Editing Crystal Lake, Illinois (section)

==History==

===Founding===
[[File:Crystal Lake 03.jpg|left|thumb|Woodstock and Williams Streets in downtown Crystal Lake]]

The City of Crystal Lake traces its origin to two communities which were established in the 1800s. Those communities were generally known as Nunda and Crystal Lake. In 1835, Ziba S. Beardsley had come to the shores of the lake and commented that the "waters were as clear as crystal", thereby giving the lake its name. Ziba Beardsley continued south to [[Naperville, Illinois|Naperville]]. In February 1836, the first white settlers, Beman and Polly Crandall and six of their ten children, came from New York State traveling to Crystal Lake in a covered wagon. Their original cabin was built in the vicinity of today's intersection of Virginia Street and Van Buren Street. Four of the Crandall children were born there. Najah Beardsley's family was the second to settle in the area; his grandson, William Beardsley, was the [[first white child]] born on the Crystal Lake prairie, on May 7, 1837.<ref name="history">{{cite web|url= http://www.crystallake.org/index.aspx?page=253|title= History of Crystal Lake|year= 2009|publisher= City of Crystal Lake|access-date= 2009-12-16|url-status= dead|archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20100513083513/http://www.crystallake.org/index.aspx?page=253|archive-date= 2010-05-13}}</ref>

The town was first known as Crystal Ville. It was changed to Crystal Lake sometime before 1840. The area known today as downtown Crystal Lake was first called Dearborn and later, Nunda, from an area in New York where many settlers originated. The village of Dearborn was founded in the 1850s after an extension of railroads through the area. The first train station was built in 1856, although it was pre-fabricated and shipped from [[Chicago]] on a flatcar. At that time, the main business district for the village of Crystal Lake was located on Virginia Street, about one mile (1.6&nbsp;km) southwest of the railroad station. The railroad served to connect both the people and industries of Crystal Lake and Dearborn to Chicago and the rest of the country.

On October 7, 1868, Dearborn's name was changed to Nunda. The village was platted in 1868 by local surveyor, John Brink, after whom a downtown street is now named. The village included the area now generally bounded by [[Illinois Route 176]] on the north, Crystal Lake Avenue on the south, Main Street on the east, and Walkup Avenue on the west. Much of the land was originally owned by two early settlers, Daniel Ellsworth and Simon S. Gates. The villages of Crystal Lake and Nunda were both incorporated in 1874. In 1908, the name of the village of Nunda changed its name to North Crystal Lake. Several attempts were made to consolidate the two villages, and finally, after much disagreement, the village of North Crystal Lake was annexed to the Village of Crystal Lake in 1914, and a consolidated city government was established.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.cl-hs.org/14.html |title=Early History - Crystal Lake Historical Society |publisher=Cl-hs.org |date=2015-03-21 |access-date=2015-03-30 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150402131030/http://www.cl-hs.org/14.html |archive-date=2015-04-02 |url-status=dead }}</ref>

===Dole family===
{{More citations needed section|date=March 2024}}
[[File:dole mansion.jpg|thumb|upright|Dole Mansion]]
[[File:Dole mansion from front.jpg|thumb|Lakeside Center]]

Back in the 1860s, when the town of Crystal Lake was about 25 years old, [[Charles S. Dole]] purchased over {{convert|1,000|acre|km2}} of land overlooking the lake. It was his dream to construct an elaborate estate that would reflect his position as a successful businessman. He was an early member of the [[Chicago Board of Trade]], being associated with [[Armour, Dole & Co.]] in Chicago. To carry out his plan, he built a three-story mansion with adjoining gardens and stables. European craftsmen were imported to lay parquet floors, fashion archways and carve interior wood work from black walnut trees grown on the property. As a final touch, he brought in Italian artisans to build several marble fireplaces. According to Mr. Dole's obituary, construction costs exceeded $100,000, an enormous amount of money in those days.<ref name="history" />

The estate was known as Lakeland Farm. Mr. Dole lived there with his wife Julia, his mother-in-law, Mrs. Harriet Coffin, his two daughters, Mary Florence, Harriet (Hattie), and son, Sydney. Dole maintained the estate for over 30 years, entertaining lavishly. As an example, for his daughter's wedding in 1883 he built a spur line from the Chicago and Northwestern railway tracks almost to his doorstep. A canopied and carpeted walkway extended {{convert|750|ft|m}} from the front door to the train enabling the guests to walk to the mansion for the ceremony and return to the train without concern for the weather. Notable wedding guests included [[Julian Rumsey]] (mayor of Chicago and Dole's first cousin) and [[Levi Leiter]] (first partner with [[Marshall Field]]).

