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 Crystal Lake (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 Crystal Lake. 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 Crystal Lake ...
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.
Although we can't give a definitive list, hopefully the following will give you a feel for the variations that might occur.
For example, a typical abbreviation for Crystal Lake: Crystal Lk.
You might be interested in other communities that are also named Crystal Lake. More information can be found on our Tidbits & Trivia Page for Crystal Lake.
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 southeast corner of their home county. During their lives, most hospitals and doctors 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.
Crystal Lake is located in McHenry 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 McHenry County: Boone, Cook, DeKalb, Kane, Lake, Kenosha (WI) & Walworth (WI).
Below are the counties that are near Crystal Lake. For each of these counties, we show a sample of those communities that are closest to Crystal Lake:
- McHenry County (The home county of Crystal Lake)
- The following are listed by their distance from Crystal Lake, with the one closest to Crystal Lake listed first.
- Ridgefield
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the northwest)
- Ridgefield is located in McHenry County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ridgefield
- Lakewood
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the west)
- Lake-in-the-Hills
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the southeast)
- Cary
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the east)
- Bull Valley
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the north)
- Bull Valley is located in McHenry County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bull Valley
- Population from the 2020 Census: 1,078 people
- Barreville
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the northeast)
- Barreville is located in McHenry County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Barreville
- Prairie Grove
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the northeast)
- Prairie Grove is located in McHenry County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Prairie Grove
- Population from the 2020 Census: 1,920 people
- Terra Cotta
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the northeast)
- Terra Cotta is located in McHenry County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Terra Cotta
- Trout Valley
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the southeast)
- Trout Valley is located in McHenry County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Trout Valley
- Population from the 2020 Census: 508 people
- Oakwood Hills
(5 miles [8 km] to the east)
- Oakwood Hills is located in McHenry County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Oakwood Hills
- Population from the 2020 Census: 2,011 people
- Algonquin
(5 miles [8 km] to the southeast)
- Fox River Grove
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the east)
- Boone County
- The following are listed by their distance from Crystal Lake, with the one closest to Crystal Lake listed first.
- Garden Prairie
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the west)
- Capron
(23 miles [37 km] to the northwest)
- Herbert
(23 miles [37 km] to the west)
- Herbert is located in Boone County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Herbert
- Russellville
(23 miles [37 km] to the west)
- Russellville is located in Boone County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Russellville
- Belvidere
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the west)
- Poplar Grove
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the west)
- Timberlane
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the west)
- Timberlane is located in Boone County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Timberlane
- Population from the 2020 Census: 934 people
- Caledonia
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the west)
- Irene
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the west)
- Irene is located in Boone County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Irene
- Cook County
- The following are listed by their distance from Crystal Lake, with the one closest to Crystal Lake listed first.
- Barrington Hills
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the southeast)
- Barrington Hills is located in Cook County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Barrington Hills
- Population from the 2020 Census: 4,152 people
- Barrington
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the southeast)
- South Barrington
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the southeast)
- South Barrington is located in Cook County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for South Barrington
- Population from the 2020 Census: 4,976 people
- Inverness
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the southeast)
- Hoffman Estates
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the southeast)
- Capri Village
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the east)
- Capri Village is located in Cook County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Capri Village
- Streamwood
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the southeast)
- Palatine
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the southeast)
- Fairfax Village
(18 miles [29 km] to the southeast)
- Fairfax Village is located in Cook County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Fairfax Village
- Hanover Park
(18 miles [29 km] to the southeast)
- Plum Grove Village
(18 miles [29 km] to the southeast)
- Plum Grove Village is located in Cook County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Plum Grove Village
- Schaumburg
(18 miles [29 km] to the southeast)
- DeKalb County
- The following are listed by their distance from Crystal Lake, with the one closest to Crystal Lake listed first.
- New Lebanon
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the southwest)
- New Lebanon is located in DeKalb County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for New Lebanon
- Charter Grove
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the southwest)
- Charter Grove is located in DeKalb County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Charter Grove
- Genoa
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the southwest)
- Kingston
(23 miles [37 km] to the southwest)
- Sycamore
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the southwest)
- Sycamore is located in DeKalb County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sycamore
- Population from the 2020 Census: 18,317 people
- Brush Point ‑ Historic
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the southwest)
- Brush Point is located in DeKalb County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Brush Point
- Coltonville ‑ Historic
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the southwest)
- Coltonville is located in DeKalb County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Coltonville
- Cortland
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the southwest)
- Kirkland
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the west)
- Clare
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the southwest)
- De Kalb
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the southwest)
- DuPage County
- The following are listed by their distance from Crystal Lake, with the one closest to Crystal Lake listed first.
