Listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1985.
One of 13 National Register listings published here for McHenry County · listed in 1985 · category: Building.
Sources: the case file at the National Archives · the National Register database, National Park Service · the Wikipedia article
An account from the chapter on Nunda township. The inset identifies its exact source book and publication year.
A few years prior to 1850 the county gave a bounty of $15 for each wolf's scalp that had been taken within the limits of the county. This was a bonanza for the hunters, and not only was this county scoured in search of the valuable prey, but adjoining counties robbed of wolves, which were brought alive across the line into this county where they were killed and bounty claimed on the scalps.
The chapter on Nunda Township in History of McHenry County, Illinois : Together with Sketches of Its Cities, Villages and Towns : Educational, Religious, Civil, Military, and Political History : Portraits of Prominent Persons, and Biographies of Representative Citizens, Also a Condensed History of Illinois .., published 1885 names Crystal Lake. This is what it says, exactly as the scans read.
The first church building erected in the township was built at Crystal Lake, and afterward moved to Nunda Tillage. The first school was taught by Miss A. McOmber, in 1839, in a log schoolhouse, which William Halcomb and C. Goff erected on section 18. They paid the teacher $1.25 per week to teach a school of five scholars. This log school-house was moved two years later to the southwest quarter of section 17. The seats in this building were placed near the wall and ran in a single row clear around the room. The children were compelled to sit facing the wall.
Passage source: History of McHenry County, Illinois : Together with Sketches of Its Cities, Villages and Towns : Educational, Religious, Civil, Military, and Political History : Portraits of Prominent Persons, and Biographies of Representative Citizens, Also a Condensed History of Illinois .., published 1885.
Methodist Episcopal. - This churcli was organized at Crystal Lake, in alog school-house, in the year 1846. In this school-house they held services till 1858, when they built a comfortable frame house of worship, which cost $1,400. It was dedicated in 1859, by Rev. McKegg, of Chicago. When the village of Nunda had grown to some size it was found that nearly half the members residedthere. Those living in Nunda urged the selling of the Crystal Lake church and the building of one in Nunda. Not succeeding in this, they for a time occupied a hall and engaged the services of the minister half the time. Finally they purchased the old Congregational churcli at Crystal Lake, and moved it to Nunda, where it was put in good repair and made quite respectable in appearance, both inside and out. The Crystal Lake members finally consented to the selling of the old church, and it was bought by the German Lutheran church for $400. After this the churcli united in worship at Nunda, occupying the house which was moved from Crystal Lake many years, which was afterward sold to Jacob Walknp, who converted it into a dwelling. The old church was replaced by a fine new one, which cost $2,500. This building was dedicated Nov. 15, 1874, by Rev. S. A. W. Jewett. The church was erected during the summer of 1873. The following is a list of ministers who have served this churcli since 1871: J. S. Morris, 1871; A. J. Scott, 1872; L. Clifford, 1873; E. M. Boring, 1874; Samuel Hewes, 1875; G. L. Wiley, 1876-77; O. E. Burtcta, 1878; J. EL Bacon, 1879-'80; J. T. Babbitt, 1881, and J. M. Conlee, from 1882 to the present time. Church Trustees: W. W. Hartman, C. B. Felt, O. C. Colby, J. PL Ashton, E. Hubbard, R. Bonner and G. E.' Dickinson.
Passage source: History of McHenry County, Illinois : Together with Sketches of Its Cities, Villages and Towns : Educational, Religious, Civil, Military, and Political History : Portraits of Prominent Persons, and Biographies of Representative Citizens, Also a Condensed History of Illinois .., published 1885.
Machine-read from a century-old scan, so expect the errors a machine makes: misspelled names, dropped words, stray characters.
Read the whole chapter on Nunda Township - 24,929 words on its settlement, mills, schools and churches.
Regional context, not property-specific evidence. The federal wildfire occurrence database lists 1 fire within 5 miles of Col. Gustavius A. Palmer House in 2009, burning about 3 acres in total. None started naturally. None was recorded as arson. Distance is straight-line from the map coordinates, so a fire counted here may appear on a neighbouring settlement's page as well.
| Reported cause | Fires |
|---|---|
| Missing data/not specified/undetermined | 1 |
The most recent of them, most recent first, with the day each was reported and the service that recorded it.
| Date | Cause | Size | Reported by | Name on the report |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 17 February 2009 | Missing data/not specified/undetermined | 3.0 acres | Illinois Division of Forestry Resources | D |
Regional context, not property-specific evidence. The federal mineral resources record lists 5 workings within 5 miles of Col. Gustavius A. Palmer House: 3 producers, 2 past producers. 3 still produce. What was taken out: Sand and Gravel, Construction. Distance is straight-line from the map coordinates, so a quarry counted here may appear on a neighbouring settlement's page as well.
