ILLINOIS STATE ARCHIVES

Cook County Chicago City Council Proceedings Files, 1833-1871

Entering Search Criteria

The index to the Chicago City Council Proceedings Files can be searched by filing calendar/ fiscal year OR by subject term. A combination search of the filing calendar/fiscal year and subject term is not allowed. The subject term search will take priority when both criteria are selected. To conduct a filing calendar/fiscal year search, the subject term fields must be left blank.

Searching by Subject Term
The index can be searched by a single subject term or a combination of two subject terms using either the AND or the OR operators. A list of all subject terms used can be found in the Thesaurus of Subject Terms.

• Single Subject Search
  To search for a single subject, type the subject term in the Subject Term 1 field and click the submit button.
• Boolean Search
  To conduct a search using a combination of two subject terms (Boolean search), type a subject term in each of the Subject Term fields. Choose AND or OR operator from the drop-down menu. Click the submit button. A search with the AND operator returns all files containing both subject terms entered. A search with the OR operator returns all files containing either or both of the terms entered.

Searching by Filing Year or Calendar Year
Click the Reset button to clear the form. To return a list of documents for a particular year, the subject term fields must be empty. Select the filing calendar year or fiscal year from the drop-down menu and click the submit button.

More information about how to obtain copies of the Chicago City Council Proceedings Files.

Search by Subject