It is hard to imagine, in this day of shopping centers and family centered developments, that Lake Zurich was once a popular resort destination for travelers. Around the turn of the last century and well into the 1930s, hotels and boarding houses abounded.

The hotels were necessary because, although there were only a couple of hundred year-round residents, boarding was needed for an army of seasonal employees, including the ice house employees. And during the summer the beaches would fill with thousands of visitors. Before the summer racing season began at Arlington International Racecourse, there would be trainers and jockeys who favored the country charm of Lake Zurich to the bustle of the Arlington Park area.

Stories from the early 1900s tell how the Palatine, Lake Zurich, and Wauconda Railroad would pull into the station at Main Street, where people would literally jump off the train to race to the Shady Oaks Resorts on Lakeview Place to claim the limited number of boats and rooms available for rental. Rooms could be rented for .50 cents a day, and boats could be leased for $1 for an entire day, or at a reduced hourly rate. The 21 wide-bottom boats at Shady Oaks were hand-made by the owner Charles Kohl.

Next to Shady Oaks was the Helfer's Lakeside Hotel which served dinner and had equine boarding for guests horses. The Lakeside also featured a dock and boat livery for the convenience of the bathers.

Along Lakeview Place there were cottages that could be rented for the summer or by the week. These cottages were part of the Lake Zurich Resort owned by William Bicknase, who also had a boarding house on Main Street conveniently located next to Hy Branding's saloon. Mr. Bicknase used an automobile to deliver guests to and from their desired stops.

Along Main Street there was Maple Leaf Hotel, and Hoeft House which took in boarders; Rover Inn, which later was named the Lake Zurich Hotel; and Peaham Hotel. The Peaham stayed in business until 1969. Today Lake Zurich Village Hall stands on the spot of the former Peaham Hotel. Across the street from these places was Tonne's Eats which functioned as a restaurant and rooming house. Mrs. Tonne served a home cooked meal and a slice of pie for .50 cents. Tonne's stayed in business until 1951. They were located just east of today's LaSalle Bank.

The west side of the lake witnessed the last places to close along its shores. The Alpine Motel was open until about 20 years ago. And just south of the Alpine was Pleasant Acres Resorts. Pleasant Acres offered 26 cottages for rent. The Miller family purchased the park in 1946 and continued to run it as a resort and picnic area until 1973, when the Village purchased the park and changed the name to Paulus Park.

Along the south shore were many more places for rent. Whitney Farms at the north end of Whitney Road rented cottages for $8 per week in the early years. Bluebird Acres was also located along Whitney Road and offered cottages for weekly or summer rental. Nestlerest Park and Ficke House took in boarders and offered swimming for out-of-town guests. Earl Young remembers taking his pony over to these resorts to earn some extra cash giving rides to the youngsters visiting.

Intermixed with these resorts were places that offered parking, swimming, dance floors, and boat rental. Many of the farms nearby watered their cows from the fresh water of Lake Zurich. There were two underpasses under today's Rand Road where the cattle could be marched to the water's edge and back across to the farms on the west. Of course, Rand Road was not the road it is today. The cattle trails are still in place although not in the same condition.

The advent of World War 11 brought an end to the carefree lifestyle that supplied clients for the resort business. During the 1940s, most summer rentals businesses dried up and converted back to homes. Many cottages were converted to year-round homes with the addition of central heating and insulation. What remained from the resorts were family destination spots for afternoons of boating, fishing and swimming.

Currently, the one motel left in the area to serve out of town guests is Wauconda Motel on north Rand Road. The motel has been in business since 1954 and is family owned. 1998 will see the first hotel in two decades re-emerge on the Lake Zurich landscape. The 68-room Beverly Inn is scheduled to open this September at the former location of the Alpine Inn. The 68-room upscale hotel hopes to cater to the local corporate guests and families returning to Lake Zurich for visits.

In the last 100 years, Lake Zurich has evolved from a community of sleepy farmers and frenzied resort guests to a community of families working together to raise their children and nurture their hometown. The opening of a new inn could be a sign that the turn of the next century will see Lake Zurich once again becoming a popular travel destination.