| Where | Site | Commodity | Status | Recorded |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Algonquin Sand & Gravel | Sand and Gravel, Construction | Producer | ||
| Cary Plant & Portable Mill | Sand and Gravel, Construction | Past Producer | ||
| Crystal Lake Sand & Gravel Pit | Sand and Gravel, Construction | Producer | ||
| Island Lake Pit | Sand and Gravel, Construction | Producer | ||
| Unnamed Pit | Sand and Gravel, Construction | Past Producer |
Regional context, not property-specific evidence. The National Weather Service names Crystal Lake, the town this property stands in, in 70 storm reports between 1993 and 2025: 32 thunderstorm wind, 26 hail, 5 flood, 4 flash flood. No death or injury is recorded in these reports. Each account below is quoted exactly as the forecast office filed it, from the NOAA Storm Events Database, and each date opens the federal record of that event.
| When | Event | Place named | Harm | What the report says |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| July 2006 | Thunderstorm Wind | Crystal Lake | $200,000 | Extensive tree damage was reported across Crystal Lake. Numerous trees, tree limbs and power lines were blown down. One home on Crystal Beach Avenue was deemed uninhabitable because of tree damage. |
| June 2009 | Lightning | Crystal Lake | $50,000 | Lightning struck a house along Canterbury Drive and started a fire in the bathroom. The house was declared uninhabitable. |
| June 2008 | Thunderstorm Wind | Crystal Lake | $30,000 | An 80 foot tall tree was blown down near Everett Avenue. The tree severely damaged a garage with minor damage to its contents, including two motorcycles and a pickup truck. Numerous tree limbs were blown down across Crystal Lake. |
| July 2006 | Lightning | Crystal Lake | $20,000 | A home on Sadle Ridge Road was struck by lightning, which started a fire in the attic. |
| April 2010 | Thunderstorm Wind | Crystal Lake | $10,000 | Numerous trees, tree limbs, utility poles and power lines were blown down in many areas of Crystal Lake. |
| May 2011 | Hail | Crystal Lake | $5,000 | Walnut size hail was reported at the intersection of Main Street and Route 14 causing damage to cars. |
| July 2011 | Thunderstorm Wind | Crystal Lake | $1,000 | Winds estimated to more than 70 mph lasted for two to three minutes causing 1-foot diameter trees and large branches to blow over as well as power outages. Large limbs fell through the windshield of a car at an intersection on Dole Avenue. |
| June 2008 | Thunderstorm Wind | Crystal Lake | $1,000 | Tree limbs and power lines were blown down. |
| June 2008 | Thunderstorm Wind | Crystal Lake | $1,000 | Trees and power lines were blown down at Route 176 and Walkup Avenue. |
| July 2008 | Thunderstorm Wind | Crystal Lake | $1,000 | Two large trees were snapped off about 15 feet above ground. One of the trees fell onto a tree house, which was destroyed. |
| June 2025 | Thunderstorm Wind | Crystal Lake | - | Trees, tree limbs, and power lines were blown down around Crystal Lake. |
| June 2025 | Thunderstorm Wind | Crystal Lake | - | A light pole was blown down at Teckler Blvd and Rt 14. Several 3 to 4 inch tree limbs were blown down and one 8 inch diameter tree was uprooted. |
| June 2024 | Flash Flood | Crystal Lake | - | A video shared via social media showed over a foot of standing water in the intersection of US Rt 14 and Devonshire Ln in Crystal Lake. |
| July 2024 | Thunderstorm Wind | Crystal Lake | - | Trees and tree limbs were blown down near Edgebrook Drive. |
| July 2024 | Thunderstorm Wind | Crystal Lake | - | Roads were blocked due to trees and power lines that were blown down. |
| August 2024 | Thunderstorm Wind | Crystal Lake | - | Photos shared via social media showed large tree limbs down around Crystal Lake. |
| March 2022 | Thunderstorm Wind | Crystal Lake | - | A wind gust to 59 mph was measured. |
| July 2022 | Thunderstorm Wind | Crystal Lake | - | Numerous large trees were snapped and many other trees were uprooted in Crystal Lake. Hundreds of tree limbs were blown down, as well as many power lines that were blown down. |
| November 2022 | Thunderstorm Wind | Crystal Lake | - | About a dozen reports of wind damage were received from the Crystal Lake area, including at least one large tree that fell onto a garage. |
| July 2021 | Thunderstorm Wind | Crystal Lake | - | Multiple reports of trees blown down were received. |
| August 2021 | Thunderstorm Wind | Crystal Lake | - | Numerous trees, tree limbs and power lines were blown down in Crystal Lake including near Route 31. |
| August 2020 | Thunderstorm Wind | Crystal Lake | - | A large tree limb was blown down blocking Ellsworth Street. |
