Through the wonderful assistance of the Volunteer Resource Center of the Cook County Forest Preserve District, the Grove Restoration Project has officially adopted the area surrounding Bachelors Grove cemetery. Along with the adoption through the Preserve Keeper Corps program, the area surrounding the cemetery is now being called Everdon Woods in recognition of the first family that settled at "The Grove."
One of the little known facts about Bachelors Grove cemetery is that the original name for it was Everdon's cemetery. Through historical records it was also known as Everdon's burial ground. This was all due to the Everdon family setting aside a small section of land to be used as a cemetery back in the early 1800s. Why it became called Bachelors Grove cemetery is a story all by itself, but when visiting the area you will notice that the surrounding woods has never been given a name. So in recognition to the Everdon family the GRP proudly announces that the four corner section which consists of the area south of 143rd Street, east of Ridgeland Avenue, north of 147th Street and west of Central Avenue is now called Everdon Woods!
In the coming months you should see a Preserve Keeper Corps sign located next to the path that leads to the cemetery as well as at the gravel parking lot located off of 147th Street. At the moment the current forest preserve entrance sign off of 147th Street will remain in place so you will not see any official recognition to Everdon Woods except on the Preserve Keeper Corps signs. The current parking lot entrance sign simply states "Forest Preserve" but it is easy to find and is a great alternative when visiting the area and the cemetery.
