Downers Grove History - 1830s to the 21st Century
This is a 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. 
General History
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Downtown Downers Grove Historic Photo Tour

Pub Date: 2010
Call Number: *Ref 977.324 DOW Local History
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.
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.
Village of Downers Grove architectural + historical survey : final survey report : November 5, 2013
by Village of Downers Grove Architectural Design Review Board
 
Pub Date: 2013
Call Number: *Ref 977.324 DOW Local Documents
The primary objective of the survey is to identify, document and evaluate properties that are significant to the architecture and history of Downers Grove, and potentially eligible for listing in the National Register of Historic Places.
 
DuPage County: A Descriptive and Historical Guide, 1831-1939

Pub Date: 1948
Call Number: *Ref 977.324 DUP Local History
This source was written by the workers of the Federal Writers Project workers and includes a chapter on Downers Grove.
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."
The History of Downers Grove, Illinois, from 1832-1873
by Edwin Pechous

Pub Date: 1956
Call Number: *Ref 977.324 PEC Local History
This source covers pioneer life as well as economic, religious and social history of Downers Grove from 1832 to 1873.
A History of the County of Du Page, Illinois
by C.W. Richmond

Pub Date: 1857
Call Number: *Ref 977.324 RIC Local History - Also in *977.324 RIC Local History
The Spirit of the Grove: Downers Grove Centennial, July 4, 1932

Pub Date: 1932
Call Number: *Ref 977.324 SPI Local History
This booklet accompanied the Centennial Pageant and provides a general history of the village from 1832 to 1932.
Downers Grove - World War II to the Present
by Virginia A. Stehney

Pub Date: 1983
Call Number: *Ref 977.324 STE Local History
History of Our Village
by Virginia A. Stehney

Pub Date: 1973
Call Number: *Ref 977.324 STE Local History
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.
Images of the Past: Downers Grove 1832-1945: The Life and Times of Dr. James Henry Breasted

Pub Date: 2005
Call Number: *DVD 977.324 IMA Local History - Also in DVD 977.324 IMA
This DVD, produced by the Downers Grove Historical Society, documents through photographs the history of Downers Grove from 1832 to 1945. It also contains a biography of James Henry Breasted, the founder of the Oriental Institute.
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.
People and Homes
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.
Sears Catalog Home Self-Guided Walking/Driving Tour
 
Pub Date: 2010 
Call Number: *Ref 917.7324 SEA Local History
This brochure provides a self-guided walking or driving tour of some of the Sears catalog homes in Downers Grove.
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 book includes a "patrons' directory of DuPage County" which gives brief biographical information about notable citizens. The library also owns a CD-ROM version of this title.
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.
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 guide provides biographical information on 35 people buried in the Main Street Cemetery.
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.
An Index to the Names of Persons Appearing in History of DuPage County, Illinois
by Rufus Blanchard

Pub Date: 1973
Call Number: *Ref 977.324 BLA Local History
Autobiography of Henry W. Blodgett
by Henry W. Blodgett

Pub Date: 1906
Call Number: *Ref 977.324 BLO Local History
DuPage at 150 and Those Who Shaped Our World
by Jean Moore

Pub Date: 1989
Call Number: *Ref 977.324 MOO Local History - Also in 977.324 MOO
Young People's Story of DuPage County
by Jean Moore

Pub Date: 1981
Call Number: *Ref 977.324 MOO Local History
Portrait and Biographical Record of DuPage and Cook Counties, Illinois

Pub Date: 1894
Call Number: *Ref 977.324 POR Local History
This source provides biographical sketches of prominent and representative citizens of the county as well as many photographs.
Anecdotes of a Pioneer and Soldier
by Elbert A. Rogers

Pub Date: 19--?
Call Number: *Ref 977.324 ROG Local History
The Blodgetts of Maple Avenue
by Lois Sterba

Pub Date: 2000
Call Number: *Ref 977.324 STE Local History - Also in *977.324 STE Local History
Downers Grove Historical People
by Lois Sterba

Pub Date: 2009
Call Number: *Ref 977.324 STE Local History - Also in *977.324 STE Local History
His Name was Pierce Downer
by Lois Sterba

Pub Date: 2000
Call Number: *Ref 977.324 STE Local History - Also in *977.324 STE Local History
President Abraham Lincoln & the Blodgett Family
by Lois Sterba

