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 Riverdale (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 Riverdale. 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 hospitals and doctors 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.
Riverdale 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 Riverdale. For each of these counties, we show a sample of those communities that are closest to Riverdale:
- Cook County (The home county of Riverdale)
- The following are listed by their distance from Riverdale, with the one closest to Riverdale listed first.
- Calumet Park
(Less than 2 miles to the northwest)
- Dixmoor
(Less than 2 miles to the southwest)
- Dixmoor is located in Cook County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Dixmoor
- Population from the 2020 Census: 3,518 people
- Gano
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the north)
- Gano is located in Cook County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Gano
- Blue Island
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the northwest)
- Blue Island is located in Cook County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Blue Island
- Population from the 2020 Census: 22,616 people
- Harvey
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the south)
- Phoenix
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the south)
- Phoenix is located in Cook County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Phoenix
- Population from the 2020 Census: 1,884 people
- Dolton
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the southeast)
- Posen
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the west)
- Pullman
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the northeast)
- Pullman is located in Cook County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Pullman
- South Holland
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the southeast)
- Robbins
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the west)
- Burnham
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the east)
- Burnham is located in Cook County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Burnham
- Population from the 2020 Census: 4,040 people
- East Hazel Crest
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the south)
- 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
- DuPage County
- The following are listed by their distance from Riverdale, with the one closest to Riverdale listed first.
- Willowbrook
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the northwest)
- Tedens ‑ Historic
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the west)
- Tedens is located in DuPage County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Tedens
- Hinsdale
(18 miles [29 km] to the northwest)
- Clarendon Hills
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the northwest)
- Darien
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the west)
- Westmont
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the northwest)
- Oak Brook
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the northwest)
- Woodridge
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the west)
- Downers Grove
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the northwest)
- Oak Brook Terrace
(22 miles [35.4 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
- South Elmhurst
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the northwest)
- South Elmhurst is located in DuPage County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for South Elmhurst
- Utopia
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the northwest)
- Utopia is located in DuPage County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Utopia
- Elmhurst
(23 miles [37 km] to the northwest)
- Kankakee County
- The following are listed by their distance from Riverdale, with the one closest to Riverdale listed first.
- Grant Park
(27 miles [43.5 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
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the south)
- Sherburnville
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the south)
- Sherburnville is located in Kankakee County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sherburnville
- Will County
- The following are listed by their distance from Riverdale, with the one closest to Riverdale listed first.
- Steger
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the south)
- Frankfort Square
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the southwest)
- Frankfort Square is located in Will County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Frankfort Square
- Crete
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the south)
- Willowbrook
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the south)
- University Park
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the south)
- Frankfort
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the southwest)
- Mokena
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the southwest)
- Goodings Grove
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the west)
- Goodings Grove is located in Will County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Goodings Grove
- Homer Glen
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the west)
- Homer Glen is located in Will County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Homer Glen
- Population from the 2020 Census: 24,281 people
- Homer Glen has also been known as:
- Homer Glen village
- Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Homer Glen <1>
- Monee
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the south)
- Goodenow
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the south)
- Goodenow is located in Will County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Goodenow
- Gilletts ‑ Historic
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the southwest)
- Gilletts is located in Will County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Gilletts
- Brisbane
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the southwest)
- Brisbane is located in Will County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Brisbane
- Lake County (IN)
- The following are listed by their distance from Riverdale, with the one closest to Riverdale listed first.
- Whiting
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the east)
- Hammond
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the southeast)
- East Chicago
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the east)
- Hessville
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the east)
- Hessville is located in Lake County (IN)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hessville
- Munster
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the southeast)
- Dyer
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the southeast)
- 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>
- Highland
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the southeast)
- Griffith
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the southeast)
- Hartsdale
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the southeast)
- Hartsdale is located in Lake County (IN)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hartsdale
- Gary
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the east)
- Gary is located in Lake County (IN)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Gary
- Population from the 2020 Census: 74,693 people
- Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Gary <1>
- Schererville
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the southeast)
- New Elliott
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the southeast)
- New Elliott is located in Lake County (IN)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for New Elliott
- Ross
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the southeast)
- Ross is located in Lake County (IN)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ross
- Porter County (IN)
- The following are listed by their distance from Riverdale, with the one closest to Riverdale listed first.
