Crystal Lake

Crystal Lake is a city in McHenry County in the U.S. state of Illinois. Named after a lake 1.6 miles (2.6 km) southwest of the city's downtown, Crystal Lake is 45 miles northwest of Chicago. The population is 40,269 as of the 2020 Census, a 1.2% decrease from 2010. 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 (pronounced locally as Nun-day), 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 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 was annexed to the Village ofCrystal Lake in 1914. In 1914, a consolidated city government was established. The city is part of the Chicago metropolitan area and is home to the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign and the Illinois Institute of Technology. It is located on the Illinois River, which runs through the center of the town. 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.

History

Crystal Lake is the primary city name, but also Bull Valley, Prairie Grove are acceptable city names or spellings, Ridgefield on the other hand no longer accepted or obsolete and are no longer used as a designation. Crystal Lake traces its origin to two separate communities which were established in the 1800s. 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. The area known today as downtown Crystal Lake was first called Dearborn and later, Nunda (pronounced locally as Nun-day), 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 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 was annexed to Crystal Lake in 1914, and a consolidated city government was established. The first train station was built in 1856, although it was pre-fabricated and shipped from Chicago on a flatcar. Much of the land was originally owned by two early settlers, Daniel Ellsworth and Simon S. Gates. Charles S. Dole purchased over 1,000 acres (4.0 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 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.

Crystal Lake Park District

The Crystal Lake Park District offers in excess of 40 parks (totaling over 2,000 acres) and recreation areas. Lippold Park, the largest single park in the district at 305 acres, has played host to the McHenry County Youth Sports Association Summer International 15-year-old Baseball Championships for the past 22 years. The Park District also owns and operates 2 beach parks located on the city namesake Crystal Lake and also maintains Illinois Nature Preserve land and the Col. Palmer House a historic landmark and home of the first settler in the area. The district operates The Racket Club, an indoor/outdoor tennis facility that has 9 indoor courts. The facility is operated as an Enterprise Fund meaning that it is totally self-supporting with no tax dollars going towards it in any manner. The park district is not affiliated with the city of Crystal Lake, which is the seat of the City Council. The city has a separate elected governing body not associated with the park district. The council is made up of seven members, all of whom are elected by the residents of the city. The current council members of the Park District were elected in November 2012. The last election was held on November 8, 2013, and the district was re-elected on November 16, 2013. The next election will be held on January 4, 2014. The District is currently in its third year of being in existence and has a budget of $1.2 million. It is the largest park district in the state of Illinois.

Geography

According to the 2010 census, Crystal Lake has a total area of 18.957 square miles (49.10 km²) of which 96.8% is land and 0.607sq miles (1.57km²) is water. Crystal Lake is located in the U.S. state of Minnesota. The lake is home to the Minnesota Dunes National Lakeshore, which is one of the largest lakes in the United States. It is also the largest lake in the state of Wisconsin, with a population of more than 100,000. The water level in the lake is estimated to be around 2,000 feet (600 meters) above sea level. It has been named after the town of Crystal Lake, Minnesota, which was founded in the 18th century. It was named after Crystal Lake's namesake, who was born in the area in the late 1800s and early 1900s. The town's name is derived from the word "crystal" which means "lake" or "lake". The lake's name was first used in the 19th century as a place to store water for the use of the Dunes Dunes. It also means "Lake of Crystal" in German and "Crystal Lake" in English. The current name of the lake comes from the German word "Crystal" which translates to "Lake" and means "deep lake". It is the only lake in Minnesota to have a lake in its name, as it is the state's largest lake and the only one in Minnesota.

Neighborhoods

As the largest city in McHenry County, Crystal Lake contains three high schools and has many separate neighborhoods. The ten largest neighborhoods are easy to trace out. The Coventry neighborhood is named for the major through street Coventry Lane. Other neighborhoods in Crystal Lake ring the town's namesake lake, and are called West End, North Shore, and the Vista. These neighborhoods consist of many older homes built on the lake shore, and vary greatly in size and style. The independent Village of Lakewood is historically a restricted community connected strongly to the Crystal Lake Country Club alongside it. There are also numerous smaller subdivisions found in various spots around the city, including Deer Wood, Covered Bridge Trails, Walk-up Woods, and The Villages. The city is home to three public high schools: Central High School, South High School and West High School. Crystal Lake is also home to one private high school, the University of Crystal Lake, which is located on the edge of the city in the suburb of Winthrop Harbor. The University of Illinois at Chicago is located in the nearby suburb of Evanston, and is the home of the Illinois Institute of Technology, which was founded in 1894. The university is one of the largest private universities in the United States, with more than 4,000 students. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers is based in the city and has a military base on the outskirts of the town. It is the only major military base in the state of Illinois outside of Chicago.

