The Village of Glen Ellyn owes a debt of gratitude to Thomas E. Hill and Seth Baker who envisioned building a lake in town and spearheaded a drive to collect funds to build it. In fact, the Village of Glen Ellyn owes its name to this lake.
Lake Ellyn was created in the summer of 1889 by damming the brook which ran through town north of the tracks. Several other small creeks and sloughs as well as a natural spring also fed the new lake. Mr. Hill suggested calling it Lake Glen Ellyn -” Glen” for the natural terrain, and “Ellyn,” for the Welsh spelling of his wife’s name, Ellen.
When the Glen Ellyn Hotel and Springs Company was formed in 1890, it acquired title to 116 acres just northeast of downtown, encompassing Lake Glen Ellyn and the surrounding land.
Lake Glen Ellyn was an instant hit with the locals. It became so popular that in 1891 residents petitioned to change the name of their town to Glen Ellyn. But Lake Ellyn’s status as a public park was not clear in 1891. The public enjoyed it but ownership remained in private hands one for another 28 years.
