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 Broken Arrow (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 Broken Arrow. 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 southeast 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 south.
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 south 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.
Broken Arrow is located in Will 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 Will County: Cook, DuPage, Grundy, Kane, Kankakee, Kendall & Lake (IN).
Below are the counties that are near Broken Arrow. For each of these counties, we show a sample of those communities that are closest to Broken Arrow:
- Will County (The home county of Broken Arrow)
- The following are listed by their distance from Broken Arrow, with the one closest to Broken Arrow listed first.
- Lockport
(Less than 2 miles to the northwest)
- Fairmont
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the southwest)
- Fairmont is located in Will County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Fairmont
- Cherry Hill
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the south)
- Cherry Hill is located in Will County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cherry Hill
- East Joliet
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the southwest)
- East Joliet is located in Will County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for East Joliet
- Homer Glen
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the east)
- 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 <1>
- Ingalls Park
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the south)
- Ingalls Park is located in Will County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ingalls Park
- Crest Hill
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the west)
- Goodings Grove
(5 miles [8 km] to the northeast)
- Goodings Grove is located in Will County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Goodings Grove
- Gilletts ‑ Historic
(5 miles [8 km] to the southeast)
- Gilletts is located in Will County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Gilletts
- New Lenox
(5 miles [8 km] to the southeast)
- Joliet
(5 miles [8 km] to the southwest)
- Brisbane
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the southeast)
- Brisbane is located in Will County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Brisbane
- Preston Heights
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the southwest)
- Preston Heights is located in Will County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Preston Heights
- Cook County
- The following are listed by their distance from Broken Arrow, with the one closest to Broken Arrow listed first.
- Lemont
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the north)
- Orland Park
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the east)
- Orland Hills
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the east)
- Tinley Park
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the east)
- Palos Park
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the northeast)
- Burr Ridge
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the north)
- Palos Heights
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the northeast)
- Palos Hills
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the northeast)
- Willow Springs
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the northeast)
- Oak Forest
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the east)
- Worth
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the northeast)
- Chicago Ridge
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the northeast)
- Hickory Hills
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the northeast)
- DuPage County
- The following are listed by their distance from Broken Arrow, with the one closest to Broken Arrow listed first.
- Tedens ‑ Historic
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the north)
- Tedens is located in DuPage County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Tedens
- Darien
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the north)
- Woodridge
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the north)
- Willowbrook
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the north)
- Naperville
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the northwest)
- Clarendon Hills
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the north)
- Downers Grove
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the north)
- Lisle
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the north)
- Westmont
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the north)
- Hinsdale
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the north)
- Oak Brook
(18 miles [29 km] to the north)
- Utopia
(18 miles [29 km] to the north)
- Utopia is located in DuPage County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Utopia
- Eola
(18 miles [29 km] to the northwest)
- Grundy County
- The following are listed by their distance from Broken Arrow, with the one closest to Broken Arrow listed first.
- Channahon
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the southwest)
- Minooka
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the southwest)
- Sand Ridge
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the southwest)
- Sand Ridge is located in Grundy County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sand Ridge
- Diamond
(23 miles [37 km] to the southwest)
- Carbon Hill
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the southwest)
- Carbon Hill is located in Grundy County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Carbon Hill
- Population from the 2020 Census: 334 people
- Coal City
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the southwest)
- Claypool
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the southwest)
- Claypool is located in Grundy County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Claypool
- Gaslight Village
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the southwest)
- Gaslight Village is located in Grundy County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Gaslight Village
- Morris
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the southwest)
- Centerville ‑ Historic
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the southwest)
- Centerville is located in Grundy County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Centerville
- Braceville
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the southwest)
- Central City
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the southwest)
- Central City is located in Grundy County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Central City
- East Brooklyn
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the southwest)
- East Brooklyn is located in Grundy County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for East Brooklyn
- Population from the 2020 Census: 104 people
- Kane County
- The following are listed by their distance from Broken Arrow, with the one closest to Broken Arrow listed first.
- Aurora
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the northwest)
- Batavia
(23 miles [37 km] to the northwest)
- Mooseheart
(23 miles [37 km] to the northwest)
- North Aurora
(23 miles [37 km] to the northwest)
- North Aurora is located in Kane County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for North Aurora
- Population from the 2020 Census: 18,144 people
- Sugar Grove
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the northwest)
- Geneva
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the northwest)
- Saint Charles
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the northwest)
- Big Rock
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the northwest)
- Bonnie
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the northwest)
- Bonnie is located in Kane County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bonnie
- Bonnie has also been known as:
- Bonnie Valley
- Kankakee County
- The following are listed by their distance from Broken Arrow, with the one closest to Broken Arrow listed first.
- Manteno
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the southeast)
- Bourbonnais
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the south)
- Essex
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the south)
- Bonfield
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the south)
- Bradley
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the south)
- Saint George
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the southeast)
- Saint George is located in Kankakee County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Saint George
- Grant Park
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the southeast)
- Grant Park is located in Kankakee County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Grant Park
- Population from the 2020 Census: 1,231 people
- Kendall County
- The following are listed by their distance from Broken Arrow, with the one closest to Broken Arrow listed first.
- Boulder Hill
(18 miles [29 km] to the northwest)
- Boulder Hill is located in Kendall County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Boulder Hill
- Oswego
(18 miles [29 km] to the west)
- Montgomery
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the northwest)
- Plattville
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the west)
- Plattville is located in Kendall County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Plattville
- Population from the 2020 Census: 257 people
- Bristol
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the west)
- Yorkville
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the west)
- Lisbon
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the west)
- Lisbon is located in Kendall County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lisbon
- Population from the 2020 Census: 310 people
- Plano
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the west)
- Millbrook
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the west)
- Newark
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the west)
- Little Rock
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the west)
- Little Rock is located in Kendall County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Little Rock
- La Salle County
- Millington
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the west)
- Lake County (IN)
- The following are listed by their distance from Broken Arrow, with the one closest to Broken Arrow listed first.
