Crystal Lake, Illinois is located in McHenry County, 43 miles northwest of downtown Chicago (the Loop). The name given to the town originates with the 1835 description of the local lake by a well known author of the time, one Ziba Beardsley, as being “clear as crystal”. A village on the eastern shore was laid out in 1840. Development of the area was subject to the wishes of railroad investors and planners, as two lines, Fox River Valley and Wisconsin lines competed for dominance. It took the consolidated line, known as the Chicago and Northwestern, to lay a spur to Crystal Lake, with the city itself formed in 1914, combining two local/neighboring communities into one entity – Crystal Lake. Resorts and boardinghouses had already been built around the north shore, and citizens had taken legal action prior to incorporation, to ensure public access to the lake, and the Crystal Lake Park District was established in 1921.
Area population remained stable from the 1930s through the 1950s, but became a focus of a land rush in the 1960s – with the expansion of the Chicago – O’Hare airport, reaching a population of 18,590. By 2000, the population had grown to 38,000. Just one hour northwest of the Chicago metropolitan area, Crystal Lake is ideally situated along major roads and highways. There are two Metra train stations, providing service along the Union Pacific line. Multiple airports offer options for travelers: O’Hare, Chicago-Rockford and private/commercial charters through Lake in the Hills Airport. The Park District oversees 238 acre Crystal Lake, which has two beaches, and many local parks and recreational facilities that offer numerous programs – hiking and biking trails are popular. Area offerings include the Lakeside Arts Park at the Dole Mansion, and the Raue Center for the Arts. The historic downtown presents an abundant array of shops and restaurants.