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 Half Day (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 Half Day. 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 and hospitals 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.
Half Day is located in Lake 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 Lake County: Cook, McHenry, Allegan (MI), Berrien (MI), Van Buren (MI) & Kenosha (WI).
Below are the counties that are near Half Day. For each of these counties, we show a sample of those communities that are closest to Half Day:
- Lake County (The home county of Half Day)
- The following are listed by their distance from Half Day, with the one closest to Half Day listed first.
- Lincolnshire
(Less than 2 miles to the southeast)
- Aptakisic
(Less than 2 miles to the southwest)
- Aptakisic is located in Lake County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Aptakisic
- Prairie View
(Less than 2 miles to the west)
- Prairie View is located in Lake County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Prairie View
- Indian Creek
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the northwest)
- Indian Creek is located in Lake County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Indian Creek
- Population from the 2020 Census: 538 people
- Vernon Hills
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the northwest)
- Riverwoods
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the southeast)
- Bannockburn
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the east)
- Mettawa
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the north)
- Buffalo Grove
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the south)
- Long Grove
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the west)
- Deerfield
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the southeast)
- Mundelein
(5 miles [8 km] to the northwest)
- Kildeer
(5 miles [8 km] to the west)
- Cook County
- The following are listed by their distance from Half Day, with the one closest to Half Day listed first.
- Wheeling
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the south)
- Prospect Heights
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the south)
- Capri Village
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the southwest)
- Capri Village is located in Cook County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Capri Village
- Covenant Village
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the southeast)
- Covenant Village is located in Cook County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Covenant Village
- Northbrook
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the southeast)
- Techny
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the southeast)
- Arlington Heights
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the south)
- Colonial Village
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the southeast)
- Colonial Village is located in Cook County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Colonial Village
- The Grove
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the southeast)
- The Grove is located in Cook County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for The Grove
- Palatine
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the southwest)
- Mount Prospect
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the south)
- Fairfax Village
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the southwest)
- Fairfax Village is located in Cook County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Fairfax Village
- Plum Grove Village
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the southwest)
- Plum Grove Village is located in Cook County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Plum Grove Village
- DuPage County
- The following are listed by their distance from Half Day, with the one closest to Half Day listed first.
- Bensenville
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the south)
- Itasca
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the south)
- Medinah
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the south)
- Wood Dale
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the south)
- Roselle
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the southwest)
- Bloomingdale
(18 miles [29 km] to the southwest)
- Keeneyville
(18 miles [29 km] to the southwest)
- Keeneyville is located in DuPage County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Keeneyville
- Addison
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the south)
- Elmhurst
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the south)
- Bartlett
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the southwest)
- Cloverdale
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the southwest)
- Cloverdale is located in DuPage County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cloverdale
- Glendale Heights
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the south)
- Carol Stream
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the southwest)
- Kane County
- The following are listed by their distance from Half Day, with the one closest to Half Day listed first.
- East Dundee
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the southwest)
- Carpentersville
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the west)
- Sleepy Hollow
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the west)
- Elgin
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the southwest)
- West Dundee
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the west)
- Gilberts
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the west)
- Freeman
(23 miles [37 km] to the west)
- Freeman is located in Kane County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Freeman
- Coleman
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the southwest)
- Coleman is located in Kane County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Coleman
- South Elgin
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the southwest)
- South Elgin is located in Kane County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for South Elgin
- Population from the 2020 Census: 24,646 people
- Pingree Grove
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the west)
- Bowes Bend
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the southwest)
- Bowes Bend is located in Kane County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bowes Bend
- Saint Charles
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the southwest)
- Starks
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the west)
- Starks is located in Kane County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Starks
- McHenry County
- The following are listed by their distance from Half Day, with the one closest to Half Day listed first.
- Fox River Grove
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the west)
- Island Lake
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the west)
- Island Lake is located in McHenry County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Island Lake
- Population from the 2020 Census: 7,951 people
- Oakwood Hills
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the west)
- Oakwood Hills is located in McHenry County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Oakwood Hills
- Population from the 2020 Census: 2,011 people
- Holiday Hills
(16 miles [25.7 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
- Lakemoor
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the northwest)
- Cary
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the west)
- Trout Valley
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the west)
- Trout Valley is located in McHenry County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Trout Valley
- Population from the 2020 Census: 508 people
- Barreville
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the west)
- Barreville is located in McHenry County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Barreville
- Prairie Grove
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the west)
- Prairie Grove is located in McHenry County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Prairie Grove
- Population from the 2020 Census: 1,920 people
- Algonquin
(18 miles [29 km] to the west)
- Pistakee Highlands
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the northwest)
- Pistakee Highlands is located in McHenry County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Pistakee Highlands
- Sunnyside
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the northwest)
- Sunnyside is located in McHenry County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sunnyside
- Lake-in-the-Hills
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the west)
- Kenosha County (WI)
- The following are listed by their distance from Half Day, with the one closest to Half Day listed first.
