Since 1835, when Ziba Beardsley declared, "The water is as clear as crystal," generations of people have enjoyed the area's spring-fed lake. The pages of this book take readers on a trip back through time to learn more about the twin towns of Nunda and Crystal Lake and their eventual union. Meet some of Crystal Lake's first settlers, as well as those who came later, and discover how they shaped the community. See photographs and descriptions of summer resorts, country clubs, parks, schools, and churches. Trace the development of both Virginia Street and the historic downtown district through vintage street scenes. Some of the buildings shown in Crystal Lake were removed long ago, yet others are still standing to serve as silent reminders of the community's rich and proud heritage.
Crystal Lake lies between the towns of Tolland and Stafford on a five-mile-long triangular strip of land extending from the northeastern corner of Ellington. Attracted by the lakes sandy shore surrounded by forests of oak, chestnut, pine, and maple, early families of settlers called the lake Square Pond. In the 1890s, Crystal Lake became a destination resort. Its popularity extended through the advent of the interurban trolley and Depression-era auto trippers who stayed in the lakes hotels, cottages, and roadside tourist cabins. In the 1930s, the Sandy Beach Ballroom attracted the big bands of Duke Ellington, Guy Lombardo, and Cab Calloway. The ballroom also served as a roller-skating rink where young people from Ellington, Stafford, Rockville, and surrounding towns spent their leisure hours. Today Crystal Lake remains a popular getaway for fishing, swimming, and boating.
Since 1835, when Ziba Beardsley declared, "The water is as clear as crystal," generations of people have enjoyed this small Illinois city's spring-fed lake. The pages of this book take readers on a trip back through time to learn more about the twin towns of Nunda and Crystal Lake, and their eventual union. Meet some of Crystal Lake's first settlers, and discovered how early townspeople shaped the community. Trace the development of both Virginia Street and the historic downtown district through vintage street scenes. Some of the buildings shown in Crystal Lake were removed long ago, yet others are still standing to serve as silent reminders of the community's rich and proud heritage.
Crystal Lake lies between the towns of Tolland and Stafford on a five-mile-long triangular strip of land extending from the northeastern corner of Ellington. Attracted by the lakes sandy shore surrounded by forests of oak, chestnut, pine, and maple, early families of settlers called the lake Square Pond. In the 1890s, Crystal Lake became a destination resort. Its popularity extended through the advent of the interurban trolley and Depression-era auto trippers who stayed in the lakes hotels, cottages, and roadside tourist cabins. In the 1930s, the Sandy Beach Ballroom attracted the big bands of Duke Ellington, Guy Lombardo, and Cab Calloway. The ballroom also served as a roller-skating rink where young people from Ellington, Stafford, Rockville, and surrounding towns spent their leisure hours. Today Crystal Lake remains a popular getaway for fishing, swimming, and boating.
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