Chicago, Cook County, Illinois Genealogy

United States &gt; Illinois &gt; Cook County &gt; Populated Places &gt; Chicago

History

 * Incorporated as a city in 1837 after being founded in 1833 at the site of a portage between the Great Lakes and the Mississippi River watershed
 * 1871 Great Chicago Fire - Wikipedia

Record Loss

 * The Great Fire of 1871
 * The Great Fire of Chicago and the Web of Memory - Chicago Historical Society with Northwestern University
 * Original marriage licenses for Cook County were destroyed by the Great Fire of Chicago on October 8–10, 1871. Marriages in the Illinois Statewide Marriage Index for Cook County prior to the fire were found in the Sam Fink Index. A copy of the Sam Fink Index is available on microfilm at the Illinois Regional Archives Depository (IRAD) at Northeastern Illinois University in Chicago. The only additional information that this depository can provide is the name of the newspaper in which the marriage appeared. FHLC #1321939 A microfilmed copy of the Index to Chicago and Cook County Marriages and Deaths Reported in Chicago Newspapers 1834–1889 compiled by Sam Fink is also available at the Newberry Library (microfilm 608, general collections 2nd, floor.)

Civil War
Harold Washington Library 400 South State Street, Illinois 60605; 312-747-4300 Special Collections, 9th floor; 312-747-4875; fax 312-747-4890; specoll@chipublib.org '''Bass, Henry Papers. Dates: 1952–1975.''' Size: 1 linear foot. Chicago Public Library, Harold Washington Library Center, Special Collections, Civil War and American History Research Collection. [Processed]

Populated Places

 * The city is partitioned into 4 main sections: Downtown (containing the Loop), the North Side, the South Side and the West Side.
 * Far North side: Rogers Park . West Ridge . Uptown . Lincoln Square . Edison Park . Norwood Park . Jefferson Park . Forest Glen . North Park . Albany Park . O'Hare . Edgewater
 * North side: North Center . Lakeview . Lincoln Park . Avondale . Logan Square
 * Northwest side: Portage Park . Irving Park . Dunning . Montclare . Belmont Cragin . Hermosa
 * Central, Near North, and Near South side: Near North Side . The Loop . Near South Side
 * West and Near West side: Humboldt Park . West Town . Austin . West Garfield Park . East Garfield Park . Near West Side . North Lawndale . South Lawndale . Lower West Side
 * Southwest side: Garfield Ridge . Archer Heights . Brighton Park . McKinley Park . New City . West Elsdon . Gage Park . Clearing . West Lawn . Chicago Lawn . West Englewood . Englewood
 * South side: Armour Square . Douglas . Oakland . Fuller Park . Grand Boulevard . Kenwood . Washington Park . Hyde Park . Woodlawn . South Shore . Bridgeport . Greater Grand Crossing
 * Far Southwest side: Ashburn . Auburn Gresham . Beverly . Washington Heights . Mount Greenwood . Morgan Park
 * Far Southeast side: Chatham . Avalon Park . South Chicago . Burnside . Calumet Heights . Roseland . Pullman . South Deering . East Side . West Pullman . Riverdale . Hegewisch

Directories 1909 change in street numbering.

 * Before 1909, the river was the north-south dividing line.... In 1909 the city was divided into four sections....


 * The following details are from: Finding Your Chicago Ancestor by Margaret O'Hara, FHLC 977.311 D27o 1982

Before 1909

 * Chicago street numbering system "Before 1909, the river was the north-south dividing line for streets which crossed it...." Click here for more information. So North Clark Street would be that part of the street north of the river. On the west side, Randolph Street was the dividing line as far as Union Park (whose western boundary was Ashland). Beyond that, Lake Street was the dividing line. The Chicago River divided the city into three parts. North Division was from the North Branch east to the Lake; South Division was from the South Branch east to the Lake, and West Division was everything west of the river's branches. In 1879 the South Division adopted the even-odd numbering system in present use.

1909 - present

 * Chicago street numbering system "In 1909 the city was divided into four sections with the corner of State and Madison as the dividing point. Madison, running east and west, divides streets running north and south. State Street, running north and south, divides streets running east and west. One hundred numbers equal a full block and eight hundred numbers equal a mile. So 800 N. State would be one mile north of Madison. 800 W. Madison would be one mile west of State. Streets that run at an angle may be numbered either way.