- Fossland
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the north)
- Fossland is located in Kenosha County (WI)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Fossland
- Benet Lake
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the north)
- Benet Lake is located in Kenosha County (WI)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Benet Lake
- Lake Shangrila
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the north)
- Lake Shangrila is located in Kenosha County (WI)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lake Shangrila
- Pleasant Prairie
(22 miles [35.4 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
- Woodworth
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the north)
- Woodworth is located in Kenosha County (WI)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Woodworth
- Bristol
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the north)
- Bristol is located in Kenosha County (WI)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bristol
- Population from the 2020 Census: 5,145 people
- Camp Lake
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the northwest)
- Camp Lake is located in Kenosha County (WI)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Camp Lake
- Salem Lakes
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the north)
- Salem Lakes is located in Kenosha County (WI)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Salem Lakes
- Former names for Salem Lakes:
- Salem
- Silver Lake
- Kenosha
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the north)
- Kenosha is located in Kenosha County (WI)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Kenosha
- Population from the 2020 Census: 99,570 people
- Paddock Lake
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the north)
- Paddock Lake is located in Kenosha County (WI)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Paddock Lake
- Population from the 2020 Census: 3,232 people
- Fox River
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the northwest)
- Fox River is located in Kenosha County (WI)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Fox River
- Twin Lakes
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the northwest)
- Twin Lakes is located in Kenosha County (WI)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Twin Lakes
- Population from the 2020 Census: 6,234 people
- Paris
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the north)
- Paris is located in Kenosha County (WI)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Paris
- Walworth County (WI)
- Genoa City
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the northwest)
- Genoa City is located in Walworth County (WI)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Genoa City
- Population from the 2020 Census: 2,981 people
For an expanded list of the communities that are closest to Half Day, see our County-by-County Page for Half Day.
Cemeteries Near Half Day ...
Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of Half Day.
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 Half Day - one of the links might be able to help.
If not found below, our Cemetery List for Half Day covers a larger area, with the cemeteries listed in alphabetical order.
The following cemeteries are listed based on their distance from Half Day, with the one closest to Half Day listed first.
- Vernon Cemetery
(Less than 2 miles to the northeast)
- Willow Lawn Cemetery
(Less than 2 miles to the northwest)
- Long Grove Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the southwest)
- Knopf Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the southwest)
- St. Marys Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the southwest)
- St. Patricks Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the east)
- Diamond Lake Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the northwest)
- Gridley Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the west)
- Wheeling Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the south)
- North Northfield Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the southeast)
- Northfield Union Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the southeast)
- Deerfield Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the southeast)
- Continue List (309 more) ...
- St. Marys Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the east)
- Mooney Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the east)
- Ft. Sheridan Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the east)
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 Half Day had a population of 174 people in 1895 with a post office and railroad service.
These communities are listed based on their distance from Half Day, with the one closest to Half Day listed first.
- Prairie View
(Less than 2 miles to the west)
- Prairie View is located in Lake County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Prairie View
- Aptakisic
(Less than 2 miles to the southwest)
- Aptakisic is located in Lake County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Aptakisic
- Buffalo Grove
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the south)
- Leithton
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the northwest)
- Leithton is located in Lake County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Leithton
- Long Grove
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the west)
- Wheeling
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the south)
- Deerfield
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the southeast)
- Diamond Lake
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the northwest)
- Diamond Lake is located in Lake County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Diamond Lake
- Ridgeland
(5 miles [8 km] to the southeast)
- Ridgeland is located in Cook County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ridgeland
- North Northfield
(5 miles [8 km] to the southeast)
- North Northfield is located in Cook County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for North Northfield
- Rondout
(5 miles [8 km] to the north)
- Rondout is located in Lake County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rondout
- Rockefeller
(5 miles [8 km] to the northwest)
- Rockefeller is located in Lake County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rockefeller
- Continue List (15 more) ...
- Libertyville
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the north)
- Highland Park
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the east)
- Lake Forest
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the northeast)
We've also created an expanded list of communities that existed in the 1890's and were located in the area around Half Day. See our List of 1890's Communities around Half Day.
Newspapers Published in Half Day ...
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 45 newspapers that have been published in the area around Half Day.
Although we're unaware of any newspapers that were published in the immediate area of Half Day, 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 Half Day.
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 Half Day:
- Websites specific to Illinois
- Pages specific to Lake County
- Genealogy information for nearby counties
- Cook County
- DuPage County
- Kane County
- McHenry County
- Kenosha County
- Walworth 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 Half Day, 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- Half Day) to Point B. In other words: 'As the crow flies'. |