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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 Woodridge (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 Woodridge. 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 southeast 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 south.

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 south 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.

Woodridge is primarily located in DuPage County. A portion of Woodridge extends into 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 DuPage County: Cook, Kane, Kendall & Will.

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

  • DuPage County     (The home county of Woodridge)
    • The following are listed by their distance from Woodridge, with the one closest to Woodridge listed first.
    • Darien
      (3 miles [4.8 km] to the east)
    • Lisle
      (4 miles [6.4 km] to the northwest)
      • Lisle is located in DuPage County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lisle
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 23,153 people
      • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Lisle <1>
    • Tedens ‑ Historic
      (4 miles [6.4 km] to the southeast)
      • Tedens is located in DuPage County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Tedens
    • Willowbrook
      (5 miles [8 km] to the east)
    • Downers Grove
      (5 miles [8 km] to the north)
    • Westmont
      (5 miles [8 km] to the northeast)
    • Naperville
      (5 miles [8 km] to the northwest)
    • Clarendon Hills
      (6 miles [9.7 km] to the northeast)
    • Hinsdale
      (7 miles [11.3 km] to the northeast)
    • York Center
      (8 miles [12.9 km] to the north)
      • York Center is located in DuPage County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for York Center
    • Oak Brook Terrace
      (8 miles [12.9 km] to the northeast)
      • 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
    • Oak Brook
      (8 miles [12.9 km] to the northeast)
    • Utopia
      (8 miles [12.9 km] to the northeast)
      • Utopia is located in DuPage County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Utopia
  • Cook County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Woodridge, with the one closest to Woodridge listed first.
    • Lemont
      (5 miles [8 km] to the southeast)
    • Burr Ridge
      (6 miles [9.7 km] to the east)
    • Indian Head Park
      (7 miles [11.3 km] to the east)
      • 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
    • Countryside
      (8 miles [12.9 km] to the east)
    • Willow Springs
      (8 miles [12.9 km] to the east)
    • Western Springs
      (8 miles [12.9 km] to the northeast)
    • Hodgkins
      (9 miles [14.5 km] to the east)
    • Justice
      (10 miles [16.1 km] to the east)
    • La Grange Park
      (10 miles [16.1 km] to the northeast)
    • La Grange
      (10 miles [16.1 km] to the northeast)
    • Hickory Hills
      (11 miles [17.7 km] to the east)
    • McCook
      (11 miles [17.7 km] to the east)
    • Brookfield
      (11 miles [17.7 km] to the northeast)
  • DeKalb County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Woodridge, with the one closest to Woodridge listed first.
    • Hinckley
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the west)
    • Sandwich
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the west)
  • Grundy County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Woodridge, with the one closest to Woodridge listed first.
    • Minooka
      (23 miles [37 km] to the southwest)
    • Channahon
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the southwest)
    • Sand Ridge
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the southwest)
      • Sand Ridge is located in Grundy County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sand Ridge
  • Kane County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Woodridge, with the one closest to Woodridge listed first.
    • Aurora
      (14 miles [22.5 km] to the west)
    • Batavia
      (15 miles [24.1 km] to the northwest)
    • Mooseheart
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the west)
    • North Aurora
      (16 miles [25.7 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
    • Geneva
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the northwest)
    • Saint Charles
      (18 miles [29 km] to the northwest)
    • Sugar Grove
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the west)
    • Bonnie
      (21 miles [33.8 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
    • Coleman
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the northwest)
      • Coleman is located in Kane County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Coleman
    • Campton Hills
      (22 miles [35.4 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>
    • South Elgin
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the northwest)
      • South Elgin is located in Kane County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for South Elgin
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 24,646 people
    • Wasco
      (23 miles [37 km] to the northwest)
    • Elburn
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the northwest)
  • Kendall County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Woodridge, with the one closest to Woodridge listed first.
    • Boulder Hill
      (15 miles [24.1 km] to the west)
      • Boulder Hill is located in Kendall County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Boulder Hill
    • Montgomery
      (15 miles [24.1 km] to the west)
    • Oswego
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the west)
    • Bristol
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the west)
    • Yorkville
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the west)
    • Plattville
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the southwest)
      • Plattville is located in Kendall County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Plattville
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 257 people
    • Plano
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the west)
      • Plano is located in Kendall County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Plano
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 11,879 people
      • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Plano <1>
    • Little Rock
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the west)
      • Little Rock is located in Kendall County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Little Rock
    • Millbrook
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the west)
    • Lisbon
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the southwest)
      • Lisbon is located in Kendall County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lisbon
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 310 people
  • Lake County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Woodridge, with the one closest to Woodridge listed first.
    • Buffalo Grove
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the north)
    • Deer Park
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the north)
    • Kildeer
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the north)
    • Riverwoods
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the north)
  • Will County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Woodridge, with the one closest to Woodridge listed first.
    • Colonial Village
      (2 miles [3.2 km] to the south)
      • Colonial Village is located in Will County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Colonial Village
    • Winston Village
      (2 miles [3.2 km] to the southwest)
      • Winston Village is located in Will County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Winston Village
    • Bloomfield Village
      (3 miles [4.8 km] to the southwest)
      • Bloomfield Village is located in Will County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bloomfield Village
    • Bolingbrook
      (3 miles [4.8 km] to the southwest)
    • Romeoville
      (6 miles [9.7 km] to the southwest)
    • Goodings Grove
      (9 miles [14.5 km] to the southeast)
      • Goodings Grove is located in Will County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Goodings Grove
    • Lockport
      (10 miles [16.1 km] to the south)
    • Homer Glen
      (11 miles [17.7 km] to the southeast)
      • 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>
    • Normantown
      (11 miles [17.7 km] to the southwest)
      • Normantown is located in Will County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Normantown
    • Plainfield
      (11 miles [17.7 km] to the southwest)
    • Walker
      (11 miles [17.7 km] to the southwest)
      • Walker is located in Will County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Walker
    • Crest Hill
      (12 miles [19.3 km] to the south)
    • Fairmont
      (12 miles [19.3 km] to the south)
      • Fairmont is located in Will County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Fairmont
  • Lake County (IN)
    • The following are listed by their distance from Woodridge, with the one closest to Woodridge listed first.
    • Hammond
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the east)
      • Hammond is located in Lake County (IN)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hammond
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 75,342 people
      • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Hammond <1>
    • Whiting
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the east)
    • Munster
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the southeast)
      • Munster is located in Lake County (IN)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Munster
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 22,483 people
      • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Munster <1>

