This Chicago and Cook County Cemetery list is a thumbnail reference of the cemeteries and burial grounds within the present boundaries of Cook County. Unlike other cemetery sources and lists, this site will include those cemeteries that are endangered, abandoned, or have vanished. In addition there are many cross references to cemeteries that have been known by more than one name.
All of these cemeteries will eventually appear in greater detail as blog posts where you will find historical information and much more.
Cemeteries that have already appeared in posts contain a link which will take you directly to the relevant blog post.
Techny Cemetery Northfield Township
(See Saint Mary’s Cemetery)
Thompson Cemetery Dolton – Thornton Township
(See Oakland Memory Lanes)
Thornton Township Cemetery Thornton
(See Old Thornton Cemetery)
Tinley Park Cemetery (Zion)
- (Also known as: Oak Forest Cemetery, Zion Lutheran Cemetery, Vogt Cemetery, German Evangelical Lutheran Zions Association)
- South side of 167th, 1/2 mile east of Ridgeland
- About 6001 West 167th Street
- Tinley Park, Cook County, Illinois 60477
- Bremen Township NW 1/4 of section 29, Township 36, Range: 13
- Open: 1872
Tinley Park Lutheran Rich Township
(See Cooper’s Grove)
Tinley Park Mental Health Cemetery
- Vanished
- Northwest corner of 183rd & Harlem Avenue
- Tinley Park, Cook County, Illinois 60477
- Orland Township
- Section: SW ¼ of section 36, Township 36, Range: 12
Tinley Park Memorial Cemetery Tinley Park
(See Orland German M.E.)
Town of Maine Cemetery
- (Also known as: Park Ridge Cemetery, Maine Cemetery)
- Southeast corner of Touhy Avenue & Dee Road
- Park Ridge, Cook County, Illinois 60068
- Maine Township Section: NE ¼ of section 34, Township 41, Range: 12
- Open: 1843
Trinity Lutheran Cemetery Lansing
Thornton Township
(See Oakglen Cemetery)
-
Trinity Evangelical Lutheran Cemetery ‑ Tinley Park
- (Also known as: Bachelor’s Grove, Berzel’s Grove Cemetery)
- Northwest corner 159th & Oak Park Ave (6850 West 159th)
- Tinley Park, Cook County, Illinois 60477
- Bremen Township Section 18, Township 36, Range 13
- Open: 1859
:
Trinity Lutheran Cemetery – Burr Ridge
- 11500 German Church Road (83rd Street), 1/2 mile West of Wolf Rd)
- Burr Ridge, Cook County, Illinois 60527
- Lyons Township Section 31 Township 38 Range: 12
- Open: 1859
Union Cemetery, Barrington
(See Barrington Union Cemetery)
Union Cemetery, Northfield
(See Northfield Union Cemetery)
Union Cemetery , Palatine
- (Also known as: German, South Side Cemetery (Palatine), Palatine Union)
- West side of South Greely Street between Smith & Kenilworth
- Palatine, Cook County, Illinois 60067 Palatine Township
- Section: 22 Township 42 Range: 10
- Open: 1870
Union Ridge Cemetery
- (Also known as: Norwood Park Cemetery Association and Union Ridge Cemetery Association)
- 6700 West Higgins, at Oak Park Avenue
- Chicago, Cook County, Illinois 60656 Norwood Park Township
- Section: NE 1/4 7 Township 40 Range: 13
- Open: 1841
United Methodist Church Cemetery (New)
Orland Park Orland Township
(See Orland German ME Church Cemetery)
Unknown Burial Site ‑ 18th Street Chicago
- Vanished
- Near 18th and Prairie near Fernando Jones House
- Chicago, Cook County, Illinois 60605
- South Township
- Section: 22 Township 39 Range: 14
Unknown Burial Site ‑ Fulton Street ‑ Blue Island
- Vanished
- Fulton street (Approx. 132000 south) east of Western Avenue
- Blue Island, Cook County, Illinois 60406
- Calumet Township Section: SW 1/4 31 Township 37 Range: 13
Unknown Burial Site ‑ Mrs. Courtney
- Vanished
- Possibly near 13153 Greenwood Avenue, west of Western Avenue
- Blue Island, Cook County, Illinois 60406
- Worth or Calumet Township
Unknown Burial Site – Rexford House
- Vanished
- Area of 147th Street at about Hamlin (East of Crawford)
- Midlothian, Cook County, Illinois 60445
- Bremen Township Section: NW 1/4 11 Township 36 Range: 13
- Open: Circa 1830’s
Unknown Burial Site ‑ Road to Bridgeport
- “On the road to Bridgeport”
- Chicago, Cook County, Illinois
- South Township
Unknown Burial Site ‑ Sander’s Ridge
- Vanished
- “Now Central Park” West side Gregory between York & High
- Blue Island, Cook County, Illinois 60406
- Calumet Township Section: NE 1/4 31 Township 37 Range: 13