| July 2019 | Thunderstorm Wind | Crystal Lake | - | Trees were blown down. |
| July 2019 | Thunderstorm Wind | Crystal Lake | - | A tree was blown down onto a house. |
| July 2017 | Thunderstorm Wind | Crystal Lake | - | A three foot diameter tree was blown down. |
| June 2017 | Flood | Crystal Lake | - | Standing water estimated to be 5 inches deep was reported near US14 and Keith Avenue. |
| June 2017 | Flood | Crystal Lake | - | Two to two and half feet of standing water was reported near Route 176 and Terra Cotta Road. |
| June 2017 | Flood | Crystal Lake | - | Several roads were flooded with 3 to 4 inches of water with a few roads closed. |
| July 2016 | Thunderstorm Wind | Crystal Lake | - | Trees down just west of downtown Crystal Lake. |
| April 2014 | Hail | Crystal Lake | - | Hail up to the size of golf balls fell over Crystal Lake covering the ground. |
| June 2013 | Flash Flood | Crystal Lake | - | Route 176 was flooded and closed at Knaack Boulevard. |
| March 2011 | Hail | Crystal Lake | - | Nickel to quarter size hail fell for about five minutes. |
| May 2011 | Flood | Crystal Lake | - | The intersection of Main Street and Berkshire Road was flooded after heavy rains fell across the area. A spotter in Lake in the Hills reported 2.45 inches fell in 90 minutes. |
| June 2010 | Thunderstorm Wind | Crystal Lake | - | Trees were blown down. |
| June 2009 | Hail | Crystal Lake | - | Quarter size hail was reported near Route 176 and Route 14. |
| June 2008 | Thunderstorm Wind | Crystal Lake | - | Trees were blown down. |
| June 2008 | Thunderstorm Wind | Crystal Lake | - | A large tree was blown down. |
| September 2008 | Flash Flood | Crystal Lake | - | Roads were closed in Algonquin because Woods Creek overflowed. Flooding was also reported in Lake in The Hills. |
| June 2007 | Thunderstorm Wind | Crystal Lake | - | Tree limbs blown down, estimated gust to 60 mph. |
| July 2007 | Flood | Crystal Lake | - | Over a foot of water covered the intersection of Keith Avenue, Devonshire Lane and Route 14. |
| July 2007 | Heavy Rain | Crystal Lake | - | Storm total rainfall 2.40 inches with minor ponding of water on roads. |
| July 2006 | Thunderstorm Wind | Crystal Lake | - | Trees were blown down. |
| June 2005 | Thunderstorm Wind | Crystal Lake | - | Several small tree limbs were blown down. |
| March 2005 | Thunderstorm Wind | Crystal Lake | - | Large tree limbs were reported down on side streets. |
| May 2005 | Hail | Crystal Lake | - | Golfball size hail was reported covering the ground. |
| May 2004 | Hail | Crystal Lake | - | Reported at the intersection of Amberwood Road and Bennington Drive. |
| May 2004 | Flash Flood | Crystal Lake | - | Extensive street and low-land flooding occurred after 1.5 inches of rain fell in 45 minutes. |
| May 2004 | Thunderstorm Wind | Crystal Lake | - | Power lines were blown down in the northwest section of the community. |
| April 2015 | Hail | Crystal Lake | - | no account filed |
| September 2015 | Hail | Crystal Lake | - | no account filed |
| August 2015 | Hail | Crystal Lake | - | no account filed |
| April 2013 | Hail | Crystal Lake | - | no account filed |
| March 2011 | Hail | Crystal Lake | - | no account filed |
| May 2011 | Hail | Crystal Lake | - | no account filed |
| April 2010 | Hail | Crystal Lake | - | no account filed |
| May 2009 | Hail | Crystal Lake | - | no account filed |
| June 2008 | Hail | Crystal Lake | - | no account filed |
| July 2008 | Hail | Crystal Lake | - | no account filed |
| June 2007 | Hail | Crystal Lake | - | no account filed |
| April 2006 | Hail | Crystal Lake | - | no account filed |
No historic map-sheet match is published for this property yet. That does not mean no map exists. This record needs a coordinate-quality review before it can be joined to a sheet boundary. Browse the county's mapped places while that work is pending.
Other National Register properties close enough to walk or drive between, ordered by distance from this one. Both positions come from the same geocoding pass that matched these properties to their map sheets.
| Photograph | Property | Distance | Listed |
|---|---|---|---|
 | George Stickney House | 4.6 miles | 1979 |
 | Terwilliger House | 4.9 miles | 1979 |
 | Christian Geister House | 5.8 miles | 2007 |
 | Count's House | 6.7 miles | 1982 |
| Colby-Petersen Farm | 7.9 miles | 2020 |
| National Archives record | The nomination case file for reference 85001127 in Record Group 79. |
| Wikipedia article | Community-written account of this property, licensed CC BY-SA. |
| McHenry County | All 13 listed properties in this county. |
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