Mr. Dole's interests changed throughout the years. He laid out a half-mile racetrack on his property and purchased the finest horses that money could buy, soon accumulating a string of horses that was the envy of northern Illinois. It is said that Dole loved to go up in his tower (currently closed off) and watch his horses run. When tired of the fad of his stable, he disposed of his horses by holding an elaborate sale. The Doles lived in the mansion until the late 1890s when the property was sold to his son-in-law for $1.00.

During the early 1900s, the property was owned and operated by several ice companies. Ice was harvested from Crystal Lake and shipped by rail to nearby Chicago. The advent of refrigeration brought about the decline of the ice business. After laying vacant for several years, the property was sold in 1922 to the Lake Development Company. The building was purchased by the First Congregational Church of Crystal Lake in 1977. The annex portion of the structure was renovated by thousands of hours of volunteer work. The Church named the facility "Lakeside Center" and operated it as a community activities center, hosting Friendship House Day Care Center for children, church offices, meeting rooms, reception hall, and retreat facilities. Today the Dole Mansion is owned by the Lakeside Legacy, along with Lakeside center, which is the building connected to the Dole Mansion. Dole Mansion is located along the lake, and there is a festival held on the grounds every year.

===Eliza Ringling===
Ringling Road is an east–west road which curves from Country Club Road back up to Lake Avenue. There are less than one dozen houses that claim a Ringling Road address; but those houses range from a small, stone cottage to large, imposing mansions. Ringling Road provides the northern boundary for the Dole Mansion property. The road was named after Eliza "Lou" Ringling who, as founder of the Lake Development Company, purchased the Dole Mansion in 1922 and converted it into the Crystal Lake Country Club. The transaction involved nearly a half million dollars and was one of the largest real estate deals handled in the area. The original Crystal Lake Country Club faltered in the stock market crash of 1929, and Mrs. Ringling, with her group of investors (the Lake Development Company) subdivided much of the large Dole estate into what is known as the Country Club Additions subdivision<ref name="RinglingRoad">{{cite web |url=http://www.cl-hs.org/resources/Ringling+Road.pdf |title=Street Scenes : Ringling Road |publisher=Cl-hs.org |access-date=2015-03-30 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150923204449/http://www.cl-hs.org/resources/Ringling+Road.pdf |archive-date=2015-09-23 |url-status=dead }}</ref> parts of which are in the neighboring village [[Lakewood, Illinois]].

Eliza "Lou" Ringling was the widow of the oldest [[Ringling brothers|Ringling brother]], Albert, of circus fame.<ref name="RinglingRoad" />

===Teco pottery===
The American [[Terra Cotta]] Tile and Ceramic Company was founded in 1881<ref>{{cite web|url=http://special.lib.umn.edu/findaid/html/mss/nwaa0002.html |title=Northwest Architectural Archives, University of Minnesota |publisher=Special.lib.umn.edu |access-date=2010-07-28}}</ref> just north of Crystal Lake, Illinois. Most of the workers at the tile and ceramic works factory lived in Crystal Lake,<ref name="Darling">{{cite book|last1= Darling|first1= Sharon S.|last2= Zakin|first2= Richard| title=Teco: Art Pottery of the Prairie School| publisher=Erie Art Museum | location=Erie, Pa| year=1989|isbn= 978-0-9616623-2-5|oclc=20056198}}</ref><ref>{{cite book | first1=George A.| last1=Berry  | last2=Darling |first2=Sharon S.| title=Common Clay: A History of American Terra Cotta Corporation, 1881–1966| publisher=TCR Corp | location=Crystal Lake, Illinois | year=2003 |isbn= 978-0-9747738-0-3|oclc=55023086}}</ref> The production consisted of drain tile, brick and architectural items. In 1886 the Gates Pottery was established as a subsidiary with William D. Gates, a Crystal Lake area native<ref name="Darling" /> as its president. The company fabricated architectural glazed terra cotta that was used on buildings designed by architects Louis Sullivan and Frank Lloyd Wright in the style of the [[Prairie School]]. American Terra Cotta's company records<ref>{{cite web|url=http://special.lib.umn.edu/findaid/xml/naa005.xml | title=Northwest Architectural Archives N5, University of Minnesota Libraries, Minneapolis, Minnesota American Terra Cotta and Ceramic Company Records |access-date=2016-08-23}}</ref><ref name="kenney">{{cite book | first=Diana L.| last=Kenney| title=Crystal Lake Postcard History Series  | publisher=Arcadia Pub | location=Charleston, South Carolina| year=2009 |isbn= 978-0-7385-6007-6|oclc=466906597}}</ref> show that architectural glazed terra cotta was used on many local buildings including Oak Manufacturing Company, Teckler Building, Cohn Store, Telephone Exchange and Commercial Building, El Tovar Theatre, Crystal Lake Community High School (now Crystal Lake Central High School) and additions, Central School and additions, Pure Oil Research Lab and additions, Sinclair Refining Company Service Station, Warner Building, Citizens State Bank, Garbe Garage, Home State Bank, various Williams Street stores and bakeries, and Martinetti's Restaurant and Motel.

