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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 Downers Grove (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 Downers Grove. 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 Downers Grove ...

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 have occurred.

  • A typical abbreviation for Downers Grove: Downers Grv.
  • While the name of this village is Downers Grove, be aware that it's the common practice of mapmakers to remove the apostrophe from possessive names<1>. So Downers Grove may originally have been Downer's Grove.

    Sometimes the trailing 's' might be dropped altogether, in which case Downers Grove might be written as Downer Grove.

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 southwest 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 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 west 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.

Downers Grove is located in DuPage County.

To see how the shape of Illinois' counties have changed over time, we recommend the Atlas of Historical County Boundaries.

The following counties adjoin and form the boundaries of DuPage County: Cook, Kane, Kendall & Will.

Below are the counties that are near Downers Grove. For each of these counties, we show a sample of those communities that are closest to Downers Grove:

  • DuPage County     (The home county of Downers Grove)
    • The following are listed by their distance from Downers Grove, with the one closest to Downers Grove listed first.
    • Clarendon Hills
      (2 miles [3.2 km] to the east)
      • Note: The GPS coordinates that we are using for Clarendon Hills have been provided by the GNIS.<2> The coordinates still need to be verified.
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Clarendon Hills
      • Clarendon Hills is located in DuPage County
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 8,718 people
      • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Clarendon Hills <3>
    • Westmont
      (2 miles [3.2 km] to the southeast)
    • York Center
      (3 miles [4.8 km] to the north)
      • Note: The GPS coordinates that we are using for York Center have been provided by the GNIS.<2> The coordinates still need to be verified.
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for York Center
      • York Center is located in DuPage County
    • Oak Brook Terrace
      (3 miles [4.8 km] to the northeast)
      • Note: The GPS coordinates that we are using for Oak Brook Terrace have been provided by the GNIS.<2> The coordinates still need to be verified.
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Oak Brook Terrace
      • Oak Brook Terrace is located in DuPage County
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 2,094 people
    • Oak Brook
      (3 miles [4.8 km] to the northeast)
      • Note: The GPS coordinates that we are using for Oak Brook have been provided by the GNIS.<2> The coordinates still need to be verified.
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Oak Brook
      • Oak Brook is located in DuPage County
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 8,046 people
      • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Oak Brook <3>
    • Utopia
      (3 miles [4.8 km] to the northeast)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Utopia
      • Utopia is located in DuPage County
    • Lisle
      (3 miles [4.8 km] to the west)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lisle
      • Lisle is located in DuPage County
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 23,153 people
      • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Lisle <3>
    • Hinsdale
      (4 miles [6.4 km] to the east)
    • Lombard
      (4 miles [6.4 km] to the north)
      • Note: The GPS coordinates that we are using for Lombard have been provided by the GNIS.<2> The coordinates still need to be verified.
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lombard
      • Lombard is located in DuPage County
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 43,961 people
      • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Lombard <3>
    • Darien
      (4 miles [6.4 km] to the south)
      • Note: The GPS coordinates that we are using for Darien have been provided by the GNIS.<2> The coordinates still need to be verified.
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Darien
      • Darien is located in DuPage County
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 21,531 people
      • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Darien <3>
    • Willowbrook
      (4 miles [6.4 km] to the southeast)
      • Note: The GPS coordinates that we are using for Willowbrook have been provided by the GNIS.<2> The coordinates still need to be verified.
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Willowbrook
      • Willowbrook is located in DuPage County
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 8,507 people
      • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Willowbrook <3>
    • Villa Park
      (5 miles [8 km] to the north)
      • Note: The GPS coordinates that we are using for Villa Park have been provided by the GNIS.<2> The coordinates still need to be verified.
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Villa Park
      • Villa Park is located in DuPage County
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 21,291 people
    • Glen Ellyn
      (5 miles [8 km] to the northwest)
  • Cook County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Downers Grove, with the one closest to Downers Grove listed first.
    • Western Springs
      (5 miles [8 km] to the east)
    • Burr Ridge
      (6 miles [9.7 km] to the southeast)
      • Note: The GPS coordinates that we are using for Burr Ridge have been provided by the GNIS.<2> The coordinates still need to be verified.
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Burr Ridge
      • Burr Ridge is located in Cook County
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 10,691 people
      • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Burr Ridge <3>
    • Indian Head Park
      (6 miles [9.7 km] to the southeast)
      • Note: The GPS coordinates that we are using for Indian Head Park have been provided by the GNIS.<2> The coordinates still need to be verified.
