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 Forest Hill (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 Forest Hill. 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 northwest 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 north.
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 north 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.
Forest Hill is located in Cook 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 Cook County: DuPage, Kane, Lake, McHenry, Will, Lake (IN) & Berrien (MI).
Below are the counties that are near Forest Hill. For each of these counties, we show a sample of those communities that are closest to Forest Hill:
- Cook County (The home county of Forest Hill)
- The following are listed by their distance from Forest Hill, with the one closest to Forest Hill listed first.
- Chicago Lawn
(Less than 2 miles to the northwest)
- Chicago Lawn is located in Cook County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Chicago Lawn
- South Englewood
(Less than 2 miles to the southeast)
- South Englewood is located in Cook County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for South Englewood
- Englewood
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the northeast)
- Englewood is located in Cook County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Englewood
- Evergreen Park
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the south)
- Chatham
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the east)
- Chatham is located in Cook County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Chatham
- New City
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the north)
- New City is located in Cook County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for New City
- West Elsdon
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the northwest)
- West Elsdon is located in Cook County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for West Elsdon
- Washington Heights
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the south)
- Washington Heights is located in Cook County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Washington Heights
- Hometown
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the southwest)
- Brookdale
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the east)
- Brookdale is located in Cook County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Brookdale
- Burnside
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the southeast)
- Burnside is located in Cook County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Burnside
- Burbank
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the west)
- DuPage County
- The following are listed by their distance from Forest Hill, with the one closest to Forest Hill listed first.
- Hinsdale
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the west)
- Willowbrook
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the west)
- Clarendon Hills
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the west)
- Oak Brook
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the west)
- South Elmhurst
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the northwest)
- South Elmhurst is located in DuPage County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for South Elmhurst
- Darien
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the west)
- Tedens ‑ Historic
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the west)
- Tedens is located in DuPage County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Tedens
- Westmont
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the west)
- Elmhurst
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the northwest)
- Oak Brook Terrace
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the northwest)
- Oak Brook Terrace is located in DuPage County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Oak Brook Terrace
- Population from the 2020 Census: 2,094 people
- Utopia
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the northwest)
- Utopia is located in DuPage County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Utopia
- Downers Grove
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the west)
- Lake County
- The following are listed by their distance from Forest Hill, with the one closest to Forest Hill listed first.
- Braeside
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the north)
- Braeside is located in Lake County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Braeside
- Ravinia
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the north)
- Ravinia is located in Lake County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ravinia
- Deerfield
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the north)
- Highland Park
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the north)
- Riverwoods
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the north)
- Buffalo Grove
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the northwest)
- Will County
- The following are listed by their distance from Forest Hill, with the one closest to Forest Hill listed first.
- Goodings Grove
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the southwest)
- Goodings Grove is located in Will County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Goodings Grove
- Homer Glen
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the southwest)
- Homer Glen is located in Will County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Homer Glen
- 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 <1>
- Frankfort Square
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the south)
- Frankfort Square is located in Will County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Frankfort Square
- Mokena
(18 miles [29 km] to the southwest)
- Steger
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the south)
- Frankfort
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the southwest)
- Colonial Village
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the west)
- Colonial Village is located in Will County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Colonial Village
- Winston Village
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the west)
- Winston Village is located in Will County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Winston Village
- Bloomfield Village
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the west)
- Bloomfield Village is located in Will County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bloomfield Village
- Bolingbrook
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the west)
- Crete
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the south)
- Gilletts ‑ Historic
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the southwest)
- Gilletts is located in Will County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Gilletts
- Lake County (IN)
- The following are listed by their distance from Forest Hill, with the one closest to Forest Hill listed first.
- Whiting
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the southeast)
- East Chicago
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the southeast)
- Hammond
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the southeast)
- Hessville
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the southeast)
- Hessville is located in Lake County (IN)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hessville
- Munster
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the southeast)
- Highland
(18 miles [29 km] to the southeast)
- Dyer
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the southeast)
- 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>
- Gary
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the southeast)
- Gary is located in Lake County (IN)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Gary
- Population from the 2020 Census: 74,693 people
- Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Gary <1>
- Griffith
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the southeast)
- Hartsdale
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the southeast)
- Hartsdale is located in Lake County (IN)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hartsdale
- New Elliott
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the southeast)
- New Elliott is located in Lake County (IN)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for New Elliott
- Ross
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the southeast)
- Ross is located in Lake County (IN)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ross
- Porter County (IN)
- The following are listed by their distance from Forest Hill, with the one closest to Forest Hill listed first.
