Kendall County Historical Society, P.O. Box 123, Yorkville, IL 60560. Telephone 630 553-6777.
The library is normally open from 9:00 a.m. until noon Wednesday morning. However it would probably be advisable to call in advance if you are coming from a great distance as the library is often closed during January and February.
Library:
KENDALL COUNTY HISTORICAL SOCIETY LIBRARY/ARCHIVES
P.O. Box 123, Yorkville, IL 60560 Telephone 630-553-6777
OPEN WEDNESDAYS 9 A.M. – NOON OR BY APPOINTMENT
Kendall County is located in the north central part of Illinois and was established in 1841. Yorkville is the county seat, and the Historical Library/Archives are located there at 107 W. Center, in the oldest church building in the county. The Kendall County Historical Society acquired the building after a new Congregational Church was completed in 1990.
There is an extensive research library containing the following materials:
* 1876 Biographical Directory of Kendall County
* The History of Kendall County, by Rev. Hicks, 1877
* The 1888 Portrait & Biographical Record of Kane and Kendall Co.
* The 190l Biographical and Genealogical Record of Will and Kendall Co.
* 1976 Bicentennial History of Kendall County.
* 1859 Map of Kendall Co.
* 187l Atlas and Plat Book of Kendall Co.
*1903 Atlas and Plat Book of Kendall Co.
* 1922 Atlas and Plat Book of Kendall Co.
* 1941 Plat Book and Biographical History
Many smaller later plat books
1842 tax assessment list
1860 census
1840 substitute census
1865 head of households
1850 census
1870 census
1855 head of households
1880 census
* 1985 Sesquicentennial History of Newark
* 1986 History of Yorkville
* 150 Years Along the Fox (Oswego)
* Denotes indexes
Births from 1877-1903; Deaths from 1877-1903; Marriages from 1841-1915
On file are records of all Kendall County cemeteries, as well as some of the nearby counties’ cemeteries where Kendall County residents might be buried.
Information is available on Kendall County veterans of the Spanish American, Mexican
and Civil Wars, the War of 1812, WW I and WW II and the Korean and Vietnam
Wars.
A surname file, obituary files, photographs, church records, indexed scrapbooks and many other miscellaneous materials are available for research.
Research may be done by mail, at the rate of $8 for the first hour and $5 for each
additional hour, plus 15 cents per page copied and postage.
Lyon Farm:
The Lyon Farm is the crown jewel of the Kendall County Historical Society. A number of buildings of historical interest have been moved to the farm and are displayed on turn of the century Dunbar Lane. The Oswego House a two story frame house, the onerous Union School from NaAuSay Township, Corrigan Brother's General Store and post office from Plattville, the Chicago, Burlington & Quincy Railroad Depot from Plano, the old Yorkville City Hall, and many more interesting buildings and artifacts may be found there. A trip to the Lyon Farm is a delightful experience. The Lyon Farm is located east of Yorkville, Illinois on Illinois Route 71 between Yorkville and Oswego. Highway signs direct visitors to the site. Each year the Kendall County Historical Society holds special events at the Lyon Farm which draw visitors from a wide area. The farm is only open to the public during special events.
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