RoadsideThoughts
A Gazetteer for the United States and Canada
Home >> State of Illinois >> Cook County >> Washington Heights >> Tidbits & TriviaIndex...

Outdoor Activities ...

As we travel, we like to pursue some of our interests (such as astronomy and bird watching).

When in Washington Heights, we use the following websites to find information relevant to Washington Heights and the surrounding area.

  • Weather ...
  • Astronomy & Satellites ...
    • Whether using binoculars, a small telescope or the naked-eye, the Heavens-Above website can help you to find your way around the night-time sky. In addition to detailed sky charts, their website will help you find planets, asteriods, comets, satellites and their tracks across the sky.
    • To give accurate results, Heavens-Above requires the latitude and longitude of your location. As a starting point, when we link to Heavens-Above, we pass this GPS location for Washington Heights:
    • 41.706423, -87.656160
    • Once you're on the Heavens-Above website, you can improve its accuracy by giving a more precise longitude and latitude as your actual position.
    • Open the Heavens-Above website centered on Washington Heights
  • Bird Watching ...
    • We enjoy finding new spots for bird watching and we use the eBird website for local sighting reports and to help identify hotspots.
    • The eBird website is organized on a county-by-county basis. We have selected Cook County as the starting point when you click on the link below:
    • Open the eBird sighting report for Cook County
    • Since Washington Heights is near Lake County and also Will County, we have provided a link to their eBird sighting reports:
    • Open the eBird sighting report for Lake County
    • Open the eBird sighting report for Will County
  • Waymarking ...
    • Looking for somewhere out of the ordinary? Find a unique place and want to share it with others? Then it's time to visit Waymarking.com:
    • Open the Waymark.com report for Washington Heights

Communities Also Named Washington Heights ...

We found 23 communities that are also named Washington Heights.

Within Illinois, the name Washington Heights is unique.

Beyond Illinois, we know of 23 communities that are located in the United States.

