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 River (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 River. 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 Forest River ...
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.
For example, a typical abbreviation for Forest River: Forest Riv.
You might be interested in other communities that are also named Forest River. More information can be found on our Tidbits & Trivia Page for Forest River.
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 hospitals 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.
Forest River 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 River. For each of these counties, we show a sample of those communities that are closest to Forest River:
- Cook County (The home county of Forest River)
- The following are listed by their distance from Forest River, with the one closest to Forest River listed first.
- The Grove
(Less than 2 miles to the east)
- The Grove is located in Cook County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for The Grove
- Prospect Heights
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the northwest)
- Des Plaines
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the south)
- Norma
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the south)
- Norma is located in Cook County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Norma
- Mount Prospect
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the west)
- Glenview
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the east)
- Covenant Village
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the northeast)
- Covenant Village is located in Cook County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Covenant Village
- Wheeling
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the north)
- Northbrook
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the northeast)
- Techny
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the northeast)
- Arlington Heights
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the west)
- Colonial Village
(5 miles [8 km] to the northeast)
- Colonial Village is located in Cook County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Colonial Village
- DuPage County
- The following are listed by their distance from Forest River, with the one closest to Forest River listed first.
- Bensenville
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the south)
- Wood Dale
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the southwest)
- Itasca
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the southwest)
- Medinah
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the southwest)
- Addison
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the southwest)
- Roselle
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the southwest)
- Elmhurst
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the south)
- Bloomingdale
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the southwest)
- South Elmhurst
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the south)
- South Elmhurst is located in DuPage County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for South Elmhurst
- Villa Park
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the south)
- Villa Park is located in DuPage County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Villa Park
- Population from the 2020 Census: 21,291 people
- Keeneyville
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the southwest)
- Keeneyville is located in DuPage County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Keeneyville
- Cloverdale
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the southwest)
- Cloverdale is located in DuPage County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cloverdale
- Kane County
- The following are listed by their distance from Forest River, with the one closest to Forest River listed first.
- East Dundee
(18 miles [29 km] to the west)
- Carpentersville
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the west)
- Elgin
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the west)
- Coleman
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the west)
- Coleman is located in Kane County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Coleman
- Sleepy Hollow
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the west)
- South Elgin
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the west)
- South Elgin is located in Kane County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for South Elgin
- Population from the 2020 Census: 24,646 people
- Saint Charles
(23 miles [37 km] to the southwest)
- Gilberts
(23 miles [37 km] to the west)
- West Dundee
(23 miles [37 km] to the west)
- Geneva
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the southwest)
- Freeman
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the west)
- Freeman is located in Kane County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Freeman
- Batavia
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the southwest)
- Lake County
- The following are listed by their distance from Forest River, with the one closest to Forest River listed first.
- Deerfield
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the north)
- Riverwoods
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the north)
- Buffalo Grove
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the northwest)
- Aptakisic
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the north)
- Aptakisic is located in Lake County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Aptakisic
- Bannockburn
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the north)
- Lincolnshire
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the north)
- Prairie View
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the north)
- Prairie View is located in Lake County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Prairie View
- Braeside
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the northeast)
- Braeside is located in Lake County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Braeside
- Highland Park
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the northeast)
- Ravinia
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the northeast)
- Ravinia is located in Lake County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ravinia
- Highwood
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the northeast)
- Kildeer
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the northwest)
- McHenry County
- The following are listed by their distance from Forest River, with the one closest to Forest River listed first.
- Fox River Grove
(18 miles [29 km] to the northwest)
- Cary
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the northwest)
- Island Lake
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the northwest)
- Island Lake is located in McHenry County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Island Lake
- Population from the 2020 Census: 7,951 people
- Trout Valley
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the northwest)
- Trout Valley is located in McHenry County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Trout Valley
- Population from the 2020 Census: 508 people
- Oakwood Hills
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the northwest)
- Oakwood Hills is located in McHenry County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Oakwood Hills
- Population from the 2020 Census: 2,011 people
- Algonquin
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the west)
- Holiday Hills
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the northwest)
- Holiday Hills is located in McHenry County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Holiday Hills
- Population from the 2020 Census: 574 people
- Lake-in-the-Hills
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the west)
- Barreville
(23 miles [37 km] to the northwest)
- Barreville is located in McHenry County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Barreville
- Prairie Grove
(23 miles [37 km] to the northwest)
- Prairie Grove is located in McHenry County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Prairie Grove
- Population from the 2020 Census: 1,920 people
- Crystal Lake
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the northwest)
- Lakemoor
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the northwest)
- Will County
- The following are listed by their distance from Forest River, with the one closest to Forest River listed first.
