I'm writing my first rough draft of Dan & Ann, family history. I'm finding I want to do more research. The discoveries are fun. I've been studying Chicago history and historical maps combined with directory and census listings and put this together from www.communitywalk.com/chicgao/illinois/finucanejacobsonlindgren/map/369278

for when I go on my family history trip to Chicago. nice program by the way.

Interesting find: Compare this picture we have of the Jacobson Home to Google street view for #2642 Crystal Av. Chicago, Illinois. You have to kind of move around to see the house around the tree. When our Jacobsons lived there 1892-1906, the address was 500 Crystal. In 1909 Chicago reorganized and renumbered their addresses.

This is a Front Gable or Workers Cottage architectural style that began in the 1870s. It is a narrow house with a steep roof and off-center front door. It was a residential style that was common in working class neighborhoods in the years following the Chicago Fire.

Common characteristics of this style are

• 1 1/2 stories, set atop a raised basement
• rectangular floor plan
• ornament restricted to around windows and beneath the roof-line
• front-facing gable roof

This particular home at 2642 W Crystal St in the community of West Town, Chicago has a building permit dated July 1, 1892 and has benn given the orange color code by the Chicago Landmarks Historic Resources Survey indicating it possesses potentially significant architectural or historical features. Its permanent real estate index number (pin) is 1601225026

I think Aleck Jacobson was a fine craftsman and carpenter as he probably did the porch woodwork himself. Unfortunately, it is no longer part of the house. A protruding basement has also been added to match the overhanging bay windows above.