- Dyer
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the east)
- 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 <1>
- Hammond
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the east)
- Munster
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the east)
- Hartsdale
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the east)
- Hartsdale is located in Lake County (IN)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hartsdale
- Hessville
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the east)
- Hessville is located in Lake County (IN)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hessville
- Highland
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the east)
- Whiting
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the east)
- East Chicago
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the east)
- Saint John
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the east)
- Griffith
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the east)
- Schererville
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the east)
For an expanded list of the communities that are closest to Broken Arrow, see our County-by-County Page for Broken Arrow.
Cemeteries Near Broken Arrow ...
Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of Broken Arrow.
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 Broken Arrow - one of the links might be able to help.
If not found below, our Cemetery List for Broken Arrow covers a larger area, with the cemeteries listed in alphabetical order.
The following cemeteries are listed based on their distance from Broken Arrow, with the one closest to Broken Arrow listed first.
- Barnett Cemetery
(Less than 2 miles to the southeast)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Barnett Cemetery
- To give a relative sense of its location, the Barnett Cemetery is a large cemetery that is located 2 miles [3.2 km]<2> to the southeast of Lockport.
- Jump to Find-A-Grave: FG ID #104636 <3>
- Lockport Cemetery
(Less than 2 miles to the northwest)
- St. Nicholas Orthodox Cemetery
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the southwest)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for St. Nicholas Orthodox Cemetery
- To give a relative sense of its location, the St. Nicholas Orthodox Cemetery is located outside and to the northeast of Joliet.
- The St. Nicholas Orthodox Cemetery has also been known as:
- Russian Cemetery
- Jump to Find-A-Grave: FG ID #107802 <3>
- Mt. Calvary Cemetery
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the southwest)
- St. Cyrils Cemetery
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the southwest)
- St. Cyril and Methodius Cemetery
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the south)
- Calvary Cemetery
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the northwest)
- Runyan Cemetery
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the northwest)
- Lockport South Cemetery
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the west)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lockport South Cemetery
- To give a relative sense of its location, the Lockport South Cemetery is a large cemetery that is located in Lockport.
- The Lockport South Cemetery has also been known as:
- Lockport Catholic Cemetery
- St. Dennis Cemetery
- Jump to Find-A-Grave: FG ID #2289328 <3>
- Oakwood Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the southwest)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Oakwood Cemetery
- To give a relative sense of its location, the Oakwood Cemetery is a very large cemetery that is located in Joliet.
- Jump to Find-A-Grave: FG ID #261051 <3>
- St. Peter Lutheran Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the southwest)
- St. Peters Lutheran Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the southwest)
- Continue List (377 more) ...
- Mt. Olivet Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 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 Joliet.
- Jump to Find-A-Grave: FG ID #107054 <3>
- Mound Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the south)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mound Cemetery
- To give a relative sense of its location, the Mound Cemetery is located outside and to the east of Joliet.
- The Mound Cemetery has also been known as:
- Rudd Cemetery
- Jump to Find-A-Grave: FG ID #2339538 <3>
- Hadley Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the east)
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 Broken Arrow in the Atlas, the following 1895 communities would have been found near the current location of Broken Arrow.
These communities are listed based on their distance from Broken Arrow, with the one closest to Broken Arrow listed first.
- Lockport
(Less than 2 miles to the northwest)
- East Joliet
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the southwest)
- East Joliet is located in Will County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for East Joliet
- Romeo
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the northwest)
- Romeo is located in Will County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Romeo
- Joliet
(5 miles [8 km] to the southwest)
- New Lenox
(5 miles [8 km] to the southeast)
- Steele
(5 miles [8 km] to the southeast)
- Steele is located in Will County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Steele
- Marley
(5 miles [8 km] to the southeast)
- Marley is located in Will County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Marley
- Goodings Grove
(5 miles [8 km] to the northeast)
- Goodings Grove is located in Will County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Goodings Grove
- Brisbane
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the southeast)
- Brisbane is located in Will County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Brisbane
- Spencer
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the southeast)
- Spencer is located in Will County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Spencer
- Lemont
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the north)
- Coynes
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the west)
- Coynes is located in Will County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Coynes
- Continue List (14 more) ...
- Mokena
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the southeast)
- Alpine
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the east)
- Alpine is located in Cook County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Alpine
- Sag Bridge
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the northeast)
- Sag Bridge is located in Cook County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sag Bridge
We've also created an expanded list of communities that existed in the 1890's and were located in the area around Broken Arrow. See our List of 1890's Communities around Broken Arrow.
Newspapers Published in Broken Arrow ...
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 47 newspapers that have been published in the area around Broken Arrow.
Although we're unaware of any newspapers that were published in the immediate area of Broken Arrow, there are papers which were published within 8 miles [12.9 km]<2>. A list of those papers, sorted by paper name, can be found on the Extended Newspaper List for Broken Arrow.
Websites to Help With Your Genealogy Research ...
When we do our genealogical research, we like to start with the websites from Cyndi's List, FamilySearch and Genealogy Trails. These websites 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 Broken Arrow:
- Websites specific to Illinois
- Pages specific to Will County
- Genealogy information for nearby counties
- Cook County
- DuPage County
- Grundy County
- Kane County
- Kankakee County
- Kendall County
- La Salle County
- Lake 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 drawn from Point A (ie- Broken Arrow) 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 Broken Arrow, please let us know so that we can improve our accuracy. |