 1957. A Canadian National logo is located on the train's engine even though Canadian National Railway wasn't formed until 1919. The tracks were actually owned by the Michigan Central Railway, but the Grand Trunk Railway had access to the station and they likely took the 91st Battalion to Halifax. When painting the crowd gathered at the train station, the artist used a photo of the second troop train that left the station on 25 June 1916.
The colonel who raised the regiment, Colonel W.J. Green, had a lumber mill located in St. Thomas.
