Themed Walking Routes
Maps in this section vary in origin, and credit is provided to those not created by SouthCookExplore in descriptions. These are intended to be used as biking or walking guides by theme, including catalog homes, historic neighborhoods and districts, and more.
Cal-Sag Trail From a way-finding Blue Island PDF. The Cal-Sag Trail was intended to have informational signage along the trail
Downers Grove Sears Homes - Over 150 Sears homes were delivered along the BNSF to Downers Grove, 25 are included here
Dimmitt's Grove Historic House Walk - Bloomington's National Register of Historic Places district's homes
Flossmoor Park's Centennial House Walk - Foundation for the Preservation of Flossmoor History's guide on homes build in 1924 and created for the village's one-hundredth anniversary.
Flossmoor Sculpture Gardens - Sculpture collection locations both on permanent and rotational display (ongoing)
George Grant Elmslie in Aurora, IL - Largest collection of the architect's work as five commercial buildings
Glendale Park Historic District - Hammond's National Historic District of 16 homes
Homewood's Richard Haas Murals - Collection of 15 large, illusion murals from 1980's to today
La Grange Catalogue Homes - La Grange Area Historical Society's eight of twelve homes made by Sears, Sterling, and more
Longwood Drive Historic District - Walking tour of historic Chicago homes on the north side of the Blue Island Ridge
Nathan Manilow Sculpture Park - Located at Governors State University, 'the Nate', is a 30+ sculpture art gallery on 100 acres of prairie landscape
Riverview Historic District - Kankakee's historic homes along the Kankakee River
Robert Seyfarth's Blue Island Homes - All eight of Blue Island's Robert Seyfarth-designed homes
More coming soon! Requests available at southcookexplore@gmail.com or Instagram @SouthCookExplore
SouthCookExplore Maps as Directories
Are you driving somewhere new? Taking a train to a new location this weekend? Want to visit your local historical society's museum? Check out these maps and see what's a car or train ride away!
Auto Trail Triangle (State-Wide) - Lincoln Highway, Dixie Highway and Route 66 murals and informational signs in Illinois (ongoing)
Chicagoland Art Centers and Galleries - Created for the Hairpin Arts Center in Chicago, a quick guide to Chicagoland studios and galleries
Chicagoland Historic Train Depots - A collection of Metra depots and CTA stations over 100 years old (ongoing)
DuPage County Historic Landmarks - All DuPage County National Historic Landmark locations
Elgin Bungalow Thematic District - Bungalows across Elgin!
Environmental and Nature Centers of Chicagoland - Dedicated nature centers throughout Chicagoland
Grundy County Historic Landmarks - All Grundy County National Historic Landmark locations
Haunted Chicagoland- By popular demand! (ongoing)
Kendall County Historic Landmarks -All Kendall County National Historic Landmarks and Districts
Kankakee County Historic Landmarks - All Kankakee County National Historic Landmarks and Districts
Lake County, IL Historic Landmarks - All Lake County, IL National Historic Landmarks (districts to be added later)
Lake County, Indiana Historic Landmarks - All Lake County, IN National Historic Landmark locations
Chicagoland's Historical Societies + Museums - All area historical societies and museums [ongoing - will include updated hours for every location!]
2023 Modernism Road Rally - 13 Flossmoor and Olympia Fields Mid-Century Modern homes from the 2023 tour, presented by National Trust for Historic Preservation, Edith Farnsworth House, and The Foundation for the Preservation of Flossmoor History
South / Southwest Breweries - Dixie Highway Brewery Trail, I&M Canal Bike & Brew, Rock Island District Brew Line Tour
Underground Railroad locations - various current and former sites freedom seekers used fleeing Chicagoland for Detroit / Canada [ongoing]
Will County Centennial Committee Markers - with no documentation online, this is an attempt to document all of the 1936 centennial committee's markers throughout Will County (ongoing)
Will County Historic Landmarks - All Will County Local Landmark locations
Requests available at southcookexplore@gmail.com or Instagram @SouthCookExplore