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 Olympia Fields (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 Olympia Fields. 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 Olympia Fields ...
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.
For example, a typical abbreviation for Olympia Fields: Olympia Flds.
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 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.
Olympia Fields is located in Cook 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 Cook County: DuPage, Kane, Lake, McHenry, Will, Lake (IN) & Berrien (MI).
Below are the counties that are near Olympia Fields. For each of these counties, we show a sample of those communities that are closest to Olympia Fields:
- Cook County (The home county of Olympia Fields)
- The following are listed by their distance from Olympia Fields, with the one closest to Olympia Fields listed first.
- Flossmoor
(Less than 2 miles to the north)
- Richton Park
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the south)
- Park Forest
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the southeast)
- Matteson
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the west)
- Chicago Heights
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the east)
- Hazel Crest
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the north)
- Homewood
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the northeast)
- Country Club Hills
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the northwest)
- South Chicago Heights
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the southeast)
- 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
- East Hazel Crest
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the northeast)
- East Hazel Crest is located in Cook County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for East Hazel Crest
- Population from the 2020 Census: 1,479 people
- Glenwood
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the northeast)
- Ford Heights
(5 miles [8 km] to the east)
- DuPage County
- The following are listed by their distance from Olympia Fields, with the one closest to Olympia Fields listed first.
- Tedens ‑ Historic
(18 miles [29 km] to the northwest)
- Tedens is located in DuPage County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Tedens
- Darien
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the northwest)
- Willowbrook
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the northwest)
- Clarendon Hills
(23 miles [37 km] to the northwest)
- Hinsdale
(23 miles [37 km] to the northwest)
- Woodridge
(23 miles [37 km] to the northwest)
- Westmont
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the northwest)
- Downers Grove
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the northwest)
- Oak Brook
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the northwest)
- Lisle
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the northwest)
- Oak Brook Terrace
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the northwest)
- Oak Brook Terrace is located in DuPage County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Oak Brook Terrace
- Population from the 2020 Census: 2,094 people
- Utopia
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the northwest)
- Utopia is located in DuPage County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Utopia
- Grundy County
- The following are listed by their distance from Olympia Fields, with the one closest to Olympia Fields listed first.
- Channahon
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the west)
- Minooka
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the west)
- Kankakee County
- The following are listed by their distance from Olympia Fields, with the one closest to Olympia Fields listed first.
- Grant Park
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the south)
- Grant Park is located in Kankakee County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Grant Park
- Population from the 2020 Census: 1,231 people
- Manteno
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the south)
- Sherburnville
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the south)
- Sherburnville is located in Kankakee County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sherburnville
- Saint George
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the south)
- Saint George is located in Kankakee County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Saint George
- Illinoi
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the south)
- Illinoi is located in Kankakee County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Illinoi
- Momence
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the south)
- Bourbonnais
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the south)
- Bradley
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the south)
- Illiana Heights
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the south)
- Illiana Heights is located in Kankakee County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Illiana Heights
- Litchfield
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the south)
- Litchfield is located in Kankakee County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Litchfield
- Sun River Terrace
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the south)
- Sun River Terrace is located in Kankakee County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sun River Terrace
- Population from the 2020 Census: 488 people
- Kankakee
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the south)
- Will County
- The following are listed by their distance from Olympia Fields, with the one closest to Olympia Fields listed first.
- Steger
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the southeast)
- University Park
(5 miles [8 km] to the south)
- Crete
(5 miles [8 km] to the southeast)
- Frankfort Square
(5 miles [8 km] to the west)
- Frankfort Square is located in Will County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Frankfort Square
- Monee
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the south)
- Frankfort
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the west)
- Goodenow
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the south)
- Goodenow is located in Will County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Goodenow
- Willowbrook
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the southeast)
- Mokena
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the west)
- Beecher
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the south)
- Gilletts ‑ Historic
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the west)
- Gilletts is located in Will County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Gilletts
- Brisbane
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the west)
- Brisbane is located in Will County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Brisbane
- Lake County (IN)
- The following are listed by their distance from Olympia Fields, with the one closest to Olympia Fields listed first.
- Dyer
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the east)
- 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 <1>
- Munster
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the east)
- Hartsdale
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the east)
- Hartsdale is located in Lake County (IN)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hartsdale
- Hammond
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the northeast)
- Highland
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the east)
- Saint John
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the east)
- Schererville
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the east)
- Griffith
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the east)
- Hessville
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the northeast)
- Hessville is located in Lake County (IN)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hessville
- New Elliott
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the east)
- New Elliott is located in Lake County (IN)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for New Elliott
- East Chicago
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the northeast)
- Whiting
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the northeast)
- Newton County (IN)
- The following are listed by their distance from Olympia Fields, with the one closest to Olympia Fields listed first.
