Covered wagons brought a wave of migration to northern Illinois in the mid-1830s. On April 1, 1834, the first permanent white settlers, Joseph McCarthy and two assistants, paddled up the Fox River. The vicinity was known as Waubonsie's Village at that time. They built a log cabin, a dam across the Fox, and eventually a sawmill. The village had about 400 Native Americans who bartered fish for bread and tobacco. For almost 175 years now, growth has

Vintage postcards show the magic of the scenes and people of Fox Lake, a populsr destination of vacationing Chicagoans.

Fox Lake, nestled as it is in the the heart of the chain, has been one of the Chicago area's favorite recreation destinations for over 100 years. Starting in the late 1800s, wealthy sportsmen constructed clubs that sparked an era often referred to as the "resort heyday." An explosion of resorts and cottages beckoned

Rich land at the edge of a great prairie with the wonderful Fox River flowing through it, providing a source of power-this is what the settlers of Kane County found when they arrived. Early pioneers came from the eastern United States in the 1830s, and later migrated from Europe. Kane County in Vintage Postcards tells the story of the beginning of Kane County through its first 100 years, 1838 through 1938, featuring images of that period.

This

Elgin, Illinois, was founded in 1835. However, the community truly came into its own at the end of the Civil War, when the Elgin National Watch Company moved there and took the city name as its own. The name Elgin became synonymous with quality for over 100 years. Elgin, Illinois: "Wish You Were Here" tells the story of the town of Elgin during the 20th century, featuring vintage postcards of that period.

Special events of historic interest include