Gates used the facilities to experiment with clays and glazes in an effort to design a line of art pottery which led to the introduction of [[Teco pottery]] (from TErra COtta, but pronounced locally as "Tea-co") in 1902. Many of the pottery pieces were designed by architects such as [[Frank Lloyd Wright]].<ref>Darling, Sharon S., ''Teco Art Pottery of the Prairie School''</ref> Produced for only a few years, this pottery exemplifies the [[Arts and Crafts Movement]] and today is highly sought after by art collectors. Teco pottery is in the collection of many museums.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://chicagohistory.org/research/aboutcollection/decorativeindustrial#highlights |title=Chicago History Museum &#124; Decorative and Industrial Arts |publisher=Chicagohistory.org |access-date=2010-07-28 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100823150521/http://www.chicagohistory.org/research/aboutcollection/decorativeindustrial#highlights |archive-date=2010-08-23 |url-status=dead }}</ref>

===Recent history===
[[File:Former city logo of Crystal Lake, Illinois.jpg|thumb|100px|Former city logo]]
On April 11, 1965, during the [[Palm Sunday tornado outbreak of 1965|Palm Sunday tornado outbreak]], a large and devastating tornado damaged or destroyed large portions of the city. Six people were killed by the tornado, and a further 75 wounded. Damages in the city totaled over $1.5 million, as 80 homes, mostly in the Coventry and Colby's Home Estates neighborhoods, and a shopping center were completely destroyed. Disaster shelters were set up to house the homeless, and then-governor of Illinois, [[Otto Kerner, Jr.]], personally visited the city to view the damage.<ref name="history" />

Crystal Lake is the city where the tradition of giving gold coins to the [[Salvation Army]] anonymously began in 1982.<ref>Chicago Tribune, 2013-12-08, Page 3</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.chicagotribune.com/1992/12/10/salvation-army-again-mining-gold/ |title=Salvation Army again mining gold |publisher=Chicago Tribune |access-date=2024-12-19 |date=December 10, 1992 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20241219184133/https://www.chicagotribune.com/1992/12/10/salvation-army-again-mining-gold/ |archive-date=2024-12-19}}</ref><ref name="USAT1">{{cite web|url=https://www.usatoday.com/news/nation/2006-12-07-goldcoins_x.htm|title=Gold coins from secret Santas bring cheer to Christmas bell ringers|access-date=2007-12-20|author=Oren Dorell |publisher=USA Today |date= December 7, 2006}}</ref>

During the 1970s, the [[Academy Awards]] Oscar statues were cast in Crystal Lake.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1974/04/02/archives/oscar-night-also-big-one-for-a-factory-in-illinois-make-70-oscars.html/ |title=Oscar Night Also Big One For a Factory in Illinois |publisher=New York Times |access-date=2024-12-19 |date=April 2, 1974 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20241219220233/https://www.nytimes.com/1974/04/02/archives/oscar-night-also-big-one-for-a-factory-in-illinois-make-70-oscars.html |archive-date=2024-12-19}}</ref>

In the late 20th century and early 21st century, the history of Crystal Lake consisted mainly of the growth of suburban subdivisions, as the population increased to 38,000 in the 2000 Census from 21,823 in the 1990 Census. In order to deal with the growth, [[Crystal Lake South High School]] was opened in 1978. Previously, Crystal Lake Community High School (now [[Crystal Lake Central High School]]) had served the entire city of Crystal Lake since 1924. A third high school, [[Prairie Ridge High School]], opened in 1997 north of the city to accommodate the spread moving into the area between Crystal Lake and the two communities directly to its north, [[Prairie Grove, Illinois|Prairie Grove]] and [[Bull Valley, Illinois|Bull Valley]].