- Sumava Resorts
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the southeast)
- Lake Village
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the southeast)
- Lake Village is located in Newton County (IN)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lake Village
- Thayer
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the southeast)
- Thayer is located in Newton County (IN)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Thayer
- Porter County (IN)
- The following are listed by their distance from Olympia Fields, with the one closest to Olympia Fields listed first.
- Ogden Dunes
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the east)
- Ogden Dunes is located in Porter County (IN)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ogden Dunes
- Population from the 2020 Census: 1,083 people
- Portage
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the east)
- Wheeler
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the east)
- Wheeler is located in Porter County (IN)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Wheeler
- Willow Creek
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the east)
- Willow Creek is located in Porter County (IN)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Willow Creek
- Woodland Village
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the east)
- Woodland Village is located in Porter County (IN)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Woodland Village
- Porter Crossroads
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the east)
- Porter Crossroads is located in Porter County (IN)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Porter Crossroads
- South Haven
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the east)
- South Haven is located in Porter County (IN)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for South Haven
- Hebron
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the southeast)
- Babcock
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the east)
- Babcock is located in Porter County (IN)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Babcock
- Burns Harbor
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the east)
For an expanded list of the communities that are closest to Olympia Fields, see our County-by-County Page for Olympia Fields.
Cemeteries Near Olympia Fields ...
Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of Olympia Fields.
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 Olympia Fields - one of the links might be able to help.
If not found below, our Cemetery List for Olympia Fields covers a larger area, with the cemeteries listed in alphabetical order.
The following cemeteries are listed based on their distance from Olympia Fields, with the one closest to Olympia Fields listed first.
- Elliott Family Cemetery
(Less than 2 miles to the southwest)
- Zion Evangelical Lutheran Cemetery
(Less than 2 miles to the southwest)
- St. Pauls Evangelical Lutheran Cemetery
(Less than 2 miles to the northeast)
- St. Pauls Evangelical Reform Cemetery
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the southwest)
- St. Anne Cemetery
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the south)
- Coopers Grove Cemetery
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the northwest)
- New German Evangelical Zion Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the southwest)
- Calvary Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the south)
- Bloom Presbyterian Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the southeast)
- St. Pauls Evangelical Lutheran Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the west)
- Lutheran Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the west)
- Evergreen Hill Memory Gardens
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the southeast)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Evergreen Hill Memory Gardens
- To give a relative sense of its location, the Evergreen Hill Memory Gardens is a large cemetery that is located outside and to the southwest of Steger.
- The Evergreen Hill Memory Gardens has also been known as:
- Evergreen Hill Cemetery
- Jump to Find-A-Grave: FG ID #105615 <2>
- Continue List (332 more) ...
- Assumption Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the east)
- Mt. Glenwood Memory Gardens
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the northeast)
- Washington Memory Gardens
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the northeast)
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>
While we didn't find Olympia Fields in the Atlas, the following 1895 communities would have been found near the current location of Olympia Fields.
These communities are listed based on their distance from Olympia Fields, with the one closest to Olympia Fields listed first.
- Matteson
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the west)
- Chicago Heights
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the east)
- Homewood
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the northeast)
- Glenwood
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the northeast)
- Crete
(5 miles [8 km] to the southeast)
- Thornton
(5 miles [8 km] to the northeast)
- Thornton Junction
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the northeast)
- Thornton Junction is located in Cook County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Thornton Junction
- Harvey
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the north)
- Tinley Park
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the northwest)
- Monee
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the south)
- South Holland
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the northeast)
- Dyer
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the east)
- 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 <1>
- Continue List (17 more) ...
- Lansing
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the northeast)
- Bernice
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the northeast)
- Bernice is located in Cook County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bernice
- Globe
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the northeast)
- Globe is located in Cook County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Globe
We've also created an expanded list of communities that existed in the 1890's and were located in the area around Olympia Fields. See our List of 1890's Communities around Olympia Fields.
Newspapers Published in Olympia Fields ...
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 137 newspapers that have been published in the area around Olympia Fields.
Although we're unaware of any newspapers that were published in the immediate area of Olympia Fields, there are papers which were published within 13 miles [20.9 km]<4>. A list of those papers, sorted by paper name, can be found on the Extended Newspaper List for Olympia Fields.
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 Olympia Fields:
- Websites specific to Illinois
- Pages specific to Cook County
- Genealogy information for nearby counties
- DuPage County
- Grundy County
- Kankakee County
- Will County
- Lake County
- Newton County
- Porter 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 Olympia Fields, 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- Olympia Fields) to Point B. In other words: 'As the crow flies'. |