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 Van Loon (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 Van Loon. 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 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.
Van Loon 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 Van Loon. For each of these counties, we show a sample of those communities that are closest to Van Loon:
- Lake County (The home county of Van Loon)
- The following are listed by their distance from Van Loon, with the one closest to Van Loon listed first.
- Hessville
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the northwest)
- Hessville is located in Lake County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hessville
- Griffith
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the south)
- Highland
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the southwest)
- Gary
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the northeast)
- Ross
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the southeast)
- Ross is located in Lake County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ross
- Hammond
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the west)
- Munster
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the west)
- East Chicago
(5 miles [8 km] to the north)
- New Elliott
(5 miles [8 km] to the south)
- New Elliott is located in Lake County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for New Elliott
- Schererville
(5 miles [8 km] to the south)
- Lottaville
(5 miles [8 km] to the southeast)
- Lottaville is located in Lake County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lottaville
- Hartsdale
(5 miles [8 km] to the southwest)
- Hartsdale is located in Lake County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hartsdale
- Jasper County
- The following are listed by their distance from Van Loon, with the one closest to Van Loon listed first.
- Forest City
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the south)
- Forest City is located in Jasper County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Forest City
- DeMotte
(28 miles [45.1 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
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the southeast)
- Stoutsburg is located in Jasper County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Stoutsburg
- LaPorte County
- The following are listed by their distance from Van Loon, with the one closest to Van Loon listed first.
- Otis
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the east)
- Otis is located in LaPorte County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Otis
- Westville
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the east)
- Alida
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the east)
- Alida is located in LaPorte County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Alida
- Haskell
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the east)
- Haskell is located in LaPorte County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Haskell
- Holmesville
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the east)
- Holmesville is located in LaPorte County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Holmesville
- Michigan City
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the east)
- Wanatah
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the east)
- Pottawattamie Park
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the east)
- 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 east)
- Trail Creek is located in LaPorte County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Trail Creek
- Population from the 2020 Census: 1,985 people
- Waterford
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the east)
- Waterford is located in LaPorte County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Waterford
- Newton County
- The following are listed by their distance from Van Loon, with the one closest to Van Loon listed first.
- Sumava Resorts
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the south)
- Thayer
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the south)
- Thayer is located in Newton County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Thayer
- Lake Village
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the south)
- Lake Village is located in Newton County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lake Village
- Roselawn
(29 miles [46.7 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 Van Loon, with the one closest to Van Loon listed first.
- Ogden Dunes
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the east)
- Ogden Dunes is located in Porter County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ogden Dunes
- Population from the 2020 Census: 1,083 people
- Portage
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the east)
- Willow Creek
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the east)
- Willow Creek is located in Porter County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Willow Creek
- Woodland Village
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the east)
- Woodland Village is located in Porter County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Woodland Village
- Wheeler
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the east)
- Wheeler is located in Porter County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Wheeler
- South Haven
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the east)
- South Haven is located in Porter County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for South Haven
- Burns Harbor
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the east)
- Babcock
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the east)
- Babcock is located in Porter County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Babcock
- Dune Acres
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the east)
- Dune Acres is located in Porter County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Dune Acres
- Population from the 2020 Census: 182 people
- Porter Crossroads
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the southeast)
- Porter Crossroads is located in Porter County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Porter Crossroads
- Chesterton
(18 miles [29 km] to the east)
- Porter
(18 miles [29 km] to the east)
- Cook County (IL)
- The following are listed by their distance from Van Loon, with the one closest to Van Loon listed first.
- Calumet City
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the northwest)
- Lansing
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the west)
- Burnham
(7 miles [11.3 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
- Lynwood
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the southwest)
- Globe
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the west)
- Globe is located in Cook County (IL)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Globe
- Hegewisch
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the northwest)
- Hegewisch is located in Cook County (IL)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hegewisch
- Dolton
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the northwest)
- Ford Heights
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the southwest)
- Sauk Village
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the southwest)
- Glenwood
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the west)
- South Holland
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the west)
- Thornton
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the west)
- DuPage County (IL)
- The following are listed by their distance from Van Loon, with the one closest to Van Loon listed first.
- Tedens ‑ Historic
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the west)
- Tedens is located in DuPage County (IL)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Tedens
- Hinsdale
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the northwest)
- Willowbrook
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the northwest)
- Kankakee County (IL)
- The following are listed by their distance from Van Loon, with the one closest to Van Loon listed first.
- Sherburnville
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the south)
- Sherburnville is located in Kankakee County (IL)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sherburnville
- Grant Park
(25 miles [40.2 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
- Illinoi
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the south)
- Illinoi is located in Kankakee County (IL)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Illinoi
- Illiana Heights
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the south)
- Illiana Heights is located in Kankakee County (IL)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Illiana Heights
- Litchfield
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the south)
- Litchfield is located in Kankakee County (IL)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Litchfield
- Manteno
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the southwest)
- Momence
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the southwest)
- Will County (IL)
- The following are listed by their distance from Van Loon, with the one closest to Van Loon listed first.
