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 McHenry (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 McHenry. 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 and doctors 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.
McHenry is located in McHenry 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 McHenry County: Boone, Cook, DeKalb, Kane, Lake, Kenosha (WI) & Walworth (WI).
Below are the counties that are near McHenry. For each of these counties, we show a sample of those communities that are closest to McHenry:
- McHenry County (The home county of McHenry)
- The following are listed by their distance from McHenry, with the one closest to McHenry listed first.
- McCullom Lake
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the north)
- McCullom Lake is located in McHenry County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for McCullom Lake
- Population from the 2020 Census: 996 people
- Ringwood
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the north)
- Johnsburg
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the northeast)
- Terra Cotta
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the south)
- Terra Cotta is located in McHenry County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Terra Cotta
- Bull Valley
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the southwest)
- Bull Valley is located in McHenry County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bull Valley
- Population from the 2020 Census: 1,078 people
- Lakemoor
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the east)
- Sunnyside
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the northeast)
- Sunnyside is located in McHenry County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sunnyside
- Wonder Lake
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the northwest)
- Wonder Lake is located in McHenry County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Wonder Lake
- Population from the 2020 Census: 3,837 people
- Wonder Lake has also been known as:
- Wonder Lake village
- Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Wonder Lake <1>
- Barreville
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the south)
- Barreville is located in McHenry County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Barreville
- Prairie Grove
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the south)
- Prairie Grove is located in McHenry County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Prairie Grove
- Population from the 2020 Census: 1,920 people
- Holiday Hills
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the southeast)
- Holiday Hills is located in McHenry County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Holiday Hills
- Population from the 2020 Census: 574 people
- Greenwood
(5 miles [8 km] to the northwest)
- Greenwood is located in McHenry County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Greenwood
- Population from the 2020 Census: 224 people
- Boone County
- The following are listed by their distance from McHenry, with the one closest to McHenry listed first.
- Garden Prairie
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the west)
- Capron
(23 miles [37 km] to the west)
- Russellville
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the west)
- Russellville is located in Boone County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Russellville
- Herbert
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the southwest)
- Herbert is located in Boone County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Herbert
- Poplar Grove
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the west)
- Belvidere
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the west)
- Timberlane
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the west)
- Timberlane is located in Boone County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Timberlane
- Population from the 2020 Census: 934 people
- Caledonia
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the west)
- Cook County
- The following are listed by their distance from McHenry, with the one closest to McHenry listed first.
- Barrington Hills
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the south)
- Barrington Hills is located in Cook County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Barrington Hills
- Population from the 2020 Census: 4,152 people
- Barrington
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the southeast)
- South Barrington
(18 miles [29 km] to the south)
- South Barrington is located in Cook County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for South Barrington
- Population from the 2020 Census: 4,976 people
- Inverness
(18 miles [29 km] to the southeast)
- Capri Village
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the southeast)
- Capri Village is located in Cook County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Capri Village
- Hoffman Estates
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the south)
- Palatine
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the southeast)
- Plum Grove Village
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the southeast)
- Plum Grove Village is located in Cook County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Plum Grove Village
- Winthrop Village
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the southeast)
- Winthrop Village is located in Cook County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Winthrop Village
- Streamwood
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the south)
- Fairfax Village
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the southeast)
- Fairfax Village is located in Cook County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Fairfax Village
- Rolling Meadows
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the southeast)
- DeKalb County
- The following are listed by their distance from McHenry, with the one closest to McHenry listed first.
- New Lebanon
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the southwest)
- New Lebanon is located in DeKalb County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for New Lebanon
- Charter Grove
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the southwest)
- Charter Grove is located in DeKalb County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Charter Grove
- Genoa
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the southwest)
- Kingston
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the southwest)
- DuPage County
- The following are listed by their distance from McHenry, with the one closest to McHenry listed first.
- Bartlett
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the south)
- Wayne
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the south)
- Roselle
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the southeast)
- Keeneyville
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the south)
- Keeneyville is located in DuPage County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Keeneyville
- Medinah
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the southeast)
- Cloverdale
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the south)
- Cloverdale is located in DuPage County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cloverdale
- Bloomingdale
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the southeast)
- Itasca
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the southeast)
- Carol Stream
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the south)
- Ingalton
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the south)
- Ingalton is located in DuPage County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ingalton
- Wood Dale
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the southeast)
- Kane County
- The following are listed by their distance from McHenry, with the one closest to McHenry listed first.
