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 Becks Park (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 Becks Park. 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.
Name Variations for Becks Park ...
When searching records, keep in mind that names and their spelling can change over time. Our sources include documents like maps, railroad schedules, Travel, Express and Shipping Guides. Many of these documents date from the 1800's and it's common to find spelling differences.
While the name of this community is Becks Park, be aware that it's the common practice of mapmakers to remove the apostrophe from possessive names<1>. So Becks Park may originally have been Beck's Park.
Sometimes the trailing 's' might be dropped altogether, in which case Becks Park might be written as Beck Park.
If you have information about these names (such as the reason for the change, date of change, the origin of the name), please Contact Us.
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 northwest corner of their home county. During their lives, most doctors were in the next county to the west. 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 west 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.
Becks Park is located in Cook 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 Cook County: DuPage, Kane, Lake, McHenry, Will, Lake (IN) & Berrien (MI).
Below are the counties that are near Becks Park. For each of these counties, we show a sample of those communities that are closest to Becks Park:
- Cook County (The home county of Becks Park)
- The following are listed by their distance from Becks Park, with the one closest to Becks Park listed first.
- Englewood
(Less than 2 miles to the northwest)
- Englewood is located in Cook County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Englewood
- Washington Park
(Less than 2 miles to the northeast)
- Washington Park is located in Cook County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Washington Park
- Brookdale
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the east)
- Brookdale is located in Cook County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Brookdale
- Canaryville
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the north)
- Canaryville is located in Cook County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Canaryville
- New City
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the north)
- New City is located in Cook County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for New City
- Hyde Park
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the northeast)
- Chatham
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the southeast)
- Chatham is located in Cook County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Chatham
- South Englewood
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the southwest)
- South Englewood is located in Cook County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for South Englewood
- Chicago Lawn
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the west)
- Chicago Lawn is located in Cook County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Chicago Lawn
- Grant Village
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the northeast)
- Grant Village is located in Cook County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Grant Village
- Burnside
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the southeast)
- Burnside is located in Cook County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Burnside
- Bridgeport
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the north)
- Bridgeport is located in Cook County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bridgeport
- DuPage County
- The following are listed by their distance from Becks Park, with the one closest to Becks Park listed first.
- Hinsdale
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the west)
- Willowbrook
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the west)
- Clarendon Hills
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the west)
- Oak Brook
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the west)
- Elmhurst
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the northwest)
- South Elmhurst
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the northwest)
- South Elmhurst is located in DuPage County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for South Elmhurst
- Darien
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the west)
- Oak Brook Terrace
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the west)
- Oak Brook Terrace is located in DuPage County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Oak Brook Terrace
- Population from the 2020 Census: 2,094 people
- Westmont
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the west)
- Tedens ‑ Historic
(18 miles [29 km] to the west)
- Tedens is located in DuPage County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Tedens
- Utopia
(18 miles [29 km] to the west)
- Utopia is located in DuPage County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Utopia
- York Center
(18 miles [29 km] to the west)
- York Center is located in DuPage County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for York Center
- Lake County
- The following are listed by their distance from Becks Park, with the one closest to Becks Park listed first.
- Braeside
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the north)
- Braeside is located in Lake County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Braeside
- Ravinia
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the north)
- Ravinia is located in Lake County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ravinia
- Deerfield
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the north)
- Highland Park
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the north)
- Buffalo Grove
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the northwest)
- Riverwoods
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the northwest)
- Will County
- The following are listed by their distance from Becks Park, with the one closest to Becks Park listed first.
- Goodings Grove
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the southwest)
- Goodings Grove is located in Will County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Goodings Grove
- Frankfort Square
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the southwest)
- Frankfort Square is located in Will County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Frankfort Square
- Homer Glen
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the southwest)
- Homer Glen is located in Will County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Homer Glen
- Population from the 2020 Census: 24,281 people
- Homer Glen has also been known as:
- Homer Glen village
- Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Homer Glen <2>
- Steger
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the south)
- Frankfort
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the southwest)
- Mokena
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the southwest)
- Colonial Village
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the west)
- Colonial Village is located in Will County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Colonial Village
- Crete
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the south)
- University Park
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the south)
- Willowbrook
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the south)
- Bolingbrook
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the west)
- Winston Village
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the west)
- Winston Village is located in Will County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Winston Village
- Lake County (IN)
- The following are listed by their distance from Becks Park, with the one closest to Becks Park listed first.
- Whiting
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the southeast)
- East Chicago
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the southeast)
- Hammond
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the southeast)
- Hessville
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the southeast)
- Hessville is located in Lake County (IN)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hessville
- Munster
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the southeast)
- Highland
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the southeast)
- Gary
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the southeast)
- Gary is located in Lake County (IN)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Gary
- Population from the 2020 Census: 74,693 people
- Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Gary <2>
- Dyer
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the south)
- Dyer is located in Lake County (IN)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Dyer
- Population from the 2020 Census: 15,955 people
- Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Dyer <2>
- Griffith
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the southeast)
- Hartsdale
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the southeast)
- Hartsdale is located in Lake County (IN)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hartsdale
- Ross
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the southeast)
- Ross is located in Lake County (IN)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ross
- Duneland Village of Gary
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the southeast)
- Porter County (IN)
- The following are listed by their distance from Becks Park, with the one closest to Becks Park listed first.