- Willowbrook
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the southwest)
- Steger
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the southwest)
- Crete
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the southwest)
- Goodenow
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the southwest)
- Goodenow is located in Will County (IL)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Goodenow
- University Park
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the southwest)
- Beecher
(18 miles [29 km] to the southwest)
- Monee
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the southwest)
- Frankfort Square
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the west)
- Frankfort Square is located in Will County (IL)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Frankfort Square
- Frankfort
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the west)
- Mokena
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the west)
- Peotone
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the southwest)
- Gilletts ‑ Historic
(26 miles [41.8 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 Van Loon, see our County-by-County Page for Van Loon.
Cemeteries Near Van Loon ...
Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of Van Loon.
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 Van Loon - one of the links might be able to help.
If not found below, our Cemetery List for Van Loon covers a larger area, with the cemeteries listed in alphabetical order.
The following cemeteries are listed based on their distance from Van Loon, with the one closest to Van Loon listed first.
- Hope Cemetery
(Less than 2 miles to the southwest)
- Mt. Mercy Cemetery
(Less than 2 miles to the southeast)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mt. Mercy Cemetery
- To give a relative sense of its location, the Mt. Mercy Cemetery is a large cemetery that is located in Gary.
- Jump to Find-A-Grave: FG ID #86023 <2>
- St. Mary's Russian Orthodox Church Cemetery
(Less than 2 miles to the southeast)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for St. Mary's Russian Orthodox Church Cemetery
- To give a relative sense of its location, the St. Mary's Russian Orthodox Church Cemetery is located in Gary.
- The St. Mary's Russian Orthodox Church Cemetery has also been known as:
- St. Marys Cemetery
- Fern Oak Cemetery
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the south)
- Ridgelawn Cemetery
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the southeast)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ridgelawn Cemetery
- To give a relative sense of its location, the Ridgelawn Cemetery is a very large cemetery that is located in Gary.
- Jump to Find-A-Grave: FG ID #86566 <2>
- Hess Memorial Cemetery
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the northwest)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hess Memorial Cemetery
- The Hess Memorial Cemetery has also been known as:
- Hessville Cemetery
- Lake County Cemetery
- North Twp. Cemetery
- Paupers Cemetery
- Jump to Find-A-Grave: FG ID #2160949 <2>
- St. Marys Cemetery
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the northwest)
- Ross Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the southeast)
- Tolleston Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the east)
- Waldheim Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the east)
- St. Johns Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the northwest)
- St. Michaels Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the northwest)
- Continue List (231 more) ...
- Elmwood Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the west)
- Oak Hill Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the southeast)
- Concordia Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 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 Van Loon in the Atlas, the following 1895 communities would have been found near the current location of Van Loon.
These communities are listed based on their distance from Van Loon, with the one closest to Van Loon listed first.
- Highland
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the southwest)
- Griffith
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the south)
- Ivanhoe
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the north)
- Ivanhoe is located in Lake County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ivanhoe
- Hessville
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the northwest)
- Hessville is located in Lake County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hessville
- Ross
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the southeast)
- Ross is located in Lake County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ross
- Gibson
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the northwest)
- Gibson is located in Lake County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Gibson
- Maynard
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the southwest)
- Maynard is located in Lake County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Maynard
- Pine
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the north)
- Pine is located in Lake County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Pine
- Hammond
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the west)
- Hartsdale
(5 miles [8 km] to the southwest)
- Hartsdale is located in Lake County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hartsdale
- Schererville
(5 miles [8 km] to the south)
- East Chicago
(5 miles [8 km] to the north)
- Continue List (14 more) ...
- Lottaville
(5 miles [8 km] to the southeast)
- Lottaville is located in Lake County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lottaville
- Liverpool
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the east)
- Liverpool is located in Lake County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Liverpool
- Calumet City
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the northwest)
We've also created an expanded list of communities that existed in the 1890's and were located in the area around Van Loon. See our List of 1890's Communities around Van Loon.
Newspapers Published in Van Loon ...
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 144 newspapers that have been published in the area around Van Loon.
Although we're unaware of any newspapers that were published in the immediate area of Van Loon, there are papers which were published within 14 miles [22.5 km]<4>. A list of those papers, sorted by paper name, can be found on the Extended Newspaper List for Van Loon.
Websites to Help With Your Genealogy Research ...
When we do our genealogical research, we begin with 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 Van Loon:
- Websites specific to Indiana
- Pages specific to Lake County
- Genealogy information for nearby counties
- Jasper County
- LaPorte County
- Newton County
- Porter County
- Cook County
- DuPage 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 Van Loon, 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' (or point-to-point) distance. A straight line distance ignores things like rivers, canyons, lakes, et cetera - it's truly a line drawn from Point A (ie- Van Loon) to Point B. In other words: 'As the crow flies'. |