  • Communities Elsewhere In North America ...
    • Alabama
      • Jefferson County
      • This Washington Heights is located in Jefferson County and lies 563 miles [906.1 km]<1> to the south of the Washington Heights that is located in Cook County.
      • For more information, please visit our profile page for the Jefferson County community of Washington Heights.
    • Delaware
      • New Castle County
      • This Washington Heights is located in New Castle County and lies 643 miles [1,034.8 km]<1> to the east of the Washington Heights that is located in Cook County.
      • For more information, please visit our profile page for the New Castle County community of Washington Heights.
      • Sussex County
      • This Washington Heights is located in Sussex County and lies 693 miles [1,115.3 km] to the east southeast of the Washington Heights that is located in Cook County.
      • For more information, please visit our profile page for the Sussex County community of Washington Heights.
    • Georgia
      • Dougherty County
      • This Washington Heights is located in Dougherty County and lies 727 miles [1,170 km]<1> to the south southeast of the Washington Heights that is located in Cook County.
      • For more information, please visit our profile page for the Dougherty County community of Washington Heights.
      • Wilkes County
      • This Washington Heights is located in Wilkes County and lies 611 miles [983.3 km] to the south southeast of the Washington Heights that is located in Cook County.
      • For more information, please visit our profile page for the Wilkes County community of Washington Heights.
    • Maryland
      • Carroll County
      • This Washington Heights is located in Carroll County and lies 577 miles [928.6 km]<1> to the east southeast of the Washington Heights that is located in Cook County.
      • For more information, please visit our profile page for the Carroll County community of Washington Heights.
      • Wicomico County
      • This Washington Heights is located in Wicomico County and lies 678 miles [1,091.1 km] to the east southeast of the Washington Heights that is located in Cook County.
      • For more information, please visit our profile page for the Wicomico County community of Washington Heights.
    • Michigan
      • Calhoun County
      • We found mention of this community, but have little information.<2> For the information that we do have, please visit our profile page for the Michigan community of Washington Heights [Calhoun County].
      • Oakland County
      • We found mention of this community, but have little information. For the information that we do have, please visit our profile page for the Michigan community of Washington Heights [Oakland County].
    • New Jersey
      • Middlesex County
      • This Washington Heights is located in Middlesex County and lies 694 miles [1,116.9 km]<1> to the east of the Washington Heights that is located in Cook County.
      • For more information, please visit our profile page for the Middlesex County community of Washington Heights.
    • New York
      • New York County
      • This Washington Heights is located in New York County and lies 713 miles [1,147.5 km]<1> to the east of the Washington Heights that is located in Cook County.
      • For more information, please visit our profile page for the New York County community of Washington Heights.
      • Orange County
      • This Washington Heights is located in Orange County and lies 683 miles [1,099.2 km] to the east of the Washington Heights that is located in Cook County.
      • For more information, please visit our profile page for the Orange County community of Washington Heights.
    • North Carolina
      • Cleveland County
      • This Washington Heights is located in Cleveland County and lies 554 miles [891.6 km]<1> to the southeast of the Washington Heights that is located in Cook County.
      • For more information, please visit our profile page for the Cleveland County community of Washington Heights.
      • Iredell County
      • This Washington Heights is located in Iredell County and lies 548 miles [881.9 km] to the southeast of the Washington Heights that is located in Cook County.
      • For more information, please visit our profile page for the Iredell County community of Washington Heights.
      • Pitt County
      • This Washington Heights is located in Pitt County and lies 712 miles [1,145.9 km] to the southeast of the Washington Heights that is located in Cook County.
      • For more information, please visit our profile page for the Pitt County community of Washington Heights.
    • Pennsylvania
      • Cumberland County
      • This Washington Heights is located in Cumberland County and lies 569 miles [915.7 km]<1> to the east of the Washington Heights that is located in Cook County.
      • For more information, please visit our profile page for the Cumberland County community of Washington Heights.
    • South Carolina
      • Spartanburg County
      • This Washington Heights is located in Spartanburg County and lies 560 miles [901.2 km]<1> to the southeast of the Washington Heights that is located in Cook County.
      • For more information, please visit our profile page for the Spartanburg County community of Washington Heights.
    • Tennessee
      • Hamilton County
      • This Washington Heights is located in Hamilton County and lies 476 miles [766 km]<1> to the south southeast of the Washington Heights that is located in Cook County.
      • For more information, please visit our profile page for the Hamilton County community of Washington Heights.
      • Knox County
      • This Washington Heights is located in Knox County and lies 437 miles [703.3 km] to the south southeast of the Washington Heights that is located in Cook County.
      • For more information, please visit our profile page for the Knox County community of Washington Heights.
      • Washington County
      • This Washington Heights is located in Washington County and lies 466 miles [750 km] to the southeast of the Washington Heights that is located in Cook County.
      • For more information, please visit our profile page for the Washington County community of Washington Heights.
    • Vermont
      • Orange County
      • This Washington Heights is located in Orange County and lies 784 miles [1,261.7 km]<1> to the east northeast of the Washington Heights that is located in Cook County.
      • For more information, please visit our profile page for the Orange County community of Washington Heights.
    • Virginia
      • Roanoke City
      • This Washington Heights is located in Roanoke City and lies 508 miles [817.5 km]<1> to the southeast of the Washington Heights that is located in Cook County.
      • For more information, please visit our profile page for the Roanoke City community of Washington Heights.
    • West Virginia
      • Boone County
      • This Washington Heights is located in Boone County and lies 399 miles [642.1 km]<1> to the southeast of the Washington Heights that is located in Cook County.
      • For more information, please visit our profile page for the Boone County community of Washington Heights.

Curious and Interesting Names Near Washington Heights ...

As we travel, we always see a community with a name that gives pause. While there are names which are interesting or familiar, some catch our attention or strike our fancy. We always wonder about such a name. If time permits and the community is not too far, we'll usually try to make a side-trip.

  • Beverly
    (Less than 2 miles to the northwest)
    • Beverly is located in Cook County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Beverly
  • Evergreen Park
    (2 miles [3.2 km] to the west)
  • Grand Crossing
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the northeast)
    • Grand Crossing is located in Cook County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Grand Crossing
  • Hazel Green
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the west)
    • Hazel Green is located in Cook County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hazel Green
  • Hometown
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the northwest)
  • Honeymoon Row
    (2 miles [3.2 km] to the southeast)
    • Honeymoon Row is located in Cook County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Honeymoon Row
  • Irondale ‑ Historic
    (5 miles [8 km] to the east)
    • Irondale is located in Cook County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Irondale
  • Italian Bowery
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the northeast)
    • Italian Bowery is located in Cook County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Italian Bowery
  • Mount Greenwood
    (2 miles [3.2 km] to the west)
    • Mount Greenwood is located in Cook County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mount Greenwood
  • Continue List   (6 more) ...
    • Pierces Park
      (4 miles [6.4 km] to the northeast)
      • Pierces Park is located in Cook County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Pierces Park
    • Poverty Row
      (4 miles [6.4 km] to the northeast)
      • Poverty Row is located in Cook County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Poverty Row
    • Robbins
      (5 miles [8 km] to the southwest)
    • Roseland
      (Less than 2 miles to the east)
      • Roseland is located in Cook County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Roseland
    • Stony Island
      (4 miles [6.4 km] to the east)
      • Stony Island is located in Cook County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Stony Island
    • Woodlawn
      (5 miles [8 km] to the northeast)
      • Woodlawn is located in Cook County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Woodlawn

