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 Independence Hill (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 Independence Hill. 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 southwest corner of their home county. During their lives, most doctors were in the next county to the west. 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 west 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.
Independence Hill is located in Lake County.
To see how the shape of Indiana's counties may have changed over time, we recommend the Atlas of Historical County Boundaries.
The following counties adjoin and form the boundaries of Lake County: Cook (IL), Kankakee (IL), Will (IL), Jasper, Newton & Porter.
Below are the counties that are near Independence Hill. For each of these counties, we show a sample of those communities that are closest to Independence Hill:
- Lake County (The home county of Independence Hill)
- The following are listed by their distance from Independence Hill, with the one closest to Independence Hill listed first.
- Lincoln Village
(Less than 2 miles to the west)
- Lincoln Village is located in Lake County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lincoln Village
- Lottaville
(Less than 2 miles to the north)
- Lottaville is located in Lake County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lottaville
- Merrillville
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the east)
- New Elliott
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the northwest)
- New Elliott is located in Lake County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for New Elliott
- Green Acres
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the east)
- Green Acres is located in Lake County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Green Acres
- Ross
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the north)
- Ross is located in Lake County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ross
- Griffith
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the northwest)
- Crown Point
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the south)
- Schererville
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the west)
- Hartsdale
(5 miles [8 km] to the west)
- Hartsdale is located in Lake County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hartsdale
- Saint John
(5 miles [8 km] to the west)
- Hobart
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the northeast)
- Jasper County
- The following are listed by their distance from Independence Hill, with the one closest to Independence Hill listed first.
- Forest City
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the south)
- Forest City is located in Jasper County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Forest City
- DeMotte
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the southeast)
- DeMotte is located in Jasper County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for DeMotte
- Population from the 2020 Census: 4,172 people
- DeMotte has also been known as:
- De Motte
- Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for DeMotte <1>
- Stoutsburg
(23 miles [37 km] to the southeast)
- Stoutsburg is located in Jasper County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Stoutsburg
- Wheatfield
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the southeast)
- Virgie
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the south)
- Virgie is located in Jasper County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Virgie
- Tefft
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the southeast)
- Tefft is located in Jasper County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Tefft
- Fair Oaks
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the south)
- LaPorte County
- The following are listed by their distance from Independence Hill, with the one closest to Independence Hill listed first.
- Alida
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the east)
- Alida is located in LaPorte County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Alida
- Haskell
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the east)
- Haskell is located in LaPorte County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Haskell
- Wanatah
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the east)
- Westville
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the east)
- Otis
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the east)
- Otis is located in LaPorte County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Otis
- Holmesville
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the east)
- Holmesville is located in LaPorte County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Holmesville
- La Crosse
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the southeast)
- Michigan City
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the northeast)
- Hanna
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the east)
- Union Mills
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the east)
- Pottawattamie Park
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the northeast)
- Pottawattamie Park is located in LaPorte County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Pottawattamie Park
- Population from the 2020 Census: 221 people
- Trail Creek
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the northeast)
- Trail Creek is located in LaPorte County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Trail Creek
- Population from the 2020 Census: 1,985 people
- Newton County
- The following are listed by their distance from Independence Hill, with the one closest to Independence Hill listed first.
- Sumava Resorts
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the south)
- Thayer
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the south)
- Thayer is located in Newton County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Thayer
- Lake Village
(23 miles [37 km] to the south)
- Lake Village is located in Newton County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lake Village
- Roselawn
(23 miles [37 km] to the south)
- Roselawn is located in Newton County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Roselawn
- Porter County
- The following are listed by their distance from Independence Hill, with the one closest to Independence Hill listed first.
- Wheeler
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the east)
- Wheeler is located in Porter County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Wheeler
- Portage
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the northeast)
- Porter Crossroads
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the southeast)
- Porter Crossroads is located in Porter County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Porter Crossroads
- South Haven
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the east)
- South Haven is located in Porter County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for South Haven
- Willow Creek
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the northeast)
- Willow Creek is located in Porter County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Willow Creek
- Woodland Village
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the northeast)
- Woodland Village is located in Porter County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Woodland Village
- Ogden Dunes
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the northeast)
- Ogden Dunes is located in Porter County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ogden Dunes
- Population from the 2020 Census: 1,083 people
- Hebron
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the southeast)
- Boone Grove
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the southeast)
- Boone Grove is located in Porter County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Boone Grove
- Babcock
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the northeast)
- Babcock is located in Porter County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Babcock
- Valparaiso
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the east)
- Burns Harbor
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the northeast)
- Cook County (IL)
- The following are listed by their distance from Independence Hill, with the one closest to Independence Hill listed first.
- Lynwood
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the west)
- Lansing
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the northwest)
- Sauk Village
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the west)
- Ford Heights
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the west)
- Calumet City
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the northwest)
- Globe
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the northwest)
- Globe is located in Cook County (IL)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Globe
- Glenwood
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the west)
- South Chicago Heights
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the west)
- South Chicago Heights is located in Cook County (IL)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for South Chicago Heights
- Population from the 2020 Census: 3,957 people
- Burnham
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the northwest)
- Burnham is located in Cook County (IL)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Burnham
- Population from the 2020 Census: 4,040 people
- South Holland
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the northwest)
- Thornton
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the northwest)
- Chicago Heights
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the west)
- Kankakee County (IL)
- The following are listed by their distance from Independence Hill, with the one closest to Independence Hill listed first.
