Patch Passport: Travel Back in Time

On the north side of Hilltop Drive along Woods Creek Lake stands an iconic reminder of the village's roots.

After years of restoration work, the 1880s LaBahn-Hain Farmhouse is an image of a time long before traffic congestion, and retail and residential sprawl left its mark. A time when the lake and the natural beauty around it was home to just a few summer residents.

"They were going to burn the house down for a practice drill,'' said Bob Spooner, former LITH village trustee and member of the village's historical society.

Spooner's wife Arden couldn't let that happen and began a campaign to save the home, with the village agreeing to allow restoration of the house for public use. Now the home, considered to be the town's oldest, is open for wedding receptions, birthday parties and other events with a preschool operating in part of the building.

Looking out his window, Spooner can see the LaBahn-Hain House — a classic two-story farmhouse — across the lake and knows its history as well as he knows his own.

August Labahn bought the farm in 1884 and it remained a farm until 1925. Then Chicago Federal Judge Walter J. La Buy bought it, along with the rest of the farmland around Woods Creek Lake, turning the area into his own retreat with a private, gated entrance.

In 1947, La Buy started the LITH Development Corporation which subdivided the land around the lake, paving the way for the village's incorporation.

"Most of them were summer cottages initially,'' Spooner said. "A few of the original cottages are still in place.''

In 1948, River Forest resident Robert Hain bought the LaBahn Farm to use as a hunting lodge. When Hain failed to make necessary upgrades to the home, the village condemned it and took it over, Spooner said.

Although the barn was taken down, the cement silo, constructed in the 1920s, still stands. The LITH Historical Society was given an award for historical restoration and adaptive reuse of the LaBahn-Hain House by the McHenry County Historical Commission.

History of Lake in the Hills

Lake in the Hills has come a long ways from it's inception. The following timeline provides a glimpse at the history of Lake in the Hills from interviews and information found on the village's website:

• 1923: A small lake was dammed and further dug out using mules to create Woods Creek Lake. Federal Judge Walter J. La Buy began to purchase land around what is now Woods Creek Lake. 
• 1926: Judge La Buy had acquired 472 acres. Five homes were built along Indian Trail the south side of Woods Creek Lake for the La Buy's children. 
• 1940s: Raymond Platt, who was affiliated with Dearborn Builders in Chicago, along with his wife and his brother-in-law purchased some of La Buy's property around the lake.
• 1947: The Platt's home became permanent and a part of the "Lake in the Hills Development Corporation."
• 1950: The Property Owners Association was formed for the purpose of addressing snow removal and issues with road maintenance.
• Nov. 29, 1952: The village was formally incorporated.
• 1952: Platt donated his sales' office at 55 Hilltop, which served as the first village hall.
• 1950s: LITH had a larger population than Algonquin.
• 1959: the LITH Village Hall and police court were moved to 1111 Crystal Lake Road. 
• 1992: The Village Hall and the police department offices were moved to 1115 Crystal Lake Road.
• 1995: The public works department moved its facility from 600 E. Oak Street to its current location south of Albrecht Road and west of Miller Road.
• 2002: A new village hall was built at 600 Harvest Gate and continues to be the location of LITH Village Hall.
• Since 1990: The village's population has increased from just under 6,000 to about 30,000 today.

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