The Dole’s Country Club Era

thedole — 2023-11-07 08:32:38 UTC

Constructed in the 1860s, The Dole, a Victorian-style mansion in Crystal Lake, Illinois, is a focal point of the community. The Dole was built by wealthy businessman Charles S. Dole, who had purchased 1,000 acres of land in the area. By the early 1900s, the home was vacant until the estate was refashioned as a country club.

In 1922, the Lake Development Company purchased the property for nearly $500,000. The first order of business was to construct an annex to the mansion, which is now the site of Lakeside Arts Park. The developers eventually turned the property into the Crystal Lake Country Club, the area’s first.

The Dole comprised 44 bedrooms and a ballroom, sun parlor, dining room, reception room, locker rooms, and an outdoor terrace. The club also featured two 18-hole golf courses, a swimming pool, tennis courts, and riding stables. Patrons paid $35 in annual membership dues to access these amenities.

The country club survived the 1929 stock market crash, but remained in receivership until it was sold in 1938. Today, saved by community supporters and operated as a nonprofit, The Dole has become a place where residents can enjoy the Independence Day Lakeside Festival, Music Under the Trees, the Sunday Farmers Market+, and various art exhibits and live entertainment.

The Dole by The Dole

The Dole’s Country Club Era