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 Gary (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 Gary. 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 northeast 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 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 east 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.
Gary 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 Gary. For each of these counties, we show a sample of those communities that are closest to Gary:
- Cook County (The home county of Gary)
- The following are listed by their distance from Gary, with the one closest to Gary listed first.
- Hodgkins
(Less than 2 miles to the southwest)
- McCook
(Less than 2 miles to the north)
- Justice
(Less than 2 miles to the southeast)
- Countryside
(Less than 2 miles to the west)
- La Grange
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the north)
- Summit
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the northeast)
- Willow Springs
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the southwest)
- Indian Head Park
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the west)
- Indian Head Park is located in Cook County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Indian Head Park
- Population from the 2020 Census: 3,680 people
- Bedford Park
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the east)
- Brookfield
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the north)
- Bridgeview
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the southeast)
- Hickory Hills
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the southeast)
- Burr Ridge
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the southwest)
- DuPage County
- The following are listed by their distance from Gary, with the one closest to Gary listed first.
- Hinsdale
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the northwest)
- Willowbrook
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the west)
- Clarendon Hills
(5 miles [8 km] to the west)
- Oak Brook
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the northwest)
- Darien
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the west)
- Westmont
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the west)
- Oak Brook Terrace
(8 miles [12.9 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
- South Elmhurst
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the northwest)
- South Elmhurst is located in DuPage County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for South Elmhurst
- Utopia
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the northwest)
- Utopia is located in DuPage County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Utopia
- Tedens ‑ Historic
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the southwest)
- Tedens is located in DuPage County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Tedens
- Downers Grove
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the west)
- Elmhurst
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the northwest)
- Woodridge
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the west)
- Kane County
- The following are listed by their distance from Gary, with the one closest to Gary listed first.
- Aurora
(23 miles [37 km] to the west)
- Batavia
(23 miles [37 km] to the west)
- Geneva
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the west)
- Mooseheart
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the west)
- Saint Charles
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the northwest)
- North Aurora
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the west)
- North Aurora is located in Kane County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for North Aurora
- Population from the 2020 Census: 18,144 people
- Coleman
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the northwest)
- Coleman is located in Kane County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Coleman
- Elgin
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the northwest)
- South Elgin
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the northwest)
- South Elgin is located in Kane County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for South Elgin
- Population from the 2020 Census: 24,646 people
- Bonnie
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the west)
- Bonnie is located in Kane County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bonnie
- Bonnie has also been known as:
- Bonnie Valley
- East Dundee
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the northwest)
- Campton Hills
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the west)
- Campton Hills is located in Kane County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Campton Hills
- 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 <1>
- Sugar Grove
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the west)
- Kendall County
- The following are listed by their distance from Gary, with the one closest to Gary listed first.
- Boulder Hill
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the west)
- Boulder Hill is located in Kendall County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Boulder Hill
- Montgomery
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the west)
- Oswego
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the west)
- Bristol
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the west)
- Lake County
- The following are listed by their distance from Gary, with the one closest to Gary listed first.
- Braeside
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the north)
- Braeside is located in Lake County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Braeside
- Buffalo Grove
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the north)
- Deerfield
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the north)
- Ravinia
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the north)
- Ravinia is located in Lake County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ravinia
- Riverwoods
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the north)
- Aptakisic
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the north)
- Aptakisic is located in Lake County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Aptakisic
- Highland Park
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the north)
- Bannockburn
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the north)
- Lincolnshire
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the north)
- Prairie View
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the north)
- Prairie View is located in Lake County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Prairie View
- Deer Park
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the northwest)
- Highwood
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the north)
- Kildeer
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the north)
- Will County
- The following are listed by their distance from Gary, with the one closest to Gary listed first.
- Goodings Grove
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the south)
- Goodings Grove is located in Will County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Goodings Grove
- Colonial Village
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the southwest)
- Colonial Village is located in Will County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Colonial Village
- Winston Village
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the west)
- Winston Village is located in Will County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Winston Village
- Homer Glen
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the south)
- 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>
- Bloomfield Village
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the southwest)
- Bloomfield Village is located in Will County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bloomfield Village
- Bolingbrook
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the southwest)
- Romeoville
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the southwest)
- Lockport
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the southwest)
- Mokena
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the south)
- 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
- Gilletts ‑ Historic
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the south)
- Gilletts is located in Will County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Gilletts
- Cherry Hill
(18 miles [29 km] to the southwest)
- Cherry Hill is located in Will County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cherry Hill
- Fairmont
(18 miles [29 km] to the southwest)
- Fairmont is located in Will County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Fairmont
- Lake County (IN)
- The following are listed by their distance from Gary, with the one closest to Gary listed first.
