Research: Maps

Numerous printed maps and atlases, and online historical maps are available for Downers Grove and DuPage County.

Sanborn Fire Insurance Maps – These maps generally cover just downtown Downers Grove and some nearby residences as they were developed for business fire insurance purposes. The maps contain detailed property information including building and roof material, number of stories, and the location of the “hoosegow” in the police station. 

• Maps for Downers Grove for the years 1892, 1898,1909, 1921, and 1927 are available at from the U.S. Library of Congress website.  These maps can be viewed and downloaded at: https://www.loc.gov/maps/?q=Downers+Grove
• The Downers Grove Public Library has the 1933 and 1947 maps (along with those mentioned above) on microfilm. The maps can be printed or copied to a USB drive from the microfilm reader at the library. The last update for Downers Grove was 1947. These maps are no longer produced.

DuPage County GIS Viewer – These maps from the county include maps that show the location of existing buildings. Satellite maps as early as 1956 can be also be overlayed against the maps of today. These maps can be viewed at: https://gis.dupageco.org/parcelviewer/.

Map Gallery – Village of Downers Grove – This collection of interactive maps includes a diverse set of maps including all trees on village parkway and property, centennial homes, landmarked homes, and American Foursquare homes in the village. These maps can be viewed at https://vdg.maps.arcgis.com/home/index.html.

Atlas and Map Books – A large collection of local maps is available at the Downers Grove Public Library.