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 Eldorado (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 Eldorado. 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 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.
Eldorado is located in Saline 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 Saline County: Franklin, Gallatin, Hamilton, Hardin, Johnson, Pope, White & Williamson.
Below are the counties that are near Eldorado. For each of these counties, we show a sample of those communities that are closest to Eldorado:
- Saline County (The home county of Eldorado)
- The following are listed by their distance from Eldorado, with the one closest to Eldorado listed first.
- Saline City
(Less than 2 miles to the north)
- Saline City is located in Saline County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Saline City
- Wasson
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the southwest)
- Wasson is located in Saline County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Wasson
- Red Bud ‑ Historic
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the southeast)
- Red Bud is located in Saline County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Red Bud
- Cottage Grove
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the south)
- Cottage Grove is located in Saline County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cottage Grove
- Raleigh
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the west)
- Texas City
(5 miles [8 km] to the northeast)
- Texas City is located in Saline County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Texas City
- Muddy
(5 miles [8 km] to the southwest)
- Gaskins City
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the southwest)
- Gaskins City is located in Saline County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Gaskins City
- Harrisburg
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the southwest)
- Long Branch
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the northwest)
- Long Branch is located in Saline County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Long Branch
- Buena Vista
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the southwest)
- Buena Vista is located in Saline County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Buena Vista
- Galatia
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the west)
- Franklin County
- The following are listed by their distance from Eldorado, with the one closest to Eldorado listed first.
- Thompsonville
(18 miles [29 km] to the west)
- Akin
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the northwest)
- Fitt's Hill ‑ Historic
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the west)
- Fitt's Hill is located in Franklin County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Fitt's Hill
- Parrish
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the northwest)
- Parrish is located in Franklin County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Parrish
- Hanaford
(23 miles [37 km] to the northwest)
- Hanaford is located in Franklin County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hanaford
- Population from the 2020 Census: 316 people
- Smothersville
(23 miles [37 km] to the northwest)
- Smothersville is located in Franklin County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Smothersville
- Deering City
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the west)
- Deering City is located in Franklin County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Deering City
- Frisco
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the northwest)
- Frisco is located in Franklin County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Frisco
- Steel City
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the northwest)
- Steel City is located in Franklin County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Steel City
- West Frankfort
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the west)
- West Frankfort is located in Franklin County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for West Frankfort
- Population from the 2020 Census: 7,733 people
- Taylor Hill
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the northwest)
- Taylor Hill is located in Franklin County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Taylor Hill
- Benton
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the northwest)
- Gallatin County
- The following are listed by their distance from Eldorado, with the one closest to Eldorado listed first.
- Elba
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the east)
- Elba is located in Gallatin County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Elba
- Equality
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the southeast)
- Ridgway
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the east)
- Omaha
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the northeast)
- Lawler
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the southeast)
- Lawler is located in Gallatin County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lawler
- Junction
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the southeast)
- Inman
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the east)
- Inman is located in Gallatin County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Inman
- Bowlesville ‑ Historic
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the southeast)
- Bowlesville is located in Gallatin County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bowlesville
- Shawneetown
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the southeast)
- New Haven
(18 miles [29 km] to the east)
- Old Shawneetown
(18 miles [29 km] to the southeast)
- Old Shawneetown is located in Gallatin County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Old Shawneetown
- Population from the 2020 Census: 164 people
- Hamilton County
- The following are listed by their distance from Eldorado, with the one closest to Eldorado listed first.
- Broughton
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the north)
- Walpole
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the northwest)
- Walpole is located in Hamilton County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Walpole
- Dale
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the north)
- McLeansboro
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the north)
- Diamond City
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the north)
- Diamond City is located in Hamilton County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Diamond City
- Flint
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the northwest)
- Flint is located in Hamilton County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Flint
- Macedonia
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the northwest)
- Jefferson City ‑ Historic
(23 miles [37 km] to the north)
- Jefferson City is located in Hamilton County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Jefferson City
- Bungay
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the north)
- Bungay is located in Hamilton County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bungay
- Piopolis
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the north)
- Piopolis is located in Hamilton County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Piopolis
- Lovilla
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the northwest)
- Lovilla is located in Hamilton County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lovilla
- Belle Prairie City
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the north)
- Belle Prairie City is located in Hamilton County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Belle Prairie City
- Population from the 2020 Census: 50 people
- Hardin County
- The following are listed by their distance from Eldorado, with the one closest to Eldorado listed first.
