Wednesday, December 24, 2008

Chain O' Lakes Facts and Figures

We are fortunate to live close to the famous Chain of Lakes here in northeastern Illinois. This is truley beautiful country (other than this winter).

Here are some facts:

### Originally home to native American. French explorers came to the area in the 1600s.

### Stretches from the Wisconsin border through Lake County and into McHenry County. Includes the Fox River, nine main lakes and many smaller bodies of water.

### In 1839, Hiram Buttrick built a sawmill in the Lake County town of Antioch, making it a hub for commerce.

### In the 1880s, a new rail line linked Chicago to Antioch, and the Chain of Lakes became a popular destination for Chicagoans.

### A big early tourist draw was riding boats through the thick lotus beds. Today, it is still a major inland recreational water system. Fishing is also a major sport.

### Local legend says Al capone regularly vacationed on Bluff lake in the 1930s.


What's Not to Like? --Da Coot

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