Climate

Crystal Lake's climate is much like that of its large neighboring city, Chicago. The city experiences hot summers and cold winters, with temperatures slightly more extreme than those of closer suburbs. The wettest month of the year is August, when thunderstorms contribute brief, heavy downpours of rain. In a typical year, total precipitation is 37 inches (940 mm) with a winter snowfall total of 40 inches (1,000 mm) Large snowstorms, although rare, do occur and can accumulate large amounts of snow. Most snow-bearing systems are Alberta clippers, while the more infrequent heavy snows are caused by Panhandle hooks. In many years, at least one storm will deliver 12 inches (300 mm) of snow in one day. The average high temperature is approximately 86 °F (30 °C) in July, and in summer in general, can frequently exceed 95°F (35 °C), and occasionally exceed 100°F. The two driest months of theyear are January and February, where almost all of the precipitation falls as snow. In July, also due to thunderstorms, long dry spells can also occur at this time of year, sometimes lasting weeks. The coldest month is January, where the average high Temperature is 23 °F   (5 °C). Overnight low temperatures are usually around 8 °F [13 °C] on many (often as many as fifteen or twenty) occasions per year. Extremely cold nights may record temperatures as low as 20 °F or lower, but this is rare and does not happen each year.

Government

The city council consists of Ellen Brady, Cathy Ferguson, Brett Hopkins, Cameron Hubbard, Mandy Montford, Ian Philpot. Nick Kachiroubas is the City Clerk in Crystal Lake. The mayor is Haig Haleblian, and the city council is made up of seven members. The city has a population of 2,000 people. It is located in the central part of the state of Illinois. The town is located on the Illinois River, about 30 miles north of Chicago. It was founded in 1881. The first mayor was elected in 1883. The current mayor is Haig HaleBlian, who took office in 1994. The council was formed in 1994, and consists of six members. It has a mayor and a city council of seven people, including the city clerk. The Mayor's office is located at the center of the town, on the corner of Main and Main streets. The City Clerk's office has a office at the centre of the city, and it is also located on Main Street, near the Town Hall. The Town Clerk's Office has a staff of four people, and they are: Cathy Ferguson, Ellen Brady, Brett Hopkins, Cameron Hubbard, Ian Philpot, and MandyMontford. The Council also has a city manager, who is called the "City Manager" The mayor's office also has an assistant, Nick KachIRoubas, who is responsible for the city's finances.

Demographics

As of the 2020 Census, there were 40,269 people, 14,780 households, and 10,551 families living in the city. There were 15,371 total housing units, and 31.9% were in multi-unit structures. The racial makeup of the city was 79.8% White (76.92% white non-Hispanic), 1.5% Black or African American, 0.4% Native American, 2.8%, Asian, 0.01% Pacific Islander, 6.1% from other races, and 9.3% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 14.8%. As of 2020, the population of Latinos is 14.7%. The median income for a household in theCity was $87,578, and the median income. for a family was $105,324. About 4.9%. of families and 6.9. of the population were below the. poverty line, including 9.1%. of those under age 18 and 5.3. of those age 65 or over. The median age was 39.6 years. For every 100 females,there were 97.9 males. The average household size was 2.81 and the average family size was 3.31. The city has a population density of 2,220/sq mi (857/km²) The city's population was 40,743 as of the 2010 Census, and its population was 41,269 as of 2020 Census.

Culture and sites of interest

Crystal Lake is home to the Northwest Herald, the only daily newspaper published in McHenry County. Churches are also a large influence within the city, hosting many annual events. The city is also home to WZSR Star 105.5, owned by Alpha Media, which broadcasts throughout the northwest suburbs and Fox Valley. Crystal Lake Rowing Club has a boathouse in Kamijima Park, on the west end of Crystal Lake, and rows on the lake during the no-wake hours. In Crystal Lake lies the famed Dole mansion, where visitors can take tours for a small donation. The Raue Center for the Arts, which seats 750 and performs plays and hosts concerts throughout the year, has received four MacArthur Grants and regularly receives National Endowment for the arts support. The Crystal Lake Strikers Drumline, Crystal Lake Community Band, and Encore Music Academy, home of Encore Youth Choir, are all based in the city. The Col. Gustavus A. Palmer House is a historic residence, being constructed in 1858. It is located in the historic downtown district, which recently has undergone a revitalization, and is a local shopping district. The City of Chicago is easily accessible from Crystal Lake and the other large communities which surround it, as they are easily accessible through the city of Chicago and the surrounding suburbs. The downtown district has recently transformed itself into a regional destination spot by providing an in house professional theater company, Williams Street Repertory, Jazz Festival launched by Ramsey Lewis and hosting several Tony, Grammy, and Academy award winners.

