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 Western Acres (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 Western Acres. 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 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.
Western Acres is located in Porter 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 Porter County: Cook (IL), Jasper, Lake, LaPorte, Starke & Berrien (MI).
Below are the counties that are near Western Acres. For each of these counties, we show a sample of those communities that are closest to Western Acres:
- Porter County (The home county of Western Acres)
- The following are listed by their distance from Western Acres, with the one closest to Western Acres listed first.
- Porter
(Less than 2 miles to the north)
- Chesterton
(Less than 2 miles to the northeast)
- Burns Harbor
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the northwest)
- Babcock
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the southwest)
- Babcock is located in Porter County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Babcock
- Dune Acres
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the north)
- Dune Acres is located in Porter County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Dune Acres
- Population from the 2020 Census: 182 people
- Tratebas Mill
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the southeast)
- Tratebas Mill is located in Porter County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Tratebas Mill
- South Haven
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the southwest)
- South Haven is located in Porter County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for South Haven
- Suman
(5 miles [8 km] to the southeast)
- Suman is located in Porter County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Suman
- Ogden Dunes
(5 miles [8 km] to the west)
- Ogden Dunes is located in Porter County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ogden Dunes
- Population from the 2020 Census: 1,083 people
- Portage
(5 miles [8 km] to the west)
- Willow Creek
(5 miles [8 km] to the west)
- Willow Creek is located in Porter County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Willow Creek
- Woodland Village
(5 miles [8 km] to the west)
- Woodland Village is located in Porter County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Woodland Village
- Wheeler
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the southwest)
- Wheeler is located in Porter County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Wheeler
- Jasper County
- The following are listed by their distance from Western Acres, with the one closest to Western Acres listed first.
- DeMotte
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the south)
- 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
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the south)
- Stoutsburg is located in Jasper County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Stoutsburg
- Tefft
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the south)
- Tefft is located in Jasper County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Tefft
- Wheatfield
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the south)
- Forest City
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the south)
- Forest City is located in Jasper County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Forest City
- Lake County
- The following are listed by their distance from Western Acres, with the one closest to Western Acres listed first.
- Hobart
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the southwest)
- Duneland Village of Gary
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the west)
- Duneland Village
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the west)
- Duneland Village is located in Lake County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Duneland Village
- Lake Station
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the west)
- New Chicago
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the west)
- New Chicago is located in Lake County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for New Chicago
- Population from the 2020 Census: 1,937 people
- Deep River
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the southwest)
- Deep River is located in Lake County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Deep River
- Liverpool
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the west)
- Liverpool is located in Lake County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Liverpool
- Green Acres
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the southwest)
- Green Acres is located in Lake County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Green Acres
- Lakes of the Four Seasons
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the southwest)
- Merrillville
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the southwest)
- Gary
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the west)
- Lottaville
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the southwest)
- Lottaville is located in Lake County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lottaville
- Ross
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the west)
- Ross is located in Lake County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ross
- LaPorte County
- The following are listed by their distance from Western Acres, with the one closest to Western Acres listed first.
- Otis
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the east)
- Otis is located in LaPorte County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Otis
- Holmesville
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the east)
- Holmesville is located in LaPorte County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Holmesville
- Westville
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the southeast)
- Alida
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the southeast)
- Alida is located in LaPorte County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Alida
- Michigan City
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the northeast)
- Haskell
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the southeast)
- Haskell is located in LaPorte County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Haskell
- Trail Creek
(13 miles [20.9 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
- Waterford
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the northeast)
- Waterford is located in LaPorte County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Waterford
- Pottawattamie Park
(14 miles [22.5 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
- Long Beach
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the northeast)
- Wanatah
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the southeast)
- Door Village
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the east)
- Door Village is located in LaPorte County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Door Village
- Michiana Shores
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the northeast)
- Saint Joseph County
- New Carlisle
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the east)
- Starke County
- The following are listed by their distance from Western Acres, with the one closest to Western Acres listed first.
- San Pierre
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the south)
- Hamlet
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the southeast)
- North Judson
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the southeast)
- Toto
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the southeast)
- Toto is located in Starke County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Toto
- Cook County (IL)
- The following are listed by their distance from Western Acres, with the one closest to Western Acres listed first.
- Burnham
(23 miles [37 km] to the west)
- Burnham is located in Cook County (IL)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Burnham
- Population from the 2020 Census: 4,040 people
- Calumet City
(23 miles [37 km] to the west)
- Lansing
(23 miles [37 km] to the west)
- East Side
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the west)
- East Side is located in Cook County (IL)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for East Side
- Globe
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the west)
- Globe is located in Cook County (IL)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Globe
- Hegewisch
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the west)
- Hegewisch is located in Cook County (IL)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hegewisch
- Lynwood
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the west)
- South Chicago
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the west)
- South Chicago is located in Cook County (IL)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for South Chicago
- Calumet Heights
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the west)
- Calumet Heights is located in Cook County (IL)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Calumet Heights
- Dolton
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the west)
- Ford Heights
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the west)
- Sauk Village
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the west)
- South Holland
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the west)
- Will County (IL)
- The following are listed by their distance from Western Acres, with the one closest to Western Acres listed first.