- Ogden Dunes
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the southeast)
- Ogden Dunes is located in Porter County (IN)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ogden Dunes
- Population from the 2020 Census: 1,083 people
- Portage
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the southeast)
- Willow Creek
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the southeast)
- Willow Creek is located in Porter County (IN)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Willow Creek
- Woodland Village
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the southeast)
- Woodland Village is located in Porter County (IN)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Woodland Village
- Burns Harbor
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the east)
- Dune Acres
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the east)
- Dune Acres is located in Porter County (IN)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Dune Acres
- Population from the 2020 Census: 182 people
- Wheeler
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the southeast)
- Wheeler is located in Porter County (IN)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Wheeler
- Porter
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the east)
- Babcock
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the southeast)
- Babcock is located in Porter County (IN)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Babcock
- South Haven
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the southeast)
- South Haven is located in Porter County (IN)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for South Haven
For an expanded list of the communities that are closest to Becks Park, see our County-by-County Page for Becks Park.
Cemeteries Near Becks Park ...
Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of Becks Park.
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 Becks Park - one of the links might be able to help.
If not found below, our Cemetery List for Becks Park covers a larger area, with the cemeteries listed in alphabetical order.
The following cemeteries are listed based on their distance from Becks Park, with the one closest to Becks Park listed first.
- Oak Woods Cemetery
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the east)
- St. Mary Catholic Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the southwest)
- Evergreen Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the southwest)
- Mt. Greenwood Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the southwest)
- Mt. Olivet Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the southwest)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mt. Olivet Cemetery
- To give a relative sense of its location, the Mt. Olivet Cemetery is a very large cemetery that is located in Blue Island.
- The Mt. Olivet Cemetery has also been known as:
- Mt. Olivet Cemetery
- Jump to Find-A-Grave: FG ID #107055 <3>
- Mt. Hope Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the southwest)
- St. Casimir Catholic Cemetery
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the southwest)
- Ever Rest Cemetery
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the southwest)
- Oak Hill Cemetery
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the southwest)
- Beverly Cemetery
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the southwest)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Beverly Cemetery
- To give a relative sense of its location, the Beverly Cemetery is a very large cemetery that is located in Blue Island.
- The Beverly Cemetery has also been known as:
- Beverly Memorial Park Cemetery
- Beverly Memorial Park
- Jump to Find-A-Grave: FG ID #104753 <3>
- Lincoln Cemetery
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the southwest)
- Cedar Park Cemetery
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the south)
- Continue List (332 more) ...
- Holy Sepulchre Catholic Cemetery
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the southwest)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Holy Sepulchre Catholic Cemetery
- To give a relative sense of its location, the Holy Sepulchre Catholic Cemetery is a very large cemetery that is located in Alsip.
- The Holy Sepulchre Catholic Cemetery has also been known as:
- Holy Sepulchre Cemetery
- Jump to Find-A-Grave: FG ID #106228 <3>
- Chapel Hills Gardens South
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the southwest)
- Hazel Green Cemetery
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the southwest)
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>
While we didn't find Becks Park in the Atlas, the following 1895 communities would have been found near the current location of Becks Park.
These communities are listed based on their distance from Becks Park, with the one closest to Becks Park listed first.
- Englewood
(Less than 2 miles to the northwest)
- Englewood is located in Cook County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Englewood
- Auburn Park
(Less than 2 miles to the south)
- Auburn Park is located in Cook County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Auburn Park
- Brookline
(Less than 2 miles to the east)
- Brookline is located in Cook County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Brookline
- Park Manor
(Less than 2 miles to the east)
- Park Manor is located in Cook County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Park Manor
- South Lynn
(Less than 2 miles to the west)
- South Lynn is located in Cook County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for South Lynn
- Forest Hill
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the southwest)
- Forest Hill is located in Cook County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Forest Hill
- South Englewood
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the southwest)
- South Englewood is located in Cook County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for South Englewood
- Brainerd
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the south)
- Brainerd is located in Cook County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Brainerd
- Grand Crossing
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the southeast)
- Grand Crossing is located in Cook County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Grand Crossing
- Brookdale
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the east)
- Brookdale is located in Cook County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Brookdale
- Parkside
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the east)
- Parkside is located in Cook County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Parkside
- Hyde Park
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the northeast)
- Continue List (15 more) ...
- Chicago Lawn
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the west)
- Chicago Lawn is located in Cook County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Chicago Lawn
- South Shore
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the east)
- South Shore is located in Cook County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for South Shore
- Kenwood
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the northeast)
- Kenwood is located in Cook County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Kenwood
We've also created an expanded list of communities that existed in the 1890's and were located in the area around Becks Park. See our List of 1890's Communities around Becks Park.
Newspapers Published in Becks Park ...
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 24 newspapers that have been published in the area around Becks Park.
Although we're unaware of any newspapers that were published in the immediate area of Becks Park, there are papers which were published within 7 miles [11.3 km]<5>. A list of those papers, sorted by paper name, can be found on the Extended Newspaper List for Becks Park.
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 Becks Park:
- Websites specific to Illinois
- Pages specific to Cook County
- Genealogy information for nearby counties
- DuPage County
- Lake County
- Will County
- Lake County
- Porter County
- Cemetery Information and Directories for Illinois
Footnotes ...
| <1> | It's generally believed that possessive apostrophes are removed to prevent confusion on maps where the apostrophe may be confused with a cartographic symbol. While this is generally true, it's not uncommon to find possessive apostrophes in administrative names (such as towns or counties). |
| <2> | While we're fans and frequent users of TripAdvisor, you should know that we're also members of the TripAdvisor affiliate program. |
| <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 Becks Park, please let us know so that we can improve our accuracy. |
| <5> | Our distances are not driving distances, but are calculated as a 'straight-line' distance. A straight line distance ignores obstructions like rivers, canyons, lakes, et cetera - it's truly a line from Point A (ie- Becks Park) to Point B. In other words: 'As the crow flies'. |