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Indian Head Park
      • Indian Head Park is located in Cook County
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 3,680 people
    • Countryside
      (7 miles [11.3 km] to the east)
      • Note: The GPS coordinates that we are using for Countryside have been provided by the GNIS.<2> The coordinates still need to be verified.
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Countryside
      • Countryside is located in Cook County
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 5,862 people
      • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Countryside <3>
    • La Grange Park
      (7 miles [11.3 km] to the east)
      • Note: The GPS coordinates that we are using for La Grange Park have been provided by the GNIS.<2> The coordinates still need to be verified.
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for La Grange Park
      • La Grange Park is located in Cook County
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 12,863 people
      • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for La Grange Park <3>
    • La Grange
      (7 miles [11.3 km] to the east)
    • Berkeley
      (7 miles [11.3 km] to the northeast)
      • Note: The GPS coordinates that we are using for Berkeley have been provided by the GNIS.<2> The coordinates still need to be verified.
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Berkeley
      • Berkeley is located in Cook County
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 4,985 people
      • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Berkeley <3>
    • Hillside
      (7 miles [11.3 km] to the northeast)
    • Westchester
      (7 miles [11.3 km] to the northeast)
    • Brookfield
      (8 miles [12.9 km] to the east)
      • Note: The GPS coordinates that we are using for Brookfield have been provided by the GNIS.<2> The coordinates still need to be verified.
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Brookfield
      • Brookfield is located in Cook County
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 18,091 people
      • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Brookfield <3>
    • Hodgkins
      (8 miles [12.9 km] to the east)
    • Bellwood
      (8 miles [12.9 km] to the northeast)
      • Note: The GPS coordinates that we are using for Bellwood have been provided by the GNIS.<2> The coordinates still need to be verified.
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bellwood
      • Bellwood is located in Cook County
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 18,436 people
      • Bellwood has also been known as:
      • Bellwood village
      • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Bellwood <3>
    • Broadview
      (8 miles [12.9 km] to the northeast)
      • Note: The GPS coordinates that we are using for Broadview have been provided by the GNIS.<2> The coordinates still need to be verified.
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Broadview
      • Broadview is located in Cook County
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 7,517 people
      • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Broadview <3>
  • Grundy County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Downers Grove, with the one closest to Downers Grove listed first.
    • Minooka
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the southwest)
      • Note: The GPS coordinates that we are using for Minooka have been provided by the GNIS.<2> The coordinates still need to be verified.
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Minooka
      • Minooka is located in Grundy County
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 11,456 people
      • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Minooka <3>
    • Channahon
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the southwest)
      • Note: The GPS coordinates that we are using for Channahon have been provided by the GNIS.<2> The coordinates still need to be verified.
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Channahon
      • Channahon is located in Grundy County
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 13,409 people
      • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Channahon <3>
  • Kane County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Downers Grove, with the one closest to Downers Grove listed first.
    • Batavia
      (15 miles [24.1 km] to the west)
      • Note: The GPS coordinates that we are using for Batavia have been provided by the GNIS.<2> The coordinates still need to be verified.
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Batavia
      • Batavia is located in Kane County
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 26,442 people
      • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Batavia <3>
    • Aurora
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the west)
    • Geneva
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the west)
    • Mooseheart
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the west)
      • Note: The GPS coordinates that we are using for Mooseheart have been provided by the GNIS.<2> The coordinates still need to be verified.
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mooseheart
      • Mooseheart is located in Kane County
      • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Mooseheart <3>
    • North Aurora
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the west)
      • Note: The GPS coordinates that we are using for North Aurora have been provided by the GNIS.<2> The coordinates still need to be verified.
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for North Aurora
      • North Aurora is located in Kane County
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 18,144 people
    • Saint Charles
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the northwest)
      • Note: The GPS coordinates that we are using for Saint Charles have been provided by the GNIS.<2> The coordinates still need to be verified.
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Saint Charles
      • Saint Charles is located in Kane County
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 32,709 people
      • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Saint Charles <3>
    • South Elgin
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the northwest)
      • Note: The GPS coordinates that we are using for South Elgin have been provided by the GNIS.<2> The coordinates still need to be verified.
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for South Elgin
      • South Elgin is located in Kane County
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 24,646 people
    • Bonnie
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the northwest)
      • Note: The GPS coordinates that we are using for Bonnie have been provided by the GNIS.<2> The coordinates still need to be verified.
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bonnie
      • Bonnie is located in Kane County
      • Bonnie has also been known as:
      • Bonnie Valley
    • Campton Hills
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the northwest)
      • Note: The GPS coordinates that we are using for Campton Hills have been provided by the GNIS.<2> The coordinates still need to be verified.
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Campton Hills
      • Campton Hills is located in Kane County
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 11,063 people
      • Campton Hills has also been known as:
      • Campton Hills village
      • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Campton Hills <3>
    • Elgin
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the northwest)
    • Wasco
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the northwest)
      • Note: The GPS coordinates that we are using for Wasco have been provided by the GNIS.<2> The coordinates still need to be verified.
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Wasco
      • Wasco is located in Kane County
      • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Wasco <3>
    • Sugar Grove
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the west)
    • East Dundee
      (23 miles [37 km] to the northwest)
      • Note: The GPS coordinates that we are using for East Dundee have been provided by the GNIS.<2> The coordinates still need to be verified.
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for East Dundee
      • East Dundee is located in Kane County
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 3,186 people
      • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for East Dundee <3>
  • Kendall County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Downers Grove, with the one closest to Downers Grove listed first.
    • Boulder Hill
      (18 miles [29 km] to the west)
      • Note: The GPS coordinates that we are using for Boulder Hill have been provided by the GNIS.<2> The coordinates still need to be verified.
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Boulder Hill
      • Boulder Hill is located in Kendall County
    • Montgomery
      (18 miles [29 km] to the west)
      • Note: The GPS coordinates that we are using for Montgomery have been provided by the GNIS.<2> The coordinates still need to be verified.
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Montgomery
      • Montgomery is located in Kendall County
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 20,181 people
      • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Montgomery <3>
    • Oswego
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the southwest)
    • Bristol
      (23 miles [37 km] to the west)
    • Yorkville
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the southwest)
      • Note: The GPS coordinates that we are using for Yorkville have been provided by the GNIS.<2> The coordinates still need to be verified.
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Yorkville
      • Yorkville is located in Kendall County
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 21,160 people
      • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Yorkville <3>
    • Plattville
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the southwest)
      • Note: The GPS coordinates that we are using for Plattville have been provided by the GNIS.<2> The coordinates still need to be verified.
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Plattville
      • Plattville is located in Kendall County
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 257 people
    • Plano
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the west)
      • Note: The GPS coordinates that we are using for Plano have been provided by the GNIS.<2> The coordinates still need to be verified.
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Plano
      • Plano is located in Kendall County
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 11,879 people
      • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Plano <3>
    • Little Rock
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the west)
      • Note: The GPS coordinates that we are using for Little Rock have been provided by the GNIS.<2> The coordinates still need to be verified.
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Little Rock
      • Little Rock is located in Kendall County
  • Lake County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Downers Grove, with the one closest to Downers Grove listed first.
    • Buffalo Grove
      (23 miles [37 km] to the north)
      • Note: The GPS coordinates that we are using for Buffalo Grove have been provided by the GNIS.<2> The coordinates still need to be verified.
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Buffalo Grove
      • Buffalo Grove is located in Lake County
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 40,161 people
      • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Buffalo Grove <3>
    • Deer Park
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the north)
      • Note: The GPS coordinates that we are using for Deer Park have been provided by the GNIS.<2> The coordinates still need to be verified.
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Deer Park
      • Deer Park is located in Lake County
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 4,199 people
      • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Deer Park <3>
    • Deerfield
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the north)
