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

Outdoor Activities ...

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

When in Wheeling, we use the following websites to find information relevant to Wheeling 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 Wheeling:
    • 42.130660, -87.924026
    • 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 Wheeling
  • 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 Wheeling is near Lake County and also DuPage 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 DuPage 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 Wheeling

Communities Also Named Wheeling ...

We found ten communities that are also named Wheeling.

Within Illinois, the name Wheeling is unique.

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

  • Communities Elsewhere In North America ...
    • Alabama
      • Jefferson County
      • We found mention of this community, but have little information.<1> For the information that we do have, please visit our profile page for the Alabama community of Wheeling [Jefferson County].
    • Arkansas
      • Fulton County
      • This Wheeling is located in Fulton County and lies 453 miles [729 km]<2> to the south southwest of the Wheeling that is located in Cook County.
      • For more information, please visit our profile page for the Fulton County community of Wheeling.
    • Indiana
      • Carroll County
      • This Wheeling is located in Carroll County and lies 134 miles [215.7 km]<2> to the southeast of the Wheeling that is located in Cook County.
      • For more information, please visit our profile page for the Carroll County community of Wheeling.
      • Delaware County
      • This Wheeling is located in Delaware County and lies 176 miles [283.2 km] to the southeast of the Wheeling that is located in Cook County.
      • For more information, please visit our profile page for the Delaware County community of Wheeling.
      • Gibson County
      • This Wheeling is located in Gibson County and lies 257 miles [413.6 km] to the south of the Wheeling that is located in Cook County.
      • For more information, please visit our profile page for the Gibson County community of Wheeling.
    • Kansas
      • Crawford County
      • We found mention of this community, but have little information.<1> For the information that we do have, please visit our profile page for the Kansas community of Wheeling [Crawford County].
    • Louisiana
      • Winn Parish
      • This Wheeling is located in Winn Parish and lies 766 miles [1,232.8 km]<2> to the south southwest of the Wheeling that is located in Cook County.
      • For more information, please visit our profile page for the Winn Parish community of Wheeling.
    • Michigan
      • Emmet County
      • We found mention of this community, but have little information.<1> For the information that we do have, please visit our profile page for the Michigan community of Wheeling [Emmet County].
    • Missouri
      • Livingston County
      • This Wheeling is located in Livingston County and lies 327 miles [526.3 km]<2> to the west southwest of the Wheeling that is located in Cook County.
      • For more information, please visit our profile page for the Livingston County community of Wheeling.
    • West Virginia
      • Ohio County
      • This Wheeling is located in Ohio County and lies 401 miles [645.3 km]<2> to the east southeast of the Wheeling that is located in Cook County.
      • For more information, please visit our profile page for the Ohio County community of Wheeling.

Curious and Interesting Names Near Wheeling ...

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.