Unknown Burial Site ‑ Seyfarth Tavern
- Vanished
- Edge of hill back of old Seyfarth Tavern
- Cook County, Illinois Worth Township
Unknown Burial Site ‑ Vermont Street
- Vanished
- Rock Island Railroad north of Vermont Street Approx. 131 St. South
- Blue Island, Cook County, Illinois 60406
- Calumet Township Section: NW 1/4 31 Township 37 Range: 13
Unknown Burial Site ‑ Whitebeck Homestead
- Vanished
- On the Bingle farm, (the Whitebeck Homestead in 1884)
- , Cook County, Illinois
- Worth or Calumet Township
- Open: 1844
Villa Redeemer Monastery
- East side of Milwaukee Avenue, just north of Glenview Road
- Glenview, Cook County, Illinois 60025 Northfield Township
- Section: NE ¼ of section 32 Township 42 Range: 12
Vogt Cemetery
- (Also known as: Oak Forest Cemetery, Zion Lutheran. Cemetery, Tinley Park)
- South side of 167th, 1/2 mile east of Ridgeland
- Approx. 6001 West 167th Street
- Tinley Park, Cook County, Illinois 60477 Bremen Township
- Section: NW 1/4 29 Township 36 Range: 13
- Open: 1891
Von Zirngibl Burial Site
- north and east of East 93rd Street and South Ewing Avenue.
- Chicago, Cook County, Illinois 60617
- Hyde Park Township Section 5, Township 37, Range: 15
Wagner Family Cemetery
- Vanished
- About two blocks east of 88th & one block south of 95th Street
- Hickory Hills, Cook County, Illinois 60457 Palos Township
- Section: NW ¼ of the NW ¼ of Section 11 Township 37 Range: 12
- Open: 1867
Waldheim Cemetery
- Renamed
- (Formerly known as: German Waldheim, now part of Forest Home Cemetery Co.)
- Not to be confused with Jewish Waldheim, a totally separate cemetery complex
- 863 Des Plaines
- Forest Park, Cook County, Illinois 60130
- Proviso Township Section: 13 & 14 Township 39 Range: 12
- Time line: 1866 Incorporated and platted 1873
- Merged with Forest Home 1968
Washington Cemetery
Homewood Thornton Township
(See Washington Memory Gardens)
Washington Memory Gardens
- (Also known as: Hazelwood Cemetery., Washington Cemetery., Halsted & Ridge Road Cemetery.)
- 701 Ridge Road
- On Ridge Road, east of Halsted Street, about 181 St. south
- Homewood, Cook County, Illinois 60430
- Thornton Township
- Section: 33 Township 36 Range: 14
West Northfield Cemetery
(See Northfield Oakwood Cemetery)
Westlawn Cemetery
- (Also known as: Westlawn Cemetery Association Incorporated)
- 7801 West Montrose Avenue (4400 North)
- Norridge, Cook County, Illinois 60706
- Norwood Park Township Section: 13 & 14 Township 40 Range: 12
Wheeling Cemetery
- West side of Dundee Road, just east of Wolf Road
- Wheeling, Cook County, Illinois 60090
- Wheeling Township Section: 11 Township 42 Range: 11
Wheeling Township Cemetery Arlington Heights.
(See Arlington Heights Cemetery – Center Section)
White Cemetery
- Vanished
- (Also known as: Rich Cemetery)
- East side of Waukegan Road, approx. between Main & Dempster Street
- Niles, Cook County, Illinois 60648
- Niles Township Section: 19 Township 41 Range: 13
- Open: 1915
.
Wild Cat Grove Cemetery
See Evangelical and Reformed Cemetery (Schaumburg Township)
Willow Hills Memorial Park
- (Also known as: Fairmount Hills Cemetery Fairmount Park, Fairmount Cemetery, Fairmont Cemetery)
- Type: Commercial Background: ,
- 9100 Archer Willow Springs, Cook County, Illinois 60480
- Palos Township Section: SE 1/4 5 Township 37 Range: 12
Wilmer‘s Old Settlers Cemetery
- Vanished
- (Also known as: Evangelical Zions of Leyden)
- Formerly north side of Bryn Mawr Avenue,
- 1/4 mile west of Mannheim (LaGrange Road – Route 12)
- See text for additional information
- Chicago, Cook County, Illinois 60666
- Leyden Township Section: SW 1/4 SE 1/4 5 Township 40 Range: 12
Cemeteries command little respect when the “powers that be” want to build or expand an airport. Our departed ancestors are simply “in the way” when we focus on aeronautical progress. The classic and most recent case was the destruction of St. Johannes Evangelical Lutheran Cemetery on the west end of O’Hare International Airport, until a few years ago, at the foot of runway 9-R. There, some 1,400 people and five acres of cemetery of the St. John United Church of Christ in Bensenville, were dug up to expand the “the world’s busiest airport.” Another nearby cemetery, Resthaven, clings to existence.