- Carpentersville
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the south)
- Freeman
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the south)
- Freeman is located in Kane County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Freeman
- West Dundee
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the south)
- East Dundee
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the south)
- Gilberts
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the south)
- Sleepy Hollow
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the south)
- Pingree Grove
(18 miles [29 km] to the south)
- Hampshire
(18 miles [29 km] to the southwest)
- Starks
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the southwest)
- Starks is located in Kane County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Starks
- Elgin
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the south)
- North Plato
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the southwest)
- North Plato is located in Kane County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for North Plato
- Plato Center
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the south)
- Lake County
- The following are listed by their distance from McHenry, with the one closest to McHenry listed first.
- Volo
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the east)
- Ingleside
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the east)
- Long Lake
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the east)
- Long Lake is located in Lake County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Long Lake
- Fox Lake
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the northeast)
- Fox River Valley Gardens
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the southeast)
- Port Barrington
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the southeast)
- Port Barrington is located in Lake County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Port Barrington
- Population from the 2020 Census: 1,481 people
- Port Barrington has also been known as:
- Port Barrington village
- Fort Hill
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the east)
- Fort Hill is located in Lake County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Fort Hill
- Round Lake
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the east)
- Fox Lake Hills
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the northeast)
- Fox Lake Hills is located in Lake County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Fox Lake Hills
- Wauconda
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the southeast)
- Monaville
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the northeast)
- Monaville is located in Lake County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Monaville
- Lake Barrington
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the southeast)
- Lake Barrington is located in Lake County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lake Barrington
- Population from the 2020 Census: 4,840 people
- Kenosha County (WI)
- The following are listed by their distance from McHenry, with the one closest to McHenry listed first.
- Twin Lakes
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the north)
- Twin Lakes is located in Kenosha County (WI)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Twin Lakes
- Population from the 2020 Census: 6,234 people
- Powers Lake
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the north)
- Powers Lake is located in Kenosha County (WI)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Powers Lake
- Benet Lake
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the northeast)
- Benet Lake is located in Kenosha County (WI)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Benet Lake
- Camp Lake
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the northeast)
- Camp Lake is located in Kenosha County (WI)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Camp Lake
- Fox River
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the north)
- Fox River is located in Kenosha County (WI)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Fox River
- Slades Corners
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the north)
- Slades Corners is located in Kenosha County (WI)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Slades Corners
- Lake Shangrila
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the northeast)
- Lake Shangrila is located in Kenosha County (WI)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lake Shangrila
- Salem Lakes
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the northeast)
- Salem Lakes is located in Kenosha County (WI)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Salem Lakes
- Former names for Salem Lakes:
- Salem
- Silver Lake
- Paddock Lake
(18 miles [29 km] to the northeast)
- Paddock Lake is located in Kenosha County (WI)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Paddock Lake
- Population from the 2020 Census: 3,232 people
- Bristol
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the northeast)
- Bristol is located in Kenosha County (WI)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bristol
- Population from the 2020 Census: 5,145 people
- Fossland
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the northeast)
- Fossland is located in Kenosha County (WI)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Fossland
- Woodworth
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the northeast)
- Woodworth is located in Kenosha County (WI)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Woodworth
- Racine County (WI)
- The following are listed by their distance from McHenry, with the one closest to McHenry listed first.
- Bohners Lake
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the north)
- Bohners Lake is located in Racine County (WI)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bohners Lake
- Burlington
(23 miles [37 km] to the north)
- Burlington is located in Racine County (WI)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Burlington
- Population from the 2020 Census: 10,898 people
- Browns Lake
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the north)
- Browns Lake is located in Racine County (WI)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Browns Lake
- Eagle Lake
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the north)
- Eagle Lake is located in Racine County (WI)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Eagle Lake
- Union Grove
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the northeast)
- Union Grove is located in Racine County (WI)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Union Grove
- Population from the 2020 Census: 5,266 people
- Honey Creek
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the north)
- Honey Creek is located in Racine County (WI)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Honey Creek
- Rochester
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the north)
- Rochester is located in Racine County (WI)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rochester
- Population from the 2020 Census: 3,880 people
- Waterford
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the north)
- Waterford is located in Racine County (WI)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Waterford
- Population from the 2020 Census: 5,618 people
- Yorkville
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the northeast)
- Yorkville is located in Racine County (WI)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Yorkville
- Walworth County (WI)
- The following are listed by their distance from McHenry, with the one closest to McHenry listed first.