  • Ancient Tree
    (3 miles [4.8 km] to the east)
    • Ancient Tree is located in Cook County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ancient Tree
  • Arrowhead
    (3 miles [4.8 km] to the east)
    • Arrowhead is located in Cook County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Arrowhead
  • Birch Pond
    (3 miles [4.8 km] to the east)
    • Birch Pond is located in Cook County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Birch Pond
  • Buffalo Grove
    (2 miles [3.2 km] to the northwest)
  • Cobblewood
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the southeast)
    • Cobblewood is located in Cook County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cobblewood
  • Covenant Village
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the east)
    • Covenant Village is located in Cook County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Covenant Village
  • Cozy Corner
    (3 miles [4.8 km] to the east)
    • Cozy Corner is located in Cook County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cozy Corner
  • Edgewood Grove
    (2 miles [3.2 km] to the east)
    • Edgewood Grove is located in Cook County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Edgewood Grove
  • Fair Meadows
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the east)
    • Fair Meadows is located in Cook County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Fair Meadows
  • Forest River
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the south)
    • Forest River is located in Cook County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Forest River
  • Fox Hedge
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the east)
    • Fox Hedge is located in Cook County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Fox Hedge
  • Fox Run
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the southeast)
    • Fox Run is located in Cook County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Fox Run
  • Continue List   (24 more) ...
    • Garden Court
      (2 miles [3.2 km] to the east)
      • Garden Court is located in Cook County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Garden Court
    • Half Day
      (4 miles [6.4 km] to the north)
      • Half Day is located in Lake County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Half Day
    • Heathercrest
      (3 miles [4.8 km] to the east)
      • Heathercrest is located in Cook County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Heathercrest
    • Hidden Lake
      (4 miles [6.4 km] to the west)
      • Hidden Lake is located in Cook County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hidden Lake
    • Indian Ridge
      (3 miles [4.8 km] to the southeast)
      • Indian Ridge is located in Cook County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Indian Ridge
    • Mallard Creek
      (4 miles [6.4 km] to the east)
      • Mallard Creek is located in Cook County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mallard Creek
    • Maple Ridge
      (4 miles [6.4 km] to the east)
      • Maple Ridge is located in Cook County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Maple Ridge
    • Meadow Green
      (3 miles [4.8 km] to the east)
      • Meadow Green is located in Cook County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Meadow Green
    • Pheasant Creek
      (3 miles [4.8 km] to the east)
      • Pheasant Creek is located in Cook County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Pheasant Creek
    • Prairie View
      (4 miles [6.4 km] to the north)
      • Prairie View is located in Lake County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Prairie View
    • Regency Place
      (2 miles [3.2 km] to the east)
      • Regency Place is located in Cook County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Regency Place
    • Riverwoods
      (3 miles [4.8 km] to the northeast)
    • Royal Court
      (3 miles [4.8 km] to the east)
      • Royal Court is located in Cook County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Royal Court
    • Sanders Crossing
      (2 miles [3.2 km] to the northeast)
      • Sanders Crossing is located in Cook County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sanders Crossing
    • Sanders Prairie
      (2 miles [3.2 km] to the east)
      • Sanders Prairie is located in Cook County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sanders Prairie
    • Solar Grove
      (4 miles [6.4 km] to the east)
      • Solar Grove is located in Cook County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Solar Grove
    • Sportmans Cove
      (3 miles [4.8 km] to the east)
      • Sportmans Cove is located in Cook County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sportmans Cove
    • Stonebrook
      (3 miles [4.8 km] to the southeast)
      • Stonebrook is located in Cook County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Stonebrook
    • Stonegate
      (3 miles [4.8 km] to the southeast)
      • Stonegate is located in Cook County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Stonegate
    • Summerhill
      (3 miles [4.8 km] to the east)
      • Summerhill is located in Cook County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Summerhill
    • Sunset Fields
      (4 miles [6.4 km] to the east)
      • Sunset Fields is located in Cook County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sunset Fields
    • Willow Cove
      (4 miles [6.4 km] to the east)
      • Willow Cove is located in Cook County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Willow Cove
    • Willow Creek
      (4 miles [6.4 km] to the east)
      • Willow Creek is located in Cook County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Willow Creek
    • Willow Wood
      (4 miles [6.4 km] to the east)
      • Willow Wood is located in Cook County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Willow Wood

How Far From Wheeling 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 village such as Wheeling to various places of note, such as the White House.

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

  • Chicago, which is the Seat of Cook County, lies 22 miles [35.4 km]<2> to the southeast. If you could walk a straight line from Wheeling to Chicago, with an average speed<4> of 2.2 miles [3.5 km] per hour, it would take just over a day to make the trip. A horse and buggy averaging 3.2 miles [5.1 km] per hour would take most of a day.
  • Springfield, which is the State Capital of Illinois, lies 185 miles [297.7 km] to the south southwest (SSW). Driving, with an average speed of 63 miles [101.4 km] per hour, would take a little over three hours, a buggy would take 8 days and walking would take 11 days.
  • The White House (Washington, DC) is 613 miles [986.5 km] to the east southeast (ESE). Driving would take just over a day, a buggy would take 24 days and walking would take 35 days.
  • The shortest distance<5> to Jerusalem (specifically the Temple Mount and the Dome of the Rock) is 6,181 miles [9,947.4 km] and it lies to the northeast (NE).<6>
  • The distance to the Great Mosque of Mecca (specifically the Ka'bah - or Kaaba ) is 6,921 miles [11,138.3 km] and it lies to the northeast (NE).<7>
  • The distance to Saint Peter's Basilica (The Vatican) is 4,805 miles [7,732.9 km] and it lies to the northeast (NE).<8>'

Footnotes ...

<1>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 Wheeling 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.
<2>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 drawn from Point A (ie- Wheeling) to Point B. In other words: 'As the crow flies'.
<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 Wheeling 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 Wheeling. The point we use is located at these GPS coordinates - Latitude: 42.1307, Longitude: -87.9240       In this case, the coordinates for Wheeling have been provided by the Geographic Names Information System (GNIS).
<6>The calculated bearing (or angle) to Jerusalem is 314.628 degrees.
<7>The calculated bearing (or angle) to Mecca is 311.586 degrees.
<8>The calculated bearing (or angle) to the Vatican is 308.638 degrees.