- Karbers Ridge
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the south)
- Rock Creek
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the southeast)
- Rock Creek is located in Hardin County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rock Creek
- Saline Landing
(23 miles [37 km] to the southeast)
- Saline Landing is located in Hardin County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Saline Landing
- Lamb
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the southeast)
- Lamb is located in Hardin County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lamb
- Elizabethtown
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the south)
- Shetlerville
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the south)
- Shetlerville is located in Hardin County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Shetlerville
- Rosiclare
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the south)
- Cave-In-Rock
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the southeast)
- Cave-In-Rock is located in Hardin County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cave-In-Rock
- Population from the 2020 Census: 278 people
- Cave-In-Rock has also been known as:
- Cave-In-Rock village
- Mineral City ‑ Historic
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the south)
- Mineral City is located in Hardin County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mineral City
- Johnson County
- The following are listed by their distance from Eldorado, with the one closest to Eldorado listed first.
- New Burnside
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the southwest)
- Ozark
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the southwest)
- Reynoldsburg
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the southwest)
- Reynoldsburg is located in Johnson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Reynoldsburg
- Egyptian Hills
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the southwest)
- Egyptian Hills is located in Johnson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Egyptian Hills
- Simpson
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the southwest)
- Eagle Point Bay
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the southwest)
- Eagle Point Bay is located in Johnson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Eagle Point Bay
- Pope County
- The following are listed by their distance from Eldorado, with the one closest to Eldorado listed first.
- Herod
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the south)
- Oak
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the south)
- Oak is located in Pope County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Oak
- Hartsville
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the south)
- Hartsville is located in Pope County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hartsville
- McCormick
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the southwest)
- McCormick is located in Pope County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for McCormick
- Eddyville
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the south)
- Leisure City
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the south)
- Leisure City is located in Pope County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Leisure City
- Lusk
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the south)
- Lusk is located in Pope County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lusk
- Glendale
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the southwest)
- Glendale is located in Pope County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Glendale
- Rock
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the south)
- Rock is located in Pope County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rock
- White County
- The following are listed by their distance from Eldorado, with the one closest to Eldorado listed first.
- Roland
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the northeast)
- Roland is located in White County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Roland
- Norris City
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the northeast)
- Stokes
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the northeast)
- Stokes is located in White County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Stokes
- Herald
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the northeast)
- Enfield
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the north)
- Emma
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the northeast)
- Carmi
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the northeast)
- Springerton
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the north)
- Maunie
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the northeast)
- Mill Shoals
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the north)
- Williamson County
- The following are listed by their distance from Eldorado, with the one closest to Eldorado listed first.
- Hartford
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the west)
- Hartford is located in Williamson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hartford
- Corinth
(18 miles [29 km] to the west)
- Corinth is located in Williamson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Corinth
- Pittsburg
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the west)
- Creal Springs
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the southwest)
- Johnston City
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the west)
- Spillertown
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the west)
- Spillertown is located in Williamson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Spillertown
- Population from the 2020 Census: 197 people
- Whiteash
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the west)
- Whiteash is located in Williamson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Whiteash
- Estimated population in 2014: 240 people
- Marion
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the west)
- Stiritz
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the west)
- Stiritz is located in Williamson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Stiritz
- Lake Crest
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the southwest)
- Lake Crest is located in Williamson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lake Crest
- Freeman Spur
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the west)
- Freeman Spur is located in Williamson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Freeman Spur
- Population from the 2020 Census: 276 people
- Freeman Spur has also been known as:
- Freeman Spur village
- Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Freeman Spur <1>
- Posey County (IN)
- The following are listed by their distance from Eldorado, with the one closest to Eldorado listed first.
- Hovey
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the east)
- Hovey is located in Posey County (IN)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hovey
- Savah
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the northeast)
- Savah is located in Posey County (IN)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Savah
- Mount Vernon
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the east)
- Crittenden County (KY)
- Tolu
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the southeast)
- Tolu is located in Crittenden County (KY)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Tolu
- Livingston County (KY)
- Carrsville
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the south)
- Carrsville is located in Livingston County (KY)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Carrsville
- Population from the 2020 Census: 44 people
- Union County (KY)
- The following are listed by their distance from Eldorado, with the one closest to Eldorado listed first.