- Ogden Dunes
(22 miles [35.4 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
(23 miles [37 km] to the east)
- Willow Creek
(23 miles [37 km] to the east)
- Willow Creek is located in Porter County (IN)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Willow Creek
- Woodland Village
(23 miles [37 km] to the east)
- Woodland Village is located in Porter County (IN)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Woodland Village
- Wheeler
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the east)
- Wheeler is located in Porter County (IN)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Wheeler
- Burns Harbor
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the east)
- South Haven
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the east)
- South Haven is located in Porter County (IN)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for South Haven
- Babcock
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the east)
- Babcock is located in Porter County (IN)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Babcock
- Dune Acres
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the east)
- Dune Acres is located in Porter County (IN)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Dune Acres
- Population from the 2020 Census: 182 people
- Chesterton
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the east)
- Porter
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the east)
- Porter Crossroads
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the southeast)
- Porter Crossroads is located in Porter County (IN)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Porter Crossroads
For an expanded list of the communities that are closest to Riverdale, see our County-by-County Page for Riverdale.
Cemeteries Near Riverdale ...
Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of Riverdale.
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 Riverdale - one of the links might be able to help.
If not found below, our Cemetery List for Riverdale covers a larger area, with the cemeteries listed in alphabetical order.
The following cemeteries are listed based on their distance from Riverdale, with the one closest to Riverdale listed first.
- Cedar Park Cemetery
(Less than 2 miles to the north)
- Berger Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the southeast)
- Oakland Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the southeast)
- Mt. Hope Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the northwest)
- Beverly Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the northwest)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Beverly Cemetery
- To give a relative sense of its location, the Beverly Cemetery is a very large cemetery that is located in Blue Island.
- The Beverly Cemetery has also been known as:
- Beverly Memorial Park Cemetery
- Beverly Memorial Park
- Jump to Find-A-Grave: FG ID #104753 <2>
- Lincoln Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the northwest)
- Mt. Greenwood Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the northwest)
- Mt. Olivet Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the northwest)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mt. Olivet Cemetery
- To give a relative sense of its location, the Mt. Olivet Cemetery is a very large cemetery that is located in Blue Island.
- The Mt. Olivet Cemetery has also been known as:
- Mt. Olivet Cemetery
- Jump to Find-A-Grave: FG ID #107055 <2>
- Ever Rest Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the northwest)
- Oak Hill Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the northwest)
- First Evangelical Lutheran Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the west)
- St. Benedict Catholic Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the west)
- Continue List (342 more) ...
- County Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the southwest)
- Washington Memory Gardens
(5 miles [8 km] to the south)
- Homewood Memorial Gardens
(5 miles [8 km] to the south)
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 in 1895, Riverdale had a post office and railroad service. In 2020, Riverdale had a population of 12,912 people.
These communities are listed based on their distance from Riverdale, with the one closest to Riverdale listed first.
- Harvey
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the south)
- Berger
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the southeast)
- Berger is located in Cook County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Berger
- Kensington
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the northeast)
- Kensington is located in Cook County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Kensington
- Gano
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the north)
- Gano is located in Cook County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Gano
- Blue Island
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the northwest)
- Blue Island is located in Cook County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Blue Island
- Population from the 2020 Census: 22,616 people
- South Holland
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the southeast)
- Morgan Park
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the northwest)
- Morgan Park is located in Cook County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Morgan Park
- Pullman
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the northeast)
- Pullman is located in Cook County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Pullman
- Washington Heights
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the north)
- Washington Heights is located in Cook County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Washington Heights
- Thornton Junction
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the south)
- Thornton Junction is located in Cook County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Thornton Junction
- Burnham
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the east)
- Burnham is located in Cook County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Burnham
- Population from the 2020 Census: 4,040 people
- Hegewisch
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the east)
- Hegewisch is located in Cook County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hegewisch
- Continue List (20 more) ...
- Roseland
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the north)
- Roseland is located in Cook County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Roseland
- Homewood
(5 miles [8 km] to the south)
- Thornton
(5 miles [8 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 Riverdale. See our List of 1890's Communities around Riverdale.
Newspapers Published in Riverdale ...
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 119 newspapers that have been published in the area around Riverdale.
Although we're unaware of any newspapers that were published in the immediate area of Riverdale, there are papers which were published within 10 miles [16.1 km]<4>. A list of those papers, sorted by paper name, can be found on the Extended Newspaper List for Riverdale.
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 Riverdale:
- Websites specific to Illinois
- Pages specific to Cook County
- Genealogy information for nearby counties
- DuPage County
- Kankakee County
- Will County
- Lake 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 Riverdale, please let us know so that we can improve our accuracy. |
| <4> | Our distances are not driving distances, but are calculated as a '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- Riverdale) to Point B. In other words: 'As the crow flies'. |