What Makes Us Different?
Our collection includes but is not limited to:
- The PULLMAN COLLECTION of employee records
- Cemetery Master Index of 93 area cemeteries, containing over 62,500 names
- Chicago City Directories* 1871-1917, 1923, 1928-1929
- Oak Forest Hospital Cemetery records 1910-1971
- Blue Island Sun Obituaries Index 1919-1969
- Calumet City Naturalization records 1906-1954
- Calumet City Burial Permit records c. 1925-1941
- Acme Steel Newsletters 1926-32, 1935-50, 1954-61
- Hammond City Directories* 1943-1974
- 600+ family histories*
- Selected funeral homes’ records
- County Histories*
- Church histories and records*
- High School yearbooks*
- Regional telephone directories*
- Local area information files
- Microform and CD materials*
* see our online catalog
Library visitors have access to:
FamilySearch — SSGHS is a FamilySearch Affiliate Library, providing access to millions of records including additional digital records not available outside a FamilySearch Family History Center or an Affiliate Library. These digital records include images and names indexes.
Ancestry Library Edition — distributed exclusively by ProQuest and powered by Ancestry.com, Ancestry Library Edition delivers census data, vital records, directories, photos, and more. Content is from North America, the United Kingdom, Europe, Australia, and more. This resource is provided through the generosity of one of our members.
Our helpful Library Volunteers are genealogists themselves, and are happy to assist you.
Upcoming Programs
Click here for a PDF of programs from February through September 2022, and information about our library. COVID note: Wearing masks is optional.
The SSGHS Library is a non-profit 501(c)3, non-circulating reference and research library that is open to the public. The Library contains more than 14,000 books and items for the United States as well as many other countries. Our card catalog is online (see top of page).
Where The Trails Cross
Where The Trails Cross, The Journal of the South Suburban Genealogical and Historical Society, is published twice a year. We are catching up on our publications, and apologize for the delay.
Volume 50:1 (Fall & Winter 2019) and Volume 50:2 (Spring & Summer 2020)
These issues of the journal of SSGHS are now available to those who were members during the
2019-2020 member year, and to societies with whom we exchange journals. These issues are password-protected.
Volume 51:1 (Fall & Winter 2020) and Volume 51:2 (Spring & Summer 2021)
These issues of the journal of SSGHS are now available to those who were members during the 2020-2021 membership year from Sept. 2020-Aug. 2021, and to societies with whom we exchange journals. This issue is password-protected.
Volume 52:1 (Fall /Winter 2021)
This issue of the journal of SSGHS is available to those who are members during the 2021-2022 member year, and to societies with whom we exchange journals. This issue is password-protected. Members, to access this issue, please click the Members Only tab at the top right of the page.