Kankakee County: Grant Park decisions and a school asset snapshot
Use Grant Park village minutes, a 1949 school asset allocation report and a short dog-tax series to ask more specific questions about local government and place.
Sources checked October 29, 2026. Holdings checked against official catalogs and repository descriptions. Staff-confirmed details are identified below; other holdings are based on published sources. No name-level search; dates do not guarantee complete coverage or online images.
STOP 01 / ISU IRAD
Grant Park: follow village business through the minutes
A long village trustees series can provide context for a street, public project or local government decision. Search with a place and approximate date as well as a surname.
Grant Park: Village Trustees' Minutes 1898–1971 · Accession 3/0190/01
A focused question to ask
Which volume covers this village issue and year, and does it include an index or references to related papers?
Evidence limit: Village proceedings do not enumerate all residents. A mention in government business does not establish a family relationship.
STOP 02 / ISU IRAD
Schools: investigate a 1949 asset allocation
This narrowly dated report offers a way to ask about school property and administrative change. Establish the districts involved before connecting it to an ancestor’s school.
School District Asset Allocation Report 1949 · Accession 3/0066/01
A focused question to ask
Which school districts are covered by the 1949 report, and does it identify the buildings or property involved?
Evidence limit: This is an asset allocation report, not a pupil list. Its district scope and contents require inspection.
STOP 03 / ISU IRAD
Dog taxes: test a small, unusual local series
A two-year dog-tax collection record is an alternative to broad census searching when you already have a location and date. Ask how entries are organized and which identifying fields were recorded.
Dog Tax Collection Record 1918–1919 · Accession 3/0068/02
A focused question to ask
Is the record arranged by township, owner or collection date, and what identifying information is present?
Evidence limit: A dog-tax record is not a complete population list. The catalog does not confirm named owners, exact addresses or full coverage of every township.
IRAD is an Illinois Secretary of State program administered by the Illinois State Archives. Depository location: Illinois State University, Normal. Direct IRAD research requests to the regional depository, not the university’s separate archives or special collections.
Research visits are by appointment only. Call ahead. ISU accepts IRAD research inquiries by telephone or mail, not email. Confirm the mailing address and any copying charges before sending a request or traveling.
Start with no more than two names, approximate dates, the county and the record type. Include the township or school where known and the accession number above. Ask whether an index exists, which volumes survive and what copying will cost. For an unindexed series, agree on a manageable search before requesting a long period. The statewide policy directs research requests to telephone or mail rather than email; wait for a response before sending another request. See the statewide research policy ↗.
Request template: I am researching [person or place] in [locality] around [years]. Your catalog lists [title], accession [number]. Which volume covers that period, is it indexed, and how can I consult or obtain the relevant pages? Please let me know any gaps, restrictions and copying charges.
Collection dates at a glance
The table lists IRAD series with verified date spans. Community collections above may have different or unspecified coverage and separate access rules. Catalog spans are starting points, not guarantees of every year, locality or individual. Use the Research Planner to compare your years with these cataloged series.
Selected cataloged series for Kankakee County
Record series
Catalog dates
Accession
Grant Park: Village Trustees' Minutes
1898–1971
3/0190/01
School District Asset Allocation Report
1949
3/0066/01
Dog Tax Collection Record
1918–1919
3/0068/02
Keep the record and your interpretation separate.
Save the depository, collection, accession number, volume, page, dates and any copy correspondence. Record uncertain names as uncertain. A shared road, school or signature can suggest an association; it does not establish a family relationship.
Suggest a correction, an overlooked collection or an updated access detail. An official link or source helps us check it before making a change. Please leave out private family documents and sensitive personal information.