      • Note: The GPS coordinates that we are using for Deerfield have been provided by the GNIS.<2> The coordinates still need to be verified.
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Deerfield
      • Deerfield is located in Lake County
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 18,532 people
      • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Deerfield <3>
    • Riverwoods
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the north)
      • Note: The GPS coordinates that we are using for Riverwoods have been provided by the GNIS.<2> The coordinates still need to be verified.
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Riverwoods
      • Riverwoods is located in Lake County
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 3,534 people
      • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Riverwoods <3>
    • Kildeer
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the north)
      • Note: The GPS coordinates that we are using for Kildeer have been provided by the GNIS.<2> The coordinates still need to be verified.
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Kildeer
      • Kildeer is located in Lake County
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 3,993 people
      • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Kildeer <3>
    • Lake Zurich
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the north)
      • Note: The GPS coordinates that we are using for Lake Zurich have been provided by the GNIS.<2> The coordinates still need to be verified.
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lake Zurich
      • Lake Zurich is located in Lake County
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 19,760 people
      • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Lake Zurich <3>
    • Long Grove
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the north)
      • Note: The GPS coordinates that we are using for Long Grove have been provided by the GNIS.<2> The coordinates still need to be verified.
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Long Grove
      • Long Grove is located in Lake County
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 7,868 people
      • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Long Grove <3>
    • Prairie View
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the north)
      • Note: The GPS coordinates that we are using for Prairie View have been provided by the GNIS.<2> The coordinates still need to be verified.
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Prairie View
      • Prairie View is located in Lake County
    • Braeside
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the northeast)
      • Note: The GPS coordinates that we are using for Braeside have been provided by the GNIS.<2> The coordinates still need to be verified.
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Braeside
      • Braeside is located in Lake County
    • Bannockburn
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the north)
      • Note: The GPS coordinates that we are using for Bannockburn have been provided by the GNIS.<2> The coordinates still need to be verified.
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bannockburn
      • Bannockburn is located in Lake County
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 1,596 people
      • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Bannockburn <3>
    • Forest Lake
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the north)
      • Note: The GPS coordinates that we are using for Forest Lake have been provided by the GNIS.<2> The coordinates still need to be verified.
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Forest Lake
      • Forest Lake is located in Lake County
    • Highland Park
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the north)
      • Note: The GPS coordinates that we are using for Highland Park have been provided by the GNIS.<2> The coordinates still need to be verified.
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Highland Park
      • Highland Park is located in Lake County
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 29,427 people
      • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Highland Park <3>
    • Lincolnshire
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the north)
      • Note: The GPS coordinates that we are using for Lincolnshire have been provided by the GNIS.<2> The coordinates still need to be verified.
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lincolnshire
      • Lincolnshire is located in Lake County
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 7,891 people
      • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Lincolnshire <3>
  • McHenry County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Downers Grove, with the one closest to Downers Grove listed first.
    • Fox River Grove
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the north)
      • Note: The GPS coordinates that we are using for Fox River Grove have been provided by the GNIS.<2> The coordinates still need to be verified.
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Fox River Grove
      • Fox River Grove is located in McHenry County
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 4,518 people
      • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Fox River Grove <3>
    • Algonquin
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the northwest)
    • Lake-in-the-Hills
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the northwest)
      • Note: The GPS coordinates that we are using for Lake-in-the-Hills have been provided by the GNIS.<2> The coordinates still need to be verified.
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lake-in-the-Hills
      • Lake-in-the-Hills is located in McHenry County
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 28,345 people
      • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Lake-in-the-Hills <3>
    • Trout Valley
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the northwest)
      • Note: The GPS coordinates that we are using for Trout Valley have been provided by the GNIS.<2> The coordinates still need to be verified.
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Trout Valley
