Web Resource Links
Local Museums, Libraries and Government Offices
Online Digitized Materials
Researching Naperville's past is as close as your computer, thanks to the
Naperville Heritage Collection, which includes digitized historic documents
available online. The Naperville Heritage Society partnered with the Naperville
Public Library to create this core collection of irreplaceable historical
resources. Primary source materials include early Naperville telephone
directories, Naperville village records, the 1874 DuPage County Atlas, farm
family histories and much more have been digitized into searchable records.
To access the Naperville Heritage Collection on the Illinois Digital Archives Web site, visit www.idaillinois.org, then
- Click on "Browse Our Collections"
- Click on the "Browsing" Drop Down Box
- Click on "Naperville Heritage Collection"
- Click on "Go"
This project was made possible by a Library Services and
Technology Act grant received by the Naperville Public Library
last year. The grant is administered by the Illinois State
Library, a division of the Secretary of State's Office, using
funds provided by the Institute of Museum and Library Services
under the federal Library Services and Technology Act.
Church and Religious Records
Many churches and religious organizations in Naperville and DuPage County
have recorded histories going back prior to city or county records. If
the religious
affiliation of the family being researched is known, it is suggested one
contact those churches to see if records (baptismal, marriage, death) were
kept at
that time, and if so, are they available to you for research purposes.
Circuit
Court Clerk of DuPage County
630.407.8632 - www.dupageco.org/courtclerk
Probate and naturalization records, unproved wills, court cases from
1839 to present. 1917 to present available with 24-48 hour notice (may
need to be pulled
from off-site storage).
1839-1917 may possibly be accessed through volunteers that work in Circuit
Clerk's Office (condition of documents merit they be handled by trained
personnel only).
DuPage County Building Department
630.407.6700 - www.dupageco.org/building
Regulates unincorporated county lands only; permits from 1938-1948 on file;
1948 to present on microfilm.
DuPage County Genealogical Society
P.O. Box 133, Lombard, IL 60178
www.dcgs.org
Collects various genealogical information connected with DuPage County;
conducts various surveys of local resources; compiles various listings
from county census
records, cemetery records, etc.; publishes various materials and findings
useful to the genealogist.
DuPage County Historical Museum
630.682.7343 - www.dupageco.org/museum
County Histories; County Atlases; Maps (various cities in DuPage County);
Family Histories; Photograph Files; Cemetery Records. Materials available
by appointment.
DuPage County Office of County Clerk
630.407.5500 - www.dupageco.org/countyclerk
Birth and Death Records: 1877-1927 available, though not complete.
Marriage Records: 1839-1932 available, though not complete; often only
names listed are those of the
married couple and celebrant.
County Tax Records: 1850s to five years prior to current date; some years
on microfilm. Naperville tax records maintained back to circa 1860. Books
cannot
be copied; microfilm copies range from $1 to $3; quarter-sections of
maps can be copied for $3.
Plat Books: 1975 to present; earlier ones have no dates.
Aerial Photos: 1964-1981 (cannot be copied).
DuPage County Office of Records
630.407.5400 - www.dupageco.org/recorder
Grantor/Grantee and Mortgagor/Mortgagee Records: mid-1800s to present;
indexed.
Fox Valley Genealogical Society
P.O. Box 5435., Naperville, IL 60567
www.rootsweb.com/~ilfvgs
Collects and publishes various genealogical information relating to DuPage,
Kane, Kendall and Will counties.
Naperville Family History Center
630.505.0233 - www.familysearch.org
Affiliate of Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints; access
to film holdings, various genealogy materials, records and listings;
materials
can be obtained
on loan from Salt Lake City via this office. Hours: Tue.-Thur.
9-9, Fri. 9-4, Sat. 9-1.
Naperville Heritage Society
630.420.6010 - www.napersettlement.museum
City Histories; City Maps; Archives (letters, manuscripts, journals/diaries,
business-related documents, advertisements, etc.); Photograph
Collection; Family Files (not complete); City Directories; County Histories;
County Atlases. Materials
available by appointment.
Naperville Public Library
630.961.4100 - www.naperville-lib.org
City Histories; County Histories; Atlases; Newspapers (Naperville
Clarion on microfilm--gaps exist); Church Records; DuPage County
Census Records;
Sanborn
Maps (microfilm); sources for conducting home history research.
Regional Depositories
Illinois State Archives
Archives Building, Springfield, IL 62756
217.782.4682 - www.sos.state.il.us/departments/archives/archives.html
Illinois
State Historical Library
112 North Sixth Street, Springfield, IL 62701
217.558.8844 - www.state.il.us/hpa/lib
National Archives & Records
Center
Great Lakes Region
7358 South Pulaski Road, Chicago, IL 60629
773.948.9000 - www.archives.gov
The Newberry Library
60 West Walton Street, Chicago, IL 60610
312.255.3506 - www.newberry.org
Illinois Regional History Center
Founders Memorial Library, Room 400
Northern Illinois University, DeKalb, IL 60115
815.753.1779 - www.niulib.niu.edu/reghist
Naperville Heritage Society is a not-for-profit organization.
Copyright 2005 Naperville Heritage Society. All rights reserved.
Accredited by the American Association of Museums.