Ridgefield, Illinois

WAIT (850 kHz) was an AM radio station licensed to Crystal Lake, Illinois, and serving the Chicago metropolitan area. It was licensed by the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) as a Class D station and broadcast only during daytime hours, signing off at sunset to protect KOA in Denver, the clear-channel station on 850 kHz. The station had a highly directional pattern, with nulls to the northeast and southwest, to protect WGVS in Muskegon, Michigan, and KFUO in Clayton, Missouri. Because of its northwest suburban location and directional pattern, WAIT could be heard in Rockford, Illinois, and Janesville, Wisconsin, in addition to the Chicago media market.

McHenry County College (MCC) is a public community college in McHenry County, Illinois. The college serves residents residing in Community College District 528, which covers most of McHenry County and portions of surrounding counties. The college is located along U.S. Route 14, on the northwest side of Crystal Lake, Illinois. There are also secondary facilities in Woodstock and McHenry. Some classes are also taught at area high schools, public libraries, local businesses, and other off-campus locations. It enrolls about 7,000 students in career programs, transfer programs, GED and adult basic education, non-credit and career development, and training for businesses.

The George Stickney House or simply Stickney House or Stickney Mansion is located in rural McHenry County, Illinois, in the small village of Bull Valley. The Stickney House is currently the Bull Valley Police Headquarters since 1985. The structure has been listed on the National Register of Historic Places since 1979. The house is widely considered bizarre due to its design, which was based, in part, on George and Sylvia Stickney's belief in Spiritualism. This house continues to be the subject of several ghostlore stories.

WNVR (1030 kHz, "Polskie Radio Chicago") is a commercial AM radio station licensed to Vernon Hills, Illinois, and serving the Chicago metropolitan area. WNVR is one of eight stations owned by Polnet Communications. It simulcasts a Polish language radio format with sister station WRDZ (1300 AM). The studios and offices are located at 3656 W. Belmont Ave. in Chicago. By day, WNVR is powered at 10,000 watts. Because 1030 AM is a clear channel frequency reserved for Class A station WBZ in Boston, WNVR must avoid interference. During critical hours, the power is reduced to 3,200 watts and at night it runs only 120 watts. It uses a directional antenna with a four-tower array. The transmitter site is off Illinois Route 176, west of Crystal Lake, Illinois. Programming is also heard on 70-watt FM translator W296DA at 107.1 MHz in Vernon Hills.

Faith Lutheran High School, commonly referred to as Faith or FLHS, was a private high school located in Crystal Lake, Illinois. It was affiliated with the Lutheran Church–Missouri Synod and served students of McHenry County, Illinois. The school opened in 2004 and closed in 2019. The school's colors were black and red and its mascot was the Saints.

The Village of Lakewood is a village in McHenry County, Illinois, United States. It was incorporated as a village on July 10, 1933. Per the 2020 census, the population was 4,283. Although commonly referred to as Lakewood, the town's proper name is preceded by 'The Village of'.

Prairie Ridge High School, often referred to as "PR," is the newest public high school in Community High School District 155 in Crystal Lake, Illinois, United States. The other three high school in the area include Crystal Lake Central, Crystal Lake South, and Cary-Grove. Prairie Ridge High school opened in 1997 to address the overpopulation of the three area high schools. In addition to Crystal Lake's areas with the 60012 zip code, Prairie Ridge also accepts students from the Northern and Eastern areas of Crystal Lake with the 60014 zipcode, along with Prairie Grove, Oakwood Hills, Burtons Bridge, Ridgefield, and small portions of McHenry, Cary, and Bull Valley. Prior to opening its doors, the first graduating class of students was allowed to vote on the name, colors, and song for the new high school. The district approved the name, and Prairie Ridge was born. As of the 2017–2018 school year, Prairie Ridge is the smallest high school in District 155.

Bull Valley is a village in McHenry County, Illinois, United States. The population was 1,128 at the 2020 census. Surrounded by the suburban sprawl of Crystal Lake, Woodstock, and McHenry, the village prides itself in its rural, low-density character.

The 1849 Terwilliger House is a Registered Historic Place in the McHenry County, Illinois, village of Bull Valley. The Greek Revival house is topped with a square cupola and surrounded by a columned porch. Rumors persist that the home was once a part of the Underground Railroad.

Crystal Lake is a city in McHenry County in the U.S. state of Illinois. Named after a lake 1.6 miles (2.6 km) southwest of the city's downtown, Crystal Lake is 45 miles northwest of Chicago. The population is 40,269 as of the 2020 Census, a 1.2% decrease from 2010. Crystal Lake is the largest city in McHenry County, part of the Chicago metropolitan area.

Crystal Lake Central High School, often referred to as "Central" or "CLC," is the oldest of the three high schools in Crystal Lake, Illinois, United States.

Crystal Lake is one of two stations on Metra's Union Pacific Northwest Line located in Crystal Lake, Illinois. The station is two stops away from the line's terminus at Harvard, and most of the trains on the Northwest Line only run as far as Crystal Lake. A large coach yard is adjacent to the station and has additional storage tracks to store Metra trains overnight, and on holidays and weekends. A Union Pacific maintenance facility and office, some storage tracks for local freight trains and maintenance of way equipment as well as a junction are also located just southeast of here. The branch line to McHenry splits off at this junction. The station is 43.3 miles (69.7 km) away from Ogilvie Transportation Center. Parking is available at the station. As of 2018, Crystal Lake is the 36th busiest of the 236 non-downtown stations in the Metra system, with an average of 1,138 weekday boardings.As of May 30, 2023, Crystal Lake is served by 52 trains (27 inbound, 25 outbound) on weekdays, by 30 trains (15 in each direction) on Saturdays, and by 20 trains (nine inbound, all 11 outbound) on Sundays. On weekdays, 13 inbound trains originate from Crystal Lake and 12 trains terminate here, with five inbound trains originating and five outbound trains terminating here on Saturdays, and two inbound trains originating and three outbound trains terminating here on Sundays.