- Bartlett
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the southeast)
- Wayne
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the south)
- Keeneyville
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the southeast)
- Keeneyville is located in DuPage County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Keeneyville
- Roselle
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the southeast)
- Medinah
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the southeast)
- Ingalton
(23 miles [37 km] to the south)
- Ingalton is located in DuPage County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ingalton
- Bloomingdale
(23 miles [37 km] to the southeast)
- Cloverdale
(23 miles [37 km] to the southeast)
- Cloverdale is located in DuPage County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cloverdale
- Itasca
(23 miles [37 km] to the southeast)
- Carol Stream
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the southeast)
- West Chicago
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the south)
- West Chicago is located in DuPage County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for West Chicago
- Population from the 2020 Census: 26,593 people
- Glendale Heights
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the southeast)
- Kane County
- The following are listed by their distance from Crystal Lake, with the one closest to Crystal Lake listed first.
- Carpentersville
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the south)
- Freeman
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the south)
- Freeman is located in Kane County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Freeman
- Gilberts
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the south)
- West Dundee
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the south)
- Sleepy Hollow
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the south)
- East Dundee
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the southeast)
- Hampshire
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the southwest)
- Pingree Grove
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the southwest)
- Starks
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the southwest)
- Starks is located in Kane County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Starks
- Elgin
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the south)
- North Plato
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the southwest)
- North Plato is located in Kane County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for North Plato
- Bowes Bend
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the south)
- Bowes Bend is located in Kane County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bowes Bend
- Lake County
- The following are listed by their distance from Crystal Lake, with the one closest to Crystal Lake listed first.
- Fox River Valley Gardens
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the east)
- Port Barrington
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the east)
- Port Barrington is located in Lake County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Port Barrington
- Population from the 2020 Census: 1,481 people
- Port Barrington has also been known as:
- Port Barrington village
- Lake Barrington
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the east)
- Lake Barrington is located in Lake County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lake Barrington
- Population from the 2020 Census: 4,840 people
- Tower Lakes
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the east)
- Tower Lakes is located in Lake County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Tower Lakes
- Population from the 2020 Census: 1,219 people
- North Barrington
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the east)
- North Barrington is located in Lake County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for North Barrington
- Population from the 2020 Census: 2,938 people
- Wauconda
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the east)
- Volo
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the northeast)
- Lake Zurich
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the east)
- Deer Park
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the east)
- Hawthorn Woods
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the east)
- Fort Hill
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the northeast)
- Fort Hill is located in Lake County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Fort Hill
- Forest Lake
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the east)
- Forest Lake is located in Lake County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Forest Lake
- Kenosha County (WI)
- The following are listed by their distance from Crystal Lake, with the one closest to Crystal Lake listed first.
- Twin Lakes
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the north)
- Twin Lakes is located in Kenosha County (WI)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Twin Lakes
- Population from the 2020 Census: 6,234 people
- Powers Lake
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the north)
- Powers Lake is located in Kenosha County (WI)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Powers Lake
- Benet Lake
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the northeast)
- Benet Lake is located in Kenosha County (WI)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Benet Lake
- Fox River
(23 miles [37 km] to the north)
- Fox River is located in Kenosha County (WI)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Fox River
- Camp Lake
(23 miles [37 km] to the northeast)
- Camp Lake is located in Kenosha County (WI)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Camp Lake
- Lake Shangrila
(23 miles [37 km] to the northeast)
- Lake Shangrila is located in Kenosha County (WI)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lake Shangrila
- Slades Corners
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the north)
- Slades Corners is located in Kenosha County (WI)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Slades Corners
- Salem Lakes
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the northeast)
- Salem Lakes is located in Kenosha County (WI)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Salem Lakes
- Former names for Salem Lakes:
- Salem
- Silver Lake
- Bristol
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the northeast)
- Bristol is located in Kenosha County (WI)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bristol
- Population from the 2020 Census: 5,145 people
- Fossland
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the northeast)
- Fossland is located in Kenosha County (WI)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Fossland
- Paddock Lake
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the northeast)
- Paddock Lake is located in Kenosha County (WI)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Paddock Lake
- Population from the 2020 Census: 3,232 people
- Woodworth
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the northeast)
- Woodworth is located in Kenosha County (WI)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Woodworth
- Racine County (WI)
- The following are listed by their distance from Crystal Lake, with the one closest to Crystal Lake listed first.
- Bohners Lake
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the north)
- Bohners Lake is located in Racine County (WI)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bohners Lake
- Burlington
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the north)
- Burlington is located in Racine County (WI)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Burlington
- Population from the 2020 Census: 10,898 people
- Walworth County (WI)
- The following are listed by their distance from Crystal Lake, with the one closest to Crystal Lake listed first.
