Growing up in Crystal Lake, a town that has quickly expanded but still feels small, was a mix of great and boring all in one. If you grew up in Crystal Lake, this list will surely be familiar to you and hopefully remind you of where you came from:
1. Around The Clock is your restaurant of choice.
Whether it is the middle of the night pie-eating with your best friends, a first date, your weekly breakfast joint with your spouse or an afternoon coffee break, Around The Clock is the spot to go to. Around The Clock is a favorite to many people who have grown up in Crystal Lake, and the co-workers are familiar with many of the regular townies.
2. Finns: not just a bar but a high school reunion.
Crystal Lake is not all that exciting so you will most likely find yourself at the local popular bar, Finns, even though you know you are going to run into everyone from high school. You hate the fact that you’re going to see everyone you know there, but are going stir-crazy from sitting in your house all day. So you put on something presentable and prepare for a night of awkward "Hello, how are you" conversations. Finally, you promise yourself you won’t get trashed and end up at Moretti’s like last time and begin to throw down the tequila shots.
3. You find yourself talking about "the poop plant" and Crystal Lake South High School in the same sentence more often than you should.
Everyone knows that CLS is located right next to the waste-water treatment plant, and if you went to a rival school of South’s you made sure to remind them of how their school stunk—literally. (It really wasn't that bad, guys.)
4. The roller rink was the spot to be at.
Back in our middle school years, if you weren’t at the roller rink during the weekends—well, what were you doing? The roller rink was the hot spot for us back in the day, skating around to the popular songs like "Sexyback" by Justin Timberlake and "SOS" by Rihanna. And don’t forget girl skate/guy skate where your hand would besweaty from high-fiving the opposite sex. (There are some things I don’t miss.)
5. Crystal Lake is famous for the movie, "Friday the 13th."
Camp Crystal Lake in "Friday the 13th"was not filmed in Crystal Lake, but we always get questioned about the movie and filming when people who are familiar with it find out where our hometown is. It is as famous as our town will probably ever get. (Hey, I’ll take it!)
6. Tony’s Café is another Crystal Lake favorite.
We really like our food. Tony’s Café is a restaurant I have been eating at since I could remember. The restaurant is a beloved place to many people who live in Crystal Lake, and I think it always will be.
7. The Dole Mansion—or haunted mansion?
The Dole Mansion is a unique landmark in Crystal Lake, and growing up, most of us kids thought it was haunted. The beautiful mansion, which has been standing in Crystal Lake since the early 1860s, has been rumored to be haunted. Even now as an adult, it isn’t hard to believe why that rumor still stands today.
8. Main Beach: one place I will never swim in again.
Main Beach is popular for watching the July firework shows, the cardboard cup regatta and listening to many small concerts. The beach is a place where I met many friends swimming in the lake as a kid and drinking wine at their summer luaus as an adult. Although now with its mucky water, I wouldn’t even dip a toe in.
9. Lakeside fest.
If you grew up in Crystal Lake, you have probably attended the Lakeside Fest annually. This is the place you spent hours waiting in line to ride the zipper and patiently waiting to be of age to get wasted at. Lakeside Fest is one of the great perks of living in Crystal Lake.
10. We’re a big town with big hearts.
When tragedy hits someone in Crystal Lake, the community always comes together for support. Our town may be big, but we tend to keep a small feel to it. If one person from Crystal Lake is hurting, we all hurt.
Crystal Lake is a mix of all these things, and although we all experience them differently, we can relate to the things Crystal Lake offers. It's more than just a town with good restaurants and haunted mansions, it's home, and it always will be. Thank you, Crystal Lake, for all the memories you have given me. They will forever be remembered, no matter where I end up.