Research the History of a Lake Forest home

A great place to start researching your home is the 2-part article from the National Trust for Historic Places:
- 10 Ways to Research Your Home's History
- How to Research Your House's History: Part Two

Search the Historical Lake Forester 1899–1948. (Microfilm from 1949 to the present is available at the Library.)
Community Cornerstone/SmartSearch
Explore articles and images, obituaries, and marriage and birth announcements from 1849–1989 with the Historic Chicago Tribune.
Visit the Library to search Ancestry. You can start with Search > Card Catalog > Location set to anywhere, and enter the home address in the Keyword field.
Browse and borrow books about Lake Forest neighborhoods, estates, and architects in sections 728 and 977.3 of the upper level nonfiction shelves.

Find a description of your home and the names of previous owners with Lake County IL Property Tax Info.
Discover how your property line has changed from 1996 through 2019 with the Historic Parcel Viewer.
Search property records with the Recording Division of the County Clerk's Office.
Browse reminiscences and ask questions on the I Remember Lake Forest When Facebook page.
(Paid resource) Search the Register of Deeds by address or name. You may find it easier to call the Recording Division of the Lake County Clerk's Office at 847-377-2575.
(Paid resource) Unearth whether anyone has passed away in the house using the Died in House website.

Look up by address a home's previous owners using phone directories (1900–1968).
Check if your address number has changed over the years and what the area looked like previously with Sanborn Fire Insurance Maps (1900–1949).
Browse more than 10,000 photographs.
Search the 1877 List of Lake County Taxpayers by address or name of previous owners to find the owner's occupation and biographical information.
Find information on homes in historic districts with the National Register of Historic Places and the Historic Districts of Lake Forest.