Our Genealogy Helper
Introduction ...
We have a couple of goals for our Gazetteer:
- That it be a tool which helps us with planning our trips.
- We're trying to shape our Gazetteer as a tool to help us understand the community in which our ancestors lived, the community that was part of their daily lives.
- On our trips, we try to visit those places where our ancestors left their footprints.
By learning about Alta (and the surrounding area) during the time that our ancestors lived, we hope to have a better understanding of both their community and its relationship to their lifes. We hope that this tool helps to give us an insight into their world.
As we add data and organize our Gazetteer to help with our family research, we will be adding to this our Genealogical Helper for Alta. While we don't have information that is specific to any given person or family, we intend to expand our understanding about where and how people lived.
Neighboring Counties ...
When searching for family records, we have frequently made the mistake of not checking the neighboring counties.
For example, we have great-grandparents who lived in the northeast corner of their home county. During their lives, most doctors and hospitals were in the next county to the east. Almost all of the nearby churches and cemeteries were in the county to the north.
So when searching for records, we had our best success by looking in neighboring counties instead of the county in which they lived: their home county contained property and probate records; the county to the east contained birth and death records; the county to the north contained their burial records. If we hadn't included the neighboring counties, we would have missed many valuable sources of information.
If you're in a similar situation, we hope that the following information helps.
Alta is located in Peoria County.
To see how the shape of Illinois' counties may have changed over time, we recommend the Atlas of Historical County Boundaries.
The following counties adjoin and form the boundaries of Peoria County: Fulton, Knox, Marshall, Stark, Tazewell & Woodford.
Below are the counties that are near Alta. For each of these counties, we show a sample of those communities that are closest to Alta:
- Peoria County (The home county of Alta)
- The following are listed by their distance from Alta, with the one closest to Alta listed first.
- Mossville
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the east)
- Keller
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the southeast)
- Keller is also located in Peoria County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Keller
- Orange Prairie
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the southwest)
- Dunlap
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the northwest)
- Peoria Heights
(5 miles [8 km] to the southeast)
- Pottstown
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the south)
- Pottstown is also located in Peoria County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Pottstown
- North Peoria
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the southeast)
- North Peoria is also located in Peoria County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for North Peoria
- West Hallock
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the north)
- West Hallock is also located in Peoria County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for West Hallock
- West Peoria
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the south)
- Edwards
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the southwest)
- Norwood
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the southwest)
- Norwood is also located in Peoria County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Norwood
- Population from the 2020 Census: 447 people
- Bellevue
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the south)
- Bellevue is also located in Peoria County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bellevue
- Population from the 2020 Census: 2,037 people
- Bureau County
- Milo
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the north)
- Milo is located in Bureau County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Milo
- Fulton County
- The following are listed by their distance from Alta, with the one closest to Alta listed first.
- Farmington
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the west)
- Breeds
(23 miles [37 km] to the southwest)
- Breeds is located in Fulton County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Breeds
- Brereton
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the southwest)
- Brereton is located in Fulton County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Brereton
- Norris
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the southwest)
- Banner
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the southwest)
- Canton
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the southwest)
- Dunfermline
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the southwest)
- Fairview
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the southwest)
- Saint David
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the southwest)
- Knox County
- The following are listed by their distance from Alta, with the one closest to Alta listed first.
- Yates City
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the west)
- Williamsfield
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the west)
- Dahinda
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the west)
- Maquon
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the west)
- Victoria
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the northwest)
- Appleton
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the west)
- Appleton is located in Knox County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Appleton
- Gilson
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the west)
- Marshall County
- The following are listed by their distance from Alta, with the one closest to Alta listed first.
- Hopewell
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the northeast)
- Hopewell is located in Marshall County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hopewell
- Population from the 2020 Census: 394 people
- Camp Grove
(18 miles [29 km] to the north)
- Lacon
(18 miles [29 km] to the northeast)
- Sparland
(18 miles [29 km] to the northeast)
- La Rose
(23 miles [37 km] to the northeast)
- Henry
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the northeast)
- Varna
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the northeast)
- Toluca
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the northeast)
- Mason County
- The following are listed by their distance from Alta, with the one closest to Alta listed first.
