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Our Genealogy Helper

Introduction ...

So far, we found very little information about Little Rock. The little that we've found leads us believe that the community is historic.<1>

We've added Little Rock to our Gazetteer with the hope that we can develop more information. If you can help us with Little Rock, please Contact Us.

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 Little Rock (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 Little Rock. 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 southeast corner of their home county. During their lives, most hospitals were in the next county to the east. 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 east 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.

Although our information shows that the community of Little Rock is historic, it would have been located within present day La Salle 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 La Salle County: Bureau, DeKalb, Grundy, Kendall, Lee, Livingston, Marshall, Putnam & Woodford.

Below are the counties that are near Little Rock. For each of these counties, we show a sample of those communities that are closest to Little Rock:

  • La Salle County     (The home county of Little Rock)
    • The following are listed by their distance from Little Rock, with the one closest to Little Rock listed first.
    • Deer Park
      (Less than 2 miles to the south)
      • Deer Park is located in La Salle County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Deer Park
    • Oglesby
      (Less than 2 miles to the southwest)
    • La Salle
      (2 miles [3.2 km] to the north)
    • North Utica
      (2 miles [3.2 km] to the northeast)
      • North Utica is located in La Salle County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for North Utica
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 1,333 people
    • Utica
      (2 miles [3.2 km] to the northeast)
    • Vermilionville
      (4 miles [6.4 km] to the southeast)
      • Vermilionville is located in La Salle County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Vermilionville
    • Peru
      (4 miles [6.4 km] to the west)
      • Peru is located in La Salle County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Peru
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 9,612 people
      • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Peru <2>
    • Cedar Point
      (5 miles [8 km] to the southwest)
    • Tonica
      (7 miles [11.3 km] to the south)
    • Naplate
      (8 miles [12.9 km] to the east)
      • Naplate is located in La Salle County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Naplate
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 465 people
    • Waltham
      (8 miles [12.9 km] to the north)
      • Waltham is located in La Salle County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Waltham
    • Hitt
      (9 miles [14.5 km] to the east)
      • Hitt is located in La Salle County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hitt
  • Bureau County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Little Rock, with the one closest to Little Rock listed first.
    • Dalzell
      (7 miles [11.3 km] to the west)
    • Spring Valley
      (7 miles [11.3 km] to the west)
    • Ladd
      (9 miles [14.5 km] to the northwest)
      • Ladd is located in Bureau County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ladd
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 1,184 people
      • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Ladd <2>
    • Cherry
      (11 miles [17.7 km] to the northwest)
    • Ottville
      (11 miles [17.7 km] to the west)
      • Ottville is located in Bureau County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ottville
    • De Pue
      (12 miles [19.3 km] to the west)
      • De Pue is located in Bureau County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for De Pue
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 1,665 people
    • Seatonville
      (12 miles [19.3 km] to the west)
    • Hollowayville
      (13 miles [20.9 km] to the west)
      • Hollowayville is located in Bureau County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hollowayville
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 85 people
    • Arlington
      (14 miles [22.5 km] to the northwest)
    • Zearing
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the northwest)
      • Zearing is located in Bureau County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Zearing
    • Bureau Junction
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the west)
      • Bureau Junction is located in Bureau County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bureau Junction
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 297 people
      • Bureau Junction has also been known as:
      • Bureau
      • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Bureau Junction <2>
    • Malden
      (18 miles [29 km] to the northwest)
  • DeKalb County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Little Rock, with the one closest to Little Rock listed first.
    • Somonauk
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the northeast)
    • Shabbona Grove
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the north)
      • Shabbona Grove is located in DeKalb County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Shabbona Grove
  • Grundy County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Little Rock, with the one closest to Little Rock listed first.
    • Nettle Creek
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the east)
      • Nettle Creek is located in Grundy County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Nettle Creek
    • Kinsman
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the east)
    • Wauponsee
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the east)
      • Wauponsee is located in Grundy County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Wauponsee
    • Verona
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the east)
    • Highland Town ‑ Historic
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the east)
      • Highland Town is located in Grundy County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Highland Town
  • Kendall County
    • Newark
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the northeast)
  • Lee County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Little Rock, with the one closest to Little Rock listed first.
    • Radley
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the north)
      • Radley is located in Lee County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Radley
    • Sublette
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the northwest)
    • Paw Paw
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the north)
    • The Burg
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the north)
      • The Burg is located in Lee County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for The Burg
    • Compton
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the north)
    • East Paw Paw
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the north)
      • East Paw Paw is located in Lee County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for East Paw Paw
    • West Brooklyn
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the north)
    • Inlet
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the north)
      • Inlet is located in Lee County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Inlet
  • Livingston County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Little Rock, with the one closest to Little Rock listed first.
    • Munster
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the southeast)
      • Munster is located in Livingston County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Munster
    • Coalville
      (18 miles [29 km] to the southeast)
      • Coalville is located in Livingston County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Coalville
    • Vermilion City
      (18 miles [29 km] to the southeast)
      • Vermilion City is located in Livingston County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Vermilion City
    • Ancona
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the southeast)
    • Missal
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the southeast)
      • Missal is located in Livingston County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Missal
    • Long Point
      (23 miles [37 km] to the south)
    • Blackstone
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the southeast)
    • Budd
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the southeast)
      • Budd is located in Livingston County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Budd
    • Cornell
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the southeast)
    • Adams ‑ Historic
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the southeast)
      • Adams is located in Livingston County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Adams
    • Sunbury
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the southeast)
      • Sunbury is located in Livingston County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sunbury
  • Marshall County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Little Rock, with the one closest to Little Rock listed first.
    • Wenona
      (18 miles [29 km] to the south)
    • Evans ‑ Historic
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the south)
      • Evans is located in Marshall County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Evans
    • Henry
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the southwest)
      • Henry is located in Marshall County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Henry
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 2,230 people
      • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Henry <2>
    • Varna
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the southwest)
    • Toluca
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the south)
    • La Rose
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the south)
    • Lacon
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the southwest)
      • Lacon is located in Marshall County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lacon
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 1,713 people
      • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Lacon <2>
    • Sparland
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the southwest)
  • Putnam County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Little Rock, with the one closest to Little Rock listed first.
    • Standard
      (8 miles [12.9 km] to the southwest)
    • Granville
      (10 miles [16.1 km] to the southwest)
    • Mount Palatine
      (10 miles [16.1 km] to the southwest)
      • Mount Palatine is located in Putnam County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mount Palatine
    • Mark
      (11 miles [17.7 km] to the west)
    • McNabb
      (12 miles [19.3 km] to the southwest)
    • Hennepin
      (14 miles [22.5 km] to the west)
    • Magnolia
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the southwest)
    • Putnam
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the southwest)
  • Woodford County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Little Rock, with the one closest to Little Rock listed first.
    • Minonk
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the south)
    • Washburn
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the southwest)

