BACK IN PRINT!
We often review research guides and books covering specific countries or individual states. We don’t see many guides covering a single city. Yet, Chicago & Cook County: A Guide to Research does just that. And, why not? Chicago is the third largest city in the country, and including its surrounding metropolitan area is home to approximately 9.8 million people. That’s a larger population than many countries, including Ireland, Norway, and Sweden. The city has a rich history and is home to immigrants from around the world.
Author Loretto Dennis Szucs acknowledges the sheer size and shape, especially geographical distribution and bureaucratic barriers, makes record searching in Chicago and Cook County a difficult process without assistance. Loretto wrote Chicago & Cook County as a guide to show the reader how abundant sources are for the area, and to facilitate research. She definitely did her research in providing every possible source or information. The depth of each chapter is fascinating. For example, under the chapter for libraries and museums, she lists the Van Oostenbrugge Home (a former home of a local Dutch pioneer). Definitely not the typical tourist attraction. This may seem an odd example but it demonstrates the efforts of the author to provide every possible resource available to the family historian.
Of course, no author of a book this detailed works alone. Szucs had her help, as noted in his own words: “This book is the result of a prolonged and careful survey of available sources. Further, it is an outgrowth of my work with many others who willingly shared their time, knowledge, and expertise.” The reader may just expand his/her own family history knowledge from using the Cook County resources found in this guide.
Table of Contents
Introduction
- Chicago and Cook County Facts
- Adoption Records
- Architectural and House History Sources
- Biographies (Collected)
- Cemeteries in Metropolitan Chicago Area
- Cemetery Records
- Census Records
- Chicago Historical Society Library (CHS)
- Chicago Landmarks
- Chicago Public Library
- Church and Religious Records
- Communities and Neighborhoods in Chicago
- Court Records and Research for Cook County
- Directories
- Ethnic Sources
- Family History Library of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints
- Gazetteer of Cook County Towns and Townships
- Genealogical Societies Serving the Chicago Metropolitan Area
- Historical Libraries and Museums in Cook County
- Historical Societies, Archives, and Manuscript Collections
- Illinois Regional Archives Depository (IRAD)
- Illinois State Sources for Cook County
- Land and Property Records
- Libraries in Cook County—Outside of Chicago
- Maps and Geographical Finding Aids
- Military Records
- National Archives-Great Lakes Region
- Naturalization Records
- Newberry Library
- Newspapers
- Occupational and Business Resources
- Passenger Lists and Maritime Records
- Societies: Fraternal, Social, and Patriotic
- Vital Records
- Voter Registration Lists and Tax Records
Index
For your own copy of Chicago & Cook County: A Guide to Research, please visit Family Roots Publishing; Item #:TP620.