In 2015, Crystal Lake was ranked tenth best city among 1,268 U.S. cities with populations between 25,000 and 100,000 by WalletHub.<ref>{{cite web |last=Connolly |first=Colleen |date=2015-11-03 |title=Crystal Lake, Algonquin Ranked in 'Best Small Cities' Report |url=http://www.nbcchicago.com/news/local/crystal-lake-algonquin-suburbs-list-of-best-small-cities-339850912.html#ixzz3qWzGadSm |access-date=2016-03-07 |publisher=[[NBC Chicago]]}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |date=November 13, 2015 |title=Northwest Suburb Named One of the Best Small Cities in America |url=http://www.nbcchicago.com/news/local/Northwest-Suburb-Named-One-of-the-Best-Small-Cities-in-America-347305552.html |access-date=July 27, 2016 |website=nbcchicago.com}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last1=Craver |first1=Kevin |date=June 14, 2016 |title=WalletHub Ranks Crystal Lake in Top 10 for Best Small Cities in America |newspaper=[[Northwest Herald]] |url=http://www.nwherald.com/2016/06/14/wallethub-ranks-crystal-lake-in-top-10-for-best-small-cities-in-america/aotjej7/ |access-date=July 27, 2016}}</ref>

In 2016, it was reported that there were zero retail vacancies in the downtown district of Crystal Lake.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Linhart |first1=Nate |date=July 26, 2016 |title=Downtown Crystal Lake Has No Retail Vacancies |newspaper=[[Northwest Herald]] |url=http://www.nwherald.com/2016/07/22/downtown-crystal-lake-has-no-retail-vacancies/aqtki2k/ |access-date=July 27, 2016}}</ref> This was the case until 2017.{{citation needed|date=April 2017}}

Aaron T. Shepley was the mayor of Crystal Lake from 1999 to his death in 2020, making him the longest-serving mayor in the city's history.<ref name="McCoppin2020"/>

On July 7, 2021, U.S. President [[Joe Biden]] visited [[McHenry County College]] in Crystal Lake, becoming the first sitting president to visit the city.<ref>{{cite web | last1=D'Onofrio | first1=Jessica | title=President Biden in Crystal Lake: Suburban city prepares for 1st visit from sitting pres. | url=https://abc7chicago.com/biden-crystal-lake-haig-haleblian-illinois/10867569/ | date=July 7, 2021 | work=[[WLS-TV]] | access-date=July 7, 2021}}</ref><ref>{{cite web | last1=Ruthhart | first1=Bill | title=Biden's stop in McHenry County Wednesday latest in string of visits to key swing districts | url=https://www.chicagotribune.com/politics/ct-joe-biden-mchenry-county-visit-20210707-slirlwrzffeshlju35bmemhmui-story.html | date=July 6, 2021 | work=[[Chicago Tribune]] | access-date=July 6, 2021}}</ref> Then-Vice President [[George H. W. Bush]] had twice visited Crystal Lake in 1988 while campaigning for president.<ref>{{cite web | last1=Locin | first1=Mitchell | title=Bush Takes Relaxed Tour of Suburbs | url=https://www.chicagotribune.com/news/ct-xpm-1988-10-30-8802110472-story.html | date=October 30, 1988 | work=[[Chicago Tribune]] | access-date=April 28, 2022}}</ref><ref>{{cite web | last1=Prokop | first1=Hannah | title=George H.W. Bush made two 1988 campaign stops in McHenry County | url=https://www.shawlocal.com/2018/12/04/george-h-w-bush-made-two-1988-campaign-stops-in-mchenry-county/as5j5d8/ | date=December 5, 2018 | work=[[Shaw Media (United States)|Shaw Local News Network]] | access-date=April 28, 2022}}</ref>