RoadsideThoughts
A Gazetteer for the United States and Canada
Home >> State of Illinois >> DuPage County >> Villa Park >> Genealogy HelperIndex...

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 Villa Park (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 Villa Park. 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 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.

Villa Park is located in DuPage 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 DuPage County: Cook, Kane, Kendall & Will.

Below are the counties that are near Villa Park. For each of these counties, we show a sample of those communities that are closest to Villa Park:

  • DuPage County     (The home county of Villa Park)
    • The following are listed by their distance from Villa Park, with the one closest to Villa Park listed first.
    • Elmhurst
      (Less than 2 miles to the northeast)
    • South Elmhurst
      (2 miles [3.2 km] to the east)
      • South Elmhurst is located in DuPage County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for South Elmhurst
    • Oak Brook Terrace
      (2 miles [3.2 km] to the south)
      • 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
      (2 miles [3.2 km] to the south)
      • Utopia is located in DuPage County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Utopia
    • York Center
      (2 miles [3.2 km] to the south)
      • York Center is located in DuPage County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for York Center
    • Lombard
      (2 miles [3.2 km] to the southwest)
    • Addison
      (3 miles [4.8 km] to the northwest)
    • Oak Brook
      (3 miles [4.8 km] to the south)
    • Glen Ellyn
      (4 miles [6.4 km] to the west)
    • Bensenville
      (5 miles [8 km] to the north)
    • Downers Grove
      (5 miles [8 km] to the south)
    • Glendale Heights
      (5 miles [8 km] to the west)
  • Cook County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Villa Park, with the one closest to Villa Park listed first.
    • Berkeley
      (3 miles [4.8 km] to the east)
    • Hillside
      (3 miles [4.8 km] to the east)
    • Northlake
      (4 miles [6.4 km] to the northeast)
    • Bellwood
      (5 miles [8 km] to the east)
      • Bellwood is located in Cook County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bellwood
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 18,436 people
      • Bellwood has also been known as:
      • Bellwood village
      • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Bellwood <1>
    • Stone Park
      (5 miles [8 km] to the east)
    • Westchester
      (5 miles [8 km] to the southeast)
    • Broadview
      (6 miles [9.7 km] to the east)
    • Maywood
      (6 miles [9.7 km] to the east)
    • Melrose Park
      (6 miles [9.7 km] to the east)
    • Franklin Park
      (6 miles [9.7 km] to the northeast)
    • La Grange Park
      (6 miles [9.7 km] to the southeast)
    • Western Springs
      (6 miles [9.7 km] to the southeast)
  • Kane County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Villa Park, with the one closest to Villa Park listed first.
    • Geneva
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the west)
    • Batavia
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the west)
    • Coleman
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the west)
      • Coleman is located in Kane County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Coleman
    • Saint Charles
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the west)
    • Elgin
      (18 miles [29 km] to the northwest)
    • Mooseheart
      (18 miles [29 km] to the west)
    • South Elgin
      (18 miles [29 km] to the west)
      • South Elgin is located in Kane County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for South Elgin
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 24,646 people
    • Aurora
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the southwest)
    • North Aurora
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the west)
      • North Aurora is located in Kane County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for North Aurora
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 18,144 people
    • East Dundee
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the northwest)
    • Bonnie
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the west)
      • Bonnie is located in Kane County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bonnie
      • Bonnie has also been known as:
      • Bonnie Valley
    • Campton Hills
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the west)
      • 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>
  • Kendall County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Villa Park, with the one closest to Villa Park listed first.
    • Boulder Hill
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the southwest)
      • Boulder Hill is located in Kendall County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Boulder Hill
    • Montgomery
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the southwest)
    • Oswego
      (23 miles [37 km] to the southwest)
    • Bristol
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the southwest)
    • Yorkville
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the southwest)
  • Lake County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Villa Park, with the one closest to Villa Park listed first.
    • Buffalo Grove
      (18 miles [29 km] to the north)
    • Aptakisic
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the north)
      • Aptakisic is located in Lake County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Aptakisic
    • Deer Park
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the north)
    • Deerfield
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the north)
    • Kildeer
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the north)
    • Riverwoods
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the north)
    • Bannockburn
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the north)
    • Lincolnshire
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the north)
    • Long Grove
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the north)
    • Prairie View
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the north)
      • Prairie View is located in Lake County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Prairie View
    • Braeside
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the northeast)
      • Braeside is located in Lake County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Braeside
    • Ravinia
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the northeast)
      • Ravinia is located in Lake County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ravinia
  • McHenry County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Villa Park, with the one closest to Villa Park listed first.
    • Fox River Grove
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the northwest)
    • Algonquin
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the northwest)
    • Trout Valley
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the northwest)
      • Trout Valley is located in McHenry County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Trout Valley
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 508 people
    • Cary
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the northwest)
      • Cary is located in McHenry County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cary
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 17,929 people
      • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Cary <1>
    • Lake-in-the-Hills
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the northwest)
    • Oakwood Hills
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the northwest)
      • Oakwood Hills is located in McHenry County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Oakwood Hills
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 2,011 people
    • Island Lake
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the northwest)
      • Island Lake is located in McHenry County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Island Lake
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 7,951 people
    • Barreville
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the northwest)
      • Barreville is located in McHenry County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Barreville
    • Crystal Lake
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the northwest)
    • Huntley
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the northwest)
    • Prairie Grove
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the northwest)
      • Prairie Grove is located in McHenry County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Prairie Grove
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 1,920 people
  • Will County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Villa Park, with the one closest to Villa Park listed first.
    • Winston Village
      (12 miles [19.3 km] to the south)
      • Winston Village is located in Will County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Winston Village
    • Bolingbrook
      (13 miles [20.9 km] to the south)
    • Colonial Village
      (13 miles [20.9 km] to the south)
      • Colonial Village is located in Will County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Colonial Village
    • Bloomfield Village
      (14 miles [22.5 km] to the south)
      • Bloomfield Village is located in Will County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bloomfield Village
    • Goodings Grove
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the south)
      • Goodings Grove is located in Will County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Goodings Grove
    • Romeoville
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the south)
    • Homer Glen
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the south)
      • 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>
    • Lockport
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the south)
    • Normantown
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the southwest)
      • Normantown is located in Will County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Normantown
    • Plainfield
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the southwest)
    • Walker
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the southwest)
      • Walker is located in Will County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Walker
    • Crest Hill
      (23 miles [37 km] to the south)
  • Lake County (IN)
    • Whiting
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the southeast)

