Colonel Palmer House

Colonel Palmer House Our mission is to preserve the home of Gustavus and Henrietta Palmer, provide a venue for local history.

Crystal Lake Park District Lunch & Learn Series at Colonel Palmer HouseAges 12+Noon-2 pm$26 res/$34 non-res, per dateLun...
09/02/2026

Crystal Lake Park District Lunch & Learn Series at Colonel Palmer House
Ages 12+
Noon-2 pm
$26 res/$34 non-res, per date
Lunch provided
Fri, Oct 9: A Walk Down Swedenberg's Woodstock St
Fri, Oct 16: Crystal Lake Jeopardy
Sat, Oct 17: Crystal Lake Jeopardy
Fri, Oct 23: The Cobbler: History of Heisler's Bootery
More info and link to online registration on page 24 of the digital guide view.publitas.com/clpd/programs/page/26-27

08/22/2026

Stop by ‘Way Back When’ free, family special event at Colonel Palmer House until 2 pm today (Sat, Aug 22). Learn about historic games, crafts, gardening and culinary plus live music.

Free, Family Fun this Weekend!-Way Back When-Sat, Aug 22, 10 am-2 pmColonel Palmer House, 660 E. Terra Cotta AveFall bac...
08/20/2026

Free, Family Fun this Weekend!
-Way Back When-
Sat, Aug 22, 10 am-2 pm
Colonel Palmer House, 660 E. Terra Cotta Ave
Fall back in time on the Palmer House grounds where we will be featuring historic culinary demos, old time gardening, games and crafts along with live music!

The Colonel Palmer House was built c.1858 by settlers Gustavus and Henrietta Palmer. Located on its original site, the home was entered in the National Register of Historic Places in 1985. Currently the home is maintained by the Crystal Lake Park District and is home to the Crystal Lake Historical Society.

For more information or questions, contact Sarah Taylor, [email protected].

IT'S HERE!The Crystal Lake Park District fall 2026 digital guide is online and registration is open! 🍁🍂Register online d...
08/13/2026

IT'S HERE!
The Crystal Lake Park District fall 2026 digital guide is online and registration is open! 🍁🍂
Register online directly from the digital guide by clicking on the code number for the program you wish to register for and add it to your shopping cart. We recommend setting up your household profile prior to shopping if this is your first time utilizing online registration.

All households in the 60012 and 60014 zip codes will receive a print guide in the mail. Look for the activity guide in your mailbox later during the week of Aug 17-21.

Fall programs run late Aug-late Dec
View the digital guide
https://view.publitas.com/clpd/programs/page/1

Did you know we offer FREE Colonel Palmer House Garden Tours, Thursday-Saturday? Looking for a more immersive gardening ...
07/07/2026

Did you know we offer FREE Colonel Palmer House Garden Tours, Thursday-Saturday?

Looking for a more immersive gardening experience?
Browse youth garden classes in July and August by browsing pages 34-36 of the digital activity guide, click on the program code to register https://view.publitas.com/clpd/programs/page/36-37

Harvest Heroes: Jul 25, 9-10:30 am
Join us as we harvest fresh from the garden, make sweet and savory garden inspired treats, and craft a pocket garden terrarium to take home.

Ode to The Potato: Aug 6, 9-10 am
Together let’s learn everything we love about the potato as we work with all our senses to understand them best.

Garden Potions: Aug 29, 9-10:30 am
Learn magic spells that have been used for thousands of years to keep all pests away from your garden and how to make attractive ones to create positivity. Then we’ll explore how to express your findings using real forms of art, science, history, and nature when you craft your custom grimoire using fresh items from our natural world to take home.

In honor of the Fourth of July weekend approaching, the Colonel Palmer House has your covered with some history facts ar...
07/02/2026

In honor of the Fourth of July weekend approaching, the Colonel Palmer House has your covered with some history facts around traditions surrounding the holiday🎆

While we will be closed this Friday 7/3 and Saturday 7/4, normal hours will resume starting next Thursday 7/9!

The Colonel Palmer House is located at 660 E. Terra Cotta Avenue in Crystal Lake, come visit soon!

Hours:
Th-Fri, 11 AM - 5 PM
Sat, 10 AM - 4 PM
Everything you need to know:
https://www.crystallakeparks.org/colonel-palmer-house

Hours of Operation Change: Due to an offsite program, Colonel Palmer House will be open Noon-5 pm on Fri, June 26.photo:...
06/25/2026

Hours of Operation Change: Due to an offsite program, Colonel Palmer House will be open Noon-5 pm on Fri, June 26.
photo: Garden Camp 2025

Did you know this about Crystal Lake? Regardless of your answer, you can always learn something new at the Colonel Palme...
06/25/2026

Did you know this about Crystal Lake? Regardless of your answer, you can always learn something new at the Colonel Palmer House!

The Colonel Palmer House is open to the public for FREE guided tours, historic presentations, and family-friendly seasonal events . In addition, the Historical Society stores its archives, artifacts, and local history documents in the home.

The house is located at 660 E. Terra Cotta Avenue in Crystal Lake, come visit today!
Hours:
Th-Fri, 11 AM - 5 PM
Sat, 10 AM - 4 PM
Everything you need to know:
https://www.crystallakeparks.org/colonel-palmer-house

Need help with your landscape? Stop by the Green Gate Garden Club plant sale at Colonel Palmer House and purchase plants...
05/12/2026

Need help with your landscape? Stop by the Green Gate Garden Club plant sale at Colonel Palmer House and purchase plants grown from some of our area's best gardeners!

Sat, May 16, 9 am-Noon
Colonel Palmer House, 660 E. Terra Cotta Ave, Crystal Lake

Address

660 E. Terra Cotta Avenue
Crystal Lake, IL
60014

Opening Hours

Tuesday 11am - 5pm
Wednesday 11am - 5pm
Thursday 11am - 5pm
Friday 11am - 5pm
Saturday 10am - 4pm

Telephone

(815) 477-5873

Alerts

Be the first to know and let us send you an email when Colonel Palmer House posts news and promotions. Your email address will not be used for any other purpose, and you can unsubscribe at any time.

Contact The Museum

Send a message to Colonel Palmer House:

Shortcuts

Share