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 Hopkins Park (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 Hopkins Park. 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 Hopkins Park ...
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.
Although we can't give a definitive list, hopefully the following will give you a feel for the variations that might occur.
Hopkins Park has also been known as: Hopkins Park village.
- While the name of this village is Hopkins Park, be aware that it's the common practice of mapmakers to remove the apostrophe from possessive names<1>. So Hopkins Park may originally have been Hopkin's Park.
Sometimes the trailing 's' might be dropped altogether, in which case Hopkins Park might be written as Hopkin Park.
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 northeast corner of their home county. During their lives, most doctors and hospitals 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.
Hopkins Park 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 Hopkins Park. For each of these counties, we show a sample of those communities that are closest to Hopkins Park:
- Kankakee County (The home county of Hopkins Park)
- The following are listed by their distance from Hopkins Park, with the one closest to Hopkins Park listed first.
- Litchfield
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the north)
- Litchfield is located in Kankakee County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Litchfield
- Saint Anne
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the southwest)
- Illiana Heights
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the northeast)
- Illiana Heights is located in Kankakee County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Illiana Heights
- Momence
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the northwest)
- Sun River Terrace
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the northwest)
- Sun River Terrace is located in Kankakee County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sun River Terrace
- Population from the 2020 Census: 488 people
- Illinoi
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the northeast)
- Illinoi is located in Kankakee County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Illinoi
- Aroma Park
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the west)
- Grant Park
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the north)
- Grant Park is located in Kankakee County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Grant Park
- Population from the 2020 Census: 1,231 people
- Sherburnville
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the north)
- Sherburnville is located in Kankakee County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sherburnville
- Saint George
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the northwest)
- Saint George is located in Kankakee County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Saint George
- Bradley
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the northwest)
- Kankakee
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the west)
- Sammons Point
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the west)
- Sammons Point is located in Kankakee County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sammons Point
- Population from the 2020 Census: 237 people
- Sammons Point has also been known as:
- Sammons Point village
- Cook County
- The following are listed by their distance from Hopkins Park, with the one closest to Hopkins Park listed first.
- South Chicago Heights
(28 miles [45.1 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
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the north)
- Richton Park
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the north)
- Sauk Village
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the north)
- Chicago Heights
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the north)
- Ford Heights
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the north)
- Iroquois County
- The following are listed by their distance from Hopkins Park, with the one closest to Hopkins Park listed first.
- Beaverville
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the south)
- Papineau
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the southwest)
- Donovan
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the south)
- Martinton
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the southwest)
- Iroquois
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the south)
- L'Erable
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the southwest)
- L'Erable is located in Iroquois County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for L'Erable
- Chebanse
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the west)
- Clifton
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the southwest)
- Sheldon
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the south)
- Effner
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the south)
- Effner is located in Iroquois County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Effner
- Watseka
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the south)
- Ashkum
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the southwest)
- Crescent City
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the southwest)
- Will County
- The following are listed by their distance from Hopkins Park, with the one closest to Hopkins Park listed first.
- Beecher
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the north)
- Peotone
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the northwest)
- Goodenow
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the north)
- Goodenow is located in Will County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Goodenow
- Crete
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the north)
- Monee
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the north)
- University Park
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the north)
- Wilton Center
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the northwest)
- Steger
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the north)
- Willowbrook
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the north)
- Wallingford
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the northwest)
- Wallingford is located in Will County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Wallingford
- Custer Park
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the northwest)
- Custer Park is located in Will County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Custer Park
- Symerton
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the northwest)
- Symerton is located in Will County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Symerton
- Population from the 2020 Census: 91 people
- Benton County (IN)
- The following are listed by their distance from Hopkins Park, with the one closest to Hopkins Park listed first.
- Raub
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the south)
- Raub is located in Benton County (IN)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Raub
- Earl Park
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the south)
- Earl Park is located in Benton County (IN)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Earl Park
- Population from the 2020 Census: 342 people
- Jasper County (IN)
- The following are listed by their distance from Hopkins Park, with the one closest to Hopkins Park listed first.
- Fair Oaks
(18 miles [29 km] to the east)
- Forest City
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the northeast)
- Forest City is located in Jasper County (IN)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Forest City
- Virgie
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the east)
- Virgie is located in Jasper County (IN)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Virgie
- DeMotte
(23 miles [37 km] to the northeast)
- 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 <2>
- Rensselaer
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the east)
- Egypt
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the southeast)
- Egypt is located in Jasper County (IN)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Egypt
- Collegeville
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the southeast)
- Collegeville is located in Jasper County (IN)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Collegeville
- Stoutsburg
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the east)
- Stoutsburg is located in Jasper County (IN)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Stoutsburg
- Gifford
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the east)
- Gifford is located in Jasper County (IN)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Gifford
- Wheatfield
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the east)
- Lake County (IN)
- The following are listed by their distance from Hopkins Park, with the one closest to Hopkins Park listed first.
