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 Minooka (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 Minooka. 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.
Minooka is primarily located in Grundy County. A portion of Minooka extends into Will 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 Grundy County: Kankakee, Kendall, La Salle, Livingston & Will.
Below are the counties that are near Minooka. For each of these counties, we show a sample of those communities that are closest to Minooka:
- Grundy County (The home county of Minooka)
- The following are listed by their distance from Minooka, with the one closest to Minooka listed first.
- Channahon
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the south)
- Sand Ridge
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the southwest)
- Sand Ridge is located in Grundy County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sand Ridge
- Claypool
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the southwest)
- Claypool is located in Grundy County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Claypool
- Gaslight Village
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the southwest)
- Gaslight Village is located in Grundy County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Gaslight Village
- Morris
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the southwest)
- Carbon Hill
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the south)
- Carbon Hill is located in Grundy County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Carbon Hill
- Population from the 2020 Census: 334 people
- Coal City
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the south)
- Diamond
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the south)
- Centerville ‑ Historic
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the south)
- Centerville is located in Grundy County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Centerville
- Central City
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the south)
- Central City is located in Grundy County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Central City
- Braceville
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the south)
- Nettle Creek
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the west)
- Nettle Creek is located in Grundy County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Nettle Creek
- Cook County
- The following are listed by their distance from Minooka, with the one closest to Minooka listed first.
- Lemont
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the northeast)
- Orland Hills
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the northeast)
- Tinley Park
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the east)
- Orland Park
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the northeast)
- Palos Park
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the northeast)
- Matteson
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the east)
- Burr Ridge
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the northeast)
- Palos Hills
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the northeast)
- Willow Springs
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the northeast)
- Country Club Hills
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the east)
- Oak Forest
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the east)
- Indian Head Park
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the northeast)
- 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
- DeKalb County
- The following are listed by their distance from Minooka, with the one closest to Minooka listed first.
- Sandwich
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the northwest)
- Somonauk
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the northwest)
- Franks
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the northwest)
- Franks is located in DeKalb County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Franks
- Hinckley
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the northwest)
- DuPage County
- The following are listed by their distance from Minooka, with the one closest to Minooka listed first.
- Eola
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the north)
- Naperville
(23 miles [37 km] to the north)
- Tedens ‑ Historic
(23 miles [37 km] to the northeast)
- Tedens is located in DuPage County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Tedens
- Woodridge
(23 miles [37 km] to the northeast)
- Darien
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the northeast)
- Warrenville
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the north)
- Lisle
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the northeast)
- Willowbrook
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the northeast)
- Downers Grove
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the northeast)
- Westmont
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the northeast)
- West Chicago
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the north)
- West Chicago is located in DuPage County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for West Chicago
- Population from the 2020 Census: 26,593 people
- Clarendon Hills
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the northeast)
- Kane County
- The following are listed by their distance from Minooka, with the one closest to Minooka listed first.
- Aurora
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the north)
- Sugar Grove
(23 miles [37 km] to the north)
- North Aurora
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the north)
- North Aurora is located in Kane County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for North Aurora
- Population from the 2020 Census: 18,144 people
- Mooseheart
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the north)
- Big Rock
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the northwest)
- Batavia
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the north)
- Kaneville
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the northwest)
- Geneva
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the north)
- Kankakee County
- The following are listed by their distance from Minooka, with the one closest to Minooka listed first.
- Essex
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the south)
- Bonfield
(23 miles [37 km] to the southeast)
- Reddick
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the south)
- Union Hill
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the south)
- Goodrich
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the southeast)
- Goodrich is located in Kankakee County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Goodrich
- Manteno
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the southeast)
- Bourbonnais
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the southeast)
- Buckingham
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the south)
- Limestone
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the southeast)
- Limestone is located in Kankakee County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Limestone
- Population from the 2020 Census: 1,498 people
- Herscher
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the south)
- Bradley
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the southeast)
- Kendall County
- The following are listed by their distance from Minooka, with the one closest to Minooka listed first.
- Plattville
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the northwest)
- Plattville is located in Kendall County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Plattville
- Population from the 2020 Census: 257 people
- Lisbon
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the west)
- Lisbon is located in Kendall County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lisbon
- Population from the 2020 Census: 310 people
- Oswego
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the north)
- Newark
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the west)
- Millbrook
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the northwest)
- Yorkville
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the northwest)
- Boulder Hill
(18 miles [29 km] to the north)
- Boulder Hill is located in Kendall County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Boulder Hill
- Bristol
(18 miles [29 km] to the northwest)
- Montgomery
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the north)
- Plano
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the northwest)
- Little Rock
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the northwest)
- Little Rock is located in Kendall County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Little Rock
- La Salle County
- The following are listed by their distance from Minooka, with the one closest to Minooka listed first.
- Stavanger
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the west)
- Stavanger is located in La Salle County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Stavanger
- Millington
(18 miles [29 km] to the northwest)
- Seneca
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the southwest)
- Seneca is located in La Salle County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Seneca
- Population from the 2020 Census: 2,217 people
- Seneca has also been known as:
- Crotty
- Seneca village
- Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Seneca <1>
- Sheridan
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the west)
- Marseilles
(23 miles [37 km] to the southwest)
- Serena
(23 miles [37 km] to the west)
- Blakes
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the west)
- Blakes is located in La Salle County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Blakes
- Wedron
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the west)
- Ransom
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the southwest)
- Dayton
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the west)
- Dayton is located in La Salle County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Dayton
- Baker
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the west)
- Baker is located in La Salle County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Baker
- Leland
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the northwest)
- Livingston County
- The following are listed by their distance from Minooka, with the one closest to Minooka listed first.
