Take a look back in time Visit the Crystal Lake Historical Society

by Sandra Landen Machaj CORRESPONDENT

The Crystal Lake Historical Society was not founded until April 14, 2000, when local residents who wished to preserve the history of the community for future generations made the decision to create this historical society. They have been quite successful in obtaining and preserving memorabilia of the past and in identifying, preserving and promoting the history of the area through education.

The society has been fortunate to make their home in the Colonel Palmer House, 660 Terra Cotta Road, Crystal Lake, a home owned by the City of Crystal Lake and leased by the Crystal Lake Park District in partnership with the Historical Society.

“The historic society stores our records and historical artifacts in the Palmer House, displaying the furniture throughout the house and the records on the second floor,” Crystal Lake Historical Society President Diana Kenney said. “Those interested in learning more about the history of Crystal Lake are welcome to come and use the research facilities. We have a large historical base including all the high school yearbooks. ”

According to the Crystal Lake Historical Society’s website, the history of Crystal Lake goes back to the 1800s when two communities originally known as Nunda and Crystal Lake were established. Nunda was named after Nunda, New York, where some of the early settlers to the area originally lived. The name Crystal Lake was given because of the crystal clear waters of the lake in the area, the name has remained through the years.

Founding families

Ziba Beardsley was said to have arrived in this area in 1835. He is credited with giving the lake its name after commenting that “the waters were as clear as crystal.” He however, did not remain in the area but continued south settling in what would become Naperville. Thus, allowing Beman and Polly Crandall and six of their 10 children to be the first to settle in the area. The Crandall family remained living in their covered wagon until a log cabin was erected. Four additional children were born here.

They were followed by Najah Beardsley’s family who are identified as the second to settle in the area.

The area went through a number of name changes, from Crystal Ville which changed to Crystal Lake before 1840. The downtown area was originally called Dearborn when founded in the mid-1850s after the railroads arrived in the area. Later the name was changed to Nunda and finally it became Crystal Lake.

The train depot arrived by train in 1856. It was a prefabricated building and was loaded on a flat car to make its way here from Chicago. The area where the depot was installed was at that time known as Dearborn. However, in spite of that, the train stop was named and still remains the

Crystal Lake Station.

Col. Gustavus A. Palmer was also from Nunda, New York. Palmer and his wife, Henrietta, arrived around 1841 by covered wagon. He eventually acquired 300 acres of land and became a very successful farmer.

Befitting his status as a wealthy farmer, Palmer hired Stonemason Andrew Jackson Simons to build a beautiful Greek Revival and Federalist-style brick home in 1858. Simons was famous for his cobblestone foundations and incorporated one in the Palmer home.

The Palmers lived in this home for more than 40 years until their deaths, days apart, from typhoid pneumonia in December 1884.

Palmer is remembered as one of the founders of the Masonic Lodge and was the first post master Kenny said.

The home was designated with landmark status in 1985 when it received a listing on the National Register of Historic Places and in 1997 the City of Crystal Lake also granted it landmark status.

In 1998, the Crystal Lake Park District entered into a 99-year lease with the city for the use of the house and two acres of its property. In 2001 the park district welcomed the historic society to share the building maintaining the historic society’s office, library, and archives in the Palmer House on the second floor.

Sears homes studied

Kenny said the historical society continues to research the history of Crystal Lake.

“Our current project is researching the story of the Sears Kit Homes that were built in this area,” Kenny said. “In February we had a presentation at the Dole Mansion about the verified Sears homes in Crystal Lake given by our vicepresident, Ann Viger.”

The program will be added to the website so those interested can watch it there. A display of the Sears homes study will also be added to the Palmer House in April.

Each year there is a trolley rde through the City of Crystal Lake on the second Sunday of June, this year on June 11, highlighting some of the history of Crystal Lake.

This year the narrated trolley tour sponsored by the park district, will take visitors past many of the verified Sears Kit Homes in the community along with a program booklet.