 * All numbered streets such as 18th, 31st, etc., are on the south side. 600 E. 40th Street is six full blocks or 3/4 of a mile east of State and forty full blocks, or five miles, south of Madison. Chicago has a small east side, mostly south, because of the angle of Lake Michigan. The term "East Side" refers to the area on the far southeast side near Indiana.


 * In a street address, even numbers are on the west and north sides of a street; odd numbers are on the south and east sides. 817 W. 18th St. is on the south side od 18th, which is 18 blocks south of Madison (2-1/4 miles) and 8 blocks (one mile) west of State.


 * Not every block shown on the map is a full block numerically. For example, Madison St. from State to Dearborn is only a half a block numerically. Dearborn is 50 west. Clark Street, the street after Dearborn, is 100 West. (Numbers may extend to 100 but most street numbers go up to 60 or so)."


 * A Look at Chicago has ward and enumeration districts (ED) maps for Cook County for the 1870 through 1930 censuses. It also has ward descriptions.

Neighboring Counties
Cook | DuPage | Lake | Will

25. Austin
Harold Washington Library; 400 South State Street, Illinois 60605; 312-747-4300 Special Collections, 9th floor; 312-747-4875; fax 312-747-4890; specoll@chipublib.org Anderson, Goldwin E. Collection. Dates: 1937–1938. Size: .5 linear feet. Chicago Public Library, Harold Washington Library Center, Special Collections, Neighborhood History Research Collection, Part of the Austin Community Collections. Scrapbook collection documenting Austin social organizations and prominent neighborhood residents. [Finding Aid Online]

'''Austin Community Collection. Dates: 1860–1981.''' Size: 4.5 linear feet; 300 photographs. Chicago Public Library, Harold Washington Library Center, Special Collections, Neighborhood History Research Collection, Part of the Austin Community Collections. [Finding Aid Online] '''Austin Daughters of the American Revolution Papers. Dates: 1930–1938. '''Size: 1 linear foot. Chicago Public Library, Harold Washington Library Center, Special Collections, Neighborhood History Research Collection, Part of the Austin Community Collections. [Finding Aid Online] '''Austin High School Collection. Dates: 1879–1971. '''Size: 2 linear feet; 17 photographs. Chicago Public Library, Harold Washington Library Center, Special Collections, Neighborhood History Research Collection, Part of the Austin Community Collections. [Finding Aid Online] '''Austin Newspaper Collection. Dates: 1876–1980. '''Size: 5 linear feet. Chicago Public Library, Harold Washington Library Center, Special Collections, Neighborhood History Research Collection, Part of the Austin Community Collections. [Finding Aid Online] '''Austin Women's Club Records. Dates: 1912–1965. '''Size: 1 linear foot. Chicago Public Library, Harold Washington Library Center, Special Collections, Neighborhood History Research Collection, Part of the Austin Community Collections. [Finding Aid Online]

41. Hyde Park
The Hyde Park Herald (1882–2008) http://hpherald.com/archive/ Digitized; searchable

42. Woodlawn
Harold Washington Library 400 South State Street, Illinois 60605; 312-747-4300 Special Collections, 9th floor; 312-747-4875; fax 312-747-4890; specoll@chipublib.org Associated Clubs of Woodlawn. Dates: 1927–1971. Size: 4 linear feet; 1 photograph. Chicago Public Library, Harold Washington Library Center, Special Collections, Neighborhood History Research Collection, Part of the Woodlawn Community Collections. Papers of an association promoting business, civic, educational, and social welfare in Woodlawn. [Finding Aid Online]

61. New City
Harold Washington Library 400 South State Street, Illinois 60605; 312-747-4300 Special Collections, 9th floor; 312-747-4875; fax 312-747-4890; specoll@chipublib.org '''Back of the Yards Collection. Dates: 1937–1983. '''Size: .5 linear feet. Chicago Public Library, Harold Washington Library Center, Special Collections, Neighborhood History Research Collection. Materials relating to the Back of the Yards community, including news clippings, historical sketches and microfilm reels of the Back of the Yards Journal and Back of the Yards Council scrapbooks. [Finding Aid Online]

