“Chicago is the home of well-read architectural styles like Prairie School and Miesian Modern but it also features vernacular designs like simple workers cottages and bungalows. There’s no question the place you live tells a story—so how do you find out more about it?
“In fact, there’s a lot you can learn just through different sources on the internet (which is perfect while we’re all spending more time at home for a while). We’ve gathered some advice about how to start researching your home, or any building you’re wondering about, according to an expert.
“Matthew M. Wicklund is an expert at researching homes in Chicago—he’s a preservation planner and architectural historian. Since 2012, he’s written over a dozen Chicago landmark designation reports and several nominations for places on the National Register of Historic Places.
“’Every building has its own story and it can tell the history of Chicago from its early days to the present,’ he said. ‘It’s not so much about the building type—condos, cottages, two-flats—they’re all interesting. There’s so much to think about like the context of the neighborhood, the owners of the buildings, and what it all might mean for the people living there now, he said.'” (Freund, Curbed Chicago, 3/16/20)