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 Santa Maria (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 Santa Maria. 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 southwest corner of their home county. During their lives, most hospitals were in the next county to the west. 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 west 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.
Santa Maria is located in Park County.
To see how the shape of Colorado's counties may have changed over time, we recommend the Atlas of Historical County Boundaries.
The following counties adjoin and form the boundaries of Park County: Chaffee, Clear Creek, Douglas, Fremont, Jefferson, Lake, Summit & Teller.
Below are the counties that are near Santa Maria. For each of these counties, we show a sample of those communities that are closest to Santa Maria:
- Park County (The home county of Santa Maria)
- The following are listed by their distance from Santa Maria, with the one closest to Santa Maria listed first.
- Weller
(Less than 2 miles to the east)
- Weller is located in Park County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Weller
- Grant
(Less than 2 miles to the northwest)
- Shawnee
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the southeast)
- Webster ‑ Historic
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the west)
- Webster is located in Park County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Webster
- Bailey
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the east)
- Jefferson
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the southwest)
- Como
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the southwest)
- Fairplay
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the southwest)
- Alma Junction
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the southwest)
- Alma Junction is located in Park County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Alma Junction
- Alma
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the southwest)
- Buckskin Joe ‑ Historic
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the southwest)
- Buckskin Joe is located in Park County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Buckskin Joe
- Park City ‑ Historic
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the southwest)
- Park City is located in Park County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Park City
- Clear Creek County
- The following are listed by their distance from Santa Maria, with the one closest to Santa Maria listed first.
- Brookvale
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the northeast)
- Brookvale is located in Clear Creek County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Brookvale
- Silver Plume
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the north)
- Silverdale ‑ Historic
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the north)
- Silverdale is located in Clear Creek County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Silverdale
- Georgetown
(18 miles [29 km] to the north)
- Bakerville
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the northwest)
- Bakerville is located in Clear Creek County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bakerville
- Downieville - Lawson - Dumont
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the north)
- Downieville
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the north)
- Dumont
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the north)
- Empire
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the north)
- Idaho Springs
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the north)
- Lawson
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the north)
- Lawson is located in Clear Creek County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lawson
- Silver Creek ‑ Historic
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the north)
- Silver Creek is located in Clear Creek County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Silver Creek
- Douglas County
- The following are listed by their distance from Santa Maria, with the one closest to Santa Maria listed first.
- Twin Cedars ‑ Historic
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the east)
- Twin Cedars is located in Douglas County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Twin Cedars
- Roxborough Park
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the east)
- Roxborough Park is located in Douglas County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Roxborough Park
- Gilpin County
- The following are listed by their distance from Santa Maria, with the one closest to Santa Maria listed first.
- Russell Gulch
(23 miles [37 km] to the north)
- Russell Gulch is located in Gilpin County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Russell Gulch
- Central City
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the north)
- Nevadaville ‑ Historic
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the north)
- Nevadaville is located in Gilpin County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Nevadaville
- Nevadaville has also been known as:
- Bald Mountain
- Nevada City
- Smith Hill ‑ Historic
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the north)
- Smith Hill is located in Gilpin County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Smith Hill
- Cottonwood
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the northeast)
- Cottonwood is located in Gilpin County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cottonwood
- Black Hawk
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the north)
- Apex ‑ Historic
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the north)
- Apex is located in Gilpin County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Apex
- Kingston ‑ Historic
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the north)
- Kingston is located in Gilpin County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Kingston
- American City ‑ Historic
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the north)
- American City is located in Gilpin County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for American City
- Jefferson County
- The following are listed by their distance from Santa Maria, with the one closest to Santa Maria listed first.