Tickets must be purchased in advance and are available at Heisler’s Bootery, 50 N. Williams St, Crystal Lake. Tickets tend to sell out quickly so if interested visit them now. Tickets are $20.

The Sears Kit Homes, for those unfamiliar with them, were sold by Sears Roebuck and Co. from the early 1900s until 1942. The kits contained everything to build a house including all the lumber all precut to size. The kits were available for a variety of home designs from small cottage home to two-story larger homes.

The cost for the Sears Home Kits ranged from a few hundred dollars for the smaller homes to a couple of thousand dollars for some of the larger homes. People needed to purchase the property to build the home on separately.

“The home kits were shipped by train so it is not surprising that most of the homes were built fairly close to the train station,” Viger said. “Those in the Crystal Lake area that we present as true Sears Kit Homes have been authenticated by at least two forms of identification. There are probably more homes in the area than what we have identified and we continue to research them.”

In addition to the Sears Home Kits there were also other companies following the Sears lead and producing kits for home building.

The homes were discontinued in 1942 because of a lack of material available for the kits and having fewer workers to prepare the kits as the majority of the males were serving their country during World War II.

The kits were delivered by train so it is not surprising that most of them were built in a short radius around train stations top: Ice harvesting on the lake was a major industry from the late 1800s to the 1900s. both in Crystal Lake and other communities.

The ice was used locally and some was transported to Chicago by train. middle: Downtown Williams Street, in the heart of Crystal Lake, as it looked circa 1950. Williams Street is still a bustling shopping district in downtown Crystal Lake. at right: The railroad station in Crystal Lake was built in 1914 and is still in use today.

To learn more about the history of the area, visit the Palmer House.

Palmer House

The Palmer House is open for visitors. Many of the original features of the home are still intact.

Visitors will note the cobblestone foundation on the outside of the home. This type of foundation has surprisingly held up. Inside the offset stairs, typical of Greek Revival homes, is still in place with its hand turned banister.

The home is furnished with some of the historical furniture collected by the historical society. The back parlor is used by the Crystal Lake Park District for programs.

Among one of the favorite programs held here by the park district is the Mother-Daughter Tea. The special tea brings in the history of teas in the Victorian days. The teas include finger sandwiches and desserts and a variety of teas as would be served during Victorian times.

The program is suitable for children from age 7 and older. This year’s tea will be Sunday, April 30. Two seatings are available – 12:30 to 2 p.m. or from 3 to 4:30 p.m. Tickets must be purchased in advance from the park district office. Prices are $29 to $38.

The Palmer House is also the perfect place to hold a birthday party – Victorian style. The parties include a light lunch of seasonal fruit, finger sandwiches, and delicious desserts and of course tea in the Victorian manner.

Victorian dining etiquette is presented and a variety of parlor games are played. The party will last 1-1/2 hours and can be scheduled on Saturday or Sunday with a maximum of 25 guests.

The Palmer House also offer a Fairy Birthday where guests are swept away in a world of fairies and will have fairythemed crafts. This party is suitable for children older than 4 years old.

For more information, costs and date availability for parties, email Jfiorina@ crystallakeparks.org.

Those interested in learning more about the history of Crystal Lake may consider joining the Crystal Lake Historical Society, which provides a variety of displays both upstairs and downstairs at the Palmer House.

The historical society produces a quarterly newspaper and a Sunday Facebook page to share information about Crystal Lake’s history. The society also publishes a monthly news article for the City of Crystal Lake.

A members-only open house is scheduled for April when the Sears Home Kits display is completed.

To learn more about the Crystal Lake Historical Society contact them at 660 E. Terra Cotta Ave., call them at 815455-1151 (leave a message) or visit cl-hs.org.

Researchers may email info@cl-hs.org to arrange for a knowledgeable volunteer to assist them.

Visit the Palmer House Thursdays and Fridays from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Saturdays from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.