But this story is about a third, least known cemetery over there by runway 32-R, on the far eastern edge of the airport. It was the first to be removed in the name of progress. Lets look at Wilmer’s Old Settler Cemetery also known as the cemetery for the Evangelical Zions Society of Leyden Township.
Before the construction of O’Hare International Airport, Wilmer’s was located on what was then north side of Bryn Mawr Avenue (5600 north), one-quarter mile west of LaGrange Road later known as Old Mannheim Road (route 12)- 10400 west), before Mannheim Road was rerouted for the airport. Formerly an Indian burial ground, this cemetery was taken over by German settlers. Daniel Wilmer deeded property to the Evangelical Zion Society on March 16, 1880. The warranty deed was filed on September 16, 1885.
And then it was no longer to be. The land was condemned by the federal government by court action on December 12, 1951, for use by the Air Force. It was conveyed to the city of Chicago on August 10, 1960. A deed was dated March 28, 1961. The airport at that time was known as Chicago’s Orchard Airport, (Douglas) and was the site of the Douglas Aircraft Company. On December 12, 1949, the Chicago City council changed the name to O’Hare International Airport.
The cemetery which measured 114 feet by 160.5 feet, was removed by court permission in the April of 1952. The .384 acre cemetery was simply in the path of a proposed O’Hare runway. It is reported that 37 white persons and an unknown number of Indians were buried there. Fifteen bodies were reportedly removed and reburied in Oak Ridge Cemetery at Westmont Illinois in April and June 1952. Still other bodies were removed on April 29, 1952 to Union Ridge Cemetery. According to a sexton of Resthaven Cemetery back then, other bodies were relocated to a common grave at that cemetery, also on O’Hare property. Some Family names include: Wilmer, Franzen, Hachmeister, Schemuller, Berkenmeister, Kleinschmidt, Elfert, and Wicke. Newspaper reports have stated that this cemetery dates to 1820, but this date, other than Indian burials, would seem to be an exaggeration.
Lest you think I make this story up, The cemetery was transcribed by Frederick S. Weiser and Mrs. John G. Moe on September 8, 1951. The reading can be found in the Cemetery Records of Dupage and Cook County, 1952‑53, in the Newberry Library, Chicago. Dr. David Koss has written a paper entitled Lambert Wilmer, His Kith and Kin. Another mention is in a book collated by Jan Steingraber and Joan Huff in April 2009. A copy can be found in the genealogy room at the Arlington Heights Library Other references include the Chicago Tribune for Dec 11 1951 and October 23 1951. A more recent article appeared March 23, 1993| By Jack Houston in the Chicago Tribune entitled “ Nearly Buried – old Cemeteries Endure In Midst Of Urban Sprawl”
And so it goes. Our dead, simply in the way.
Wolfrum Cemetery
See Plum Grove Cemetery (old)
Woodlawn Cemetery
- 7600 West Cermak (2200 South)
- Forest Park, Cook County, Illinois 60130
- Proviso Township Section: 24 Township 39 Range: 12
Worth Cemetery Worth Township
(See Blue Island Cemetery)
Wunder’s Burying Ground
(See next listing – Wunder’s Churchyard)
Wunder’s Churchyard
- (Also known as: German Lutheran, German Protestant, First Evangelical. St. Paul)
- 3963 North Clark Street
- (Address under old Chicago street numbering system: 2280 Clark)
- Chicago, Cook County, Illinois 60613
- Lakeview Township
- Section: 20 Township 40 Range: 14
- Open: 1859
Wunder’s Kirchof
(See previousWunder’s Churchyard)
Zion Church Cemetery
- (Also known as: Evangelical Lutheran Zion Congregation of Matteson)
- Lincoln Highway, 1/4 mile east of Pulaski at 211th south
- Matteson, Cook County, Illinois 60443
- Rich Township Section: NW 1/4 SW 1/4 23 Township 35 Range: 13
- Open: 1895 or before
Zion Jewish Cemetery at Rosehill
- 5800 N. Ravenswood Avenue (1800 West)
- Chicago, Cook County, Illinois 60660
- Lakeview Township Section: 7 Township 40 Range: 14
Zion Lutheran Cemetery Tinley Park
Bremen Township
(See Tinley Park Cemetery)
Chicago and Cook County Cemeteries 