A waterside village in McHenry County
In 1955, the village of McCullom Lake was officially incorporated into McHenry County and, at the time, was designed to serve as a quiet vacation destination for Chicagoans. Today, it is home to a little over 1,000 residents who share lakeside parks, local hangouts and convenient access to the city of McHenry with other residents around the lake perimeter. "It's a small and close-knit community," says Lisa Jensen, a McHenry County real estate agent with Keller Williams North Shore West. "It's the kind of place where everyone knows everyone. A lot of the residents have actually lived there for decades."
Kicking back at Cullom Knoll and shopping in McHenry
At the corner of Hickory Drive and McCullom Lake Road is Cullom Knoll, a household name for any village resident. "It's been a staple in the community for a long time," says Jensen. "There was a fire a bit ago, but it's reopened and has been taking off again as a local hang." Equipped with a main dining area and private party space, the Knoll serves pub fare in a rustic, laid-back environment. In the warmer months, patrons can sit on the patio and enjoy live music. The scent of beer-battered bluegill and all-you-can-eat cod wafts from the kitchen during the Friday Fish Fry. The village encourages its residents to support their neighbors' businesses—Bri Guys Tree Services has their lumber needs covered, while Salon Cambrai provides expert cuts and dye jobs alongside good conversation. McHenry thoroughfares like West Elm Street and Route 31 offer big-box grocers like Meijer, ALDI and Walmart, chain eateries like Taco Bell and IHOP, and many local businesses.
A settled-in village of rehabbed homes
Though many of the homes in the village and bordering the lakefront have been recently renovated or given a fresh coat of paint, they retain the original features built between 1930 and 1950. Ranch-style homes, bungalows and Cape Cods feel settled in on their quarter and half-acre lots, with additional shed space built by owners and other projects in the works on the front lawn, trucks parked in the yard and boats on narrow driveways, or cluttered porches behind vibrant gardens. A selection of houses back up to the village's namesake lake or sit across the street in view of the water. Price tags in the area range from about $150,000 to $350,000, the lower end affording two-bedroom, one-bathroom homes and four bedrooms and ample outdoor space populating the higher end.
McCullom Lake recreation and visits to Peterson Park
Though McCullom Lake may not have the depth and wildlife variety of the waters farther up the Chain, it's central to the community as a fishing spot, beach area and scenic view each morning. Parks of different sizes circle the water, some within village bounds and some upkept by the city of McHenry. The small namesake park outside Village Hall provides a grassy area to relax and throw a Frisbee and a swing set and climbing structure for the kids. Boat posts are available for rent here from April through October. Around the bend is Peterson Park Beach, owned by the city and facilitating swimmers, small craft boaters and volleyball hobbyists. The park also has a floating obstacle course, attentive lifeguards and a bloom-filled pollinator garden. Meanwhile, R Double J Ranch offers riding lessons to equestrians of all ages.
Navigating McHenry County schools
Kids in McCullom Lake can start at either Valley View Elementary School or Landmark Elementary School, both of which score a B from Niche. Parkland School serves 6th through 8th grade students at the village's southwest corner and receives a B-minus. High School students spend their first and second years at McHenry Community High School's lower campus before transferring to the upper campus to finish strong through twelfth grade. Together, both campuses earn an A-minus from Niche. Along with future-forward programs like business management and consumer education, the A-minus-earning Home of the Warriors recently completed a 70,000-square-foot Center for Science Technology and Industry—the perfect setting for their prestigious Biomedical Science program, which sets students on a positive track toward healthcare and research fields in higher education and beyond.
Events at Village Hall, Cullom Knoll and in downtown McHenry
McCullom Lake's Village Hall completed construction in 2012 over an old pole barn site. The facility has since provided a gathering space throughout the year for public and private community events and office space for village staff. Meanwhile, Cullom Knoll serves as the village's other favorite gathering spot. Besides providing live music on warm nights and private event space for bridal showers, birthday parties and more, the eatery is the starting point for the McCullom Lake Kart Club's Spring Fling Golf Cart Poker Run, which benefits the nonprofit Neighbors Helping Neighbors. The City of McHenry's village staff, park district and Chamber of Commerce also host various events throughout the year. Locals trade their lakefront for the Fox River's vibrant green hue during ShamROCKS the Fox, a St. Patrick's Day celebration riffing on the Chicago River tradition paired with a parade, craft vendors and more.
Equidistant from Chicago and Milwaukee
Aside from taking a boat onto the Fox River and heading up to the Chain O'Lakes, McCullom Lake residents travel by car to most locations. Folks drive 3 miles to downtown McHenry and the city's Metra stop, which is positioned on the Union Pacific Northwest line. Rides to downtown Chicago's Ogilvie Transportation Center depart in the early hours on weekdays for an hour and a half ride, not counting delays. By car, they have a good way to go to reach Interstate 290 or 90 towards Chicagoland, or Interstate 94 towards Milwaukee—and they're about 62 miles from each in either direction. They make a 42-mile trip to reach Chicago O'Hare International Airport. As for medical care, Northwestern Medicine McHenry Hospital is just under 5 miles south of the community.
Lake regulations for village residents
The lakefront may provide scenic ambiance throughout the year, but it also comes with a set of rules to keep residents safe. Because the water is quite shallow, the village prohibits boats with motors over 10 horsepower, aside from 25-HP pontoon boats. For full-fledged boating and swimming, residents head to McHenry's portion of the Fox River or float on the Chain. Nevertheless, the lake remains a welcome sight for residents and a fishing and beachside play source.