      • Trout Valley is located in McHenry County
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 508 people
    • Cary
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the northwest)
      • Note: The GPS coordinates that we are using for Cary have been provided by the GNIS.<2> The coordinates still need to be verified.
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cary
      • Cary is located in McHenry County
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 17,929 people
      • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Cary <3>
  • Will County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Downers Grove, with the one closest to Downers Grove listed first.
    • Colonial Village
      (7 miles [11.3 km] to the south)
      • Note: The GPS coordinates that we are using for Colonial Village have been provided by the GNIS.<2> The coordinates still need to be verified.
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Colonial Village
      • Colonial Village is located in Will County
    • Winston Village
      (7 miles [11.3 km] to the southwest)
      • Note: The GPS coordinates that we are using for Winston Village have been provided by the GNIS.<2> The coordinates still need to be verified.
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Winston Village
      • Winston Village is located in Will County
    • Bloomfield Village
      (9 miles [14.5 km] to the south)
      • Note: The GPS coordinates that we are using for Bloomfield Village have been provided by the GNIS.<2> The coordinates still need to be verified.
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bloomfield Village
      • Bloomfield Village is located in Will County
    • Bolingbrook
      (9 miles [14.5 km] to the southwest)
      • Note: The GPS coordinates that we are using for Bolingbrook have been provided by the GNIS.<2> The coordinates still need to be verified.
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bolingbrook
      • Bolingbrook is located in Will County
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 74,025 people
      • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Bolingbrook <3>
    • Romeoville
      (12 miles [19.3 km] to the south)
      • Note: The GPS coordinates that we are using for Romeoville have been provided by the GNIS.<2> The coordinates still need to be verified.
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Romeoville
      • Romeoville is located in Will County
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 39,770 people
      • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Romeoville <3>
    • Goodings Grove
      (13 miles [20.9 km] to the south)
      • Note: The GPS coordinates that we are using for Goodings Grove have been provided by the GNIS.<2> The coordinates still need to be verified.
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Goodings Grove
      • Goodings Grove is located in Will County
    • Homer Glen
      (14 miles [22.5 km] to the south)
      • Note: The GPS coordinates that we are using for Homer Glen have been provided by the GNIS.<2> The coordinates still need to be verified.
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Homer Glen
      • Homer Glen is located in Will County
      • 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 <3>
    • Lockport
      (15 miles [24.1 km] to the south)
    • Normantown
      (15 miles [24.1 km] to the southwest)
      • Note: The GPS coordinates that we are using for Normantown have been provided by the GNIS.<2> The coordinates still need to be verified.
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Normantown
      • Normantown is located in Will County
    • Plainfield
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the southwest)
    • Crest Hill
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the south)
      • Note: The GPS coordinates that we are using for Crest Hill have been provided by the GNIS.<2> The coordinates still need to be verified.
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Crest Hill
      • Crest Hill is located in Will County
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 20,209 people
      • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Crest Hill <3>
    • Fairmont
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the south)
      • Note: The GPS coordinates that we are using for Fairmont have been provided by the GNIS.<2> The coordinates still need to be verified.
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Fairmont
      • Fairmont is located in Will County
    • Crystal Lawns
      (18 miles [29 km] to the southwest)
      • Note: The GPS coordinates that we are using for Crystal Lawns have been provided by the GNIS.<2> The coordinates still need to be verified.
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Crystal Lawns
      • Crystal Lawns is located in Will County
  • Lake County (IN)
    • The following are listed by their distance from Downers Grove, with the one closest to Downers Grove listed first.
    • Whiting
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the east)
      • Note: The GPS coordinates that we are using for Whiting have been provided by the GNIS.<2> The coordinates still need to be verified.
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Whiting
      • Whiting is located in Lake County (IN)
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 4,814 people
      • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Whiting <3>
    • East Chicago
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the east)
      • Note: The GPS coordinates that we are using for East Chicago have been provided by the GNIS.<2> The coordinates still need to be verified.
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for East Chicago
      • East Chicago is located in Lake County (IN)
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 27,742 people
      • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for East Chicago <3>
    • Hammond
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the southeast)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hammond
      • Hammond is located in Lake County (IN)
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 75,342 people
      • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Hammond <3>

