Maps...

After posting about the Sanborn maps I found yesterday and then doing a little research to decode the map key, I realized how strange it was to suddenly be learning so much about maps in my quest to better understand the house.

It reminded me of a guy I dated (pre-Steve). We met on the train and when I asked him what he did - he said he was a cartographer. I consider myself a pretty educated person - but I had to be honest. I had not a clue what a cartographer was. So I asked. He politely explained that cartography is the process of map making.

I went blank. I had nothing. The only thing I could muster to say was, "well everybody needs maps I guess". It was the best I could do considering in my head it sounded like the most uninteresting profession ever. I am the worst at feigning interest in something I know nothing about.

So the relationship didn't last and before long I met Steve. Fortunately, Recruiter/Career Advisor was much easier for me to make conversation about. But perhaps I could have benefited from listening to the cartographer.....

Note 1: For those unaware (as I was) the Sanborn maps were fire and insurance maps that were used to map out houses, buildings, fire hydrants, etc.

Note 2: An even older map has shown that pre-1900 the house number was 605, but I think we will keep with 108 North - it just has a nice ring to it.

128 North

So I did a little more digging and found the Sanborn maps which show that 108 North was formerly known as 128 North. The pdf is too large to post, so here is the piece that shows our lot with the old number 128 and the new number 108. Based on the maps, it looks like all of the numbers were changed in the 1920s. It also now shows that this was also the time when the porch was added. Now I just have to go into the library and look at the maps to figure out what all the numbers mean.
In my digging in the house, I also found some of my great-grandmas letters/post cards. One did have the 128 address - perhaps others I have seen had it as well and I just never noticed. I also found a few that were sent without a street address at all or just reference the 2 streets the house sits on. In an age where a character in a web address can mean the difference between finding the site you want or not, it is hard to think of a time (especially in this town) where your name would be enough.

One more thing - here is the "Bird's eye view of Naperville, DuPage County, Illinois 1869". It does show a house at our corner, but the style of the house is very different from ours.

Given this is a "bird's eye view" - does this mean that our house was built pre-1869? Or was there another house here before us? More research!

Jackpot!

In decorating our giant tree a few weeks ago, I realized that we did not have enough beaded chains. I investigated upstairs for some that were my grandparents and found not only chains but a few boxes of pictures that I have yet to go through. And now that I have a scanner - I can share a few.

It started with this picture in an album. I didn't recognize the name, but the stone on the church looked vaguely familiar. I also knew that my family at that time attended the Methodist church across the street from 108. Bingo - yes Ls - this is the church you were married in. If you look very closely, you can also see the side of 108 (it is easier to tell in the hard copy version).



I had seen this loose picture of a church and realized it was the same one and with a much better shot of the house! My guess is that this was also around the same time. It is hard to tell at first because the porch was not there yet and it looks like there were shutters.


This one is actually a much better shot of our neighbors house, but still very interesting to see the front door.
Finally, these last 2 show my Great, great grandparents and my great grandfather on the front steps. I dismissed these as being at someone else's house for several reasons until I had pieced together the others. Now my only question is finding out why 108 came to be the address. This picture shows 128......128 North? just doesn't sound as good to me either.....