Pub Date: 2000
Call Number: *Ref 977.324 STE Local History - Also in *977.324 STE Local History
Who Lived on Old Maple Avenue: A Guide to Its Historic Homes Beginning 1838

Pub Date: 1989
Call Number: *Ref 977.324 WHO Local History - Also in *977.324 WHO Local History
Organizations
History of Downers Grove Daughters of the American Revolution
by Marjorie Blaida

Pub Date: 2004
Call Number: *Ref 977.324 BLA Local History
Downers Grove Choral Society Celebrating 40 Years 1959-1999

Pub Date: 1999
Call Number: *Ref 977.324 DOW Local History - Also in *977.324 DOW Local History
Fifty Years of Masonry, 1893-1943: The Record of Grove Lodge No. 824 from 1893 to Its Golden Anniversary in 1943
by Freemasons. Grove Lodge, No. 824

Pub Date: 1943
Call Number: *Ref 977.324 FRE Local History
History of the League of Women Voters in Downers Grove, Ill. from 1921

Pub Date: 1969
Call Number: *Ref 977.324 HIS Local History
Lehmann's Downers Grove's Market Basket

Pub Date: 2008
Call Number: *Ref 977.324 LEH Local History - Also in *CD-ROM 977.324 LEH Local History
Firefighting in Downers Grove Over the Years
by Virginia A. Stehney

Pub Date: 1987
Call Number: *Ref 977.324 STE Local History - Also in *977.324 STE Local History
Schools
Celebrating 75 Years on Main Street: Diamond Jubilee Community Celebration

Pub Date: 2003
Call Number: *Ref 371.8976 CEL Local History
This brochure provides a short history of Downers Grove North High School.
Lincoln School
by Gerda Huebener

Pub Date: 1974
Call Number: *Ref 372.9773 HUE Local History
A Simple Wish: The First Century of the Avery Coonley School
by Chris Portman

Pub Date: 2008
Call Number: *Ref 372.9773 POR Local History - Also in *372.9773 POR Local History
Churches
DuPage County, Illinois Churches and Their Records, 1833-1920

Pub Date: 2006
Call Number: *Ref 929.3 DUP Local History
One Hundred Years of Service: A History of the First Baptist Church, Downers Grove, Illinois
by Eugenia Dix

Pub Date: 19--?
Call Number: *Ref 977.324 DIX Local History
From Circuit Rider to World Service, 1836-1961: An Historical Pageant Commemorating the 125th Anniversary of the Founding of the First Methodist Church of Downers Grove

Pub Date: 1961
Call Number: *Ref 977.324 DOW Local History
Living & Growing in God's Promises: 75 Years: 1925-2000
by Charlotte Emerson

Pub Date: 2000
Call Number: *Ref 977.324 EME Local History
This is the history of the First Presbyterian Church of Downers Grove.
Directory of the First Methodist Episcopal Church, 1836-1936

Pub Date: 1936?
Call Number: *Ref 977.324 FIR Local History
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.
St. Joseph's Parish Gold Jubilee 1906-1956

Pub Date: 1956
Call Number: *Ref 977.324 SAI Local History A history of St. Joseph's Parish from 1906 to 1956.
The First Congregational Church of Downers Grove, Ill., 1866-1941: Its History and Constitution
by Harriet Strong

Pub Date: 1941
Call Number: *Ref 977.324 STR Local History
Twenty-five Years at Gloria Dei, 1948-1973

Pub Date: 1973
Call Number: *Ref 977.324 TWE Local History
Atlases, Maps and Plat Maps
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. 
20th Century Atlas of DuPage County, Illinois: Containing Maps of Villages, Cities and Townships of the County of the State, United States and World
by Middle-West Publishing

Pub Date: 1904
Call Number: *Ref 912 MID Local History
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 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.
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.
Map of Du Page County, Illinois
by L.G. Bennett

Pub Date: 1980
Call Number: *Ref 977.324 BEN Local History
This is a reprint of an 1862 map.
Family Maps of DuPage County, Illinois: With Homesteads, Roads, Waterways, Towns, Cemeteries, Railroads, and More
by Gregory A. Boyd

Pub Date: 2007
Call Number: *Ref 977.324 BOY Local History - Also in *977.324 BOY Local History
DuPage County, Illinois
by Sidwell Studio

Pub Date: 1936
Call Number: *Ref 977.324 SID Local History
Combination Atlas Map of DuPage County, Illinois
by Thompson Bro's & Burr