- Manito
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the south)
- Union
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the south)
- Union is located in Mason County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Union
- McLean County
- The following are listed by their distance from Alta, with the one closest to Alta listed first.
- Carlock
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the southeast)
- Danvers
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the southeast)
- Danvers is located in McLean County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Danvers
- Population from the 2020 Census: 1,093 people
- Danvers has also been known as:
- Danver
- Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Danvers <1>
- Putnam County
- The following are listed by their distance from Alta, with the one closest to Alta listed first.
- Putnam
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the northeast)
- Magnolia
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the northeast)
- Stark County
- The following are listed by their distance from Alta, with the one closest to Alta listed first.
- Speer
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the north)
- Wyoming
(18 miles [29 km] to the northwest)
- West Jersey
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the northwest)
- West Jersey is located in Stark County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for West Jersey
- Castleton
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the north)
- Toulon
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the northwest)
- Modena
(23 miles [37 km] to the north)
- Modena is located in Stark County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Modena
- Bradford
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the north)
- La Fayette
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the northwest)
- Osceola
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the north)
- Osceola is located in Stark County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Osceola
- Tazewell County
- The following are listed by their distance from Alta, with the one closest to Alta listed first.
- Trailpark Gardens
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the southeast)
- Trailpark Gardens is located in Tazewell County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Trailpark Gardens
- Harvard Hills
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the southeast)
- Harvard Hills is located in Tazewell County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Harvard Hills
- East Peoria
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the south)
- East Peoria is located in Tazewell County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for East Peoria
- Population from the 2020 Census: 22,344 people
- Former name for East Peoria:
- Hilton
- Wesley
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the south)
- Wesley is located in Tazewell County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Wesley
- Robein
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the southeast)
- Robein is located in Tazewell County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Robein
- Sunnyland
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the southeast)
- Creve Coeur
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the south)
- Creve Coeur is located in Tazewell County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Creve Coeur
- Population from the 2020 Census: 5,109 people
- Former name for Creve Coeur:
- Wesley City
- Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Creve Coeur <1>
- Beverly Manor
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the southeast)
- Beverly Manor is located in Tazewell County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Beverly Manor
- Farmdale
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the southeast)
- Farmdale is located in Tazewell County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Farmdale
- Highway Village
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the southeast)
- Highway Village is located in Tazewell County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Highway Village
- Caldwell
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the southeast)
- Caldwell is located in Tazewell County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Caldwell
- Gardena
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the southeast)
- Gardena is located in Tazewell County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Gardena
- Woodford County
- The following are listed by their distance from Alta, with the one closest to Alta listed first.
- Spring Bay
(5 miles [8 km] to the east)
- Spring Bay is located in Woodford County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Spring Bay
- Population from the 2020 Census: 456 people
- Bay View Gardens
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the east)
- Bay View Gardens is located in Woodford County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bay View Gardens
- Population from the 2020 Census: 407 people
- Germantown Hills
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the east)
- Metamora
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the east)
- Eureka
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the east)
- Washburn
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the northeast)
- Roanoke
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the east)
- Goodfield
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the southeast)
- Benson
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the east)
- Secor
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the east)
- Congerville
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the southeast)
For an expanded list of the communities that are closest to Alta, see our County-by-County Page for Alta.
Cemeteries Near Alta ...
Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of Alta.
This is a new section and is likely to have errors. If you find an error, such as a missing cemetery or we have the wrong name, please let us know. If you know of them, we would also appreciate learning about previous or alternate names.
Although we don't have the information ourselves, if you need information about a burial or interment, photos, transcripts, how to contact the cemetery or local authorities, please visit our list of websites on our Genealogy Helper Page for Alta - one of the links might be able to help.
If not found below, our Cemetery List for Alta covers a larger area, with the cemeteries listed in alphabetical order.
The following cemeteries are listed based on their distance from Alta, with the one closest to Alta listed first.
- Hawley Cemetery
(Less than 2 miles to the east)
- Swan Lake Memory Gardens
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the southwest)
- Resurrection Cemetery
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the south)
- Robinson Cemetery
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the east)
- Dickeson Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the northwest)
- Koerner Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the southwest)
- St. Clement's Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the northwest)
- Hitchcock Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the north)
- Prospect Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the northwest)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Prospect Cemetery
- To give a relative sense of its location, the Prospect Cemetery is a large cemetery that is located less than 2 miles<2> to the north of Dunlap.