- Sherburnville
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the southwest)
- Sherburnville is located in Kankakee County (IL)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sherburnville
- Illinoi
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the south)
- Illinoi is located in Kankakee County (IL)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Illinoi
- Grant Park
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the southwest)
- Grant Park is located in Kankakee County (IL)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Grant Park
- Population from the 2020 Census: 1,231 people
- Illiana Heights
(23 miles [37 km] to the southwest)
- Illiana Heights is located in Kankakee County (IL)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Illiana Heights
- Litchfield
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the southwest)
- Litchfield is located in Kankakee County (IL)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Litchfield
- Momence
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the southwest)
- Manteno
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the southwest)
- Saint George
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the southwest)
- Saint George is located in Kankakee County (IL)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Saint George
- Hopkins Park
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the southwest)
- Hopkins Park is located in Kankakee County (IL)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hopkins Park
- Population from the 2020 Census: 608 people
- Hopkins Park has also been known as:
- Hopkins Park village
- Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Hopkins Park <1>
- Sun River Terrace
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the southwest)
- Sun River Terrace is located in Kankakee County (IL)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sun River Terrace
- Population from the 2020 Census: 488 people
- Will County (IL)
- The following are listed by their distance from Independence Hill, with the one closest to Independence Hill listed first.
- Willowbrook
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the west)
- Crete
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the west)
- Steger
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the west)
- Beecher
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the southwest)
- Goodenow
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the southwest)
- Goodenow is located in Will County (IL)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Goodenow
- University Park
(18 miles [29 km] to the west)
- Monee
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the west)
- Frankfort Square
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the west)
- Frankfort Square is located in Will County (IL)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Frankfort Square
- Peotone
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the southwest)
- Frankfort
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the west)
- Mokena
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the west)
- Gilletts ‑ Historic
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the west)
- Gilletts is located in Will County (IL)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Gilletts
For an expanded list of the communities that are closest to Independence Hill, see our County-by-County Page for Independence Hill.
Cemeteries Near Independence Hill ...
Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of Independence Hill.
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 Independence Hill - one of the links might be able to help.
If not found below, our Cemetery List for Independence Hill covers a larger area, with the cemeteries listed in alphabetical order.
The following cemeteries are listed based on their distance from Independence Hill, with the one closest to Independence Hill listed first.
- Calumet Park Cemetery
(Less than 2 miles to the north)
- Merrillville Cemetery
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the east)
- Pleasant View Cemetery
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the west)
- Memory Lane Memorial Cemetery
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the west)
- Ross Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the north)
- St.s Peter & Paul Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the northeast)
- Chapel Lawn Memorial Gardens Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the west)
- St. Marys Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the south)
- St. Marys Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the south)
- Maplewood Historic Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the south)
- Maplewood Memorial Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the south)
- Fern Oak Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the northwest)
- Continue List (213 more) ...
- Oak Hill Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the north)
- St. Michael Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the west)
- St. John Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the west)
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 Independence Hill in the Atlas, the following 1895 communities would have been found near the current location of Independence Hill.
These communities are listed based on their distance from Independence Hill, with the one closest to Independence Hill listed first.
- Lottaville
(Less than 2 miles to the north)
- Lottaville is located in Lake County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lottaville
- Merrillville
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the east)
- Ross
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the north)
- Ross is located in Lake County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ross
- Crown Point
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the south)
- Griffith
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the northwest)
- Schererville
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the west)
- Saint John
(5 miles [8 km] to the west)
- Ainsworth
(5 miles [8 km] to the east)
- Ainsworth is located in Lake County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ainsworth
- Hartsdale
(5 miles [8 km] to the west)
- Hartsdale is located in Lake County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hartsdale
- Hobart
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the northeast)
- Liverpool
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the northeast)
- Liverpool is located in Lake County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Liverpool
- Winfield
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the southeast)
- Winfield is located in Lake County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Winfield
- Population from the 2020 Census: 6,265 people
- Continue List (19 more) ...
- Deep River
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the east)
- Deep River is located in Lake County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Deep River
- Highland
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the northwest)
- Cedar Lake
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the southwest)
We've also created an expanded list of communities that existed in the 1890's and were located in the area around Independence Hill. See our List of 1890's Communities around Independence Hill.
Newspapers Published in Independence Hill ...
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 27 newspapers that have been published in the area around Independence Hill.
Although we're unaware of any newspapers that were published in the immediate area of Independence Hill, there are papers which were published within 16 miles [25.7 km]<4>. A list of those papers, sorted by paper name, can be found on the Extended Newspaper List for Independence Hill.
Websites to Help With Your Genealogy Research ...
When we do our genealogical research, we first turn to the websites from Cyndi's List, FamilySearch and Genealogy Trails. These professional and volunteer 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 Independence Hill:
- Websites specific to Indiana
- Pages specific to Lake County
- Genealogy information for nearby counties
- Jasper County
- LaPorte County
- Newton County
- Porter County
- Cook County
- Kankakee County
- Will County
- Cemetery Information and Directories for Indiana
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 Independence Hill, 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 obstructions like rivers, canyons, lakes, et cetera - it's truly a line from Point A (ie- Independence Hill) to Point B. In other words: 'As the crow flies'. |