Scope and Content

This collection of material is grouped together by virtue of the fact that it all concerns suburban Chicago. There is no inherent relation between pieces, and the material comes from many sources.

Material is arranged in three series: the main body of manuscripts and printed items occupies one box, and oversize and photographic material are separated and stored separately. Within each series, material is arranged alphabetically by the town which it concerns. Where there is more than one item for a particular locale, the folders are arranged strictly alphabetically. Only in the photographs has the arrangement of material in broad subject categories (which is the cataloging format of Neighborhood History material) been followed.

Separation Record: Oversized Materials
The following items have been removed to the locations given.

Harlem
The Harlem Witness (v. 2 n. 14); 1896 Apr 4 SUB—Oversize 1

Oak Park
The Oak Park Record (v. 1 n. 1); 1874 July SUB—Oversize 2

Provenance

Processed July 1990.

Access

The Suburbia Collection is available to the public for research in the Special Collections and Preservation Division Reading Room on the 9th floor of the Chicago Public Library’s Harold Washington Library Center, 400 South State Street, Chicago, Illinois, 60605. The collection does not circulate, although photocopy and photoreproduction services are available depending upon the condition of the original materials. First time patrons to Special Collections must present photo identification and complete a Reader Registration Form. Telephone inquiries on this collection and other Special Collections holdings can be directed to 312-747-4875.

Box and Folder Inventory

BOX 1

Aurora

1. Mayor—Travis Phillips, printed letter to Mayor of Freeport, IL re electric lighting, 1882 Feb 11
1a. Public exercises. Aurora Public Schools. 1856 Dec 19

Brookfield

2. Brookfield Woman’s Club—Annual announcements; 1915-22
3. Ye Olde English Faire—Booklet; 1969

Chicago Heights

3a. "A Look to the Past, Chicago Heights & Her Neighbor, [1961]; clippings (1973-1975)

Deerfield

4. "History of Deerfield, IL" by Marie Ward Reichelt; 1928

Elgin

5. Electric Light Company—Correspondence (8 pieces); 1885
6. Elgin Tubular Iron Tower Company—Printed form; n.d.

Evanston

7. Cook County tax receipt to Mrs. L. W. Bragdon; 1871 Jan 1
8. St. Mark’s Episcopal Church—History; 1929
8a. Orrington Hotel—Flyer, with map of Evanston; n.d.

Highland Park

9. "Highland Park Highlands Price List"—Real estate; [1930s?]

Illinois (general)

10. Illinois State Historical Society—Directory of Local Historical Societies; 1952
11. Illinois State Parks & Memorials—Booklet; 1935 (2 copies)
12. Illinois State Parks & Memorials—Booklet; [1940-41]
13. Illinois State Parks & Memorials—Booklet; [c. 1950]

Irving Park

13a. Presbyterian-Reformed Church—THE CHURCH BELL; 1910

Kane County

14. Kane County Celebrates Illinois Sesquicentennial; 1968
15. Proceedings of the Kane County Bar relative to the Circuit Judge—Pamphlet; [1862]

Lake Forest

15a. Lake Forest Academy—The First Hundred Years 1857-1957 Maywood 16. Festival of Progress—Catalog; 1938 Sept Morton Grove 17. Illinois Svithiod Day Outing (St. Paul Park)—Program; 1938 June 26

Oak Park

18. Biographical sketches—Barton, William E.
19. Biographical sketches—Donaldson, Orren M. ( -1933)
20. Biographical sketches—Hemingway, Allen ( 1808- )
21. Biographical sketches—Kettlestrings, Walter Newton (1849- 1939)
22. Biographical sketches—Sayre, Harriet Lovett
23. Borrowed Time Club—History; 1927
24. Chicago & West Towns Railways, Inc.—Flyer; 1938
25. Illinois Woman’s Home Missionary Union—15th annual meeting program; 1900 May 23
26. Oak Park Local History, 1818-1890, Part 3, by J. C. Miller
27. Oak Park Public Library: A Survey; 1952 Park Forest
27a. Clippings (1972-1974) River Forest
28. River Forest Optimist—Centennial Souvenir Number (v.4, n.33) 1936 May 29 Riverside
29. Riverside—Paper by John M. Cameron to Riverside Historical Society; 1938 May 13
29a. "Perfection, your name is Riverside," n.d. Somonauk
30. Marie Louise Olmstead Memorial Museum—Catalog; [1924?] Tinley Park
30a. Centennial Booklet (1845-1945); clippings (1976) West Chicago
31. Reed,Chauncey William (1890-1956)—Memorial addresses; 1956

Willow Springs

32. Fifteenth Ward Republican Citizens Committee—Dinner dance program (Everett Dirksen, speaker); 1967 Nov 6

PHOTOGRAPHS

Fullersburg
1.1 Residences—Ogden Avenue cottage; 1937

Lombard
1.2 Residences—Claflin home, North Main Street; c. 1868

Niles
1.3 Residences—7800 Milwaukee Avenue; 1938

Northfield
1.4 Transportation—Chicago & Northwestern Railroad station; [1880s]

Oak Park
1.5 Business—Supreme Garage (31 Madison Street); c. 1925
1.6 Churches—Unity Church, Lake Street and Kenilworth; 1930s
1.7 Portraits—Mulholland, Mary Jane Cameron; 1941
1.8 Residences—Pleasant Avenue (Furbeck home); [1880s?]
1.9 Residences—906 Lake Street (Gale home); 1937
1.10 Transportation—Chicago Great Western Railroad station, Garfield Ave. near Maple; 1931
1.11 Variant view of 1.10
1.12 Variant view of 1.10
1.13 Transportation—Chicago, Harlem & Batavia Railroad station; [c/1880?]