McCormick Park holds a special place in Crystal Lake history as the site of the community’s original town square, established in 1836. Today, the park continues to serve as a place of remembrance, honoring Gold Star Veterans and Blue Star Banner families. The chapter is also partnering with local organizations, businesses, and community leaders to promote patriotic engagement, including a downtown “Best America 250! Storefront” celebration.

In preparation for the dedication, the City of Crystal Lake partnered with the chapter to enhance three flower beds in the park with red, white, and blue plantings, with the America 250! Marker prominently placed as part of the display. The ceremony was hosted by Crystal Lake Mayor Haig Haleblian and Fox River Valley Chapter Regent Barb Targowski.

Following the dedication, guests were invited to attend a Cherry Blossom Tea Party at First Congregational Church, located behind the park, featuring refreshments and patriotic cupcakes.

One of the highlights of the event was the solemn rededication of the Veterans Memorial, now relocated to a more prominent spot within the park.  The Blue Star Banner Program designed new plaques to honor the service and sacrifice in Iraq and Afghanistan of five young Crystal Lake men.   We also placed a flag for each of there Heroes around the Memorial on a temporary basis.  The families of these five service members were present at the ceremony and are known as Gold Star families, indicating they have lost a loved one in service to our country.

When one of our service members gives his or her life in service to our country, behind that Fallen Hero is a family that has been forever changed.  Those family members suffer a loss that words can’t explain, yet they continue their permanently altered lives with profound courage.

To America and the City of Crystal Lake, these Heroes gave their lives so that we could sleep peacefully in the freedom they made possible. The steadfast endurance of the Gold Star Families serves as a testament to the love of country their family members demonstrated in service and sacrifice.

In the late 1860s and 1870s, political cartoonist Thomas Nast (1840-1902) began popularizing the image of Uncle Sam. Nast continued to evolve the image, eventually giving Sam the white beard and stars-and-stripes suit that are associated with the character today. The German-born Nast was also credited with creating the modern image of Santa Claus and with coining the donkey as a symbol for the Democratic Party and the elephant as a symbol for the Republicans.

Perhaps the most famous image of Uncle Sam was created by artist James Montgomery Flagg (1877-1960). In Flagg’s version, Uncle Sam wears a tall top hat and blue jacket and is pointing straight ahead at the viewer. During World War I, this portrait of Sam with the words “I Want You For The U.S. Army” was used as a recruiting poster. The image, which became immensely popular, was first used on the cover of Leslie’s Weekly in July 1916 with the title “What Are You Doing for Preparedness?” The poster was widely distributed and has subsequently been reused numerous times with different captions.

In September 1961, the U.S. Congress recognized Samuel Wilson as “the progenitor of America’s national symbol of Uncle Sam.” Wilson died at age 87 in 1854, and was buried next to his wife, Betsey Mann, in the Oakwood Cemetery in Troy, New York, the town that calls itself “The Home of Uncle Sam.”