For an expanded list of the communities that are closest to Little Rock, see our County-by-County Page for Little Rock.

Cemeteries Near Little Rock ...

Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of Little Rock.

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 Little Rock - one of the links might be able to help.

If not found below, our Cemetery List for Little Rock covers a larger area, with the cemeteries listed in alphabetical order.

The following cemeteries are listed based on their distance from Little Rock, with the one closest to Little Rock listed first.

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.

While we didn't find Little Rock in the Atlas, the following 1895 communities would have been found near the current location of Little Rock.

These communities are listed based on their distance from Little Rock, with the one closest to Little Rock listed first.

  • Oglesby
    (Less than 2 miles to the southwest)
  • Deer Park
    (Less than 2 miles to the south)
    • Deer Park is located in La Salle County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Deer Park
  • La Salle
    (2 miles [3.2 km] to the north)
  • Utica
    (2 miles [3.2 km] to the northeast)
  • Vermilionville
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the southeast)
    • Vermilionville is located in La Salle County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Vermilionville
  • Peru
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the west)
    • Peru is located in La Salle County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Peru
    • Population from the 2020 Census: 9,612 people
    • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Peru <2>
  • Lowell
    (5 miles [8 km] to the south)
    • Lowell is located in La Salle County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lowell
  • Ticona
    (6 miles [9.7 km] to the south)
    • Ticona is located in La Salle County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ticona
  • Tonica
    (7 miles [11.3 km] to the south)
  • Spring Valley
    (7 miles [11.3 km] to the west)
  • Leonore
    (9 miles [14.5 km] to the south)
  • Farm Ridge
    (9 miles [14.5 km] to the southeast)
    • Farm Ridge is located in La Salle County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Farm Ridge
  • Continue List   (15 more) ...
    • Dimmick
      (9 miles [14.5 km] to the northwest)
      • Dimmick is located in La Salle County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Dimmick
    • Hitt
      (9 miles [14.5 km] to the east)
      • Hitt is located in La Salle County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hitt
    • Ladd
      (9 miles [14.5 km] to the northwest)
      • Ladd is located in Bureau County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ladd
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 1,184 people
      • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Ladd <2>

We've also created an expanded list of communities that existed in the 1890's and were located in the area around Little Rock. See our List of 1890's Communities around Little Rock.

Newspapers Published in Little Rock ...

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 170 newspapers that have been published in the area around Little Rock.

Although we're unaware of any newspapers that were published in the immediate area of Little Rock, there are papers which were published within 26 miles [41.8 km]<4>. A list of those papers, sorted by paper name, can be found on the Extended Newspaper List for Little Rock.

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 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 Little Rock:

Footnotes ...

<1>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 Little Rock, please let us know so that we can improve our accuracy.
<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>Our distances are not driving distances, but are calculated as a 'straight-line' (or point-to-point) distance. A straight line distance ignores things like rivers, canyons, lakes, et cetera - it's truly a line from Point A (ie- Little Rock) to Point B. In other words: 'As the crow flies'.