Delavan Lake has a circus past and an elephant in the lake
Delavan Lake is a community in southeast Wisconsin. It's right by the city of Delavan, which was the circus capital of the world in the mid to late 1800s. Delavan was the winter home for at least two dozen circuses and is considered the birthplace of P.T. Barnum's Greatest Show on Earth. In the winter of 1864, Juliet, a famous elephant, passed away and was "buried" in Delavan Lake. A hole was cut into the ice, and she was dropped into the lake because the ground was too frozen to dig a grave.
A spot for summer homes since the late 19th century
Also in the late 1800s, city dwellers, including well-to-do Chicagoans, started building spacious vacation homes around the area's lakes. Examples of early 1900s summer homes include some designed by architect Frank Lloyd Wright. "Some are absolutely spectacular and the nicest Frank Lloyd Wrights that exist, just because of the way they were maintained," says Ryan Simons, broker/owner with Simons Realty Group.
Though Simons says about 70% of lakefront homes are second homes, he sees more homeowners staying year-round. "The majority of people who are buying around the lake and have been over the years were coming up from Illinois and purchasing second homes. But lately, we've seen a trend where people are actually making it their primary residence. Some are choosing to retire in Delvan Lake." The lake is about 8 miles north of the Wisconsin/Illinois border, roughly 55 miles southwest of Milwaukee and close to 90 miles northwest of Chicago.
Home age, size and proximity to the lake influence pricing
Single-family homes were built throughout the 20th century and into the 2020s. These include cottages, contemporaries, ranch-style, and custom-designed homes in various sizes. Prices are typically from about $135,000 to $550,000. Those closest to the lake can be pricer; large waterfront properties and estate homes extend into the multimillions. Large lots are common. Primarily built in the 1990s and early 2000s, condos range from about $140,000 to $430,000.
Some subdivisions include homeowners associations, private access, beaches and pier or boat slips. "If they have a property on the water, they usually will have multiple boats," Simons says. Some homes with basements have sump pumps as the lake has flooded in the past. Additionally, the CAP Index Crime Score is 1 out of 10, compared to the national average of 4.
A family friendly lake with parks and other recreational sites
According to Simons, Delavan Lake is less of a tourist spot and more family friendly than nearby Geneva Lake. "There's not as much boating activity and traffic, so it's a little less congested. But it's still an all-sport lake. Meaning you can do all types of boating activities: sailing, water skiing, Jet Skis, wakeboarding. Not all lakes allow or are conducive to all those activities."
Delavan Community Park is free for residents and has a beach, a playground and plenty of fishing and volleyball. The Delavan Lake Yacht Club started in 1892 and is on Cedar Point on the west side of the lake. Majestic Oaks Golf Course at Lake Lawn Resort on the north side of the lake has bookable tee times and a clubhouse.
Places to shop, eat and be entertained close to the lake or inland
The Delavan Lake Store and Lounge on North Shore Drive has grocery items, ice cream, a bar and a gift shop. It specializes in Wisconsin-made products and hosts events like an open mic, live music, theme nights and dance parties. Places to eat at the lake include the Village Supper Club, The Inn Between and Churchill's Lounge. About a mile from the lake's north shore are Walmart Supercenter, Aldi, Lowe's and other big-brand stores and restaurants.
Several miles east of the lake is The Dancing Horses Theater, a 300-seat venue showcasing horse talent and acrobatic trainers. "The dancing horses have been on national TV. It's a Las Vegas-style show that's right here in Delavan, Wisconsin," Simons says.
There's a lot to do around Lake Delavan all year long
Events include the Delavan Lake Memorial Day Festival, the Lakefest in June with a boat parade and the Rev-Up Weekend in July for classic cars. The Market at Tower Park is an outdoor vendor event held in downtown Delavan on Thursdays from June to September. During the off-season, activities continue, with celebrations like Oktoberfest and Winterfest, which includes a snowmobile show and ice carving competition. "In the wintertime, we have ski hills in the area, and there's even an ice-softball tournament each year. Ice fishing is huge on the lake, and we often have tent cities of ice fishermen," Simons says.
A series of four schools in the Delavan-Darien District
Delavan-Darien School District serves the area and stands out in Walworth County as the only district to offer a Spanish/English dual language education program. Kids may start at Turtle Creek Elementary School for kindergarten through second grade, continue to Darien Elementary School for third and fourth grades, and then go on to Phoenix Middle School. All three receive a C-plus grade from Niche. Delavan-Darien High School has a B-minus. The high school has an early college credit program and tech and career pathways, such as those related to agriculture, architecture, construction and business administration.
Car-dependent, with close access to major thoroughfares
Delavan Lake is car-dependent. Though there typically aren't sidewalks, some of the residential streets are in quiet areas without much traffic, so walking and biking are possible. Some roads are private. There's no bus service, but major roads in the area include Interstate 43 and state Route 50, which meet north of the lake. U.S. Route 14 is to the south. The Mercyhealth Walworth Hospital and Medical Center is about 4 miles from the east side of the lake.
Written By
Robin Silberman
