The Geographical Growth of Skokie, Illinois by Joseph Beaver
Introduction
In this pamphlet we attempt to depict, with the assistance of map representations, the growth of the Village of Skokie from its original boundaries, as incorporated in May of 1888 as the Village of Niles Center (a name it retained until 1940) through the latest change in boundary. Some preliminary words clarifying conventions used on the maps are in order.
The entire village lies within the bounds of Niles Township, which is Township 41 in the State of Illinois. The township is further geographically subdivided into one mile squares, known as "sections." The sections are conventionally subdivided into "quarter sections" in the various legal documents having to do with real estate, including the village ordinances of annexation and disannexations. The township is, furthermore, geographically a partial township, not having for example, the easternmost column of sections, and its northern sections are not complete mile squares. This makes the official numbering of the sections appear a little strange.
The "quarter sections" are conventionally referred to as the NW quarter, the SW quarter, etc. (northwest, southwest, northeast, southeast). Now we have chosen to designate major modern day streets on the maps for purposes of reader orientation and understanding of the extent of particular annexations or disannexations. The fact of the matter is that the majority of the north-south and east-west streets in Skokie coincide with fractional parts of the township sections. (There are a few exceptions, the most notable being the very old streets, many originally Indian paths, which do not run east-west or north-south: Lincoln Avenue, Niles Center Avenue, Gross Point Road, Prairie Avenue). It is important to recognize that the street names so used on the maps are used for convenience of reference. The streets themselves did not in many cases exist at the time of annexation depicted. Even today the streets may not exist as shown on the maps—for example "Lunt" as it appears on Map "G". This is merely the fence at the south border of Teletype Corporation. The reader must extend mentally the street as it actually exists elsewhere.
Nevertheless an attempt has been made on the maps to represent legal realities by designating pertinent section numbers of the township. This has been done by using a squared paper background and showing pertinent township section numbers within circles at the very northwest corner of the section. In addition to providing a kind of map scale, these may serve as a continual reminder to the reader that it is with respect to section and fractional section lines that borders are fixed, not with reference to streets. Finally, this pamphlet is based upon records to be found primarily in the Village Clerk's office, specifically the file of ordinances passed by the Village Board, upon the Minutes of the meetings of the Board, and upon available maps found in the Clerk's office and in the Village Planning office. The maps referred to are mainly zoning naps, and none have been found prior to 1946. The only other actual map discovered was a map of the Village of Niles Center of 1937, drawn by the Village Engineer, U. F. Turpin.