Haunted 1848 Volo Barn/Historic Trolley Tour
10 a.m. to 5 p.m., weekends through Sunday, October 28
    For an eerie presentation of actual hauntings, you won’t want to miss the Haunted Trolley Tour, which includes a walk through Volo’s 1848 barn. Ever since the barn was opened to the public in 1960, it has been the center of many ghost tales from Civil War solider ghost sightings to the pitter-patter of children running and laughing.
>> For more, visit www.volocars.com/trolley-tour.htm or call 815-385-3644. Volo Auto Museum is located at 27582 Volo Village Rd.

Harvest Tea at Colonel Palmer House
12:30 p.m. and 3 p.m. seatings, Sunday, October 7
    The Colonel Palmer House and grounds will be decked out in the bounty of the fall harvest. The gardens provide all the beautiful fall decor, and the crisp fall air and the crunch of leaves underfoot welcome you to the cozy, warm, bright parlors of the Palmer House. Enjoy a sumptuous luncheon tea, a presentation on the “Art of Tea” by Vern Duplain and an exhibit of hats from a bygone era. Palmer family and Palmer House history will be given by Sandy Price.
>> For more, visit www.crystallakeparks.org or call 815-459-0680. The Colonel Palmer House is located at 660 E. Terra Cotta Ave. in Crystal Lake.

35th Annual Cider Festival
10 a.m. to 4 p.m., Sunday, October 7 (free)
    This year’s festival will feature displays and demonstrations of old tools courtesy of independent collectors and members of the Mid-West  Tool  Collectors  Association.  Visitors can also watch a barn raising, and throughout the day there will be harvest demonstrations, including broom-making and old-fashioned cider-making. Food vendors will include an apple goodies bakery, kettle korn and others, plus a book, antique clothing and white elephant sale. Enjoy musical entertainment by Charlie B and Friends.
>> For more, visit www.mchsonline.org or call 815-923-2267. McHenry County Historical Society (MCHS) is located at 6422 Main St. in Union.

Dearly Departed: The Mystery of the Body in the Lake
Saturday, October 20, and Sunday, October 21
    A major mystery in the 1920s gave the local townspeople plenty to speculate about — a body was found floating in Crystal Lake. How did it get there? Who was the culprit? It was during this time of pro-
hibition that the underworld, corruption and sale of bootleg alcohol became part of our residents’ lives even in McHenry County. Become part of the story as you move through the historic Palmer House and meet with early 20th-century residents as they reveal the facts of the matter.
>> For more, visit www.crystallakeparks.org or call  815-459-0680. The Colonel Palmer House is located at 660 E. Terra Cotta Ave. in Crystal Lake.

The Ten Best Presidents
12:30 p.m. and 7 p.m., Tuesday, October 30 (free)
    Barry Bradford, former National Teacher of the Year and dynamic lecturer, will present his own top-10 list of the “best presidents” — and you might be surprised by some of his choices. What does it take to make it on this prestigious list? Join us the week before the 2012 presidential election to find out — and bring your own list to discuss!
>> For more, visit www.mchenry.edu or call 815-479-7570. The lecture takes place at the Luecht Conference Center, 8900 U.S. Hwy. 14 in Crystal Lake.

Harvest Gathering 1858
12 p.m. to 4 p.m., Sunday, November 4 (free)
    Step back in time to the 1850s Powers-Walker House at harvest time. Try your hand at corn shelling, grinding corn into flour, or making a corn husk or yarn doll, while learning how integral the use of corn and other natural fibers was to the everyday lives of early settlers. Witness harvest activities like the baking of bread in the wood-burning cookstove and making candles for the wintertime. Tour the historic farmhouse and learn more about its restoration, or visit with a cavalry sergeant and his horse as they demonstrate the weapons of the era used to protect these frontier lands.
>> For more, visit www.mccdistrict.org or call 815-338-6223. Glacial Park is located in Ringwood at Route 31 and Harts Road between the cities of McHenry and Richmond.

Trail of History
9 a.m. to 4 p.m., Saturday, October 20, and Sunday, October 21 (children 5-years-old and younger are free)
    The Trail of History is a living history interpretive event featuring interpreters from across the country who portray and demonstrate life as it was from 1670 to 1850 in the former Northwest Territory (present day Illinois, Wisconsin, Indiana, Michigan, Ohio and portions of eastern Minnesota). The event’s focus is to show the interrelationship between nature, man and cultural development. Kicked off in 1989 as the Kames Rendezvous, today there are more than 150 encampments as part of the Trail of History, which are nestled at the foot of the glacial  kames  in  the  rolling  terrain  of  Glacial  Park.  The  timing is perfect as the prairie grasses and trees begin to display their vibrant colors. Come be part of this unique historical event!
>> For more, visit www.mccdistrict.org or call 815-338-6223. Glacial Park is located in Ringwood at Route 31 and Harts Road between the cities of McHenry and Richmond.