How Far From Washington Heights to ...

We spend a lot of time looking through Gazetteers, Almanacs & Directories that were published in the late 1800's and early 1900's. Many of the Gazetteers include the distance from a community such as Washington Heights to various places of note, such as the White House.

With a nod to our favorite Gazetteers, the straight-line distance beginning in Washington Heights and extending to:

  • Chicago, which is the Seat of Cook County, lies 11 miles [17.7 km]<1> to the north. If you could walk a straight line from Washington Heights to Chicago, with an average speed<4> of 2.2 miles [3.5 km] per hour, it would take five to six hours to make the trip. A horse and buggy averaging 3.2 miles [5.1 km] per hour would take nearly four hours.
  • Springfield, which is the State Capital of Illinois, lies 168 miles [270.4 km] to the southwest (SW). Driving, with an average speed of 63 miles [101.4 km] per hour, would take about three hours, a buggy would take 7 days and walking would take 10 days.
  • The White House (Washington, DC) is 591 miles [951.1 km] to the east southeast (ESE). Driving would take just over a day, a buggy would take 23 days and walking would take 34 days.
  • The shortest distance<5> to Jerusalem (specifically the Temple Mount and the Dome of the Rock) is 6,191 miles [9,963.4 km] and it lies to the northeast (NE).<6>
  • The distance to the Great Mosque of Mecca (specifically the Ka'bah - or Kaaba ) is 6,930 miles [11,152.8 km] and it lies to the northeast (NE).<7>
  • The distance to Saint Peter's Basilica (The Vatican) is 4,813 miles [7,745.8 km] and it lies to the northeast (NE).<8>'

Footnotes ...

<1>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- Washington Heights) to Point B. In other words: 'As the crow flies'.
<2>If we encounter the name of what might be a community, our methodology is to add that name to our Gazetteer as a placeholder. As we find more information about that community, it will be added to our Gazetteer.

Just as a reminder: Our definition of a community is rather broad and includes those places (or areas) where several families lived and had a name which identified that place. For example, you might hear somebody say that they are going over to Bird Creek to see Pete ... Bird Creek is just a gas station and a couple of homes at the crossroads. While it might not be on the map, everybody in the area knows it by that name.

Places of interest include buildings at a crossroad, several families clustered in a hollow or maybe the location of a way station. It also includes places like mines, lumber camps, ferry crossings, etc. The community might still exist, is now gone or only existed for just a short period of time.

Also keep in mind that Washington Heights could have been on the original document by mistake, misspelled, the original/alternate name of a community that we've listed elsewhere or was placed in the wrong county. Sometimes a post office or train station would have a different name than the community where it's located, so two names might be referring to the same community - we're working to straighten it all out.
<3>While we're fans and frequent users of TripAdvisor, you should know that we're also members of the TripAdvisor affiliate program.
<4>While we have tried to pick reasonable speeds, the rate of travel is very theoretical - obstacles like fences, hills, lakes, river crossings and rest stops have been ignored. When we say 'Days' of travel, we're assuming 8 hours of travel per day.
<5>The shortest line can be visualized by stretching a string on a Globe from Point A to Point B - this is known as a Great Circle Route. Where you might expect the shortest route from Washington Heights to the Middle East to be East and South, the Great Circle Route actually lies to the North and East.Our distance measurements begin at a specific point in Washington Heights. The point we use is located at these GPS coordinates - Latitude: 41.7064, Longitude: -87.6562       In this case, the coordinates for Washington Heights have been provided by the Geographic Names Information System (GNIS).
<6>The calculated bearing (or angle) to Jerusalem is 314.452 degrees.
<7>The calculated bearing (or angle) to Mecca is 311.325 degrees.
<8>The calculated bearing (or angle) to the Vatican is 308.628 degrees.