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

Cemeteries Near Woodridge ...

Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of Woodridge.

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 Woodridge - one of the links might be able to help.

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

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

  • Hillcrest Cemetery
    (Less than 2 miles to the southwest)
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hillcrest Cemetery
    • To give a relative sense of its location, the Hillcrest Cemetery is a large cemetery that is located in Bolingbrook.
    • The Hillcrest Cemetery has also been known as:
    • Barber's Corner Cemetery
    • Jump to Find-A-Grave: FG ID #208243 <2>
  • Boardman Cemetery
    (2 miles [3.2 km] to the southwest)
  • St. Bernards Cemetery
    (2 miles [3.2 km] to the north)
  • St. Patrick Parish Cemetery
    (3 miles [4.8 km] to the southeast)
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for St. Patrick Parish Cemetery
    • The St. Patrick Parish Cemetery has also been known as:
    • St. Patricks Catholic Cemetery
  • Cass Cemetery
    (3 miles [4.8 km] to the east)
  • Clarendon Hills Cemetery
    (3 miles [4.8 km] to the northeast)
  • Oak Hill Cemetery
    (3 miles [4.8 km] to the north)
  • Blodgett Cemetery
    (3 miles [4.8 km] to the north)
  • Oak Crest Cemetery
    (3 miles [4.8 km] to the north)
  • Illinois Benedictine College Cemetery
    (3 miles [4.8 km] to the northwest)
  • St. Johns Lutheran Cemetery
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the northeast)
  • St. Mary of Gostyn Cemetery
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the northeast)
  • Continue List   (418 more) ...
    • Downers Grove Cemetery
      (4 miles [6.4 km] to the north)
    • Pierce Downer Cemetery
      (4 miles [6.4 km] to the north)
    • Danish Cemetery
      (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>

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

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

  • Lace
    (3 miles [4.8 km] to the east)
    • Lace is located in DuPage County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lace
  • Tedens ‑ Historic
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the southeast)
    • Tedens is located in DuPage County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Tedens
  • Lisle
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the northwest)
    • Lisle is located in DuPage County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lisle
    • Population from the 2020 Census: 23,153 people
    • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Lisle <1>
  • Lemont
    (5 miles [8 km] to the southeast)
  • Downers Grove
    (5 miles [8 km] to the north)
  • Naperville
    (5 miles [8 km] to the northwest)
  • Romeo
    (6 miles [9.7 km] to the south)
    • Romeo is located in Will County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Romeo
  • Sag Bridge
    (6 miles [9.7 km] to the southeast)
    • Sag Bridge is located in Cook County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sag Bridge
  • Clarendon Hills
    (6 miles [9.7 km] to the northeast)
  • Hinsdale
    (7 miles [11.3 km] to the northeast)
  • Willow Springs
    (8 miles [12.9 km] to the east)
  • Western Springs
    (8 miles [12.9 km] to the northeast)
  • Continue List   (18 more) ...
    • Fullersburg
      (8 miles [12.9 km] to the northeast)
      • Fullersburg is located in DuPage County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Fullersburg
    • Utopia
      (8 miles [12.9 km] to the northeast)
      • Utopia is located in DuPage County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Utopia
    • Wheaton
      (9 miles [14.5 km] to the north)

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

Newspapers Published in Woodridge ...

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 141 newspapers that have been published in the area around Woodridge.

Although we're unaware of any newspapers that were published in the immediate area of Woodridge, there are papers which were published within 9 miles [14.5 km]<4>. A list of those papers, sorted by paper name, can be found on the Extended Newspaper List for Woodridge.

Websites to Help With Your Genealogy Research ...

When we do our genealogical research, we like to start 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 Woodridge:

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 Woodridge, please let us know so that we can improve our accuracy.
<4>Our distances are not driving distances, but are calculated as a 'straight-line' distance. A straight line distance ignores obstructions like rivers, canyons, lakes, et cetera - it's truly a line from Point A (ie- Woodridge) to Point B. In other words: 'As the crow flies'.