How do you find information on a Chicago street address?

Answer 1

You can search on the address at http://www.cookcountyassessor.com/search/search.asp. Click on the camera icon for a picture! A complicating factor to consider: it is my understanding that during the time of the pre-1909 numbering systems, the even and odd numbers were not necessarily on the same side of the street as they are now. The design of a "Y" in a circle is Chicago's emblem and represents the "forks" where the Chicago River's main stem joins its North and South Branches, with the circle representing Chicago's early center. Before 1909, the old street address numbering systems were confusing and inconsistent with each of three "divisions" or areas around the Chicago River's "Y" or "forks". On September 1, 1909 the present "Brennan" numbering system replaced the old systems, except for the central business district south of the main river stem, east of the South Branch, and north of 12th Street, where the change to the new system was delayed until April 1, 1911. The Brennan system based the city's street addresses on State Street for all east/west addresses and Madison Street for all north/south addresses. Below is my interpretation of the old numbering system as explained by Gerrit E. Van Wissink, in his "Street Numbering Changes" appendix to the book, Streetwise Chicago, A History of Chicago Street Names by Don Haynor, published in 1988. The area of the city, north of the main stem of the Chicago River from Lake Michigan to the "forks" and east of the north branch of the river to the lakeshore. All east/west street addresses in this division began with the number 1E (at the river), with numbers becoming larger as they ran to the lakeshore. All of the north/south street addresses began with 1N at the north side of the main stem of the river with numbers becoming larger as they ran to the city's northern limits. The area of the city, south of the main stem of the Chicago River from Lake Michigan to the "forks" and east of the south branch of the river to the lakeshore. All east/west street addresses in this division began with the number 1E (at the lakeshore), with the numbers becoming larger as they ran to the south branch of the river. All of the north/south street addresses began with 1S at the south side of the main stem of the river with numbers becoming larger as they ran to the city's southern limits. The area of the city, west of the branches of the Chicago River