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 Poplar Ridge (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 Poplar Ridge. 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 Poplar Ridge ...
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.
For example, a typical abbreviation for Poplar Ridge: Poplar Rdg. (or less commonly used: Poplar Rdge. or Poplar Ridg.)
You might be interested in other communities that are also named Poplar Ridge. More information can be found on our Tidbits & Trivia Page for Poplar Ridge.
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 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 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.
Poplar Ridge is located in 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 Will County: Cook, DuPage, Grundy, Kane, Kankakee, Kendall & Lake (IN).
Below are the counties that are near Poplar Ridge. For each of these counties, we show a sample of those communities that are closest to Poplar Ridge:
- Will County (The home county of Poplar Ridge)
- The following are listed by their distance from Poplar Ridge, with the one closest to Poplar Ridge listed first.
- Romeoville
(Less than 2 miles to the northeast)
- Bloomfield Village
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the north)
- Bloomfield Village is located in Will County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bloomfield Village
- Bolingbrook
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the north)
- Lockport
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the southeast)
- Winston Village
(5 miles [8 km] to the north)
- Winston Village is located in Will County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Winston Village
- Colonial Village
(5 miles [8 km] to the northeast)
- Colonial Village is located in Will County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Colonial Village
- Crest Hill
(5 miles [8 km] to the south)
- Crystal Lawns
(5 miles [8 km] to the southwest)
- Crystal Lawns is located in Will County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Crystal Lawns
- Plainfield
(5 miles [8 km] to the west)
- Walker
(5 miles [8 km] to the west)
- Walker is located in Will County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Walker
- Fairmont
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the south)
- Fairmont is located in Will County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Fairmont
- Normantown
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the west)
- Normantown is located in Will County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Normantown
- East Joliet
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the south)
- East Joliet is located in Will County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for East Joliet
- Cook County
- The following are listed by their distance from Poplar Ridge, with the one closest to Poplar Ridge listed first.
- Lemont
(5 miles [8 km] to the northeast)
- Orland Park
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the east)
- Burr Ridge
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the northeast)
- Orland Hills
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the east)
- Palos Park
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the east)
- Indian Head Park
(13 miles [20.9 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
- Willow Springs
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the northeast)
- Palos Hills
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the east)
- Palos Heights
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the east)
- Countryside
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the northeast)
- Hickory Hills
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the northeast)
- Hodgkins
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the northeast)
- Justice
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the northeast)
- DeKalb County
- The following are listed by their distance from Poplar Ridge, with the one closest to Poplar Ridge listed first.
- Sandwich
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the west)
- Hinckley
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the west)
- Somonauk
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the west)
- Franks
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the west)
- Franks is located in DeKalb County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Franks
- DuPage County
- The following are listed by their distance from Poplar Ridge, with the one closest to Poplar Ridge listed first.
- Tedens ‑ Historic
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the northeast)
- Tedens is located in DuPage County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Tedens
- Woodridge
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the northeast)
- Naperville
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the north)
- Darien
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the northeast)
- Lisle
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the north)
- Willowbrook
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the northeast)
- Downers Grove
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the north)
- Westmont
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the northeast)
- Eola
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the northwest)
- Warrenville
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the north)
- Clarendon Hills
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the northeast)
- Hinsdale
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the northeast)
- Oak Brook
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the northeast)
- Grundy County
- The following are listed by their distance from Poplar Ridge, with the one closest to Poplar Ridge listed first.
- Minooka
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the southwest)
- Channahon
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the southwest)
- Sand Ridge
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the southwest)
- Sand Ridge is located in Grundy County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sand Ridge
- Claypool
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the southwest)
- Claypool is located in Grundy County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Claypool
- Morris
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the southwest)
- Diamond
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the south)
- Carbon Hill
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the southwest)
- Carbon Hill is located in Grundy County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Carbon Hill
- Population from the 2020 Census: 334 people
- Gaslight Village
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the southwest)
- Gaslight Village is located in Grundy County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Gaslight Village
- Coal City
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the south)
- Centerville ‑ Historic
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the south)
- Centerville is located in Grundy County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Centerville
- Nettle Creek
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the southwest)
- Nettle Creek is located in Grundy County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Nettle Creek
- Braceville
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the south)
- Central City
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the south)
- Central City is located in Grundy County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Central City
- Kane County
- The following are listed by their distance from Poplar Ridge, with the one closest to Poplar Ridge listed first.
- Aurora
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the northwest)
- Mooseheart
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the northwest)
- North Aurora
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the northwest)
- North Aurora is located in Kane County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for North Aurora
- Population from the 2020 Census: 18,144 people
- Batavia
(18 miles [29 km] to the northwest)
- Sugar Grove
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the northwest)
- Geneva
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the northwest)
- Saint Charles
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the northwest)
- Bonnie
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the northwest)
- Bonnie is located in Kane County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bonnie
- Bonnie has also been known as:
- Bonnie Valley
- Big Rock
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the west)
- Campton Hills
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the northwest)
- Campton Hills is located in Kane County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Campton Hills
- Population from the 2020 Census: 11,063 people
- Campton Hills has also been known as:
- Campton Hills village
- Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Campton Hills <1>
- Coleman
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the northwest)
- Coleman is located in Kane County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Coleman
- Elburn
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the northwest)
- Kaneville
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the northwest)
- Kankakee County
- Manteno
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the southeast)
- Kendall County
- The following are listed by their distance from Poplar Ridge, with the one closest to Poplar Ridge listed first.
