Chain O'Lakes
[7][10] In order to benefit both of their properties, the Dunnills and Converse Marble dug by hand a new channel between the two lakes which became known as "the Cut" (most likely meaning "shortcut").
In the 1890s, the area started to become a popular retreat destination for Chicagoans, with many visitors traveling to the region to take boat trips to see Fox and Grass Lake's "Egyptian Lotus" beds.
[9] However, the boom in tourism drew the attention of Lake County leaders, who ordered raids on the numerous unlicensed drinking and gambling establishments.
To avoid further raids and fines from the county government, several resort leaders united, incorporating the town of Fox Lake in 1907.
[9] Given the lax alcohol enforcement laws, the region is also famous for its hosting of Prohibition-era gangsters, including Al Capone, who owned a summer house on Bluff Lake near Antioch.
[13] The region saw its worst Prohibition violence on 1 June 1930, when a mob-related murder was carried out at Manning's Hotel in Fox Lake.
[9][12] Occurring a year after the Saint Valentine's Day Massacre, the shooting represented the intensity of the battle to control the Chain's lucrative gambling and liquor business.
[7] During this time, many of the summer cottages began to be converted to permanent residences, a trend which continued as veterans returned from World War II.
In addition to bringing in weekend vacationers, the trains now serve the growing suburban worker population who travel into Chicago and its surrounding suburbs.
[9] As of the 2000 census, the population of Fox Lake was estimated at over 9,000 people, a major growth from the few hundred permanent residents when the town was incorporated in 1907.
[9] The Chain O'Lakes allows for a wide range of outdoor recreational activities, including boating, kayaking, canoeing, hunting, fishing, birdwatching, swimming, water skiing, and tubing.
[15] To complement these activities are many local businesses, including numerous marinas, restaurants and bars, that serve the weekend and summer vacationers.
[1] Many of these businesses sponsor special events throughout the summer, including boat races, fishing tournaments and live musical performances.
Established in 1945, Chain O'Lakes State Park includes a free boat launch and a variety of hunting, hiking and fishing areas.
[15] The Chain O'Lakes is home to hundreds of businesses including marinas, boat vendors, resorts, campgrounds, restaurants and bars.
Although many facts about the establishment have been lost with time, local legend has it that Blarney Island evolved from a poker bet between Jack O'Connor and Shorty Shobin.
In the very early 20th century, Jack and Shorty were rival businessmen on the Chain operating lotus bed tours only a hundred yards apart and the competition between the two came to a head one evening during a poker game in which each man bet his business.
Ultimately, Shorty lost the hand and his business, at which point he got up from the table and entered the backroom of the bar where he took his own life.
[18] While the Mineola Marina is still an operating business, the hotel was force-closed by a court order on 20 May 2012, due to issues with structural integrity.