Economy

The economy of Crystal Lake is fairly decentralized, as there is no central industry within the city. The main economic activities in the city are retail, dining, and light industry. This includes small, specialized, local-owned shops and restaurants as well as broader-ranged national chains. There are several industrial parks in Crystal Lake, which are full of small, independently-owned businesses which engage in various industries, such as landscaping or automotive repair. Because of parking challenges in the downtown area, many thriving independent businesses can be found in convenient areas throughout the city where access for their customers is more centralized and parking is more abundant. The south side of the city features several gravel quarries. A majority of these quarries are already exhausted, and have been allowed to fill with water, forming an area known as the Vulcan Lakes. The two northernmost lakes are now known as Three Oaks Recreation Area. Recreational operations at this site started in Autumn, 2010, and it has since become one of the most popular destinations inCrystal Lake. The city is home to a number of nature reserves, including Lake in the Hills, Algonquin, and Three Oaks Lake. It is also home to the Crystal Lake Nature Reserve, which is a group of lakes that were once part of the Crystal Pointe Mall. The lake is also known as "The Lake of the Hills" due to its location in the hills, and is a popular destination for families with young children. Crystal Lake has a population of around 3,000.

Air Quality, Water Quality, Superfund Sites & UV Index

The Air Quality index is in Crystal Lake, Cook County, Illinois = 44.6. These Air Quality index is based on annual reports from the EPA. Higher values are better (100=best). The number of ozone alert days is used as an indicator of air quality, as are the amounts of seven pollutants including particulates, carbon monoxide, sulfur dioxide, lead, and volatile organic chemicals. The Water Quality Index is 60. A measure of the quality of an area’s water supply as rated by the EPA. Higher values are better (100=best). The EPA has a complex method of measuring the watershed quality, using 15 indicators such as pollutants, turbidity, sediments, and toxic discharges. The Superfund Sites Index is 79. Higher is better (100=best). Based upon the number and impact of EPA Superfund pollution sites in the county, including spending on the cleanup efforts. The UV Index in Crystal Lake = 3.4 and is a measure of an area's exposure to the sun's ultraviolet rays. This is most often a combination of sunny weather, altitude, and latitude. The UV Index has been defined by the WHO (www.who.int/news-room/questions-and-answers/item/radiation-the-ultraviolet-(uv)-index) and is uniform worldwide.

Employed

The most recent city population of 40,269 individuals with a median age of 35.3 age the population grows by 15.50% in Crystal Lake, Cook County, Illinois population since 2000 and are distributed over a density of 2,128.61 residents per square mile of area (821.87/km²). There are average 2.9 people per household in the 15,022 households with an average household income of $76,227 a year. The unemployment rate in Alabama is of the available work force and has dropped -4.37% over the most recent 12-month period and the projected change in job supply over the next decade based on migration patterns, economic growth, and other factors will increase by 21.66%. The number of physicians in Crystal Lake per 100,000 population = 116.

Weather

The annual rainfall in Crystal Lake = 37.6 inches and the annual snowfall = 31.6 inches. The annual number of days with measurable precipitation (over .01 inch) = 105. The average number of days per year that are predominantly sunny = 186. 83 degrees Fahrenheit is the average daily high temperature for the month of July and 12.1 degrees Fahrenheit is the average daily low temperature for the month of January. The Comfort Index (higher=better) is 48, where higher values mean a more pleasant climate. The Comfort Index measure recognizes that humidity by itself isn't the problem. (Have you noticed nobody ever complains about the weather being 'cold and humid?) It's in the summertime that we notice the humidity the most, when it's hot and muggy. Our Comfort Index uses a combination of afternoon summer temperature and humidity to closely predict the effect that the humidity will have on people.

Median Home Cost

The percentage of housing units in Crystal Lake, Cook County, Illinois which are owned by the occupant = 77.05%. A housing unit is a house, apartment, mobile home, or room occupied as separate living quarters. The average age of homes = 21 years with median home cost = $187,800 and home appreciation of -7.39%. This is the value of the years most recent home sales data. Its important to note that this is not the average (or arithmetic mean). The median home price is the middle value when you arrange all the sales prices of homes from lowest to highest. This is a better indicator than the average, because the median is not changed as much by a few unusually high or low values. The property tax rate of $19.70 shown here is the rate per $1,000 of home value. If for simplification for example the tax rate is $14.00 and the home value is $250,000, the property tax would be $14.00 x ($250,000/1000), or $3500. This is the 'effective' tax rate.

Study

The local school district spends $5,237 per student. There are 18 students for each teacher in the school, 903 students for each Librarian and 746 students for each Counselor. 6.76% of the area’s population over the age of 25 with an Associate Degree or other 2-year college degree, 26.08% with a master’s degree, Ph.D. or other advanced college degree and 10.90% with high school diplomas or high school equivalency degrees (GEDs).