- Winston Village
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the south)
- Winston Village is located in Will County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Winston Village
- Bolingbrook
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the south)
- Colonial Village
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the south)
- Colonial Village is located in Will County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Colonial Village
- Bloomfield Village
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the south)
- Bloomfield Village is located in Will County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bloomfield Village
- Goodings Grove
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the south)
- Goodings Grove is located in Will County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Goodings Grove
- Kenosha County (WI)
- The following are listed by their distance from Forest River, with the one closest to Forest River listed first.
- Fossland
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the north)
- Fossland is located in Kenosha County (WI)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Fossland
- Benet Lake
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the north)
- Benet Lake is located in Kenosha County (WI)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Benet Lake
- Lake Shangrila
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the north)
- Lake Shangrila is located in Kenosha County (WI)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lake Shangrila
- Pleasant Prairie
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the north)
- Pleasant Prairie is located in Kenosha County (WI)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Pleasant Prairie
- Population from the 2020 Census: 21,373 people
For an expanded list of the communities that are closest to Forest River, see our County-by-County Page for Forest River.
Cemeteries Near Forest River ...
Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of Forest River.
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 River - one of the links might be able to help.
If not found below, our Cemetery List for Forest River covers a larger area, with the cemeteries listed in alphabetical order.
The following cemeteries are listed based on their distance from Forest River, with the one closest to Forest River listed first.
- St. Marys Cemetery
(Less than 2 miles to the south)
- All Saints Catholic Cemetery
(Less than 2 miles to the south)
- St. Johns Cemetery
(Less than 2 miles to the northeast)
- Northfield Oakwood Cemetery
(Less than 2 miles to the northeast)
- St. Pauls Evangelical Lutheran Cemetery
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the west)
- Ridgewood Memorial Park
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the southeast)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ridgewood Memorial Park
- To give a relative sense of its location, the Ridgewood Memorial Park is a very large cemetery that is located in Glenview.
- The Ridgewood Memorial Park has also been known as:
- Ridgewood Cemetery
- Jump to Find-A-Grave: FG ID #107685 <2>
- Sunset Memorial Lawns
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the northeast)
- Wheeling Twp. Arlington Heights Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the west)
- St. Peter Lutheran Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the west)
- English Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the west)
- Memory Gardens Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the west)
- Wheeling Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the north)
- Continue List (314 more) ...
- Maryhill Catholic Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the southeast)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Maryhill Catholic Cemetery
- To give a relative sense of its location, the Maryhill Catholic Cemetery is a very large cemetery that is located in Niles.
- The Maryhill Catholic Cemetery has also been known as:
- Mary Hill Cemetery
- Maryhill Cemetery
- Jump to Find-A-Grave: FG ID #106764 <2>
- Northfield Union Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the northeast)
- North Northfield Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the north)
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 Forest River in the Atlas, the following 1895 communities would have been found near the current location of Forest River.
These communities are listed based on their distance from Forest River, with the one closest to Forest River listed first.
- The Grove
(Less than 2 miles to the east)
- The Grove is located in Cook County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for The Grove
- Mount Prospect
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the west)
- Des Plaines
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the south)
- Ridgeland
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the north)
- Ridgeland is located in Cook County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ridgeland
- Wheeling
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the north)
- Shermerville
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the northeast)
- Shermerville is located in Cook County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Shermerville
- North Northfield
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the north)
- North Northfield is located in Cook County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for North Northfield
- Arlington Heights
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the west)
- Park Ridge
(5 miles [8 km] to the southeast)
- Niles
(5 miles [8 km] to the southeast)
- Elk Grove Village
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the southwest)
- Morton Grove
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the southeast)
- Continue List (16 more) ...
- Buffalo Grove
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the northwest)
- Deerfield
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the north)
- Aptakisic
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the north)
- Aptakisic is located in Lake County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Aptakisic
We've also created an expanded list of communities that existed in the 1890's and were located in the area around Forest River. See our List of 1890's Communities around Forest River.
Newspapers Published in Forest River ...
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 57 newspapers that have been published in the area around Forest River.
Although we're unaware of any newspapers that were published in the immediate area of Forest River, there are papers which were published within 6 miles [9.7 km]<4>. A list of those papers, sorted by paper name, can be found on the Extended Newspaper List for Forest River.
Websites to Help With Your Genealogy Research ...
When we do our genealogical research, we start 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 Forest River:
- Websites specific to Illinois
- Pages specific to Cook County
- Genealogy information for nearby counties
- DuPage County
- Kane County
- Lake County
- McHenry County
- Will County
- Kenosha 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 River, 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 drawn from Point A (ie- Forest River) to Point B. In other words: 'As the crow flies'. |