John B. Walkup House, Crystal Lake
John B. Walkup was an early settler to the area and the founder of the town of Nunda. This fine example of Greek Revival architecture is in near original condition and is one of the few remaining cobblestone houses in McHenry County. Famed cobblestone mason Andrew Simons constructed the house of water-smoothed cobblestones brought from Lake Michigan in 1856. Classic features include cornice returns, lintels, 6-over-6 light windows, a front door surround including a transom with side light windows, and a decorative patterning of smaller cobblestones near the peak.
Holcombville School, Crystal Lake
To build a one-room schoolhouse, school directors from Sutherland Ingersoll, a society dedicated to promoting education, spent $12.25 and purchased one-half acre of land in 1858. The simplified Federal style school building and nearby cemetery were named for the Holcomb family that resided in the area. Features include an embossed tin ceiling and blackboards in their original condition and decorative classical brickwork to represent dentils and cornice returns. The outer walls are slightly flared to allow rainwater to flow away from the river stone foundation.The school was in full operation until 1946 when, like many one-room country schools of the time, the doors closed to consolidation. Never converted to alternate uses, it remains virtually unchanged from its days of serving the small community. |
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