Over 100 years ago, a woman named Sarah J. Beatty was able to proudly admire her completed building, which was beautiful, practical, and quite an accomplishment for a woman of her era.
Sarah Jane Beatty was born in 1868 on her father’s farm in Nunda Township.
In 1906, she married Justin Beatty, who was the owner and publisher of the Nunda/Crystal Lake Herald. Justin’s unexpected death in 1912 (he was 46 years old) left Sarah as the owner of a newspaper business and numerous properties.
Within a year, the newspaper was sold to L.W. Cobb. In September 1916, the Crystal Lake Herald reports, “Contractors are making estimates on plans for a handsome new business building to be erected by Mrs. Sarah J. Beatty. The building will be a two-story modern business structure with a 25-foot frontage on Williams and 100-foot frontage on Brink.”
Architecturally, the Beatty Building is described as Beaux-Art style. The brick building has terra cotta ornamentation including decorative garlands, swags, and floral patterns.
The first tenant was a ladies clothing store, followed by a drug store. In 1940, H.E. Tober purchased the building and moved his menswear store to this location.
Today, 100 years after the Beatty Building was completed, a ladies clothing store, The Clothes Gallery, once again occupies the first floor space.
Join us as we celebrate Historic Preservation Month! Be sure to walk around Downtown Crystal Lake and learn more about our local history. Thank you to the Crystal Lake Historical Society for the information presented here!
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