RoadsideThoughts
A Gazetteer for the United States and Canada
Home >> State of Illinois >> Cook County >> Central Park >> Tidbits & TriviaIndex...

Outdoor Activities ...

As we travel, we like to pursue some of our interests (such as astronomy and bird watching).

When in Central Park, we use the following websites to find information relevant to Central Park and the surrounding area.

  • Weather ...
  • Astronomy & Satellites ...
    • Whether using binoculars, a small telescope or the naked-eye, the Heavens-Above website can help you to find your way around the night-time sky. In addition to detailed sky charts, their website will help you find planets, asteriods, comets, satellites and their tracks across the sky.
    • To give accurate results, Heavens-Above requires the latitude and longitude of your location. As a starting point, when we link to Heavens-Above, we pass this GPS location for Central Park:
    • 41.885588, -87.730612
    • Once you're on the Heavens-Above website, you can improve its accuracy by giving a more precise longitude and latitude as your actual position.
    • Open the Heavens-Above website centered on Central Park
  • Bird Watching ...
    • We enjoy finding new spots for bird watching and we use the eBird website for local sighting reports and to help identify hotspots.
    • The eBird website is organized on a county-by-county basis. We have selected Cook County as the starting point when you click on the link below:
    • Open the eBird sighting report for Cook County
    • Since Central Park is near DuPage County and also Lake County, we have provided a link to their eBird sighting reports:
    • Open the eBird sighting report for DuPage County
    • Open the eBird sighting report for Lake County
  • Waymarking ...
    • Looking for somewhere out of the ordinary? Find a unique place and want to share it with others? Then it's time to visit Waymarking.com:
    • Open the Waymark.com report for Central Park

Communities Also Named Central Park ...

We found eighteen communities that are also named Central Park.

There is one other community in Illinois that is also named Central Park.

Beyond Illinois, we know of seventeen communities that are located in the United States and Canada. Of these seventeen communities, sixteen are located in the United States and two are in Canada.

  • Communities Located In Illinois ...
    • Vermilion County
      • We found mention of this community, but have little information.<1> For the information that we do have, please visit our profile page for the Illinois community of Central Park [Vermilion County].
  • Communities Elsewhere In North America ...
    • Alberta
      • This Central Park lies 1,411 miles [2,270.8 km]<2> to the northwest of the Central Park that is located in Cook County.
    • Georgia
      • Glynn County
      • This Central Park is located in Glynn County and lies 818 miles [1,316.4 km]<2> to the south southeast of the Central Park that is located in Cook County.
      • For more information, please visit our profile page for the Glynn County community of Central Park.
    • Louisiana
      • Saint Tammany Parish
      • This Central Park is located in Saint Tammany Parish and lies 811 miles [1,305.2 km]<2> to the south of the Central Park that is located in Cook County.
      • For more information, please visit our profile page for the Saint Tammany Parish community of Central Park.
    • Michigan
      • Ottawa County
      • We found mention of this community, but have little information.<1> For the information that we do have, please visit our profile page for the Michigan community of Central Park [Ottawa County].
    • Mississippi
      • Monroe County
      • This Central Park is located in Monroe County and lies 558 miles [898 km]<2> to the south of the Central Park that is located in Cook County.
      • For more information, please visit our profile page for the Monroe County community of Central Park.
    • Montana
      • Gallatin County
      • We found mention of this community, but have little information.<1> For the information that we do have, please visit our profile page for the Montana community of Central Park [Gallatin County].
    • New Hampshire
      • Strafford County
      • This Central Park is located in Strafford County and lies 860 miles [1,384 km]<2> to the east of the Central Park that is located in Cook County.
      • For more information, please visit our profile page for the Strafford County community of Central Park.
    • New Jersey
      • Middlesex County
      • We found mention of this community, but have little information.<1> For the information that we do have, please visit our profile page for the New Jersey community of Central Park [Middlesex County].
      • Salem County
      • This Central Park is located in Salem County and lies 656 miles [1,055.7 km]<2> to the east of the Central Park that is located in Cook County.
      • For more information, please visit our profile page for the Salem County community of Central Park.
    • New York
      • Erie County
      • We found mention of this community, but have little information.<1> For the information that we do have, please visit our profile page for the New York community of Central Park [Erie County].
      • Queens County
      • We found mention of this community, but have little information. For the information that we do have, please visit our profile page for the New York community of Central Park [Queens County].
    • Ontario
      • This Central Park lies 645 miles [1,038 km]<2> to the east northeast of the Central Park that is located in Cook County.
    • Pennsylvania
      • Allegheny County
      • We found mention of this community, but have little information.<1> For the information that we do have, please visit our profile page for the Pennsylvania community of Central Park [Allegheny County].
    • Texas
      • Harris County
      • This Central Park is located in Harris County and lies 938 miles [1,509.6 km]<2> to the south southwest of the Central Park that is located in Cook County.
      • For more information, please visit our profile page for the Harris County community of Central Park.
    • Virginia
      • Chesterfield County
      • This Central Park is located in Chesterfield County and lies 629 miles [1,012.3 km]<2> to the east southeast of the Central Park that is located in Cook County.
      • For more information, please visit our profile page for the Chesterfield County community of Central Park.
    • Washington
      • Grays Harbor County
      • This Central Park is located in Grays Harbor County and lies 1,791 miles [2,882.3 km]<2> to the west northwest of the Central Park that is located in Cook County.
      • For more information, please visit our profile page for the Grays Harbor County community of Central Park.
    • Wisconsin
      • Douglas County
      • This Central Park is located in Douglas County and lies 396 miles [637.3 km]<2> to the north northwest of the Central Park that is located in Cook County.
      • For more information, please visit our profile page for the Douglas County community of Central Park.