For an expanded list of the communities that are closest to Downers Grove, see our County-by-County Page for Downers Grove.

Newspapers Published in the Vicinity of Downers Grove ...

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 83 newspapers that have been published in the area around Downers Grove.

We have organized these newspapers into two lists:

  • A Local Newspaper List - focusing on the papers published in the immediate area of Downers Grove. There are actually two parts to this list - papers printed in the immediate area of Downers Grove and those printed in the larger area surrounding Downers Grove.
  • An Extended Newspaper List - a longer list, sorted by paper name and containing those papers published within 11 miles [17.7 km]<4> of Downers Grove.

Websites to Help With Your Genealogy Research ...

When we do our genealogical research, we first turn to the websites from Cyndi's List, FamilySearch and Genealogy Trails. These professional and volunteer 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 Downers Grove:

Cemeteries Near Downers Grove ...

Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of Downers Grove.

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.

If you need information about a burial or interment, photos, transcripts, how to contact the cemetery or local authorities, please visit our selection of Genealogy Websites (see below).

If not found below, our Cemetery List for Downers Grove covers a larger area, with the cemeteries listed in alphabetical order.

The following cemeteries are listed based on their distance from Downers Grove, with the one closest to Downers Grove listed first.

  • Pierce Downer Cemetery
    (Less than 2 miles to the southwest)
    • Note: The GPS coordinates that we are using for the Pierce Downer Cemetery have been provided by the GNIS.<2> The coordinates still need to be verified.
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for the Pierce Downer Cemetery
  • St. Mary of Gostyn Cemetery
    (Less than 2 miles to the southeast)
    • Note: The GPS coordinates that we are using for the St. Mary of Gostyn Cemetery have been provided by the GNIS.<2> The coordinates still need to be verified.
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for the St. Mary of Gostyn Cemetery
  • Blodgett Cemetery
    (Less than 2 miles to the southwest)
    • Note: The GPS coordinates that we are using for the Blodgett Cemetery have been provided by the GNIS.<2> The coordinates still need to be verified.
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for the Blodgett Cemetery
  • Oak Crest Cemetery
    (Less than 2 miles to the southwest)
    • Note: The GPS coordinates that we are using for the Oak Crest Cemetery have been provided by the GNIS.<2> The coordinates still need to be verified.
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for the Oak Crest Cemetery
  • Oak Hill Cemetery
    (Less than 2 miles to the southwest)
    • Note: The GPS coordinates that we are using for the Oak Hill Cemetery have been provided by the GNIS.<2> The coordinates still need to be verified.
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for the Oak Hill Cemetery
  • Downers Grove Cemetery
    (Less than 2 miles to the south)
    • Note: The GPS coordinates that we are using for the Downers Grove Cemetery have been provided by the GNIS.<2> The coordinates still need to be verified.
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for the Downers Grove Cemetery
  • Boeger Cemetery
    (Less than 2 miles to the north)
    • Note: The GPS coordinates that we are using for the Boeger Cemetery have been provided by the GNIS.<2> The coordinates still need to be verified.
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for the Boeger Cemetery
  • St. Bernards Cemetery
    (2 miles [3.2 km] to the southwest)
    • Note: The GPS coordinates that we are using for the St. Bernards Cemetery have been provided by the GNIS.<2> The coordinates still need to be verified.
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for the St. Bernards Cemetery
  • St. Marys Lombard Cemetery
    (2 miles [3.2 km] to the north)
    • Note: The GPS coordinates that we are using for the St. Marys Lombard Cemetery have been provided by the GNIS.<2> The coordinates still need to be verified.
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for the St. Marys Lombard Cemetery
  • Allerton Ridge Memorial Park
    (2 miles [3.2 km] to the north)
    • Note: The GPS coordinates that we are using for the Allerton Ridge Memorial Park have been provided by the GNIS.<2> The coordinates still need to be verified.
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for the Allerton Ridge Memorial Park
  • Clarendon Hills Cemetery
    (3 miles [4.8 km] to the southeast)
  • Zion Evangelical Cemetery
    (3 miles [4.8 km] to the east)
    • Note: The GPS coordinates that we are using for the Zion Evangelical Cemetery have been provided by the GNIS.<2> The coordinates still need to be verified.
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for the Zion Evangelical Cemetery
  • Continue List   (392 more) ...
    • Brownswood Cemetery
      (3 miles [4.8 km] to the east)
      • Note: The GPS coordinates that we are using for the Brownswood Cemetery have been provided by the GNIS.<2> The coordinates still need to be verified.
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for the Brownswood Cemetery
    • Bronswood Cemetery
      (3 miles [4.8 km] to the east)
    • Trinity Lutheran Cemetery
      (3 miles [4.8 km] to the north)
      • Note: The GPS coordinates that we are using for the Trinity Lutheran Cemetery have been provided by the GNIS.<2> The coordinates still need to be verified.
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for the Trinity Lutheran Cemetery

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.<6>

The Rand McNally Atlas shows that Downers Grove had a population of 960 people in 1895 with a post office and railroad service. In 2020, Downers Grove had a population of 48,727 people.

