Loch Lomond History
Learn about the history of loch lomond.
Loch Lomond History
The history of Loch Lomond begins in 1955 with the construction of the 75-acre lake, which was created by damming the southern branch of Bull Creek as part of Arthur T. McIntosh’s development of the Loch Lomond Subdivision. McIntosh was a giant in the Chicago real estate business, and more than 500 subdivisions and developments have been credited to him and his son. He is perhaps best known for the development of Inverness after his gradual purchase of 1500 acres on which to build his community. The land reminded him of his ancestral home in the Scottish Highlands where the McIntosh clan resided, and so the community became known as Inverness.
Similarly, it’s been said that McIntosh saw the treed, rolling landscape and ravines of what is now part of Mundelein, Illinois, he was again reminded of Scotland. He envisioned creating a lake and calling it Loch Lomond. And so, in 1955, the lake was created and development soon followed.
In the mid-1950s, as a response to postwar housing needs, Roscoe Home Construction began building 1200-square-foot U.S. Steel homes on the site. Then, in the 60s, Briar Construction began offering larger split-level homes and raised ranches.
As families grew, many of the homes and lots have seen substantial improvements, with new construction, additions, and naturalized landscaping. Loch Lomond’s hilly, curving streets, however, still give our subdivision a vacation-like feel, allowing our families a place to relax and find peace in a hectic world. It’s easy to imagine that McIntosh, a naturalist as well as a land developer, would have been very much in favor of vegetative barrier strips and other natural efforts that impart a more natural setting to go along with the many trees.
Originally billed as the “Garden Spot of Mundelein,” Loch Lomond still remains a single-family-home neighborhood sixty years later; a quiet corner that harkens back to a less frenetic time and place. Today, our 600+ homeowners take pride in the subdivision, maintaining the look and feel of a place we call home. Surrounded by large lots, gentle sloping lawns, and old oaks, our beautiful private lake offers residents exceptional fishing, as well as a place to swim, canoe, paddle, or row. Our beaches offer picnic areas, volleyball, lifeguards, swimming lessons, boat storage, and fishing piers, but more importantly, well-maintained places to spend time with neighbors and family.
