House Research
Lobstein House
905 Elgin Avenue
If you live in an old house, you have probably wondered about who lived there before, or there may be a mystery you wish to solve about the history of your home. Here are a few resources to get you started.
Identify the Age and Style of Your House
Start by figuring out when your house was built and what architectural style it is. Your real estate listing likely included a construction date. While this is not always perfectly accurate, it’s a good starting point.Understanding the architectural style can help confirm the era your house was built and guide further research.
Books (available at the Forest Park Public Library):
• A Field Guide to American Houses
• Chicago Homes: A Portrait of the City’s Everyday Architecture
Google Maps Street View
Many façade and exterior changes can be spotted here. Click “See more dates” to view older images.
Chicago Public Library Interactive Fire Maps (Sanborn Maps)
An especially valuable resource for checking structural changes and past house numbers. Enter an address to view historic maps, including page numbers. Requires a Chicago Public Library card. www.chipublib.org/chicago-sanborn-maps-index/
Forest Park Public Library is a reciprocating library with Chicago Public Library. You can obtain a CPL card in person with your FPPL card and ID.
Identify Past Residents Using Census Records
Census records can tell you names of previous residents, occupations, whether multiple families lived at the address (helpful for identifying former multi-family homes)
Search Vital Records
Search Local Newspapers
Newspapers are often the key to uncovering stories about a house and its residents. Start by searching your address and names found in census records.
Hiring a Researcher
If the research feels overwhelming or time-consuming, contact Jill Summers of Ordinary Houses for her house research services [email protected].
Share Your FindingsWe’d love to hear about your house and help preserve Forest Park’s history.
Please email [email protected] to share your home’s story.
Identify the Age and Style of Your House
Start by figuring out when your house was built and what architectural style it is. Your real estate listing likely included a construction date. While this is not always perfectly accurate, it’s a good starting point.Understanding the architectural style can help confirm the era your house was built and guide further research.
Books (available at the Forest Park Public Library):
• A Field Guide to American Houses
• Chicago Homes: A Portrait of the City’s Everyday Architecture
Google Maps Street View
Many façade and exterior changes can be spotted here. Click “See more dates” to view older images.
Chicago Public Library Interactive Fire Maps (Sanborn Maps)
An especially valuable resource for checking structural changes and past house numbers. Enter an address to view historic maps, including page numbers. Requires a Chicago Public Library card. www.chipublib.org/chicago-sanborn-maps-index/
Forest Park Public Library is a reciprocating library with Chicago Public Library. You can obtain a CPL card in person with your FPPL card and ID.
Identify Past Residents Using Census Records
Census records can tell you names of previous residents, occupations, whether multiple families lived at the address (helpful for identifying former multi-family homes)
- Newberry Library (Chicago): www.newberry.org/about
- National Archives at Chicago: www.archives.gov/chicago
- Census Bureau www.census.gov
- Heritage Quest www.ancestryheritagequest.com/HQA available for free with CPL card
- Ancestry.com available for free but only in person at CPL
Search Vital Records
- Illinois State Genealogical Society (ISGS) Illinois death certificates 1916–1947 ilgensoc.org/cpage.php?pt=122
- IRAD at Northeastern Illinois University (NEIU) pre-1916 death certificates, birth, death, and marriage records and naturalization records. Call for assistance (773) 442-4506
- Check Property and Tax Records
- Cook County Assessor www.cookcountyassessor.com/access-ccao-online
Search Local Newspapers
Newspapers are often the key to uncovering stories about a house and its residents. Start by searching your address and names found in census records.
- Access the digital archive of the Forest Park Review www.fppl.org/onlineresources.
- Newspapers.com can be accessed for free through CPL with card www.chipublib.org/resources-types/newspaper/
- NewspaperArchive.com (especially strong for Forest Park and Oak Park papers). These services require subscriptions, but they are often worth it for local research.
- Google Books
- Archive.org Useful for city directories, local histories, and older publications.
- Chicago History Museum Research Guides libguides.chicagohistory.org/
- Chicago History Museum Images images.chicagohistory.org/
- Illinois Digital Newspaper Collections idnc.library.illinois.edu/
- Library of Congress /www.loc.gov/
- UIC Library Digital Collections
https://digital.library.uic.edu/
Hiring a Researcher
If the research feels overwhelming or time-consuming, contact Jill Summers of Ordinary Houses for her house research services [email protected].
Share Your FindingsWe’d love to hear about your house and help preserve Forest Park’s history.
Please email [email protected] to share your home’s story.
Troost Avenue
Elgin Avenue
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Henry J. Mohr Residence
447 Marengo Avenue, 1900
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