These communities are listed based on their distance from Downers Grove, with the one closest to Downers Grove listed first.

  • Clarendon Hills
    (2 miles [3.2 km] to the east)
    • Note: The GPS coordinates that we are using for Clarendon Hills have been provided by the GNIS.<2> The coordinates still need to be verified.
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Clarendon Hills
    • Clarendon Hills is located in DuPage County
    • Population from the 2020 Census: 8,718 people
    • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Clarendon Hills <3>
  • Utopia
    (3 miles [4.8 km] to the northeast)
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Utopia
    • Utopia is located in DuPage County
  • Lisle
    (3 miles [4.8 km] to the west)
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lisle
    • Lisle is located in DuPage County
    • Population from the 2020 Census: 23,153 people
    • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Lisle <3>
  • Lace
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the southeast)
    • Note: The GPS coordinates that we are using for Lace have been provided by the GNIS.<2> The coordinates still need to be verified.
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lace
    • Lace is located in DuPage County
  • Hinsdale
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the east)
  • Fullersburg
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the east)
    • Note: The GPS coordinates that we are using for Fullersburg have been provided by the GNIS.<2> The coordinates still need to be verified.
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Fullersburg
    • Fullersburg is located in DuPage County
  • Lombard
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the north)
    • Note: The GPS coordinates that we are using for Lombard have been provided by the GNIS.<2> The coordinates still need to be verified.
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lombard
    • Lombard is located in DuPage County
    • Population from the 2020 Census: 43,961 people
    • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Lombard <3>
  • Western Springs
    (5 miles [8 km] to the east)
  • Glen Ellyn
    (5 miles [8 km] to the northwest)
  • South Elmhurst
    (6 miles [9.7 km] to the northeast)
    • Note: The GPS coordinates that we are using for South Elmhurst have been provided by the GNIS.<2> The coordinates still need to be verified.
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for South Elmhurst
    • South Elmhurst is located in DuPage County
  • South Addison
    (6 miles [9.7 km] to the north)
    • Note: The GPS coordinates that we are using for South Addison have been provided by the GNIS.<2> The coordinates still need to be verified.
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for South Addison
    • South Addison is located in DuPage County
  • Wheaton
    (6 miles [9.7 km] to the northwest)
  • Continue List   (15 more) ...
    • Naperville
      (7 miles [11.3 km] to the west)
    • La Grange
      (7 miles [11.3 km] to the east)
    • Hillside
      (7 miles [11.3 km] to the northeast)

We've also created an expanded list of communities that existed in the 1890's and were located in the area around Downers Grove. See our List of 1890's Communities around Downers Grove.

The official website for Downers Grove: www.vil.downers-grove.il.us/

The official website for DuPage County: www.dupageco.org/

The official website for State of Illinois: https://illinois.gov

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>The location has been supplied by the Geographic Names Information System - which is maintained by the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS). While these values should be definitive, we found that accuracy can vary and you should double-check the location if accuracy is required.
<3>While we're fans and frequent users of TripAdvisor, you should know that we're also members of the TripAdvisor affiliate program.
<4>Our distances are not driving distances, but are calculated as a 'straight-line' distance. A straight line distance ignores things like rivers, canyons, lakes, et cetera - it's truly a line drawn from Point A (ie- Downers Grove) to Point B.Our distance measurements begin at a specific point in Downers Grove. The point we use is located at these GPS coordinates - Latitude: 41.8089, Longitude: -88.0111    
<5>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.
<6>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 Downers Grove, please let us know so that we can improve our accuracy.




 

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This page was last modified/updated: 07 Apr 2024