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Downers Grove History - 1830s to the 21st Century
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This is a selected list of Downers Grove history resources to help you find out more about Downers Grove history or locate your ancestors who lived in Downers Grove. The local history collection is located at the end of the reference collection. Reference books in this collection has "*Ref" and the words Local History in the call number. Copies of the same title that can be checked out are also shelved in the local history collection and have an "*" (asterisk) before the call number. If you don't find what you need, ask a staff member at the Ask Us Desk for assistance.
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Historical Encyclopedia of Illinois
by Norman Bateman
Pub Date: 1913
Call Number: *Ref 977.324 BAT Local History - Also in *977.324 BAT Local History
Volume 2 of this two-volume set covers the history of DuPage County up to 1913.
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History of DuPage County, Illinois
by Rufus Blanchard
Pub Date: 1882
Call Number: *Ref 977.324 BLA Local History
This DuPage County history book includes biographical information on 19th century prominent people in Downers Grove.
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Downers Grove, 1832-1976
Pub Date: 1976
Call Number: *Ref 977.324 DOW Local History - Also in *977.324 DOW Local History
Originally published as a calendar, this is a good source for historical pictures.
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Downers Grove Centennial
Pub Date: 1932
Call Number: *Ref 977.324 DOW Local History - Also in *977.324 DOW Local History
Published in conjunction with the 1932 Downers Grove Centennial, this title includes biographies of the town founders and histories of churches, schools, organizations and local government.
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Downers Grove History Index
Pub Date: 1988
Call Number: *Ref 977.324 DOW Local History
Created by a Downers Grove Public Library librarian, this is an index of names and subjects that appear in eleven local history books.
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Downers Grove Sesquicentennial, 1832-1982
Pub Date: 1982
Call Number: *Ref 977.324 DOW Local History
This special section of the Downers Grove Reporter traces the history of Downers Grove, covering famous people, businesses and events.
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Downers Grove, 1832-1982
by Montrew Dunham
Pub Date: 1982
Call Number: *Ref 977.324 DUN Local History - Also in *977.324 DUN Local History
Published by the Downers Grove Historical Society to commemorate the village's 150th anniversary, this is the most comprehensive source for local history. It provides history on local schools, churches, fire and police departments, businesses and founders of the town.
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Downers Grove Revisited
by Montrew Dunham
Pub Date: 2003
Call Number: *Ref 977.324 DUN Local History - Also in *977.324 DUN Local History
This title supplements the 1982 title listed above with information on village history as well as people and places.
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What You Didn't Know about Downers Grove and Didn't Know Who to Ask
by Bartle R. Herrick
Pub Date: 1982
Call Number: *Ref 977.324 HER Local History
According to the author, this is not intended to be a history of Downers Grove but to provide "anecdotes and happenings that would probably never be included in a history of our village."
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DuPage Roots
by Richard A. Thompson
Pub Date: 1985
Call Number: *Ref 977.324 THO Local History - Also in *977.324 THO Local History
This book includes a chapter on Downers Grove and is a general overview of the towns in the DuPage area up to the 1980s.
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Retrospect: The History of Downers Grove
by Pauline Wandschneider
Pub Date: 19--?
Call Number: *DVD 977.324 WAN Local History
This DVD includes segments on Pierce Downer, Israel Blodgett, the cemeteries in Downers Grove, Prince Pond and the blacksmith shop.
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The first place to look for information on people important to Downers Grove is the Downers Grove History Index listed above (*Ref 977.324 DOW Local History.) This binder, created by a Downers Grove Public Library librarian, contains an index to people and places found in eleven local history books.
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Historical Encyclopedia of Illinois
by Norman Bateman
Pub Date: 1913
Call Number: *Ref 977.324 BAT Local History - Also in *977.324 BAT Local History
Volume 2 of this two-volume set includes biographical information on notable DuPage County citizens from the 19th and early 20th centuries.
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History of DuPage County
by Rufus Blanchard
Pub Date: 1882
Call Number: *Ref 977.324 BLA Local History
This DuPage County history book includes biographical information on prominent people in Downers Grove.