- Dwight
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the south)
- Cardiff
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the south)
- Cardiff is located in Livingston County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cardiff
- Sunbury
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the southwest)
- Sunbury is located in Livingston County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sunbury
- Adams ‑ Historic
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the southwest)
- Adams is located in Livingston County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Adams
- Campus
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the south)
- Budd
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the southwest)
- Budd is located in Livingston County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Budd
- Will County
- The following are listed by their distance from Minooka, with the one closest to Minooka listed first.
- Shorewood
(5 miles [8 km] to the northeast)
- Blodgett
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the southeast)
- Blodgett is located in Will County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Blodgett
- Summerfield
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the northeast)
- Summerfield is located in Will County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Summerfield
- Elwood
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the east)
- Rockdale
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the northeast)
- Rockdale is located in Will County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rockdale
- Population from the 2020 Census: 1,884 people
- Preston Heights
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the east)
- Preston Heights is located in Will County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Preston Heights
- Crystal Lawns
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the northeast)
- Crystal Lawns is located in Will County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Crystal Lawns
- Crest Hill
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the northeast)
- Joliet
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the northeast)
- Wilmington
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the southeast)
- Wilmington is located in Will County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Wilmington
- Population from the 2020 Census: 5,597 people
- Plainfield
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the north)
- Braidwood
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the south)
For an expanded list of the communities that are closest to Minooka, see our County-by-County Page for Minooka.
Cemeteries Near Minooka ...
Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of Minooka.
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 Minooka - one of the links might be able to help.
If not found below, our Cemetery List for Minooka covers a larger area, with the cemeteries listed in alphabetical order.
The following cemeteries are listed based on their distance from Minooka, with the one closest to Minooka listed first.
- St. Marys Cemetery
(Less than 2 miles to the northeast)
- Willard Grove Cemetery
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the east)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Willard Grove Cemetery
- To give a relative sense of its location, the Willard Grove Cemetery is a large cemetery that is located outside of Channahon
- Jump to Find-A-Grave: FG ID #108868 <2>
- Chapman Cemetery
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the north)
- Dresden Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the south)
- Aux Sable Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the southwest)
- Plattville Evangelical Lutheran Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the northwest)
- McCune Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the southeast)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for McCune Cemetery
- To give a relative sense of its location, the McCune Cemetery is located outside and to the west of Elwood.
- The McCune Cemetery has also been known as:
- Asparagus Road Cemetery
- Jackson Creek Cemetery
- Jump to Find-A-Grave: FG ID #2437050 <2>
- Holderman Cemetery
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the southwest)
- Troutman Grove Cemetery
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the east)
- County Farm Cemetery
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the northeast)
- Woodlawn Memorial Park #2
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the northeast)
- Hills of Rest Cemetery
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the northeast)
- Continue List (311 more) ...
- Woodlawn Memorial Park #1
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the northeast)
- Saratoga Cemetery
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the west)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Saratoga Cemetery
- The Saratoga Cemetery has also been known as:
- Conklin Cemetery
- Osman Cemetery
- Jump to Find-A-Grave: FG ID #108142 <2>
- Catholic North Cemetery
(8 miles [12.9 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.<3>
The Rand McNally Atlas shows that Minooka had a population of 360 people in 1895 with a post office and railroad service. In 2020, Minooka had a population of 11,456 people.
These communities are listed based on their distance from Minooka, with the one closest to Minooka listed first.
- Channahon
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the south)
- Sand Ridge
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the southwest)
- Sand Ridge is located in Grundy County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sand Ridge
- Divine
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the south)
- Divine is located in Grundy County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Divine
- Millsdale
(5 miles [8 km] to the east)
- Millsdale is located in Will County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Millsdale
- White Willow ‑ Historic
(5 miles [8 km] to the west)
- White Willow is located in Kendall County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for White Willow
- Blodgett
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the southeast)
- Blodgett is located in Will County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Blodgett
- Drummond
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the southeast)
- Drummond is located in Will County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Drummond
- Lorenzo
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the southeast)
- Lorenzo is located in Will County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lorenzo
- Plattville
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the northwest)
- Plattville is located in Kendall County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Plattville
- Population from the 2020 Census: 257 people
- Caton Farm
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the north)
- Caton Farm is located in Will County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Caton Farm
- Morris
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the southwest)
- Elwood
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the east)
- Continue List (14 more) ...
- Lisbon
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the west)
- Lisbon is located in Kendall County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lisbon
- Population from the 2020 Census: 310 people
- Coal City
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the south)
- Diamond
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the south)
We've also created an expanded list of communities that existed in the 1890's and were located in the area around Minooka. See our List of 1890's Communities around Minooka.
Newspapers Published in the Vicinity of Minooka ...
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 80 newspapers that have been published in the area around Minooka.
We have organized these newspapers into two lists:
- A Local Newspaper List - focusing on the papers published in the immediate area of Minooka. There are actually two parts to this list - papers printed in the immediate area of Minooka and those printed in the larger area surrounding Minooka.
- An Extended Newspaper List - a longer list, sorted by paper name and containing those papers published within 12 miles [19.3 km]<4> of Minooka.
Websites to Help With Your Genealogy Research ...
When we do our genealogical research, we first visit 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 Minooka:
- Websites specific to Illinois
- Pages specific to Grundy County
- Genealogy information for nearby counties
- Cook County
- DeKalb County
- DuPage County
- Kane County
- Kankakee County
- Kendall County
- La Salle County
- Livingston County
- Will 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 Minooka, 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 from Point A (ie- Minooka) to Point B. In other words: 'As the crow flies'. |