- Ogden Dunes
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the east)
- Ogden Dunes is located in Porter County (IN)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ogden Dunes
- Population from the 2020 Census: 1,083 people
- Woodland Village
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the southeast)
- Woodland Village is located in Porter County (IN)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Woodland Village
- Portage
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the southeast)
- Willow Creek
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the southeast)
- Willow Creek is located in Porter County (IN)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Willow Creek
- Burns Harbor
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the east)
For an expanded list of the communities that are closest to Forest Hill, see our County-by-County Page for Forest Hill.
Cemeteries Near Forest Hill ...
Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of Forest Hill.
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 Forest Hill - one of the links might be able to help.
If not found below, our Cemetery List for Forest Hill covers a larger area, with the cemeteries listed in alphabetical order.
The following cemeteries are listed based on their distance from Forest Hill, with the one closest to Forest Hill listed first.
- St. Mary Catholic Cemetery
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the southwest)
- Evergreen Cemetery
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the southwest)
- Mt. Greenwood Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the south)
- Mt. Olivet Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the south)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mt. Olivet Cemetery
- To give a relative sense of its location, the Mt. Olivet Cemetery is a very large cemetery that is located in Blue Island.
- The Mt. Olivet Cemetery has also been known as:
- Mt. Olivet Cemetery
- Jump to Find-A-Grave: FG ID #107055 <2>
- Oak Woods Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the east)
- St. Casimir Catholic Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the southwest)
- Ever Rest Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the south)
- Oak Hill Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the south)
- Beverly Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the south)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Beverly Cemetery
- To give a relative sense of its location, the Beverly Cemetery is a very large cemetery that is located in Blue Island.
- The Beverly Cemetery has also been known as:
- Beverly Memorial Park Cemetery
- Beverly Memorial Park
- Jump to Find-A-Grave: FG ID #104753 <2>
- Mt. Hope Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the south)
- Holy Sepulchre Catholic Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the southwest)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Holy Sepulchre Catholic Cemetery
- To give a relative sense of its location, the Holy Sepulchre Catholic Cemetery is a very large cemetery that is located in Alsip.
- The Holy Sepulchre Catholic Cemetery has also been known as:
- Holy Sepulchre Cemetery
- Jump to Find-A-Grave: FG ID #106228 <2>
- Chapel Hills Gardens South
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the southwest)
- Continue List (344 more) ...
- Hazel Green Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the southwest)
- Restvale Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the southwest)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Restvale Cemetery
- To give a relative sense of its location, the Restvale Cemetery is a very large cemetery that is located in Alsip.
- Jump to Find-A-Grave: FG ID #107649 <2>
- Burr Oak 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>
The Rand McNally Atlas shows that in 1895, Forest Hill had a post office and railroad service.
These communities are listed based on their distance from Forest Hill, with the one closest to Forest Hill listed first.
- South Englewood
(Less than 2 miles to the southeast)
- South Englewood is located in Cook County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for South Englewood
- Chicago Lawn
(Less than 2 miles to the northwest)
- Chicago Lawn is located in Cook County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Chicago Lawn
- South Lynn
(Less than 2 miles to the north)
- South Lynn is located in Cook County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for South Lynn
- Evergreen Park
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the south)
- Brainerd
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the southeast)
- Brainerd is located in Cook County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Brainerd
- Auburn Park
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the east)
- Auburn Park is located in Cook County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Auburn Park
- Englewood
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the northeast)
- Englewood is located in Cook County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Englewood
- Beverly Hills
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the south)
- Beverly Hills is located in Cook County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Beverly Hills
- Washington Heights
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the south)
- Washington Heights is located in Cook County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Washington Heights
- Glendale
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the northwest)
- Glendale is located in Cook County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Glendale
- Brookline
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the east)
- Brookline is located in Cook County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Brookline
- Park Manor
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the east)
- Park Manor is located in Cook County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Park Manor
- Continue List (16 more) ...
- Elsdon
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the northwest)
- Elsdon is located in Cook County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Elsdon
- Brighton Park
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the north)
- Brighton Park is located in Cook County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Brighton Park
- Oak Lawn
(4 miles [6.4 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 Forest Hill. See our List of 1890's Communities around Forest Hill.
Newspapers Published in Forest Hill ...
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 36 newspapers that have been published in the area around Forest Hill.
Although we're unaware of any newspapers that were published in the immediate area of Forest Hill, there are papers which were published within 7 miles [11.3 km]<4>. A list of those papers, sorted by paper name, can be found on the Extended Newspaper List for Forest Hill.
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 Forest Hill:
- Websites specific to Illinois
- Pages specific to Cook County
- Genealogy information for nearby counties
- DuPage County
- Lake County
- Will County
- Lake 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 Forest Hill, 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- Forest Hill) to Point B. In other words: 'As the crow flies'. |