National Archives at Chicago

National Archives at Chicago. The National Archives at Chicago is a regional archives facility that is part of the National Archives and Records Administration (NARA), which also includes facilities such as the National Archives Building in Washington, D.C. and the National Personnel Records Center in St. Louis, Missouri. The facility serves the Great Lakes region, including Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Minnesota, Ohio, and Wisconsin. It is located near the University of Illinois at Chicago and the Chicago River.

● History

The National Archives at Chicago was established in 1964 as a regional archives facility to serve the Midwest region, which includes the states of Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Minnesota, Ohio, and Wisconsin. The facility was created to provide access to federal records for researchers and the general public, and to support the work of National Archives and Records Administration (NARA) in preserving and making available the nation's historical records. The facility has been located in several different buildings over the years, including the Federal Building (Chicago) and the Kluczynski Federal Building. It has also been associated with other regional archives facilities, such as the National Archives at Kansas City and the National Archives at Atlanta. The National Archives at Chicago has worked with other institutions, including the Library of Congress, the Smithsonian Institution, and the National Park Service, to preserve and make available historical records.

● Holdings

The National Archives at Chicago holds a wide range of federal records, including documents related to World War I, World War II, the Korean War, and the Vietnam War. The facility also holds records related to the Great Depression, the New Deal, and the Civil Rights Movement, including documents from the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and the Department of Justice. The holdings include records from federal agencies such as the U.S. Census Bureau, the Social Security Administration, and the Internal Revenue Service (IRS), as well as records from federal courts, including the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Illinois and the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit. The facility also holds records related to notable events, such as the Great Chicago Fire and the World's Columbian Exposition, and notable individuals, such as Abraham Lincoln, Ulysses S. Grant, and Jane Addams. The National Archives at Chicago has also worked with other institutions, including the National Archives at Philadelphia and the National Archives at Seattle, to preserve and make available historical records.

● Facilities

The National Archives at Chicago is located in a General Services Administration (GSA) building in Chicago, Illinois, near the Willis Tower and the Art Institute of Chicago. The facility includes a research room, where visitors can access and view records, as well as a library and a museum. The facility also includes storage areas for the records, which are maintained in a controlled environment to preserve their condition. The National Archives at Chicago is also equipped with National Archives and Records Administration (NARA) standard equipment, including microfilm readers and digitization equipment. The facility has been associated with other institutions, including the Field Museum of Natural History and the Newberry Library, and has worked with other regional archives facilities, such as the National Archives at Denver and the National Archives at Boston.

● Services

The National Archives at Chicago provides a range of services to researchers and the general public, including access to records, research assistance, and genealogy research. The facility also offers workshops and lectures on topics related to historical research and archival preservation. The National Archives at Chicago is also a Federal Depository Library, which means that it receives and makes available federal government publications from agencies such as the Government Publishing Office (GPO) and the National Technical Information Service (NTIS). The facility has worked with other institutions, including the Chicago Public Library and the University of Chicago Library, to provide access to historical records and to support research. The National Archives at Chicago has also been associated with notable events, such as the American Historical Association annual meeting and the Organization of American Historians annual meeting.

● Programs

The National Archives at Chicago offers a range of programs and activities to promote the use and preservation of historical records, including exhibits, lectures, and workshops. The facility also participates in National Archives and Records Administration (NARA) programs, such as the National Archives Experience and the DocTeach program. The National Archives at Chicago has also worked with other institutions, including the Chicago History Museum and the DuSable Museum of African American History, to develop and present programs related to historical topics, such as the Civil War and the Great Migration. The facility has also been associated with notable individuals, such as Doris Kearns Goodwin and David McCullough, and has worked with other regional archives facilities, such as the National Archives at New York City and the National Archives at San Francisco, to preserve and make available historical records. The National Archives at Chicago is also a partner in the National Digital Newspaper Program, which is a partnership between National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH) and the Library of Congress to digitize and make available historical newspapers.