For an expanded list of the communities that are closest to Villa Park, see our County-by-County Page for Villa Park.

Cemeteries Near Villa Park ...

Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of Villa Park.

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 Villa Park - one of the links might be able to help.

If not found below, our Cemetery List for Villa Park covers a larger area, with the cemeteries listed in alphabetical order.

The following cemeteries are listed based on their distance from Villa Park, with the one closest to Villa Park listed first.

  • Trinity Lutheran Cemetery
    (Less than 2 miles to the south)
  • College Cemetery
    (Less than 2 miles to the northeast)
  • St. Mary's Cemetery
    (Less than 2 miles to the northeast)
  • St. Marys Elmhurst Cemetery
    (Less than 2 miles to the northeast)
  • St. Peters Cemetery
    (Less than 2 miles to the northeast)
  • Babcock's Grove Cemetery
    (2 miles [3.2 km] to the west)
  • Chapel Hill Gardens West Cemetery
    (2 miles [3.2 km] to the south)
  • Glos Cemetery
    (2 miles [3.2 km] to the east)
  • St. Marys Lombard Cemetery
    (3 miles [4.8 km] to the southwest)
  • Allerton Ridge Memorial Park
    (3 miles [4.8 km] to the southwest)
  • Boeger Cemetery
    (3 miles [4.8 km] to the southwest)
  • St. Paul Lutheran Cemetery
    (3 miles [4.8 km] to the north)
  • Continue List   (382 more) ...
    • St. Pauls Addison Cemetery
      (3 miles [4.8 km] to the north)
    • Mt. Carmel Catholic Cemetery
      (3 miles [4.8 km] to the east)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mt. Carmel Catholic Cemetery
      • To give a relative sense of its location, the Mt. Carmel Catholic Cemetery is a very large cemetery that is located in Hillside.
      • The Mt. Carmel Catholic Cemetery has also been known as:
      • Mt. Carmel Cemetery
      • Jump to Find-A-Grave: FG ID #107016 <2>
    • Old Settlers Cemetery
      (3 miles [4.8 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.<3>

While we didn't find Villa Park in the Atlas, the following 1895 communities would have been found near the current location of Villa Park.

These communities are listed based on their distance from Villa Park, with the one closest to Villa Park listed first.

  • South Addison
    (Less than 2 miles to the northwest)
    • South Addison is located in DuPage County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for South Addison
  • Elmhurst
    (Less than 2 miles to the northeast)
  • Lombard
    (2 miles [3.2 km] to the southwest)
  • Utopia
    (2 miles [3.2 km] to the south)
    • Utopia is located in DuPage County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Utopia
  • South Elmhurst
    (2 miles [3.2 km] to the east)
    • South Elmhurst is located in DuPage County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for South Elmhurst
  • Hillside
    (3 miles [4.8 km] to the east)
  • Addison
    (3 miles [4.8 km] to the northwest)
  • Glen Ellyn
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the west)
  • Downers Grove
    (5 miles [8 km] to the south)
  • Fullersburg
    (5 miles [8 km] to the southeast)
    • Fullersburg is located in DuPage County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Fullersburg
  • Bensenville
    (5 miles [8 km] to the north)
  • Wheaton
    (6 miles [9.7 km] to the west)
  • Continue List   (15 more) ...
    • Itasca
      (6 miles [9.7 km] to the north)
    • Clarendon Hills
      (6 miles [9.7 km] to the south)
    • Hinsdale
      (6 miles [9.7 km] to the southeast)

We've also created an expanded list of communities that existed in the 1890's and were located in the area around Villa Park. See our List of 1890's Communities around Villa Park.

Newspapers Published in the Vicinity of Villa Park ...

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 152 newspapers that have been published in the area around Villa Park.

We have organized these newspapers into two lists:

  • A Local Newspaper List - focusing on the papers published in the immediate area of Villa Park. There are actually two parts to this list - papers printed in the immediate area of Villa Park and those printed in the larger area surrounding Villa Park.
  • An Extended Newspaper List - a longer list, sorted by paper name and containing those papers published within 12 miles [19.3 km]<4> of Villa Park.

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 Villa Park:

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 Villa Park, 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- Villa Park) to Point B. In other words: 'As the crow flies'.