Curious and Interesting Names Near Central Park ...

As we travel, we always see a community with a name that gives pause. While there are names which are interesting or familiar, some catch our attention or strike our fancy. We always wonder about such a name. If time permits and the community is not too far, we'll usually try to make a side-trip.

  • Archer Limits
    (5 miles [8 km] to the south)
    • Archer Limits is located in Cook County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Archer Limits
  • Bricktown
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the northeast)
    • Bricktown is located in Cook County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bricktown
  • California Park
    (5 miles [8 km] to the north)
    • California Park is located in Cook County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for California Park
  • Chinatown
    (5 miles [8 km] to the southeast)
    • Chinatown is located in Cook County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Chinatown
  • Clyde
    (3 miles [4.8 km] to the southwest)
    • Clyde is located in Cook County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Clyde
  • Ducktown
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the southeast)
    • Ducktown is located in Cook County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ducktown
  • Fifty Acres
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the east)
    • Fifty Acres is located in Cook County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Fifty Acres
  • Film Row
    (5 miles [8 km] to the east)
    • Film Row is located in Cook County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Film Row
  • Forest Park
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the west)
  • Forest View
    (5 miles [8 km] to the southwest)
  • Galewood
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the northwest)
    • Galewood is located in Cook County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Galewood
  • Gold Coast
    (5 miles [8 km] to the east)
    • Gold Coast is located in Cook County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Gold Coast
  • Continue List   (25 more) ...
    • Grayland
      (4 miles [6.4 km] to the north)
      • Grayland is located in Cook County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Grayland
    • Harbor Square
      (5 miles [8 km] to the east)
      • Harbor Square is located in Cook County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Harbor Square
    • Humboldt
      (2 miles [3.2 km] to the northeast)
      • Humboldt is located in Cook County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Humboldt
    • Humboldt Park
      (Less than 2 miles to the north)
      • Humboldt Park is located in Cook County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Humboldt Park
    • Lincoln Park
      (4 miles [6.4 km] to the northeast)
      • Lincoln Park is located in Cook County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lincoln Park
    • Little Hell
      (4 miles [6.4 km] to the east)
      • Little Hell is located in Cook County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Little Hell
    • Little Sicily
      (4 miles [6.4 km] to the east)
      • Little Sicily is located in Cook County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Little Sicily
    • Locks
      (4 miles [6.4 km] to the southeast)
      • Locks is located in Cook County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Locks
    • Maplewood
      (3 miles [4.8 km] to the northeast)
      • Maplewood is located in Cook County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Maplewood
    • Maplewood Courts
      (2 miles [3.2 km] to the east)
      • Maplewood Courts is located in Cook County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Maplewood Courts
    • Martin Luther
      (4 miles [6.4 km] to the northwest)
      • Martin Luther is located in Cook County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Martin Luther
    • Maywood
      (5 miles [8 km] to the west)
    • Mount Pleasant
      (4 miles [6.4 km] to the southeast)
      • Mount Pleasant is located in Cook County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mount Pleasant
    • New Patch
      (5 miles [8 km] to the southeast)
      • New Patch is located in Cook County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for New Patch
    • Park Row
      (5 miles [8 km] to the east)
      • Park Row is located in Cook County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Park Row
    • Portage Park
      (5 miles [8 km] to the north)
      • Portage Park is located in Cook County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Portage Park
    • Ravenswood Gardens
      (5 miles [8 km] to the north)
      • Ravenswood Gardens is located in Cook County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ravenswood Gardens
    • Shantytown
      (5 miles [8 km] to the east)
      • Shantytown is located in Cook County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Shantytown
    • Six Corners
      (4 miles [6.4 km] to the north)
      • Six Corners is located in Cook County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Six Corners
    • Sleepy Hollow
      (4 miles [6.4 km] to the south)
      • Sleepy Hollow is located in Cook County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sleepy Hollow
    • Streeterville
      (5 miles [8 km] to the east)
      • Streeterville is located in Cook County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Streeterville
    • Swede Town
      (4 miles [6.4 km] to the east)
      • Swede Town is located in Cook County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Swede Town
    • Towertown
      (5 miles [8 km] to the east)
      • Towertown is located in Cook County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Towertown
    • Whiskey Point
      (2 miles [3.2 km] to the northwest)
      • Whiskey Point is located in Cook County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Whiskey Point
    • Whiskey Row
      (5 miles [8 km] to the southeast)
      • Whiskey Row is located in Cook County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Whiskey Row

