The Ridge Historical Society is a volunteer-driven nonprofit. While we are incredibly passionate about local history, our small team balances research requests alongside maintaining our archives, designing new exhibits, developing programs, etc.
Because our resources are limited, we prioritize empowering you to conduct your own research. To help you get started, we offer our “Discover the History of Your Chicago House” workshop at least twice a year. This lecture is the perfect jumping-off point for anyone looking to trace their property’s roots.
Starting Your Research Online
Most local research begins online. We highly recommend starting your journey with accessible digital databases such as Ancestry.com, FamilySearch.org, and hathitrust.org. The Chicago Public Library is also a fantastic resource, offering digital archives for newspapers like the Chicago Tribune, Chicago Sun-Times, and the Chicago Defender. Once you have comprehensively researched your subject through these online avenues, it can then be helpful to coordinate a research appointment with us to find those missing local pieces.
Researcher Appointments
- When making an appoint to do research at RHS, you must document your scope or provide of list of items from our finding aids you’d like to access.
- Once request a research appointment, an RHS volunteer will facilitate and coordinate your research visit. They will help identify resources in the collection that may be helpful and retrieve the items for you.
- Fees (per session): $20 for Members, $30 for Non-Members, and free for Students.
Research Requests
Currently, our team is experiencing a major backlog of research requests. We make every attempt to fulfill basic scope house and building histories, photo requests, and on-site research appointments in a timely manner. However, for more advanced or in-depth inquiries, we cannot commit to a guaranteed timeline, and it may take a very long time before a volunteer is available to process your request.
If you are uncomfortable doing your own research or need answers on a strict deadline, we recommend hiring a professional local genealogist or independent researcher to assist you.
Research Request Scope & Fee Schedule
If you would like the Ridge Historical Society to conduct research on your behalf, please review our scope of services and fees below.
Note: Grants up to 100% are available for individuals or organizations who need assistance with fees. Expedited requests are subject to a 4X multiplier on fees, which may be reduced at RHS discretion.
House History or Building Research
- Basic Scope: Includes online building permit lookup, an RHS Architecture file lookup (house, architect, and builder), and a search of Doris Brown real estate books. We will also conduct a historic photo lookup and search Original Owner files, if known, in the Fran Warren or archives room “people boxes”. You will also receive a referral to take our research lecture class along with an online lecture guide.
- Fees: $25 for Members; $40 for Non-members.
- Advanced Scope: Includes everything in the basic package, plus online census research detailing all owners, and online newspaper and periodical research of inhabitants. We can include other information or additional scope as agreed upon with the requestor, and we will provide a written report.
- Fees: Members pay $100 for up to 3 hours, then $40/hour. Non-members pay $125 for up to 3 hours, then $40/hour.
History Question Research
- Priority is given to projects with community impact.
- Simple questions taking 15 minutes or less are complementary for RHS members.
- Fees: Members pay $100 for up to 3 hours (prorated), then $40/hour. Non-members pay $125 for up to 3 hours (prorated), then $40/hour.
Genealogy or Family History Research
- The requestor should have their family genealogy documented and a defined scope of what they would like from RHS.
- Fees: Members pay $100 for up to 3 hours, then $40/hour. Non-members pay $125 for up to 3 hours, then $40/hour.
Photo Requests
- Priority is given to projects with community impact, and the requestor is responsible for meeting copyright-related restrictions.
- Non-Commercial Usage (per scanned image): For research, education, non-profit, or home decor. Fees are $10 for Members, $20 for Non-Members, and free for Students.
- Commercial Usage (per scanned image): $50 for Members; $75 for Non-Members.