- Genoa City
(18 miles [29 km] to the north)
- Genoa City is located in Walworth County (WI)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Genoa City
- Population from the 2020 Census: 2,981 people
- Zenda
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the north)
- Zenda is located in Walworth County (WI)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Zenda
- Pell Lake
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the north)
- Pell Lake is located in Walworth County (WI)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Pell Lake
- Big Foot Prairie
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the northwest)
- Big Foot Prairie is located in Walworth County (WI)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Big Foot Prairie
- Fontana-on-Geneva Lake
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the northwest)
- Fontana-on-Geneva Lake is located in Walworth County (WI)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Fontana-on-Geneva Lake
- Population from the 2020 Census: 1,743 people
- Walworth
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the northwest)
- Walworth is located in Walworth County (WI)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Walworth
- Population from the 2020 Census: 2,827 people
- Lake Geneva
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the north)
- Lake Geneva is located in Walworth County (WI)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lake Geneva
- Population from the 2020 Census: 8,096 people
- Lake Como
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the north)
- Lake Como is located in Walworth County (WI)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lake Como
- Williams Bay
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the northwest)
- Williams Bay is located in Walworth County (WI)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Williams Bay
- Population from the 2020 Census: 2,657 people
- Como
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the north)
- Como is located in Walworth County (WI)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Como
- Lake Como Beach ‑ Historic
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the north)
- Lake Como Beach is located in Walworth County (WI)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lake Como Beach
- Sharon
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the northwest)
- Sharon is located in Walworth County (WI)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sharon
- Population from the 2020 Census: 1,546 people
For an expanded list of the communities that are closest to Crystal Lake, see our County-by-County Page for Crystal Lake.
Cemeteries Near Crystal Lake ...
Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of Crystal Lake.
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 Crystal Lake - one of the links might be able to help.
If not found below, our Cemetery List for Crystal Lake covers a larger area, with the cemeteries listed in alphabetical order.
The following cemeteries are listed based on their distance from Crystal Lake, with the one closest to Crystal Lake listed first.
- Lake Ave. Cemetery
(Less than 2 miles to the southwest)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lake Ave. Cemetery
- The Lake Ave. Cemetery has also been known as:
- Crystal Lake Cemetery
- Union Cemetery
(Less than 2 miles to the northeast)
- Spicer Cemetery
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the southwest)
- Crystal Lake Memorial Park
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the northwest)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Crystal Lake Memorial Park
- To give a relative sense of its location, the Crystal Lake Memorial Park is a large cemetery that is located less than 2 miles<2> to the southeast of Ridgefield.
- The Crystal Lake Memorial Park has also been known as:
- Crystal Lake Union Cemetery
- Jump to Find-A-Grave: FG ID #105324 <3>
- Ridgefield Cemetery
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the northwest)
- Holcombville Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the north)
- Mt. Thabor Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the west)
- Village of Algonquin Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the southeast)
- McMillan Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the northeast)
- Buena Vista Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the south)
- St. Johns Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the southeast)
- Cary Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the east)
- Continue List (343 more) ...
- Memorial Park
(5 miles [8 km] to the northwest)
- Huntlet Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the southwest)
- St. Marys Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 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>
The Rand McNally Atlas shows that Crystal Lake had a population of 781 people in 1895 with a post office and no railroad service. In 2020, Crystal Lake had a population of 39,642 people.
These communities are listed based on their distance from Crystal Lake, with the one closest to Crystal Lake listed first.
- Ridgefield
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the northwest)
- Ridgefield is located in McHenry County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ridgefield
- Barreville
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the northeast)
- Barreville is located in McHenry County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Barreville
- Terra Cotta
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the northeast)
- Terra Cotta is located in McHenry County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Terra Cotta
- Algonquin
(5 miles [8 km] to the southeast)
- Coyne
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the southwest)
- Coyne is located in McHenry County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Coyne
- Huntley
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the southwest)
- Freeman
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the south)
- Freeman is located in Kane County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Freeman
- Carpentersville
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the south)
- McHenry
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the north)
- Gilberts
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the south)
- Woodstock
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the northwest)
- Harmony
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the southwest)
- Harmony is located in McHenry County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Harmony
- Continue List (14 more) ...
- Wauconda
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the east)
- Union
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the west)
- Hampshire
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the southwest)
We've also created an expanded list of communities that existed in the 1890's and were located in the area around Crystal Lake. See our List of 1890's Communities around Crystal Lake.
Newspapers Published in Crystal Lake ...
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 65 newspapers that have been published in the area around Crystal Lake.
Although we're unaware of any newspapers that were published in the immediate area of Crystal Lake, there are papers which were published within 14 miles [22.5 km]<2>. A list of those papers, sorted by paper name, can be found on the Extended Newspaper List for Crystal Lake.
Websites to Help With Your Genealogy Research ...
When we do our genealogical research, we first visit the websites from Cyndi's List, FamilySearch and Genealogy Trails. These helpful 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 Crystal Lake:
- Websites specific to Illinois
- Pages specific to McHenry County
- Genealogy information for nearby counties
- Boone County
- Cook County
- DeKalb County
- DuPage County
- Kane County
- Lake County
- Kenosha County
- Racine County
- Walworth 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 'straight-line' distance. A straight line distance ignores obstructions like rivers, canyons, lakes, et cetera - it's truly a line from Point A (ie- Crystal Lake) 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 Crystal Lake, please let us know so that we can improve our accuracy. |