Areas and landmarks with the same name, but a different story

By Maureen Callahan

Have you ever wondered about other towns named the same as yours? We did a little research and learned that each of the towns under Hinsdale Magazine Group’s umbrella has at least one “sister/twin” town, neighborhood, or area of the same name. Some were numerous – more than a dozen Elmhursts, others more unique. Here are some of our findings.

Downers Grove, Iowa

Downers Grove was the only town in our group to have its own one-of-a-kind moniker. At first glance, there seemed to be a place in Jones County, IA (the east-central part of the state) with the same name. It turned out to be a sort of area—little more than a grove of trees named after a Mr. Downer. Oh well. We tried. But it’s nice for our Downers Grove to be the one and only.

Hinsdale, New Hampshire

This picture-perfect gem of a New England town is located in Cheshire County on the Connecticut River. It’s named after the founder, Ebeneezer Hinsdale. It’s an old town, even for New England (1742). It was first established as Fort Hinsdale, with a trading post and gristmill. It also claims the country’s oldest continuously operating post office. It’s an easy escape to Vermont, just across the bridge.

Hinsdale, Massachusetts

Hinsdale is a rural community in the Berkshire Hills of western MA. Although it flies under the radar with a population of just under 2,000, it has the distinction of being located along two well-known, historic routes. Hinsdale is a stop on The Appalachian Trail, which spans from Georgia to Maine. It is also listed on the Lakeshore Limited Passenger Rail, a train line that has run continuously from Boston to Chicago since 1897.

Hinsdale, Montana

Perhaps the most curious of the Hinsdales we found is in cowboy country. This town, located on the Milk River, was established in 1891 as the Great Northern Railroad rolled west. The town’s first building was a boxcar that served as a railroad station. Just north of town are some of Montana’s breathtaking badlands. One writer claims the town was named after a “spin of the globe” that landed on Hinsdale, NH, while another source believes it is the namesake of our very own Hinsdale, IL.

Clarendon Hills, Australia

Clarendon Hills Vineyard in South Australia produces a complex Shiraz called Astralis.
Photos courtesy of Clarendon Hills Vineyard

According to the U.S. Post Office, our Clarendon Hills – like our Downers Grove – is the only one listed as having an actual postal code assigned to it. The only other Clarendon Hills we found was a neighborhood in Boston by the same name.

We were, however, surprised to learn of a vineyard in South Australia called Clarendon Hills. This vineyard was started in 1990 by a Ukrainian-born biochemist named Roman Bratasiuk. Although he had no formal winemaking experience, he is now the vintner of one of the world’s most respected Grenache vineyards. Clarendon Hills is the producer of a complex 2023 Shiraz named Astralis, which was initially titled Clarendon Hills Shiraz. It is a global icon of fine wine and is said to have notes of dark licorice, blackberry, and mocha aromas.

Oakbrook, Kentucky

Although located on the northern border of Kentucky (and with a slight twist on the spelling), Oakbrook is classified as a suburb of Cincinnati. The area has many parks, lakes, golf courses, and horse farms. It’s a pretty little spot, but much quieter and slower than our neighbor of the same name. That said, if you like huge green spaces, bluffs, steep slopes, and Kentucky’s iconic black barns, this is your place. It is also billed as one of the best places to live in this state.

The Elmhursts

Elmhurst is a historic home located near Connersville, IN built in 1831.

Elmhurst turned up the broadest of our searches. There are several areas in metropolitan spaces by this name, from a picturesque district in Providence, RI, to a vibrant neighborhood in the Queens borough of NYC to a gentrified part of Oakland, CA. And there are several more in between! Another one, located in Cheboygan, MI, is in a popular vacation spot. The Elmhurst area of Overland Park, KS, is considered the best place in that state to live. We located a few unincorporated Elmhursts in Delaware, West Virginia, and Wisconsin, too.

Perhaps the most interesting Elmhurst is a home listed on the National Register of Historic Places near Connersville, IN. From the street, it looks like a miniature White House. It now serves as a Masonic Lodge and is available for prearranged tours and rentals.

We unanimously agreed that none were as charming as the one in our very own corner of the world!