- Willowbrook
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the southwest)
- Steger
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the west)
- Crete
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the west)
- Berrien County (MI)
- The following are listed by their distance from Western Acres, with the one closest to Western Acres listed first.
- Michiana
(18 miles [29 km] to the northeast)
- Grand Beach
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the northeast)
- Grand Beach is located in Berrien County (MI)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Grand Beach
- Population from the 2020 Census: 281 people
- New Buffalo
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the northeast)
- Union Pier
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the northeast)
- Lakeside
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the northeast)
- Lakeside is located in Berrien County (MI)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lakeside
- Three Oaks
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the northeast)
- Avery
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the northeast)
- Avery is located in Berrien County (MI)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Avery
- Harbert
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the northeast)
- Hazelhurst
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the northeast)
- Hazelhurst is located in Berrien County (MI)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hazelhurst
For an expanded list of the communities that are closest to Western Acres, see our County-by-County Page for Western Acres.
Cemeteries Near Western Acres ...
Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of Western Acres.
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 Western Acres - one of the links might be able to help.
If not found below, our Cemetery List for Western Acres covers a larger area, with the cemeteries listed in alphabetical order.
The following cemeteries are listed based on their distance from Western Acres, with the one closest to Western Acres listed first.
- St. Patricks Cemetery
(Less than 2 miles to the east)
- Chesterton Cemetery
(Less than 2 miles to the east)
- Burstrom Cemetery
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the northwest)
- Bailly Cemetery
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the north)
- McCool Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the southwest)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for McCool Cemetery
- To give a relative sense of its location, the McCool Cemetery is a large cemetery that is located in Portage.
- Jump to Find-A-Grave: FG ID #85842 <2>
- James Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the southwest)
- Robbins Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the southwest)
- Gossett Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the southwest)
- Dillingham Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the southeast)
- Kimball Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the south)
- Kinne Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the southeast)
- Furnessville Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the northeast)
- Continue List (143 more) ...
- Temple of Israel Cemetery of Gary
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the west)
- Calvary Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the west)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Calvary Cemetery
- To give a relative sense of its location, the Calvary Cemetery is a very large cemetery that is located in Portage.
- Jump to Find-A-Grave: FG ID #84536 <2>
- Carter Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the southeast)
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 Western Acres in the Atlas, the following 1895 communities would have been found near the current location of Western Acres.
These communities are listed based on their distance from Western Acres, with the one closest to Western Acres listed first.
- Chesterton
(Less than 2 miles to the northeast)
- Porter
(Less than 2 miles to the north)
- Babcock
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the southwest)
- Babcock is located in Porter County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Babcock
- McCool
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the southwest)
- McCool is located in Porter County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for McCool
- Woodville
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the southeast)
- Woodville is located in Porter County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Woodville
- Crisman
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the west)
- Crisman is located in Porter County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Crisman
- Suman
(5 miles [8 km] to the southeast)
- Suman is located in Porter County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Suman
- Burdick
(5 miles [8 km] to the east)
- Burdick is located in Porter County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Burdick
- Willow Creek
(5 miles [8 km] to the west)
- Willow Creek is located in Porter County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Willow Creek
- Wheeler
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the southwest)
- Wheeler is located in Porter County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Wheeler
- Sedley
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the southwest)
- Sedley is located in Porter County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sedley
- Valparaiso
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the south)
- Continue List (14 more) ...
- Coburg
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the southeast)
- Coburg is located in Porter County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Coburg
- Lake Station
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the west)
- Hobart
(9 miles [14.5 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 Western Acres. See our List of 1890's Communities around Western Acres.
Newspapers Published in Western Acres ...
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 49 newspapers that have been published in the area around Western Acres.
Although we're unaware of any newspapers that were published in the immediate area of Western Acres, there are papers which were published within 19 miles [30.6 km]<4>. A list of those papers, sorted by paper name, can be found on the Extended Newspaper List for Western Acres.
Websites to Help With Your Genealogy Research ...
When we do our genealogical research, we start with the websites from Cyndi's List, FamilySearch and Genealogy Trails. These websites either 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 Western Acres:
- Websites specific to Indiana
- Pages specific to Porter County
- Genealogy information for nearby counties
- Jasper County
- Lake County
- LaPorte County
- Saint Joseph County
- Starke County
- Cook County
- Will County
- Berrien 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 Western Acres, 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- Western Acres) to Point B. In other words: 'As the crow flies'. |