- Boulder Hill
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the northwest)
- Boulder Hill is located in Kendall County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Boulder Hill
- Oswego
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the west)
- Montgomery
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the northwest)
- Plattville
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the southwest)
- Plattville is located in Kendall County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Plattville
- Population from the 2020 Census: 257 people
- Bristol
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the west)
- Yorkville
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the west)
- Plano
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the west)
- Lisbon
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the southwest)
- Lisbon is located in Kendall County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lisbon
- Population from the 2020 Census: 310 people
- Millbrook
(23 miles [37 km] to the west)
- Little Rock
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the west)
- Little Rock is located in Kendall County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Little Rock
- Newark
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the west)
- La Salle County
- The following are listed by their distance from Poplar Ridge, with the one closest to Poplar Ridge listed first.
- Millington
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the west)
- Sheridan
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the west)
For an expanded list of the communities that are closest to Poplar Ridge, see our County-by-County Page for Poplar Ridge.
Cemeteries Near Poplar Ridge ...
Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of Poplar Ridge.
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 Poplar Ridge - one of the links might be able to help.
If not found below, our Cemetery List for Poplar Ridge covers a larger area, with the cemeteries listed in alphabetical order.
The following cemeteries are listed based on their distance from Poplar Ridge, with the one closest to Poplar Ridge listed first.
- Resurrection Cemetery
(Less than 2 miles to the east)
- Bronson Cemetery
(Less than 2 miles to the southeast)
- Ressurection Cemetery
(Less than 2 miles to the east)
- Alexander Cemetery
(Less than 2 miles to the east)
- Runyan Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the southeast)
- Calvary Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the southeast)
- St. Mary Immaculate Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the west)
- St. Marys Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the west)
- Illinois State Prison Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the south)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Illinois State Prison Cemetery
- To give a relative sense of its location, the Illinois State Prison Cemetery is located 3 miles [4.8 km]<3> to the north of Joliet.
- The Illinois State Prison Cemetery has also been known as:
- Stateville Prison Cemetery
- Jump to Find-A-Grave: FG ID #1990082 <2>
- St. Mary Nativity Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the south)
- St. Marys Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the south)
- Lockport South Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the southeast)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lockport South Cemetery
- To give a relative sense of its location, the Lockport South Cemetery is a large cemetery that is located in Lockport.
- The Lockport South Cemetery has also been known as:
- Lockport Catholic Cemetery
- St. Dennis Cemetery
- Jump to Find-A-Grave: FG ID #2289328 <2>
- Continue List (399 more) ...
- Lockport Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the southeast)
- Danish Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the east)
- St. Matthew Evangelical Lutheran Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the east)
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>
While we didn't find Poplar Ridge in the Atlas, the following 1895 communities would have been found near the current location of Poplar Ridge.
These communities are listed based on their distance from Poplar Ridge, with the one closest to Poplar Ridge listed first.
- Romeo
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the east)
- Romeo is located in Will County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Romeo
- Coynes
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the southwest)
- Coynes is located in Will County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Coynes
- Lockport
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the southeast)
- Walker
(5 miles [8 km] to the west)
- Walker is located in Will County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Walker
- Lemont
(5 miles [8 km] to the northeast)
- Plainfield
(5 miles [8 km] to the west)
- Normantown
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the west)
- Normantown is located in Will County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Normantown
- Joliet
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the south)
- East Joliet
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the south)
- East Joliet is located in Will County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for East Joliet
- Tedens ‑ Historic
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the northeast)
- Tedens is located in DuPage County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Tedens
- Caton Farm
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the southwest)
- Caton Farm is located in Will County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Caton Farm
- Goodings Grove
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the east)
- Goodings Grove is located in Will County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Goodings Grove
- Continue List (13 more) ...
- Naperville
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the north)
- Sag Bridge
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the east)
- Sag Bridge is located in Cook County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sag Bridge
- Frontenac
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the northwest)
- Frontenac is located in DuPage County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Frontenac
We've also created an expanded list of communities that existed in the 1890's and were located in the area around Poplar Ridge. See our List of 1890's Communities around Poplar Ridge.
Newspapers Published in Poplar Ridge ...
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 30 newspapers that have been published in the area around Poplar Ridge.
Although we're unaware of any newspapers that were published in the immediate area of Poplar Ridge, there are papers which were published within 5 miles [8 km]<3>. A list of those papers, sorted by paper name, can be found on the Extended Newspaper List for Poplar Ridge.
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 helpful 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 Poplar Ridge:
- Websites specific to Illinois
- Pages specific to Will County
- Genealogy information for nearby counties
- Cook County
- DeKalb County
- DuPage County
- Grundy County
- Kane County
- Kankakee County
- Kendall County
- La Salle 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> | Our distances are not driving distances, but are calculated as a 'point-to-point' distance. A straight line distance ignores obstructions like rivers, canyons, lakes, et cetera - it's truly a line from Point A (ie- Poplar Ridge) to Point B. In other words: 'As the crow flies'. |
| <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 Poplar Ridge, please let us know so that we can improve our accuracy. |