- Raleigh
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the east)
- Raleigh is located in Union County (KY)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Raleigh
- Dekoven
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the southeast)
- Dekoven is located in Union County (KY)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Dekoven
- Uniontown
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the east)
- Uniontown is located in Union County (KY)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Uniontown
- Population from the 2020 Census: 930 people
- Chapman
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the east)
- Chapman is located in Union County (KY)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Chapman
- Grangertown
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the southeast)
- Grangertown is located in Union County (KY)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Grangertown
- Morganfield
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the east)
- Sturgis
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the southeast)
For an expanded list of the communities that are closest to Eldorado, see our County-by-County Page for Eldorado.
Cemeteries Near Eldorado ...
Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of Eldorado.
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 Eldorado - one of the links might be able to help.
If not found below, our Cemetery List for Eldorado covers a larger area, with the cemeteries listed in alphabetical order.
The following cemeteries are listed based on their distance from Eldorado, with the one closest to Eldorado listed first.
- Lindale Memorial Gardens
(Less than 2 miles to the southwest)
- Dodd Cemetery
(Less than 2 miles to the northeast)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Dodd Cemetery
- The Dodd Cemetery has also been known as:
- Dodd Family Cemetery
- Jump to Find-A-Grave: FG ID #105420 <2>
- St. Mary Cemetery
(Less than 2 miles to the northwest)
- Wolf Creek Cemetery
(Less than 2 miles to the northwest)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Wolf Creek Cemetery
- The Wolf Creek Cemetery has also been known as:
- Wolf Creek Primitive Baptist Church Cemetery
- Jump to Find-A-Grave: FG ID #108913 <2>
- Read Family Cemetery
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the west)
- Bramlet Family Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the west)
- Rice Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the southwest)
- Oak Grove Church Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the northeast)
- Union Chapel Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the northeast)
- Poplar Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the northeast)
- Elmwood Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the southeast)
- Garrett Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the east)
- Continue List (470 more) ...
- Zion Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the east)
- Gaines Family Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the north)
- Douglass Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the north)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Douglass Cemetery
- The Douglass Cemetery has also been known as:
- Douglas Cemetery
- Pleasant Grove Cemetery
- Pleasant Grove Church Cemetery
- Jump to Find-A-Grave: FG ID #1966139 <2>
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.<3>
The Rand McNally Atlas shows that in 1895, Eldorado had a post office and railroad service. In 2020, Eldorado had a population of 3,837 people.
These communities are listed based on their distance from Eldorado, with the one closest to Eldorado listed first.
- Raleigh
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the west)
- Texas City
(5 miles [8 km] to the northeast)
- Texas City is located in Saline County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Texas City
- Elba
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the east)
- Elba is located in Gallatin County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Elba
- Harrisburg
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the southwest)
- Equality
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the southeast)
- Gossett
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the northeast)
- Gossett is located in White County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Gossett
- Long Branch
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the northwest)
- Long Branch is located in Saline County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Long Branch
- Broughton
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the north)
- Lawler
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the southeast)
- Lawler is located in Gallatin County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lawler
- Ridgway
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the east)
- Omaha
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the northeast)
- Galatia
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the west)
- Continue List (19 more) ...
- Somerset
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the south)
- Somerset is located in Saline County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Somerset
- Walpole
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the northwest)
- Walpole is located in Hamilton County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Walpole
- Ledford
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the southwest)
- Ledford is located in Saline County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ledford
We've also created an expanded list of communities that existed in the 1890's and were located in the area around Eldorado. See our List of 1890's Communities around Eldorado.
Newspapers Published in the Vicinity of Eldorado ...
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 67 newspapers that have been published in the area around Eldorado.
We have organized these newspapers into two lists:
- A Local Newspaper List - focusing on the papers published in the immediate area of Eldorado. There are actually two parts to this list - papers printed in the immediate area of Eldorado and those printed in the larger area surrounding Eldorado.
- An Extended Newspaper List - a longer list, sorted by paper name and containing those papers published within 24 miles [38.6 km]<4> of Eldorado.
Websites to Help With Your Genealogy Research ...
When we do our genealogical research, we begin with 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 Eldorado:
- Websites specific to Illinois
- Pages specific to Saline County
- Genealogy information for nearby counties
- Franklin County
- Gallatin County
- Hamilton County
- Hardin County
- Johnson County
- Pope County
- White County
- Williamson County
- Posey County
- Crittenden County
- Livingston County
- Union 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> | 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. |
| <3> | 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 Eldorado, please let us know so that we can improve our accuracy. |
| <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 from Point A (ie- Eldorado) to Point B. In other words: 'As the crow flies'. |