- Whiting
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the east)
- East Chicago
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the southeast)
- Hammond
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the southeast)
- Hessville
(23 miles [37 km] to the southeast)
- Hessville is located in Lake County (IN)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hessville
- Munster
(23 miles [37 km] to the southeast)
- Dyer
(25 miles [40.2 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>
- Highland
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the southeast)
- Griffith
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the southeast)
- Hartsdale
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the southeast)
- Hartsdale is located in Lake County (IN)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hartsdale
- Gary
(28 miles [45.1 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>
- Schererville
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the southeast)
- New Elliott
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the southeast)
- New Elliott is located in Lake County (IN)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for New Elliott
- Saint John
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the southeast)
For an expanded list of the communities that are closest to Gary, see our County-by-County Page for Gary.
Cemeteries Near Gary ...
Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of Gary.
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 Gary - one of the links might be able to help.
If not found below, our Cemetery List for Gary covers a larger area, with the cemeteries listed in alphabetical order.
The following cemeteries are listed based on their distance from Gary, with the one closest to Gary listed first.
- St. John Lutheran Cemetery
(Less than 2 miles to the southwest)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for St. John Lutheran Cemetery
- To give a relative sense of its location, the St. John Lutheran Cemetery is a large cemetery that is located outside and to the southwest of Hodgkins.
- The St. John Lutheran Cemetery has also been known as:
- St. Johns Cemetery
- Jump to Find-A-Grave: FG ID #107905 <2>
- LaGrange Cemetery
(Less than 2 miles to the north)
- Bethania Cemetery
(Less than 2 miles to the southeast)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bethania Cemetery
- To give a relative sense of its location, the Bethania Cemetery is a very large cemetery that is located in Justice.
- Jump to Find-A-Grave: FG ID #104715 <2>
- Ressurection Catholic Cemetery
(Less than 2 miles to the southeast)
- Resurrection Catholic Cemetery
(Less than 2 miles to the southeast)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Resurrection Catholic Cemetery
- To give a relative sense of its location, the Resurrection Catholic Cemetery is a very large cemetery that is located in Justice.
- The Resurrection Catholic Cemetery has also been known as:
- Resurrection Cemetery
- Jump to Find-A-Grave: FG ID #107652 <2>
- Archer Woods Memorial Park
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the south)
- Lithuanian National Cemetery
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the south)
- Trinity Lutheran Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the southwest)
- Fairmount Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the south)
- Parkholm Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the north)
- Sacred Heart Catholic Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the south)
- Mt. Auburn Memorial Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the northeast)
- Continue List (393 more) ...
- Fullersburg Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the northwest)
- Immanuel Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the northwest)
- Immanuel Lutheran Church Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the northwest)
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 Gary in the Atlas, the following 1895 communities would have been found near the current location of Gary.
These communities are listed based on their distance from Gary, with the one closest to Gary listed first.
- Willow Springs
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the southwest)
- La Grange
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the north)
- Summit
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the northeast)
- Lyons
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the northeast)
- Western Springs
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the northwest)
- Riverside
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the north)
- Fullersburg
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the northwest)
- Fullersburg is located in DuPage County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Fullersburg
- Hinsdale
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the northwest)
- Lace
(5 miles [8 km] to the west)
- Lace is located in DuPage County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lace
- LaVergne
(5 miles [8 km] to the northeast)
- LaVergne is located in Cook County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for LaVergne
- Clarendon Hills
(5 miles [8 km] to the west)
- Sag Bridge
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the southwest)
- Sag Bridge is located in Cook County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sag Bridge
- Continue List (19 more) ...
- Worth
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the southeast)
- Oak Lawn
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the southeast)
- Clyde
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the northeast)
- Clyde is located in Cook County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Clyde
We've also created an expanded list of communities that existed in the 1890's and were located in the area around Gary. See our List of 1890's Communities around Gary.
Newspapers Published in Gary ...
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 43 newspapers that have been published in the area around Gary.
Although we're unaware of any newspapers that were published in the immediate area of Gary, there are papers which were published within 10 miles [16.1 km]<4>. A list of those papers, sorted by paper name, can be found on the Extended Newspaper List for Gary.
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 websites either 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 Gary:
- Websites specific to Illinois
- Pages specific to Cook County
- Genealogy information for nearby counties
- DuPage County
- Kane County
- Kendall County
- Lake County
- Will County
- Lake 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 Gary, 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 obstructions like rivers, canyons, lakes, et cetera - it's truly a line drawn from Point A (ie- Gary) to Point B. In other words: 'As the crow flies'. |