The Chicago History Museum (CHM) holds many resources for finding out more about the history of your home. A good place to begin is by looking over the helpful step-by-step guide published by the Commission on Chicago Landmarks, Your House Has a History.

The Chicago Historic Resources Survey (CHRS):

This resource, compiled by the Commission on Chicago Landmarks and published in 1996, is organized according to the city's 77 community areas. It provides an inventory of architecturally and historically significant pre-1940 structures in Chicago. You can search the CHRS online or consult a paper copy at the Research Center reference desk.

Building permits:

CHM has created an online database with information on building permits published in American Contractor magazine from 1898 through 1912. You can search by owner or architect's name; street name or number; or individual dates of American Contractor.

We also have the building permits from 1872 through 1954 on microfilm. For tips on searching for a permit, see the blue binders on the Research Center tables. Ask for the microfilm at the Research Center reference desk.

Address conversion guides

In 1909, Chicago changed its street numbering system. Street names also changed periodically through Chicago's history. It may be helpful for you to have both old and new addresses.

1909 changes

1911 changes of the Loop area

Help with street number changes

Street name changes

Help with street name changes

Paper copies of these guides are also available.

Fire insurance maps

Fire insurance maps provide block-by-block details of specific geographic areas. An outline of each building is shown, as well as such details as lot sizes, heights of buildings, and wall thickness.

Sanborn Fire Insurance Maps

We have additional fire insurance maps on microfilm or in hard copy. See the blue binders on the Research Center tables.

Periodicals

If you know the exact date or month and year the structure was built, you might want to check these periodicals and/or newspapers to track down information relating to the architect and contractor. Dates following the titles in this list do not reflect the complete run of the publication, but only those years where building permit information might be found.

  • American Contractor, 1898-1912; call number: qTH1/A5
  • The Economist, 1888-1929; call number: qHG1/E3
  • Inland Architect, 1883-1908; call number: NA722/I5a microfilm
  • Real Estate and Building Journal, 1872-1909 call number: qHD1361/R43
  • Inter Ocean 1872-1914; newspaper on microfilm
  • The Chicago Tribune, 1872-1940 newspaper on microfilm

Criss-Cross directories

These are city directories, organized by addresses, rather than by names. They can help you identify previous occupants at your address.

1928 criss-cross directory

We have additional directories (generally in microform) for 1928, 1950, 1952, 1953, and 1978 to the present. Call number: qF38CL.H3.

You can also search an online version of the city directories for the years 1844, 1851, 1859-68, 1871, 1873, 1881, 1890, 1910, and 1917.

Elite Directory/Chicago Blue Book, 1876-1916

These directories have indexes both by occupant's name and by location, but they cover only certain, wealthier areas of the city. These volumes are available on the reference shelves in the Research Center. Call number: F38CM.

Prints and Photographs

In the CHM Research Center, you can browse our photographic collection. Begin with the "ready print" collection, which is self-service. A good place to start is in the “street” subject category, which is organized alphabetically by the name of the street. If this search is unsuccessful, ask for help at the reference desk.

On the internet, you may find an image of your building, street, or neighborhood in the Chicago Daily News collection. These photographs date between 1902 and 1933 and can be searched by keyword, including street names and community area names.

Architectural drawings

CHM has a large collection of architectural drawings, primarily for commercial buildings, but including some domestic architecture. Binders in the Research Center list our holdings, arranged by architect. Ask at the reference desk for assistance in searching these binders. If you find relevant drawings, staff will help you fill out a request slip—retrieving these drawings usually takes 4-6 business days.

Newspaper clipping files

Begun in the 1930s, these files contain historical newspaper clippings about specific buildings, streets, community areas, and people. Ask at the reference desk for help in searching these files.

You can also search the Chicago Tribune and the Chicago Defender databases.

Published materials

The card catalog for published materials may guide you to information relating to your street or community or previous occupants of the building you are researching. Books are listed by title, author, and subject. Check under subject headings such as the community name, the name of the owner, etc. We also hold many books on Chicago architects and Chicago architecture in general.

Aerial photographs

Holdings of these photographs are listed behind the tab marked "Aerial Photographs" in the blue binder on each research table. This source is useful for determining changes in communities, less so for details on specific buildings.

Government Websites

Cook County Assessor's Office
Estimated age of structures and current photographs

City of Chicago Division of Maps & Plats
Aerial photographs and structure basemaps (building footprints)

Cook County Recorder of Deeds
Owners from 1985 to the present