South Suburban Genealogical
and Historical Society
Hazel Crest, Illinois

Serving south Cook and east Will counties, Illinois
    including Chicago's Roseland/Pullman neighborhoods

Established 1968

 Research Library

The SSGHS Library is located at 3000 W. 170th Place, Hazel Crest, IL.  This is in the same building as the Municipal Center / Police Department.  The location is between Dixie Hwy. and Kedzie Ave. and north of 175th St.  


Map of 3000 W 170th Pl
Hazel Crest, IL 60429-1174

Look for the blue and white "Municipal Center / Police Department" signs guiding you to the location.

Coming from Chicago exit I-57 at Exit 384 East - Route 6 - 159th St.  Go East to the second stop light (Kedzie Ave.)  Turn right (South) and go to 173rd St.  Turn left (East) and go to California Ave.  Turn left (North) and go to Kaindl Dr.  Turn left (West) into the parking lot.

Coming from the western suburbs or Indiana exit I-294 at  Route 6 - 159th St. - West.  Go West to the second stop light (Kedzie Ave.)  Turn left (South)  and go to 173rd St.  Turn left (East) and go to California Ave.  Turn left (North) and go to Kaindl Dr.  Turn left (West) into the parking lot.

Coming from the West exit I-80 at Exit 154 - Kedzie Ave. South and go to 173rd St.  Turn left (East) and go to California Ave.  Turn left (North) and go to Kaindl Dr.  Turn left (West) into the parking lot.

Coming from the South take I-57 to I-80 East.  Exit I-80 at Exit 154 - Kedzie Ave. South and go to 173rd St.  Turn left (East) and go to California Ave.  Turn left (North) and go to Kaindl Dr.  Turn left (West) into the parking lot.

Local people take 175th St. to California Ave. 
Turn North and go to Kaindl Dr.  Turn left (West) into the parking lot.

To visit the Library come to the far west door at the end of the building and ring the Library doorbell for access.

To attend the membership meetings on Saturday, enter the center door (Municipal Center / Police Department) of the building.

Library hours:
Monday: 10 am - 4 pm
Tuesday: 1 pm - 5 pm
Wednesday: 10 am - 4 pm          
Thursday: closed
Friday: 10:30 am - 3:30 pm
First Saturday of the month: 11 am - 4 pm **
Second Saturday of the month: 12 pm - 4 pm **

Sunday:  closed

We now have Wi-Fi capability at the Library.
You may connect your laptop computer to the Internet from anywhere in the Library.

There are two computers with Internet access

We have a list of local restaurants where you may go for lunch or dinner.

**The library is open only the first 2 Saturdays of each month.  

In order to better serve our out-of-area SSGHS members who wish to use the Library on a day or time when 
it is not scheduled to be open, we are offering this service: 
               Four hours of research time and the services of a volunteer librarian.
To sign up:
               Send your request by U.S. mail (no phone calls or E-mail) at least a month in advance.  
You will be sent a letter indicating whether or not a librarian will be available on the date you requested.

Check our Calendar of Events page for specific dates. 
It is a good idea to call ahead to ensure that 
the library is open.

Library Regulations

The SSGHS Library is a reference/research library, open to the public. Materials are for use in the library only and may not be taken from the room. Use of the library is free for members; non-members $3.00. Donations are encouraged.

The Library is maintained by volunteers who can offer suggestions, but cannot do personal research for individuals.

Security

Researchers and visitors are asked to comply with the following regulations:

  • Sign in and out in the register book
  • Leave briefcases, totes, and large purses outside the library. Only pencils (not pens), paper, notebooks permitted
  • Staff members may request to inspect your materials as you leave

Paid Research

Volunteers will do one hour of research in our library for a donation of $15, checks payable to SSGHS. Please keep request brief, clear, and to the point, and enclose a self-addressed stamped envelope (International requestors enclose a self-addressed envelope and two IRC's). See our Research Policy.

Special Features for Local History Research

  • County histories
  • Local histories
  • Church histories and records
  • Census records and indexes
  • Computer and CD-ROMS
  • Early regional newspapers
  • Cemetery readings
  • Plat and topographic maps
  • Telephone books (previous years)
  • City directories, especially Chicago and Calumet Region
  • Calumet City Court Naturalization records (1929-1954)
  • Obituary files of some local newspapers since 1968
  • Back issues of Where the Trails Cross, our quarterly
    (includes research from primary sources in the area)

Some Helpful Materials We Can Provide

  • Card Catalog of our collection
  • International Genealogical Index (IGI)
  • Historical maps and atlases
  • Pamphlet File
  • Place name location aids
  • DAR Lineage books
  • Copy machine, microfilm, fiche readers 
    and printer
  • "How to" books for research, both American and foreign
  • Catalog of the Family History Library in Salt Lake City,
    Utah (FHLC)
  • Indexes to genealogical periodicals (PERSI and GPAI)
  • Periodicals from many states and societies, some of them European
  • Biographies and Family Histories, including Bishop, Eddy,
    and Cone collections
  • BISHOP and CONE surname material- see our
    Research Policy page for details

 


New additions to the Library
  • We have the 1930 census available for our area, Roseland - Pullman and some Lake Co., Indiana.  There is a large notebook of finding aids, E.D. descriptions, maps with E.D.'s outlined, etc.  Come and find your families!

Copyright 2006, South Suburban Genealogical and Historical Society
 3000 West 170th Place, Hazel Crest, IL.  60429 - 1174
Telephone: (708) 335-3340
E-mail to: ssghs@usa.net

Last update 25 June 2007

 

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