Many businesses used the name :Town of Lake" as part of there identity. I don't believe that goes back to before incorporation. Remember the title Town of Lake refers to the political townships that much of the country east of the Mississippi was divided into after extensive surveying. Each was 6 miles square, or 36 sq miles, and was then divided into sections of a mile square each. The divisions don't mean much in urban areas, other than when they are used for the legal description for a lot or other property, such as the sw 1/4 of the northeast 1/2 of section 36, or something like that, They are still used extensively in rural areas. I believe Town of Lake's north border was 39th street, and the south border was 87th, which would be 6 miles. The Encyclopedia of Chicago lists the east border as State St., an d the west border as Crawford (Pulaski), which would only be 5 miles. They did sometimes alter the basick dimensions for natural obstructions and probably because of some political interference of some kind.