- Genoa City
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the north)
- Genoa City is located in Walworth County (WI)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Genoa City
- Population from the 2020 Census: 2,981 people
- Pell Lake
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the north)
- Pell Lake is located in Walworth County (WI)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Pell Lake
- Zenda
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the northwest)
- Zenda is located in Walworth County (WI)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Zenda
- Big Foot Prairie
(18 miles [29 km] to the northwest)
- Big Foot Prairie is located in Walworth County (WI)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Big Foot Prairie
- Lake Geneva
(18 miles [29 km] to the northwest)
- Lake Geneva is located in Walworth County (WI)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lake Geneva
- Population from the 2020 Census: 8,096 people
- Fontana-on-Geneva Lake
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the northwest)
- Fontana-on-Geneva Lake is located in Walworth County (WI)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Fontana-on-Geneva Lake
- Population from the 2020 Census: 1,743 people
- Lake Como
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the northwest)
- Lake Como is located in Walworth County (WI)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lake Como
- Walworth
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the northwest)
- Walworth is located in Walworth County (WI)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Walworth
- Population from the 2020 Census: 2,827 people
- Williams Bay
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the northwest)
- Williams Bay is located in Walworth County (WI)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Williams Bay
- Population from the 2020 Census: 2,657 people
- Lyons
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the north)
- Lyons is located in Walworth County (WI)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lyons
- Como
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the northwest)
- Como is located in Walworth County (WI)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Como
- Lake Como Beach ‑ Historic
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the northwest)
- Lake Como Beach is located in Walworth County (WI)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lake Como Beach
For an expanded list of the communities that are closest to McHenry, see our County-by-County Page for McHenry.
Cemeteries Near McHenry ...
Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of McHenry.
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 McHenry - one of the links might be able to help.
If not found below, our Cemetery List for McHenry covers a larger area, with the cemeteries listed in alphabetical order.
The following cemeteries are listed based on their distance from McHenry, with the one closest to McHenry listed first.
- Bluff City Cemetery
(Less than 2 miles to the southwest)
- St. Patrick Countryside Cemetery
(Less than 2 miles to the southeast)
- St. Patricks Cemetery
(Less than 2 miles to the southeast)
- St. Patrick Cemetery
(Less than 2 miles to the northeast)
- Woodland Cemetery
(Less than 2 miles to the northeast)
- St. Marys Cemetery
(Less than 2 miles to the northeast)
- Ortend Cemetery
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the northwest)
- Holcombville Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the southwest)
- McMillan Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the south)
- Ringwood Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the north)
- Carr - Harrison Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the north)
- Christ The King Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the northwest)
- Continue List (304 more) ...
- Fisher Family Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the east)
- Fairview Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the west)
- Ridgefield Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the southwest)
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.<2>
The Rand McNally Atlas shows that McHenry had a population of 979 people in 1895 with a post office and railroad service. In 2020, McHenry had a population of 27,100 people.
These communities are listed based on their distance from McHenry, with the one closest to McHenry listed first.
- Terra Cotta
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the south)
- Terra Cotta is located in McHenry County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Terra Cotta
- Johnsburg
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the northeast)
- Ringwood
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the north)
- Barreville
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the south)
- Barreville is located in McHenry County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Barreville
- Ridgefield
(5 miles [8 km] to the southwest)
- Ridgefield is located in McHenry County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ridgefield
- Volo
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the east)
- Woodstock
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the west)
- Crystal Lake
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the south)
- Spring Grove
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the north)
- Solon Mills
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the north)
- Fox Lake
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the northeast)
- Wauconda
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the southeast)
- Continue List (16 more) ...
- Fort Hill
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the east)
- Fort Hill is located in Lake County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Fort Hill
- Richmond
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the north)
- Grass Lake
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the northeast)
- Grass Lake is located in Lake County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Grass Lake
We've also created an expanded list of communities that existed in the 1890's and were located in the area around McHenry. See our List of 1890's Communities around McHenry.
Newspapers Published in the Vicinity of McHenry ...
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 139 newspapers that have been published in the area around McHenry.
We have organized these newspapers into two lists:
- A Local Newspaper List - focusing on the papers published in the immediate area of McHenry. There are actually two parts to this list - papers printed in the immediate area of McHenry and those printed in the larger area surrounding McHenry.
- An Extended Newspaper List - a longer list, sorted by paper name and containing those papers published within 15 miles [24.1 km]<3> of McHenry.
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 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 McHenry:
- Websites specific to Illinois
- Pages specific to McHenry County
- Genealogy information for nearby counties
- Boone County
- Cook County
- DeKalb County
- DuPage County
- Kane County
- Lake County
- Kenosha County
- Racine 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> | 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 McHenry, please let us know so that we can improve our accuracy. |
| <3> | 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 drawn from Point A (ie- McHenry) to Point B. In other words: 'As the crow flies'. |