The Chain O Lakes region has been one of Chicagos premier vacation spots since the 1880s. The nine major lake basinsCatherine, Channel, Grass, Bluff, Marie, Fox, Nippersink, Petite, and Pistakeeare all connected by the Fox River waterway and have for over 100 years been northern Illinoiss leading destination for inland boaters, fishermen, picnickers, or those just hoping to relax and play at the beach. Luxurious mansions and swank resorts once dotted the more than 6,000 acres of shoreline. Many are gone today; some remain but have been vastly changed, but none are forgotten. Captured here in over 200 vintage postcards are scenes from the chains heyday, scenes that will seem at once faraway and familiar to the water-skiers, windsurfers, and other outdoor recreationists who populate the Chain O Lakes today.