Ravenswood and Lake View Abstracts of Title Collection
Scope and Contents
This collection consists of abstracts of titles, transfer documents such as trust deeds and quit claims, and building specification records for lots on Chicago’s north side in the Ravenswood, Ravenswood Manor, and Lake View communities. Most date from the 19th century. The abstracts give detailed descriptions of sales and other transfers of property and may be of particular interest to researchers interested in local history, house history, and the development of Northside neighborhoods. The building specifications offer examples of 19th-century construction practices.
Dates
- 1853-2001
- Majority of material found within 1869 - 1921
Creator
- Chicago Title and Trust Co (Organization)
Conditions Governing Access
Materials are open without restrictions.
Conditions Governing Use
Please consult staff to determine ability to reuse materials from collection.
Biographical / Historical
Lake View Township was an independent political entity from 1857 until 1889, when it was annexed by the city of Chicago. It encompassed the area north of North Avenue, south of Devon Avenue, and east of Western Avenue. Ravenswood was originally a subdivision of Lake View Township that was designed to appeal to commuters who could make use of the Chicago & North Western Railroad to travel in to the city. In addition to residential properties, in the nineteenth century there were a significant number of farms in the area, and an increasing number of business and entertainment venues in the twentieth century. Today Lake View is one of Chicago’s seventy seven Community Areas, and Ravenswood is a neighborhood slightly to the northwest in the Lincoln Square Community Area.
Extent
1 Linear Feet (in 2 boxes)
Language of Materials
English
Abstract
This collection consists of abstracts of titles, transfer documents such as trust deeds and quit claims, and building specification records for lots on Chicago’s north side in the Ravenswood, Ravenswood Manor, and Lake View communities.
Arrangement
This collection is loosely arranged alphabetically according to location, with material from similar streets and subdivisions generally grouped together.
Immediate Source of Acquisition
Materials found in collection; no documentation concerning the provenance of these materials exists.
- Abstracts of title Subject Source: Library of Congress Subject Headings
- Buildings -- Specifications Subject Source: Library of Congress Subject Headings
- Deeds Subject Source: Library of Congress Subject Headings
- Lake View (Cook County, Ill. : Township) Subject Source: Library of Congress Subject Headings
- Lakeview (Chicago, Ill.) Subject Source: Library of Congress Subject Headings
- Ravenswood (Chicago, Ill.) Subject Source: Library of Congress Subject Headings
Creator
- Chicago Title and Trust Co (Organization)
Source
- Blommaert, LeRoy (Person)
- Wilmette Historical Museum (Donor, Organization)
- Ravenswood-Lake View Historical Association (Donor, Organization)
- Casler, Patricia (Donor, Person)
- Title
- Guide to the Ravenswood and Lake View Abstracts of Title Collection
- Status
- Completed
- Author
- Original author unknown. Updated and ingested into ArchivesSpace by Allyson Smally, 2021.
- Date
- 2021
- Description rules
- Describing Archives: A Content Standard
- Language of description
- English
- Script of description
- Latin
- Language of description note
- Finding aid written in English.
Repository Details
Part of the Northside Neighborhood History Collection Repository
Sulzer Regional Library
Chicago Public Library
4455 N. Lincoln Avenue
Chicago IL 60625 United States
(312) 742-4455
northsidehistory@chipublib.org