Building permits from the city's files from 1872 to 1954. These are filed under the current address. Use the Index to find the date of filing and then the date to find the permit. Permits list the owner's name, type of building, and the estimated cost, etc. After 1912, they also provide the architect's name, and often the contractor's as well. When searching for a house on a corner lot, it's best to check the index for both street addresses.
Microfilm of these building permits is available in the Abakanowicz Research Center. UIC has made a digital version of the permit microfilm available, with helpful instructions for searching. Note: the number of researchers who can use this digital version simultaneously is limited.
For Chicago structures built after 1954, submit a Freedom of Information Act request for the permit and any architectural drawings to the City of Chicago Buildings Department
American Contractor database, 1898-1912