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His Name was Pierce Downer
by Lois Sterba
Pub Date: 20--?
Call Number: *Ref 977.324 STE Local History - Also in *977.324 STE Local History
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Lincoln School
by Gerda Huebener
Pub Date: 1974
Call Number: *Ref 372.9773 HUE Local History
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Growing Up in Gostyn
Pub Date: 1997
Call Number: *Ref 977.324 GRO Local History - Also in *977.324 GRO Local History
A chronicle of the St. Mary of Gostyn Parish from the late 1800s to the 1990s.
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Atlases, Maps and Plat Maps
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The Downers Grove Public Library has a number of historical atlases and plat maps for DuPage County. Historical atlases and plat maps can be used to determine property owners for parcels of land at the time the map was published. The library has plat maps from 1862, 1874, 1904, 1951, 1955, 1959, 1964, 1972-1973, 1979, 1983, 1987, 1989 and 1994. They are located in *Ref 917.7324 Local History. With the exception of the 1862, 1874 and 1904 plat maps, the detail in these maps is fairly limited; large sections of land are identified but smaller parcels may not be. There usually is an index in the back of each book for the names of landowners, subdivisions and streets. The library does not own current plat maps. For current plat maps, contact the township office of the township in which the property is located.
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Landowners of DuPage County, Illinois: An Index to Plat Maps and Related Sources, 1835-1904
Pub Date: 1984
Call Number: *Ref 929.3 LAN Local History - Also in *929.3 LAN Local History
This title includes indexes to the 1862, 1874 and 1904 plat maps listed in this section. These indexes show on which map and which section a person owned land. The book also includes the "Patrons' Directory of DuPage County" which gives biographical information about prominent citizens. The checkout version of the title is a CD-ROM.
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Atlas of DuPage County, Ill.
Pub Date: 1959-
Call Number: *Ref 977.324 ATL Local History
This book contains maps for Downers Grove Township for 1946 and 1950.
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Federal Township Plats, 1804-1891
Pub Date: 2002
Call Number: *CD-ROM 977.324 ILL Local History
This CD-ROM includes plat maps for townships in Downers Grove in the 19th century.
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Sanborn Fire Insurance Maps: City of Downers Grove
Pub Date: 198?
Call Number: Microfilm Cabinet
This roll of microfilm includes Downers Grove maps for 1892, 1898, 1909, 1921, 1927, 1933 and 1947. These maps were used for setting fire insurance rates. A look at the maps may reveal construction type and materials. They identify major buildings, show the shape of lots, the location of all buildings on the lot, and the names of subdivisions.
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Local History and Information File
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The Local History and Information File, located in a filing cabinet near the Reference area, contains information on Downers Grove, including places, events and famous natives from the past and present, such as Lottie Holman O'Neill and Sherrill Milnes. Check the files under DOWNERS GROVE, ILLINOIS and its subheadings, such as DOWNERS GROVE, ILLINOIS--STREETS AND ROADS for these items. Also check the files under the individual subject, such as the TIVOLI THEATER or BLODGETT HOUSE/FAMILY.
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Newspapers on Microfilm
The library has local newspapers on microfilm. These can be found in the microfilm cabinets in the Magazine Back Issues area. A staff member at the Ask Us Desk can assist you.
Downers Grove Journal --August 31, 1939-January 16, 1941
Downers Grove Press --various issues 1891-1893
Downers Grove Reporter --1895 to the present
Downers Grove Sun -- February 2002-June 2006
The local newspapers are not indexed except for an incomplete index of obituaries in the Downers Grove Reporter created by library staff and volunteers from the Downers Grove Historical Society. A staff member at the Ask Us Desk can search this index; please see someone at the desk for assistance.
The library also has the Chicago Tribune on microfilm from 1976-2010.
