Permanent retreat
Known as the capital of the Chain O' Lakes, Fox Lake attracts residents who like boating, fishing and other recreational activities, as well as vacationers who head north for some R&R.
The Chain O' Lakes region offers rural charm and natural beauty with its farms, rolling hills, lakes, wooded countryside and horseback riding trails. With more than 7,000 acres of water, 15 lakes and 45 miles of river, the area remains one of the busiest water vacation spots in the country.
In the late 1800s, Fox Lake was an isolated hunting and fishing haven attracting wealthy sportsmen who built clubhouses that sparked an era often referred to as the resort heyday. Tourists came to Fox Lake not only to hunt and fish, but for entertainment at its saloons and dance halls.
In recent years, many year-round residences have replaced summer cottages and small resorts as people recognize Fox Lake as a good place to live and raise a family.
"When people think of the Chain O' Lakes, Fox Lake is their first thought of the area," said Realtor Holly Blanchette, a waterfront specialist with RE/MAX Grand.
The water, boating and recreation have been the biggest selling points for Fox Lake, and waterfront property is in demand, said Madelyn Anderson, broker-associate with Prudential Visions Realty.
"With Metra in town, people can live on the water, commute downtown, and when they come home, it's like they're living in a resort," she said.
"It's a country atmosphere out here, yet everything is close. Eight years ago I came into town, and this is really nice," Anderson said. "I just walk everywhere I want to go."
As more families settle in Fox Lake, the town responds with more amenities and improvements in the community.
For example, a downtown revitalization is in process, Blanchette said. "They've given storefronts a facelift. And they're bringing in new restaurants and businesses and expanding the whole business district.
"The high school is putting on a big addition with more classrooms and new field house. And they will build a new library - more modern and up to speed."
A sports enthusiast, Blanchette runs the American Youth Soccer Organization program for children with special needs and is also a ski instructor at Wilmot Mountain, which she notes is only 15 minutes from Fox Lake.
Home shoppers who want to live in Fox Lake have a wide variety of housing styles and price points from which to choose. "Homes go up to $1 million for lakefront homes, and there are smaller, more modest homes off the water," Blanchett said. "A big advantage for residents is that we're the last stop for the Milwaukee Road Metra train downtown."
There are also a lot of new developments - condos and townhouses close to the water with water rights and boat launches, Anderson said.
Any resort area is sure to have good restaurants, and Fox Lake is no exception. The community has a lot of nice waterfront restaurants with pretty views, Anderson said.
The grand Mineola Hotel, once a summer home for vacationers, gangsters and politicians until it closed in the early 1960s, is still a thriving restaurant and a great place to sit out on the deck with a burger and beer. There's a lot of memorabilia such as old menus. The Mineola no longer rents out rooms, but it does rent out a banquet room upstairs, Blanchette said.
As the Mineola is a reminder of the village's past, many of the area's streets and subdivision names date back to the owners of the early farms and resorts. Among the family names are Sayles, Stanton, Marvin, Crockett, Rosing, Larkin, Tonyan, Brophy, Tweed, Devlin, Stratton, O'Boyle, Dalziel and Graham.
People shopping for boats and cars often head to Fox Lake. Its prime location in the heart of the Chain makes it fertile ground for car dealers, marinas and boat sales. These businesses give a boost to the village's sales tax revenue.