Blog · October 14, 2026 · Illinois
Reading the Chester Plat Map for a lot
Lots in Chester trace back to recorded plats filed with the county.
Main page: Randolph County, IL GIS & Parcel Viewer (official map link, county facts and neighboring maps).
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When a deed near Percy says lot and block, you'll need the Chester plat map to make sense of it. What this Chester guide covers: where to request a copy, plat versus tax map, and the details that matter to buyers.
Who keeps the Chester plat map
For a subdivision near Kaskaskia, look for the plat book reference on the parcel record; that makes the request quick.
Opening the official parcel viewer
Your first stop is the Randolph County ArcGIS parcel map; it includes each assessed parcel in the county, Percy included. For a tract near Evansville, put in a street address, an owner's name or a parcel number, then pick the result to center the map on it. If you're looking near Evansville, the parcel card normally shows the owner of record, acreage on the tax roll, the parcel number and often a sale date.
Land on the county line
Randolph County meets Jackson County, Monroe County, Perry County, St. Clair County, and Washington County, all with their own assessor records. A tract near the line by Steeleville may show up in two county records, so look at the neighboring map as well. For a tract near Kaskaskia, our state page lists each neighboring county map for Illinois.
Metes and bounds instead
Acreage around Rockwood outside a subdivision is often described by metes and bounds or survey description; look for a recorded survey for land near Steeleville.
Where the recorded documents are
The map is an index, not the title: deeds, subdivision plats and easements for land near Evansville are kept by the county Recorder of Deeds (in many counties the County Clerk and Recorder). For a tract near Percy, have ready the document number listed on the parcel record to skip a name search.
Where Chester fits in
Chester lies within Randolph County, Illinois, so its parcels are on the county's map. As the county seat, Chester hosts the courthouse, which puts the county Recorder of Deeds (in many counties the County Clerk and Recorder) close by. For acreage around Steeleville, city or town hall handles things like zoning, permits and utilities within town limits, but the county runs assessment and recording. Land beyond the town limits out by Kaskaskia generally follows county rules rather than the town's.
Legal descriptions in Illinois
Illinois is laid out under the Public Land Survey System, so deeds around Kaskaskia reference sections and townships. Each section is nominally a mile square, about 640 acres, and a township holds 36 of them, though corrections make some sections near Kaskaskia odd-sized. Keep the legal description for land near Kaskaskia for any title or survey request.
Which office to call
Recorded documents for a parcel near Percy sit in the index kept by the county Recorder of Deeds (in many counties the County Clerk and Recorder), sometimes only in person. Questions about what you can build around Steeleville go to planning, building or health offices, and the answer depends on jurisdiction.
Replats and vacations
Lots near Kaskaskia can be combined or reconfigured by a replat, so check for later filings; vacated streets or alleys also get recorded.
Plat map vs. parcel map
The Randolph County ArcGIS parcel map draws parcels for taxes, whereas the plat carries surveyed dimensions.
Details on the Chester plat map
Utility or drainage strips on a lot in Chester stay with the land when it sells; check the plat notes and any covenants.
A word on accuracy
Listed acreage is an assessed number; only a licensed surveyor establishes the real lines for a parcel near Kaskaskia. If the land is near Evansville, records update in batches, so a deed recorded last month might lag behind.
Getting a copy
Closer to Percy, some counties put plat images online, while others require a visit or a request; copy fees are usually small.
Places you'll see on the map
Chester serves as the county seat, where most land records are kept. Other places on the map include Kaskaskia, Ellis Grove, Rockwood, and Steeleville, each with its own cluster of lots. About 29,815 people call Randolph County home (Census Bureau estimate, 2023) on roughly 575 square miles. Randolph County was formed in 1795, and some chains of title near Evansville are long.
Questions about the Chester plat map
Who has recorded plats for land near Ellis Grove?
For most people, recorded plats near Ellis Grove are filed with the county Recorder of Deeds (in many counties the County Clerk and Recorder); small copy fees are common.
What do the dashed lines on a plat mean near Ellis Grove?
In and around Evansville, dashed lines often mark easements or building lines, so check before you build.
Is the Chester plat map the same as the county GIS?
In most cases, the plat near Evansville is recorded, while the GIS layer is an approximation.
What does lot 7, block 3 mean near Ellis Grove?
If the land is near Steeleville, lot and block refer to a numbered lot within a block on a recorded subdivision plat, so pull that plat for dimensions.
Is the parcel map a survey near Evansville?
The map near Kaskaskia is approximate; a survey sets the real corners
Open the official Randolph County, IL parcel map See it in the Platbookmapper directory
Not a survey. County GIS and tax parcel maps are assessment and planning layers. They are not a substitute for a recorded plat, deed, or licensed survey, especially for fences, setbacks, or boundary disputes.