History of the Area

Note: The following was taken from "Goose Lake Township Centennial, September, 1997," compiled and published by Pete Kodat in September, 1997 and is believed to be true and accurate:

"Sentry Royalty Company, a division of a coal company, sold the entire strip mined land in this area in 1961. A partnership, formed between Robert Drake of Lockport and Duane In-Hout of Gardner, bought 3600 acres of this land. It initially was their intention to develop the area for summer homes and recreational uses.

In 1962, a private swimming and fishing club was established, with members paying a yearly fee. Excavation was also started that year on the channels in Goose Lake Village. In 1963, 83 lots were offered for sale. Robert Drake, who also owned a lumber yard, built the first four houses.

In 1964, lots from 10-100 acres were put up for sale in the area called West Illini Lake. The year 1965 saw the sale of 750 acres to the Rainbow Council for a boy scout camp and the opening of the second unit of Goose Lake Village, consisting of 123 lots. The developers began to realize that many people would want to use the area as year-round housing, rather than summer home/recreational areas, as they had presumed. Duane Int-Hout sold his interests in the Goose Lake Corporation to the Drakes in 1966. Lincoln Lake the largest lake in the area, was opened in 1967 with 73 lots from 1½ to 10 acres of land."

Note: There is a reference to a South Goose Lake Protective Association and West Illini Lake. As these terms are not used today, more research must be done to identify what they refer to. There are possibly 11 subdivisions within the subdivision.