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 Eldridge (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 Eldridge. 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 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.
Eldridge is located in Kankakee 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 Kankakee County: Ford, Grundy, Iroquois, Livingston, Will, Lake (IN) & Newton (IN).
Below are the counties that are near Eldridge. For each of these counties, we show a sample of those communities that are closest to Eldridge:
- Kankakee County (The home county of Eldridge)
- The following are listed by their distance from Eldridge, with the one closest to Eldridge listed first.
- Momence
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the east)
- Sun River Terrace
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the south)
- Sun River Terrace is located in Kankakee County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sun River Terrace
- Population from the 2020 Census: 488 people
- Saint George
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the northwest)
- Saint George is located in Kankakee County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Saint George
- Litchfield
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the east)
- Litchfield is located in Kankakee County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Litchfield
- Grant Park
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the northeast)
- Grant Park is located in Kankakee County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Grant Park
- Population from the 2020 Census: 1,231 people
- Bradley
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the west)
- Aroma Park
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the southwest)
- Kankakee
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the west)
- Manteno
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the northwest)
- Hopkins Park
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the southeast)
- Hopkins Park is located in Kankakee County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hopkins Park
- Population from the 2020 Census: 608 people
- Hopkins Park has also been known as:
- Hopkins Park village
- Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Hopkins Park <1>
- Bourbonnais
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the west)
- Illiana Heights
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the east)
- Illiana Heights is located in Kankakee County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Illiana Heights
- Cook County
- The following are listed by their distance from Eldridge, with the one closest to Eldridge listed first.
- Richton Park
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the north)
- South Chicago Heights
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the north)
- South Chicago Heights is located in Cook County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for South Chicago Heights
- Population from the 2020 Census: 3,957 people
- Park Forest
(23 miles [37 km] to the north)
- Chicago Heights
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the north)
- Matteson
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the north)
- Olympia Fields
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the north)
- Sauk Village
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the north)
- Ford Heights
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the north)
- Flossmoor
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the north)
- Lynwood
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the north)
- Country Club Hills
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the north)
- Glenwood
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the north)
- Ford County
- The following are listed by their distance from Eldridge, with the one closest to Eldridge listed first.
- Cabery
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the southwest)
- Kempton
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the southwest)
- Grundy County
- The following are listed by their distance from Eldridge, with the one closest to Eldridge listed first.
- Clarke City
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the west)
- Clarke City is located in Grundy County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Clarke City
- Braceville
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the west)
- Diamond
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the west)
- East Brooklyn
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the west)
- East Brooklyn is located in Grundy County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for East Brooklyn
- Population from the 2020 Census: 104 people
- Central City
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the west)
- Central City is located in Grundy County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Central City
- South Wilmington
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the west)
- South Wilmington is located in Grundy County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for South Wilmington
- Population from the 2020 Census: 637 people
- Centerville ‑ Historic
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the west)
- Centerville is located in Grundy County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Centerville
- Coal City
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the west)
- Gardner
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the west)
- Iroquois County
- The following are listed by their distance from Eldridge, with the one closest to Eldridge listed first.
- Papineau
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the south)
- Beaverville
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the south)
- Chebanse
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the southwest)
- Martinton
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the south)
- L'Erable
(18 miles [29 km] to the south)
- L'Erable is located in Iroquois County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for L'Erable
- Donovan
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the south)
- Clifton
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the southwest)
- Ashkum
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the southwest)
- Iroquois
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the south)
- Watseka
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the south)
- Danforth
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the southwest)
- Crescent City
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the south)
- Livingston County
- Cardiff
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the west)
- Cardiff is located in Livingston County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cardiff
- Will County
- The following are listed by their distance from Eldridge, with the one closest to Eldridge listed first.
- Peotone
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the north)
- Beecher
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the north)
- Goodenow
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the north)
- Goodenow is located in Will County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Goodenow
- Monee
(18 miles [29 km] to the north)
- Wallingford
(18 miles [29 km] to the northwest)
- Wallingford is located in Will County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Wallingford
- Wilton Center
(18 miles [29 km] to the northwest)
- University Park
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the north)
- Crete
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the north)
- Symerton
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the northwest)
- Symerton is located in Will County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Symerton
- Population from the 2020 Census: 91 people
- Steger
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the north)
- Manhattan
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the northwest)
- Custer Park
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the west)
- Custer Park is located in Will County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Custer Park
- Jasper County (IN)
- The following are listed by their distance from Eldridge, with the one closest to Eldridge listed first.
- Forest City
(23 miles [37 km] to the east)
- Forest City is located in Jasper County (IN)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Forest City
- Fair Oaks
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the east)
- DeMotte
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the east)
- DeMotte is located in Jasper County (IN)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for DeMotte
- Population from the 2020 Census: 4,172 people
- DeMotte has also been known as:
- De Motte
- Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for DeMotte <1>
- Virgie
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the east)
- Virgie is located in Jasper County (IN)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Virgie
- Lake County (IN)
- The following are listed by their distance from Eldridge, with the one closest to Eldridge listed first.
