Edgar Gamboa does genealogy research on a computer database Aug. 20 at the Northlake Public Library. | Rob Hart~Sun-Times Media

A hardware store in Northlake during its early years (photo courtesy of Edgar Gamboa)

The original Northlake Library, 149 E. North Avenue, prior to 1958 (photos courtesy of Edgar Gamboa)

Wolf Road bridge between Lake St and St Charles Rd caught on fire on May 22, 1948 (photo courtesy of Edgar Gamboa)

Kay the elephant, that got loose from the circus on June 22, 1966 and wandered around Northlake (photo courtesy of Edgar Gamboa)

The Town & Country Bowl being torn down in 1991 along with many house to make room for Walmart, Sam's Club, Home Depot and other stores (photo courtesy of Edgar Gamboa)

Edgar Gamboa has traced his ancestry to north-central Mexico and back to the 1700s. | Rob Hart~Sun-Times Media

Edgar Gamboa, a Northlake resident, has spent about five years researching his family history. Some of his research is done at the Northlake Public Library, which subscribes to databases used in genealogy research. | Rob Hart~Sun-Times Media

Edgar Gamboa, a Northlake resident, has spent about five years researching his family history. Some of his research is done at the Northlake Public Library, which subscribes to databases used in genealogy research. | Rob Hart~Sun-Times Media

Edgar Gamboa, a Northlake resident, has spent about five years researching his family history. Some of his research is done at the Northlake Public Library, which subscribes to databases used in genealogy research. | Rob Hart~Sun-Times Media

Edgar Gamboa does genealogy on a computer database on Monday, Aug. 20, 2012 at the library in Northlake. Gamboa, a Northlake resident, has spent the last 5-6 years researching his family history. Some of his research is done at the Northlake Library, which subscribes to databases used in genealogy research. | Rob Hart~Sun-Times Media

Edgar Gamboa does genealogy on a computer database on Monday, Aug. 20, 2012 at the library in Northlake. Gamboa, a Northlake resident, has spent the last 5-6 years researching his family history. Some of his research is done at the Northlake Library, which subscribes to databases used in genealogy research. | Rob Hart~Sun-Times Media

Edgar Gamboa does genealogy on a computer database on Monday, Aug. 20, 2012 at the library in Northlake. Gamboa, a Northlake resident, has spent the last 5-6 years researching his family history. Some of his research is done at the Northlake Library, which subscribes to databases used in genealogy research. | Rob Hart~Sun-Times Media

Edgar Gamboa does genealogy on a computer database on Monday, Aug. 20, 2012 at the library in Northlake. Gamboa, a Northlake resident, has spent the last 5-6 years researching his family history. Some of his research is done at the Northlake Library, which subscribes to databases used in genealogy research. | Rob Hart~Sun-Times Media