Harold Washington Library
400 South State Street, Illinois 60605; 312-747-4300 http://www.chipublib.org/branch/details/library/harold-washington/ Hours Monday–Thursday 9:00 a.m.–9:00 p.m. Friday &amp; Saturday 9:00 a.m.–5:00 p.m. Sunday 1:00–5:00 p.m.  Microfilmed copies of Chicago city directories: 1839–1850, 1851–1855, 1855–1857, 1858–1866, 1867, 1866–1870, 1871, 1872–1917, 1923, 1928–1929, 1928–1929. Note: The quality of the film is very poor. Microfilmed copies of Chicago telephone directories: 1878–1898, Alphabetical and Classified 1900–1901, Alphabetical and Classified 1903–1913, Alphabetical and Classified 1914–1932, Alphabetical Only 1936–1941, Alphabetical Only 1943–1944, Alphabetical Only 1946–1947, Alphabetical Only 1948, Alphabetical Only (only A-S) 1954, Alphabetical Only (only K-Z) 1955, Alphabetical Only (only A-S) 1957, Alphabetical Only (only D-Z) 1958–1971, Alphabetical Only 1914–1923, Classified Only 1925–1954, Classified Only 1956–1960, Classified Only 1962, Classified Only 1964–1966, Classified Only 1967, Classified Only (only R-Z) 1968–1971, Classified Only. Special Collections, 9th floor; 312-747-4875; fax 312- 747-4890; specoll@chipublib.org http://www.chipublib.org/branch/details/library/harold-washington/p/Spc/ The Special Collections and Preservation Division, established in 1975, collects, preserves, and provides access to rare and unique materials of the Chicago Public Library. Access is provided by the Library's online catalog, printed finding aids and card catalog, and increasingly, via the Internet. Reading Room Hours: Monday &amp; Tuesday 12:00–6:00 p.m. Friday &amp; Saturday 12:00–6:00 p.m., noon - 6:00 p.m. Wednesday, Thursday, and Sunday Closed Chicago Public Library Archival Collections http://www.chipublib.org/cplbooksmovies/cplarchive/archivalcoll/index.phpgo Public Library

Archives
Illinois Regional Archives Depository (Ronald Williams Library; Northeastern Illinois University; 5500 North St. Louis Avenue; Chicago, IL 60625-4699; 773-442-4506 Hours: Monday–Friday; 9:00 a.m.–4:00 p.m. The depository is closed on all state holidays and any day that the university library is closed. It is always a good idea to call ahead before planning a visit. Chicago City Council Proceedings Files Index 1833–1871 http://www.sos.state.il.us/departments/archives/chicago_proceedings/proceedings_intro.html Chicago Police Department Homicide Record Index 1870–1930 http://www.sos.state.il.us/departments/archives/homicide.html

Museums
Chicago History Museum Research Center

Universities: Special Collections
University of Illinois at Chicago (Richard J. Daley Library; M/C 234; Special Collections &amp; University Archives; Room 3-330; 801 South Morgan Street; Chicago, IL 60607; 312-996-2742) http://www.uic.edu/depts/lib/specialcoll/ Appointments are encouraged.

University of Illinois at Chicago (Library of the Health Sciences; M/C 763; Special Collections &amp; University Archives; Room 320; 1750 West Polk Street; Chicago, IL 60612; 312-996-8977) Appointments are encouraged.

University of Chicago Library; Special Collections Research Center; Modern Manuscript and Archival Collections (1100 East 57th Street; Chicago, Illinois 60637; 773-702-8705; Fax 773-702-3728) http://www.lib.uchicago.edu/e/spcl/select.html Chicago &amp; Illinois - 19th Century; http://www.lib.uchicago.edu/e/spcl/chilnc.html Chicago &amp; Illinois - 20th Century; http://www.lib.uchicago.edu/e/spcl/chitwen.html Hours: Monday–Friday 8:30 a.m.–4:45 p.m. Contact the Special Collections Research Center before visiting. Visiting researchers need to obtain a Day Pass and register to use Special Collections at the Library Privileges Office. Information for Visiting Researchers; http://www.lib.uchicago.edu/e/spcl/using/access/ Until the Winter quarter 2011, an ongoing construction project could affect hours and the availability of collections or parts of collections.

Biographies

 * The Chicago History Museum has a tremendous collection of on-line resources useful to family history researchers. Of particular interest are the Biographical Dictionary of Chicago, part of the Encyclopedia of Chicago, and a photo index of portraits taken by early Chicago photographers. The Society's collection includes tens of thousands of images from early photographers E.L. Brand and C.D. Mosher, among others, all indexed by the name of the person in the photograph, as well as by photographer and studio. Their collection can be searched at the Chicago Historical Society Research Center.