- Illinoi
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the east)
- Illinoi is located in Lake County (IN)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Illinoi
- Schneider
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the east)
- Schneider is located in Lake County (IN)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Schneider
- Population from the 2020 Census: 260 people
- Lowell
(18 miles [29 km] to the northeast)
- Shelby
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the east)
- Shelby is located in Lake County (IN)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Shelby
- Cedar Lake
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the northeast)
- Lake Dalecarlia
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the northeast)
- Lake Dalecarlia is located in Lake County (IN)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lake Dalecarlia
- Dinwiddie
(23 miles [37 km] to the northeast)
- Dinwiddie is located in Lake County (IN)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Dinwiddie
- Saint John
(23 miles [37 km] to the northeast)
- Crown Point
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the northeast)
- Dyer
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the northeast)
- Dyer is located in Lake County (IN)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Dyer
- Population from the 2020 Census: 15,955 people
- Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Dyer <1>
- Hartsdale
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the northeast)
- Hartsdale is located in Lake County (IN)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hartsdale
- Schererville
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the northeast)
- Newton County (IN)
- The following are listed by their distance from Eldridge, with the one closest to Eldridge listed first.
- Lake Village
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the east)
- Lake Village is located in Newton County (IN)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lake Village
- Sumava Resorts
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the east)
- Thayer
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the east)
- Thayer is located in Newton County (IN)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Thayer
- Morocco
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the southeast)
- Roselawn
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the east)
- Roselawn is located in Newton County (IN)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Roselawn
- Beaver City
(23 miles [37 km] to the southeast)
- Beaver City is located in Newton County (IN)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Beaver City
- Mount Ayr
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the southeast)
- Mount Ayr is located in Newton County (IN)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mount Ayr
- Population from the 2020 Census: 116 people
- Brook
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the southeast)
- Foresman
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the southeast)
- Foresman is located in Newton County (IN)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Foresman
- Kentland
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the southeast)
- Porter County (IN)
- Hebron
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the northeast)
For an expanded list of the communities that are closest to Eldridge, see our County-by-County Page for Eldridge.
Cemeteries Near Eldridge ...
Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of Eldridge.
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 Eldridge - one of the links might be able to help.
If not found below, our Cemetery List for Eldridge covers a larger area, with the cemeteries listed in alphabetical order.
The following cemeteries are listed based on their distance from Eldridge, with the one closest to Eldridge listed first.
- Mt. Airy Cemetery
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the southeast)
- St. Patrick Catholic Cemetery
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the northeast)
- Momence Cemetery
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the northeast)
- St. Judes Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the northeast)
- St. George Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the northwest)
- Shrontz Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the east)
- B'nai Israel Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the southwest)
- Kankakee Memorial Gardens
(5 miles [8 km] to the southwest)
- Beebe Family Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the southwest)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Beebe Family Cemetery
- The Beebe Family Cemetery has also been known as:
- Bebe Family Cemetery
- Beebe Cemetery
- Beebee Cemetery
- Beebetown Cemetery
- Jump to Find-A-Grave: FG ID #104680 <2>
- Rice - Bebe Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the southwest)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rice - Bebe Cemetery
- The Rice - Bebe Cemetery has also been known as:
- Rice - Day Family Cemetery
- Leggtown Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the south)
- Union Corner Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the northeast)
- Continue List (237 more) ...
- Mt. Calvary Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the southwest)
- Aroma Park Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the southwest)
- Oakwood Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the south)
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>
While we didn't find Eldridge in the Atlas, the following 1895 communities would have been found near the current location of Eldridge.
These communities are listed based on their distance from Eldridge, with the one closest to Eldridge listed first.
- Exline
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the west)
- Exline is located in Kankakee County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Exline
- Momence
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the east)
- Saint George
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the northwest)
- Saint George is located in Kankakee County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Saint George
- Koster
(5 miles [8 km] to the south)
- Koster is located in Kankakee County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Koster
- Grant Park
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the northeast)
- Grant Park is located in Kankakee County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Grant Park
- Population from the 2020 Census: 1,231 people
- Kankakee
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the west)
- Hopkins Park
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the southeast)
- Hopkins Park is located in Kankakee County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hopkins Park
- Population from the 2020 Census: 608 people
- Hopkins Park has also been known as:
- Hopkins Park village
- Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Hopkins Park <1>
- Saint Anne
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the south)
- Sherburnville
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the northeast)
- Sherburnville is located in Kankakee County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sherburnville
- Sollitt
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the northeast)
- Sollitt is located in Kankakee County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sollitt
- Greenwich
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the west)
- Greenwich is located in Kankakee County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Greenwich
- Otto
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the southwest)
- Otto is located in Kankakee County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Otto
- Continue List (14 more) ...
- Peotone
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the north)
- Papineau
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the south)
- Beecher
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the north)
We've also created an expanded list of communities that existed in the 1890's and were located in the area around Eldridge. See our List of 1890's Communities around Eldridge.
Newspapers Published in Eldridge ...
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 80 newspapers that have been published in the area around Eldridge.
Although we're unaware of any newspapers that were published in the immediate area of Eldridge, there are papers which were published within 25 miles [40.2 km]<4>. A list of those papers, sorted by paper name, can be found on the Extended Newspaper List for Eldridge.
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 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 Eldridge:
- Websites specific to Illinois
- Pages specific to Kankakee County
- Genealogy information for nearby counties
- Cook County
- Ford County
- Grundy County
- Iroquois County
- Livingston County
- Will County
- Jasper County
- Lake County
- Newton County
- Porter 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 Eldridge, please let us know so that we can improve our accuracy. |
| <4> | Our distances are not driving distances, but are calculated as a 'point-to-point' distance. A straight line distance ignores obstructions like rivers, canyons, lakes, et cetera - it's truly a line from Point A (ie- Eldridge) to Point B. In other words: 'As the crow flies'. |