- Jump to Find-A-Grave: FG ID #107584 <3>
- St. Patrick's Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the west)
- Pottstown Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the south)
- Parkview Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the south)
- Continue List (334 more) ...
- Sand Ridge Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the southeast)
- Spring Bay Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the east)
- Mooney Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the northeast)
Nearby Communities in 1895 ...
We've built the following list with information that came from an Atlas published by Rand McNally in 1895. The Atlas had details such as the population of the community (which appears to have come from the 1890 Census) and whether there was a post office and/or railroad service available. We also indicate if the community no longer exists and is now historic.<4>
The Rand McNally Atlas shows that Alta had a population of 29 people in 1895 with a post office and railroad service.
These communities are listed based on their distance from Alta, with the one closest to Alta listed first.
- Orange Prairie
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the southwest)
- Keller
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the southeast)
- Keller is also located in Peoria County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Keller
- Mossville
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the east)
- Dunlap
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the northwest)
- Spring Bay
(5 miles [8 km] to the east)
- Spring Bay is located in Woodford County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Spring Bay
- Population from the 2020 Census: 456 people
- Pottstown
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the south)
- Pottstown is also located in Peoria County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Pottstown
- North Peoria
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the southeast)
- North Peoria is also located in Peoria County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for North Peoria
- Akron
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the north)
- Akron is also located in Peoria County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Akron
- Edwards
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the southwest)
- West Hallock
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the north)
- West Hallock is also located in Peoria County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for West Hallock
- Kramm
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the southwest)
- Kramm is also located in Peoria County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Kramm
- Maxwell
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the south)
- Maxwell is also located in Peoria County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Maxwell
- Continue List (14 more) ...
- Peoria
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the south)
- Rome
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the northeast)
- Edelstein
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the north)
We've also created an expanded list of communities that existed in the 1890's and were located in the area around Alta. See our List of 1890's Communities around Alta.
Newspapers Published in Alta ...
An ongoing effort between the Library of Congress and the National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH) has resulted in the National Digital Newspaper Program (NDNP).
To share their results, the partnership has created the Chronicling America website. The goal of this partnership is to assemble a database about the current and historic newspapers of the United States. This includes a growing collection of scanned images from selected papers. All of it available to the public on their website.
Using information that we've taken from the Chronicling America website, we've identified 314 newspapers that have been published in the area around Alta.
Although we're unaware of any newspapers that were published in the immediate area of Alta, there are papers which were published within 26 miles [41.8 km]<2>. A list of those papers, sorted by paper name, can be found on the Extended Newspaper List for Alta.
Websites to Help With Your Genealogy Research ...
When we do our genealogical research, we start with the websites from Cyndi's List, FamilySearch and Genealogy Trails. These websites either offer the information directly or else point to where you can find it. Their information is open to everyone.
To help you get started, the following links will take you to the pages that are relevant to Alta:
- Websites specific to Illinois
- Pages specific to Peoria County
- Genealogy information for nearby counties
- Bureau County
- Fulton County
- Knox County
- Marshall County
- Mason County
- McLean County
- Putnam County
- Stark County
- Tazewell County
- Woodford County
- Cemetery Information and Directories for Illinois
Footnotes ...
| <1> | While we're fans and frequent users of TripAdvisor, you should know that we're also members of the TripAdvisor affiliate program. |
| <2> | Our distances are not driving distances, but are calculated as a 'point-to-point' distance. A straight line distance ignores obstructions like rivers, canyons, lakes, et cetera - it's truly a line from Point A (ie- Alta) to Point B. In other words: 'As the crow flies'. |
| <3> | The Find-a-Grave website is an excellent research tool with information about a cemetery's location and interments. They also offer a forum for their members which can provide additional help. More information about Find-a-Grave can be found on their website: findagrave.com. |
| <4> | We use the term 'Historic' broadly and it generally means that the community no longer exists. However, it can also mean that the community might still exist, but was significantly larger or had a more 'official' existence in the past than it does now. Unfortunately our sources of data have proven to be unreliable. If you can provide us with more specific information about Alta, please let us know so that we can improve our accuracy. |