- Illinoi
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the northeast)
- Illinoi is located in Lake County (IN)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Illinoi
- Schneider
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the northeast)
- Schneider is located in Lake County (IN)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Schneider
- Population from the 2020 Census: 260 people
- Shelby
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the northeast)
- Shelby is located in Lake County (IN)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Shelby
- Lowell
(18 miles [29 km] to the northeast)
- Lake Dalecarlia
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the northeast)
- Lake Dalecarlia is located in Lake County (IN)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lake Dalecarlia
- Cedar Lake
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the northeast)
- Dinwiddie
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the northeast)
- Dinwiddie is located in Lake County (IN)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Dinwiddie
- Leroy
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the northeast)
- Leroy is located in Lake County (IN)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Leroy
- Saint John
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the north)
- Crown Point
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the northeast)
- Dyer
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the north)
- 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 <2>
- Winfield
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the northeast)
- Winfield is located in Lake County (IN)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Winfield
- Population from the 2020 Census: 6,265 people
- Hartsdale
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the north)
- Hartsdale is located in Lake County (IN)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hartsdale
- Newton County (IN)
- The following are listed by their distance from Hopkins Park, with the one closest to Hopkins Park listed first.
- Lake Village
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the northeast)
- Lake Village is located in Newton County (IN)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lake Village
- Sumava Resorts
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the northeast)
- Morocco
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the southeast)
- Beaver City
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the southeast)
- Beaver City is located in Newton County (IN)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Beaver City
- Roselawn
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the east)
- Roselawn is located in Newton County (IN)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Roselawn
- Thayer
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the northeast)
- Thayer is located in Newton County (IN)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Thayer
- Brook
(18 miles [29 km] to the southeast)
- Mount Ayr
(18 miles [29 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
- Foresman
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the southeast)
- Foresman is located in Newton County (IN)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Foresman
- Kentland
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the southeast)
- Newton
(23 miles [37 km] to the southeast)
- Newton is located in Newton County (IN)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Newton
- Goodland
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the southeast)
- Porter County (IN)
- Hebron
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the northeast)
For an expanded list of the communities that are closest to Hopkins Park, see our County-by-County Page for Hopkins Park.
Cemeteries Near Hopkins Park ...
Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of Hopkins Park.
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 Hopkins Park - one of the links might be able to help.
If not found below, our Cemetery List for Hopkins Park covers a larger area, with the cemeteries listed in alphabetical order.
The following cemeteries are listed based on their distance from Hopkins Park, with the one closest to Hopkins Park listed first.
- Guiding Star Memorial Cemetery
(Less than 2 miles to the southwest)
- Concordia Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the west)
- Bible Witness Camp Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the northeast)
- Oakwood Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the west)
- Old Baptist Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the west)
- Shrontz Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the north)
- St. Anne Catholic Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the southwest)
- Morgan Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the southeast)
- Mt. Airy Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the northwest)
- St. Anne Twp. Cemetery
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the southwest)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for St. Anne Twp. Cemetery
- The St. Anne Twp. Cemetery has also been known as:
- St. Anne Cemetery
- Oak Ridge Cemetery
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the southwest)
- Leggtown Cemetery
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the west)
- Continue List (207 more) ...
- St. Joseph Cemetery
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the southwest)
- St. Mary's Cemetery
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the south)
- St. Judes Cemetery
(8 miles [12.9 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.<4>
The Rand McNally Atlas shows that in 1895, Hopkins Park had a post office and no railroad service. In 2020, Hopkins Park had a population of 608 people.
These communities are listed based on their distance from Hopkins Park, with the one closest to Hopkins Park listed first.
- Koster
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the west)
- Koster is located in Kankakee County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Koster
- Saint Anne
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the southwest)
- Momence
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the northwest)
- Papineau
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the southwest)
- Beaverville
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the south)
- Lake Village
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the northeast)
- Lake Village is located in Newton County (IN)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lake Village
- Exline
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the northwest)
- Exline is located in Kankakee County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Exline
- Sherburnville
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the north)
- Sherburnville is located in Kankakee County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sherburnville
- Grant Park
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the north)
- Grant Park is located in Kankakee County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Grant Park
- Population from the 2020 Census: 1,231 people
- Martinton
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the southwest)
- Donovan
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the south)
- Morocco
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the southeast)
- Continue List (17 more) ...
- Saint George
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the northwest)
- Saint George is located in Kankakee County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Saint George
- Kankakee
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the west)
- Otto
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the west)
- Otto is located in Kankakee County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Otto
We've also created an expanded list of communities that existed in the 1890's and were located in the area around Hopkins Park. See our List of 1890's Communities around Hopkins Park.
Newspapers Published in Hopkins Park ...
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 74 newspapers that have been published in the area around Hopkins Park.
Although we're unaware of any newspapers that were published in the immediate area of Hopkins Park, there are papers which were published within 26 miles [41.8 km]<5>. A list of those papers, sorted by paper name, can be found on the Extended Newspaper List for Hopkins Park.
Websites to Help With Your Genealogy Research ...
When we do our genealogical research, we like to start with the websites from Cyndi's List, FamilySearch and Genealogy Trails. These 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 Hopkins Park:
- Websites specific to Illinois
- Pages specific to Kankakee County
- Genealogy information for nearby counties
- Cook County
- Iroquois County
- Will County
- Benton County
- Jasper County
- Lake County
- Newton County
- Porter County
- Cemetery Information and Directories for Illinois
Footnotes ...
| <1> | It's generally believed that possessive apostrophes are removed to prevent confusion on maps where the apostrophe may be confused with a cartographic symbol. While this is generally true, it's not uncommon to find possessive apostrophes in administrative names (such as towns or counties). |
| <2> | While we're fans and frequent users of TripAdvisor, you should know that we're also members of the TripAdvisor affiliate program. |
| <3> | 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. |
| <4> | 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 Hopkins Park, please let us know so that we can improve our accuracy. |
| <5> | 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 from Point A (ie- Hopkins Park) to Point B. In other words: 'As the crow flies'. |