How Far From Central Park to ...

We spend a lot of time looking through Gazetteers that were published in the late 1800's and early 1900's. Many of the Gazetteers include the distance from a community such as Central Park to various places of note, such as the White House.

With a nod to our favorite Gazetteers, the straight-line distance beginning in Central Park and extending to:

  • Chicago, which is the Seat of Cook County, lies just to the East.
  • Springfield, which is the State Capital of Illinois, lies 176 miles [283.2 km]<2> to the southwest (SW). If you could drive a straight line from Central Park to Springfield, with an average speed<4>of 63 miles [101.4 km] per hour, it would take about three hours to make the trip. A comfortable walk of 2.2 miles [3.5 km] per hour would take 10 days. A horse and buggy averaging 3.2 miles [5.1 km] per hour would take 7 days.
  • The White House (Washington, DC) is 598 miles [962.4 km] to the east southeast (ESE). Driving would take just over a day, a buggy would take 24 days and walking would take 34 days.
  • The shortest distance<5> to Jerusalem (specifically the Temple Mount and the Dome of the Rock) is 6,185 miles [9,953.8 km] and it lies to the northeast (NE).<6>
  • The distance to the Great Mosque of Mecca (specifically the Ka'bah - or Kaaba ) is 6,924 miles [11,143.1 km] and it lies to the northeast (NE).<7>
  • The distance to Saint Peter's Basilica (The Vatican) is 4,808 miles [7,737.7 km] and it lies to the northeast (NE).<8>'

Footnotes ...

<1>If we encounter the name of what might be a community, our methodology is to add that name to our Gazetteer as a placeholder. As we find more information about that community, it will be added to our Gazetteer.

Just as a reminder: Our definition of a community is rather broad and includes those places (or areas) where several families lived and had a name which identified that place. For example, you might hear somebody say that they are going over to Bird Creek to see Pete ... Bird Creek is just a gas station and a couple of homes at the crossroads. While it might not be on the map, everybody in the area knows it by that name.

Places of interest include buildings at a crossroad, several families clustered in a hollow or maybe the location of a way station. It also includes places like mines, lumber camps, ferry crossings, etc. The community might still exist, is now gone or only existed for just a short period of time.

Also keep in mind that Central Park could have been on the original document by mistake, misspelled, the original/alternate name of a community that we've listed elsewhere or was placed in the wrong county. Sometimes a post office or train station would have a different name than the community where it's located, so two names might be referring to the same community - we're working to straighten it all out.
<2>Our distances are not driving distances, but are calculated as a 'straight-line' (or 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- Central Park) to Point B. In other words: 'As the crow flies'.
<3>While we're fans and frequent users of TripAdvisor, you should know that we're also members of the TripAdvisor affiliate program.
<4>While we have tried to pick reasonable speeds, the rate of travel is very theoretical - obstacles like fences, hills, lakes, river crossings and rest stops have been ignored. When we say 'Days' of travel, we're assuming 8 hours of travel per day.
<5>The shortest line can be visualized by stretching a string on a Globe from Point A to Point B - this is known as a Great Circle Route. Where you might expect the shortest route from Central Park to the Middle East to be East and South, the Great Circle Route actually lies to the North and East.Our distance measurements begin at a specific point in Central Park. The point we use is located at these GPS coordinates - Latitude: 41.8856, Longitude: -87.7306       In this case, the coordinates for Central Park have been provided by the Geographic Names Information System (GNIS).
<6>The calculated bearing (or angle) to Jerusalem is 314.501 degrees.
<7>The calculated bearing (or angle) to Mecca is 311.406 degrees.
<8>The calculated bearing (or angle) to the Vatican is 308.613 degrees.