Pub Date: 1975
Call Number: *Ref 977.324 THO Local History - Also in *977.324 THO Local History
This is a reprint of an 1874 map.
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.
Sanborn Fire Insurance Maps: City of Downers Grove

Pub Date: 198?
Call Number: Microfilm Cabinet
The 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.
Local History and Information File
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.
Newspapers
Newspapers on Microfilm
 
Downers Grove Journal --August 31, 1939-January 16, 1941
Downers Grove Press --various issues 1891-1893
Downers Grove Reporter --1895-September 25, 2013
Downers Grove Suburban Life--October 2, 2013-Present
Downers Grove Sun -- February 2002-June 2006
 
The papers are not indexed except for an incomplete index of obituaries in the Downers Grove Reporter. A staff member at the Ask Us Desk can search this index.
 
The library also has the Chicago Tribune on microfilm from 1976-2010.
 
 
Newspaper Databases
The library subscribes to the Chicago Tribune Historical Archive and the Chicago Tribune databases. The Chicago Tribune Historical Archive provides full-text articles, obituaries and death notices from the newspaper for 1849-1989. The Chicago Tribune database covers 1985 to the present.
Yearbooks and Alumni Directories
Alumni directories are available 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 yearbooks and alumni directories at the Ask Us Desk. 
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.
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.
Downers Grove North High School Alumni Directory

Pub Date: 1996--
Call Number: *Ref 373.18 COM Reference Desk
The library owns alumni directories for Downers Grove North for 1996, 2001, and 2012.
Downers Grove South High School Alumni Directory

Pub Date: 1996--
Call Number: *Ref 373.18 COM Reference Desk
Alumni directories for Downers Grove South for 1996 and 2012 are in the collection.
Telephone Directories
The library has numerous historical telephone directories which can be used to determine where a person lived at a particular time.
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.
Cemetery Records
Depending on when the person died and where they were buried, information may be found in cemetery records. The following sources provide records for some cemeteries located in the Downers Grove area.
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.
Lyonsville Cemetery Records
by Daughters of the American Revolution. Illinois Society Downers Grove Chapter

Pub Date: 1963
Call Number: *Ref 929 DAU Local History
Cemetery Records, Lombard, Illinois
by Lombard Cemetery Assn.

Pub Date: 1976
Call Number: *Ref 929.3 LOM Local History
Cemetery Inscriptions of Lisle Township, DuPage Co., Illinois

Pub Date: 1989
Call Number: *Ref 929.3773 CEM Local History
Inscriptions for those buried in Oak Hill, Oak Crest and St. Bernard's cemeteries as well as cemeteries in Lisle are included in this book.
Downers Grove & Lisle Townships (DuPage County, IL) Combined List and Index

Pub Date: 1996
Call Number: *Ref 929.3773 DOW Local History
The DuPage County Genealogical Society created this index to cemetery records for cemeteries in Downers Grove Township and Lisle Township, including Cass Cemetery, Pierce Downer Cemetery and Main Street Cemetery.
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.
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.
Necrology Records of Selected Townships in DuPage County: Includes Cemetery, Funeral Homes and Church Records

Pub Date: 2007
Call Number: *CD-ROM 977.324 NEC Local History
A listing of the types of records that can be found at selected cemeteries, funeral homes and churches in DuPage County are on this CD-ROM.
Marriage and Naturalization Records
Marriage Records of DuPage County, Illinois: 20 June, 1839 to 30 June, 1857
by Book Author

Pub Date: 1989 Call Number: *Ref 929.3 MAR Local History This title contains an index to DuPage County marriage records from 1839-1857.
Index to the Naturalization Records of DuPage County, Illinois
by Book Author

Pub Date: 1999 Call Number: *Ref 977.324 IND Local History An index to naturalization records in DuPage County from 1839-1955 are included in this book.
Census Records
Census information, including actual images from census microfilm, may be found using the library's genealogy databases, Ancestry Library Edition, HeritageQuest, and My Heritage. 
 
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, 1930, and 1940.
 
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.
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.
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.
Other Organizations for Local History
Downers Grove Historical Society
P.O. Box 663
Downers Grove, IL 60515
630-450-3336
 
Downers Grove Park District Museum
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 Karen Neal, April 2016
Downers Grove Public Library
1050 Curtiss St., Downers Grove, Illinois 60515
(630) 960-1200 www.dglibrary.org/