Fox Lake Historical Society Meeting-- Part 2: Talking About Dollar Lake and Beer Can Bridge

There was no presentation today because of the death of President Nancy Kubalanza.  Just didn't seem right to have one.

There is a movement to place historical markers around Fox Lake.

The site of Dollar Lake, now the plaza with the theater and Val's grocery store is scheduled for one.  Dollar Lake was shallow and filled in.  Paul Jakstas says there is no truth to there being any trains in the former lake (used as fill).  It was filled up partially with land from G.I. Hill

In 1954, Rollins Road came through to Fox Lake and the shopping centyer was built 1962-1963.  It used to have a small Sears store and a Woolworth's.

They also hope to put up anoher sign by what is locally called Beer Can Bridge which takes US Route 12 (Rand Road) over a channel between Nippersink Lake and Pistakee Lake.  It gets its name from all the beer cans placed on the underside of the girders by boaters passing under them.  

This is also by where the old Midway was located, an area of bars, hotels and amusements.

--Cooter

Fox Lake Historical Society Meeting March 19

The Fox Lake-Grant Township Area Historical Society had their March meeting at the museum in Ingleside, Illinois, on March 19, convening at 9:30 am.

There was no meeting in January because of COVID restrictions.  

The last meeting was November 20, 2021.

**  The Roxanne Resort on Fox Lake was bought by an investment group who donated a scanner to the society.

**  Eagle Point on Pistakee Lake is gathering information on its history and plan to make a book about it and donate it to our library.  I especially like this idea because I used to deejay a whole lot at Eagle Point Park (The Puppet Bar).  Spent many a Saturday night there.

**  The deck in the back of the building was finished.

**  Docents are needed to be at the museum on the days it is open.

**  New (well, old) officers were nominated and accepted.  Congratulations President Nancy Kubalanza, Treasurer Jackie Volkmor and Trustee Pete Jakstas.

--Cooter

Illinois' Chain of Lakes-- Part 12: Own a Piece of Chicago Gangland History

Of course, with the Chain of Lakes' proximity to Chicago, there are many tales of Chicago mobsters muscling in on the many resorts as well as vacationing in the area.  One of those mobsters was Al Capone.

I recently saw a for sale sign at the building, now a home, but back in the 1930s it was the Manning Hotel.

It is located at 16 North Pistakee Road (right next to Hamsher Funeral Home) on Pistakee Lake and listed for $500,000.  Back in the 1930s, three mobsters were killed and wounded in an attack by a rival gang on the hotel bar/ restaurant..

Supposedly, bullet holes are still in the walls.

Own a Piece of History.  --DaCootGangsta

Illinois' Chain of Lakes-- Part 11: The Different Lakes and World Famous Lotus Beds

The lakes offer a variety of different activities as each is different.  The two largest Lakes are Fox Lake and Pistakee Lake at about 1.700 acres each.  They provide space for open boating and fishing.

Originally Pistakee was a shallow lake full of marshes and waterfowl, a great place for hunting.  The creation of the dam at McHenry, Illinois,, increased the depth of the lake and made it navigable.  Fox and Pistakee lakes were well-known for boating even back to the early 1900s.  They were especially known for sailboat races and Pistakee still has a Pistakee Yacht Club, featuring sailboats.

Grass Lake (Grasslake) is the third largest lake and estimated to cover 1360 acres, but is considered the shallowest of the Chain of Lakes with an average depth of 3 feet.  It was best-known to visitors in the early 1900s because of its world-famous Lotus Beds.  Rising lake levels due to the dam fairly well caused their decline, but in the last few years they are making a comeback.

--RoadChain