Cemeteries
Graveyards of Chicago - This list of Chicago-area cemeteries provides location information, including geographic coordinates, and a link to a page with additional cemetery information, including photos, when available.

Census

 * A Look at Chicago's Ward and ED Maps for 1870-1930 Censuses

Church History &amp; Records

 * Chicago Catholic Churches This list, published by POINTERS in Person, includes information on location, date of founding, and ethnicity of Chicago's Catholic parishes; links to Family History Library Catalog entries are provided for parishes that have records are available on microfilm * Guide to Chicago Church and Synagogue Records This Newberry Library guide provides information on how to find records from Chicago's churches and synagogues. It can be sorted by denomination, name, or ethnicity. * Archives of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America

City Directories
Chicago city directories were published in 1846, 1851, 1853–54, annually after 1855 until 1917, 1923, and 1928--29. With a few exceptions, they generally include heads of household (including widows) and individuals who were working. Front matter generally includes lists of government offices, churches, and civic organizations, and back matter includes business listings.

Chicago directories can be found online at Footnote.com (subscription site) and ChicagoAncestors.org (click on the "Tools" tab to access the directories). They can also be found on Family History Library microfilm and at many research facilities in the Chicago area.

Chicago City Directories Online

 * 1844 and 1855/56 Chicago City Directories (at CousinConnect.com; other Illinois cities also available
 * 1856 Chicago City Directory and Business Advertiser, Fergus, May Supplement (at Google Books; searchable by address)
 * 1866 Chicago City Directory (PDF at www.chicagoancestors.org)
 * 1870 Chicago City Directory (PDF at www.chicagoancestors.org)
 * 1871 Chicago City Directory (PDF at www.chicagoancestors.org)
 * 1880 Chicago City Directory (PDF at www.chicagoancestors.org)
 * 1885 Chicago City Directory (PDF at www.chicagoancestors.org)
 * 1892 Chicago City Directory (PDF at www.chicagoancestors.org)
 * 1900 Chicago City Directory (PDF at www.chicagoancestors.org)
 * The Chicago Daily News Almanac and Year-Book, 1905 (p. 446-454 "Old Residents of Chicago" arranged by year of arrival; at Google Books; searchable by address)
 * 1910 Chicago City Directory (PDF at www.chicagoancestors.org)
 * 1928/29 Polk's Directory (by street address; PDF Chicago History Museum website; loads slowly)

Military
1917-1918 - World War I: Registration Districts Chicago had 86 WWI draft registration districts. This Internet site helps determine which draft registration district in Chicago an ancestor probably went to.

Newspapers

 * Illinois Newspaper Project Search this database to find what newspapers are available and where to find them.

Probate
Cook County probate records, 1871-1975 are held by the Archives Department of the Clerk of the Circuit Court of Cook County. View archive holidings for more information about the records that are available.

Asian Americans
Harold Washington Library 400 South State Street, Illinois 60605; 312-747-4300 Special Collections, 9th floor; 312-747-4875; fax 312- 747-4890; specoll@chipublib.org Asian American Small Business Association Collection. Dates: 1990s. Size: .5 linear feet. Chicago Public Library, Sulzer Regional Library, Neighborhood History Research Collection. Established by Charlie Soo in 1979, the Asian American Small Business Association seeks to encourage economic development in the area near Argyle Street and Broadway. Activities of the association are documented through annual reports and files on special events. [Processed]

Germans
If searching for German origins of ancestors who came to Chicago, the records of the German Aid Society of Chicago (Deutsche Gesellschaft) kept at University of Illinois at Chicago may be the key. Records from 1878-1977 include surviving applications and case histories.

LOCATED AT University of Illinois at Chicago Office of Public Affairs (MC 288) 601 S. Morgan St. Chicago, IL 60607-7113 www.uic.edu/index.html (312) 996-7000 (information current as of September 2008)

Web Sites

 * The Cook County ILGenWeb Project, an member of The ILGenWeb Project, an affiliate of The USGenWeb Project.
 * The USGenWeb Archives Project for Cook County
 * The Newberry Library Genealogy Collection and Links
 * FamilySearch.org Family History Library catalog for Chicago