Newspaper Databases
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Yearbooks and Alumni Directories
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Where to look for information on your ancestors from Downers Grove depends on when they lived in the village. If the person lived in Downers Grove within the past 80-90 years, information may be found in the high school yearbooks. Alumni directories are also available and can be used to determine the year a person graduated from either North or South High School. They also provide some biographical information, such as marital status, children and occupation. Request the yearbooks and alumni directories at the Ask Us Desk.
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Caracole
by Downers Grove South High School
Pub Date: 1979--
Call Number: *Ref 371.8976 CAR Reference Desk
The library owns Downers Grove South yearbooks from 1979-1980, 1982, and 1984 to the present.
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Cauldron
by Downers Grove North High School
Pub Date: 1920-
Call Number: *Ref 371.8976 CAU Reference Desk
Downers Grove North yearbooks from 1920-1924, 1926-1973, and 1975 to the present are in the collection.
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The library has numerous historical telephone directories which can be used to determine where a person lived at a particular time.
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Downers Grove Telephone Directories
Pub Date: 1909--
Call Number: *Ref 977.324 DOW Local History
The library owns Downers Grove phone books from 1909-1910, 1916, 1924-1929, 1931-1956, 1958, and 1975 to the present.
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Depending on when the person died and where they were buried, information may be found in cemetery records. The following sources provide cemetery records or indexes to some cemeteries located in the Downers Grove area.
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Cemetery Records of DuPage County, Illinois
by Daughters of the American Revolution. Illinois Society
Pub Date: 1962
Call Number: *Ref 929 DAU Local History
This title contains a listing of people buried in various older cemeteries located in Downers Grove. The listings include the birth and death dates of the deceased.
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Lyonsville Cemetery Records
by Daughters of the American Revolution. Illinois Society Downers Grove Chapter
Pub Date: 1963
Call Number: *Ref 929 DAU Local History
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Voices That are Gone: A Guide to Historic Main Street Cemetery
by Phyllis Betenia
Pub Date: 2005
Call Number: *Ref 977.324 BET Local History - Also in *977.324 BET Local History
This booklet includes a map of the location and a picture of the tombstone of each of the 67 graves in the Main Street Cemetery as well as biographical information for 35 of the individuals buried in the cemetery.
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Main Street Cemetery
by Lisa Narjes
Pub Date: 19?
Call Number: *Ref 977.324 NAR Local History
A list of the inscriptions on the tombstones in the Main Street Cemetery are included in this collection of articles and photographs.
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Marriage and Naturalization Records
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Census information, including actual images from census microfilm, may be found using the library's genealogy databases, Ancestry Library Edition and HeritageQuest. They can be used on any library resources computer; HeritageQuest is also available from home with a Downers Grove Public Library card.
The library also has print and microfilm versions of DuPage County censuses. Each print version has an index in the back that tells where the person is listed in the book. Census microfilm is kept in the microfilm cabinets in the Magazine Back Issues area. The library owns microfilm census records for DuPage County for 1840, 1850, 1860, 1870, 1880, 1900, 1910, 1920, and 1930.
Note that the 1890 census for most of Illinois, including all of Downers Grove, is not available anywhere as it was destroyed in a fire.
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DuPage County, Illinois, Federal Censuses
Pub Date: 1976--
Call Number: *Ref 929.3773 EIG Local History and *Ref 929.3773 ROB Local History
The library owns books with the complete census along with an index for the 1840, 1850, 1860 and 1870 DuPage County censuses.
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Illinois 1850 Census Index
by Ronald Vern Jackson
Pub Date: 1976
Call Number: *Ref 929.3773 JAC Local History
This ia an index to the 1850 Illinois census.
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Other Organizations for Local History
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For further information on local history, contact:
P.O. Box 663
Downers Grove, IL 60515
630-450-3336
831 Maple Ave.
Downers Grove, IL 60515
630-963-1309
The Downers Grove Park District Museum is the local history museum. Their library collection includes birth and death certificates, cemetery surveys, census records, telephone directories, school yearbooks, published genealogies, newspaper clippings and some primary sources.
Prepared by Bonnie Reid, November 2013
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