- Crossons
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the east)
- Crossons is located in Jefferson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Crossons
- Indian Springs Village
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the east)
- Pine
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the east)
- Brook Forest
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the northeast)
- Brook Forest is located in Jefferson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Brook Forest
- Conifer
(18 miles [29 km] to the east)
- Aspen Park
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the east)
- Aspen Park is located in Jefferson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Aspen Park
- Buffalo Creek
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the east)
- Foxton ‑ Historic
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the east)
- Foxton is located in Jefferson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Foxton
- Sky Village
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the east)
- Sky Village is located in Jefferson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sky Village
- Evergreen
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the northeast)
- Bergen Park
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the northeast)
- Bergen Park is located in Jefferson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bergen Park
- Kittredge
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the northeast)
- Lake County
- Climax ‑ Historic
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the west)
- Climax is located in Lake County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Climax
- Summit County
- The following are listed by their distance from Santa Maria, with the one closest to Santa Maria listed first.
- Chihuahua ‑ Historic
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the northwest)
- Chihuahua is located in Summit County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Chihuahua
- Montezuma
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the northwest)
- Saint Johns ‑ Historic
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the northwest)
- Saint Johns is located in Summit County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Saint Johns
- Rexford ‑ Historic
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the west)
- Rexford is located in Summit County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rexford
- Swandyke ‑ Historic
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the west)
- Swandyke is located in Summit County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Swandyke
- Dyersville ‑ Historic
(18 miles [29 km] to the west)
- Dyersville is located in Summit County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Dyersville
- Wild Irishman ‑ Historic
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the west)
- Wild Irishman is located in Summit County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Wild Irishman
- Wild Irishman has also been known as:
- Preston Mill
- Preston
- Keystone
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the northwest)
- Blue River
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the west)
- Blue River is located in Summit County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Blue River
- Population from the 2020 Census: 928 people
- Breckenridge
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the west)
- Dillon
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the northwest)
- Frisco
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the west)
For an expanded list of the communities that are closest to Santa Maria, see our County-by-County Page for Santa Maria.
Cemeteries Near Santa Maria ...
Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of Santa Maria.
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 Santa Maria - one of the links might be able to help.
If not found below, our Cemetery List for Santa Maria covers a larger area, with the cemeteries listed in alphabetical order.
The following cemeteries are listed based on their distance from Santa Maria, with the one closest to Santa Maria listed first.
- Shawnee Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the southeast)
- Lamping Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the west)
- Webster Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the west)
- Baldwin Cemetery
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the east)
- Glen Isle Point Cemetery
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the east)
- Horn Cemetery
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the east)
- Bordenville Cemetery
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the south)
- Pine Gulch Cemetery
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the east)
- Como Cemetery
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the southwest)
- Pine Cemetery
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the east)
- Wamblee Valley Memorial Park
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the east)
- Silverplume Cemetery
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the north)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Silverplume Cemetery
- To give a relative sense of its location, the Silverplume Cemetery is a large cemetery that is located outside and to the east of Silver Plume.
- The Silverplume Cemetery has also been known as:
- Pine Grove Cemetery
- Silver Plume Cemetery
- Jump to Find-A-Grave: FG ID #2324843 <2>
- Continue List (41 more) ...
- Beaver Ranch Pioneer Cemetery
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the east)
- Griffin Monument
(18 miles [29 km] to the north)
- Farnum Cemetery
(18 miles [29 km] to the south)
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.<4>
While we didn't find Santa Maria in the Atlas, the following 1895 communities would have been found near the current location of Santa Maria.
These communities are listed based on their distance from Santa Maria, with the one closest to Santa Maria listed first.
- Grant
(Less than 2 miles to the northwest)
- Webster ‑ Historic
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the west)
- Webster is located in Park County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Webster
- Bailey
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the east)
- Jefferson
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the southwest)
- Crossons
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the east)
- Crossons is located in Jefferson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Crossons
- Chihuahua ‑ Historic
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the northwest)
- Chihuahua is located in Summit County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Chihuahua
- Montezuma
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the northwest)
- Como
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the southwest)
- Pine
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the east)
- Brookvale
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the northeast)
- Brookvale is located in Clear Creek County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Brookvale
- Silver Plume
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the north)
- Georgetown
(18 miles [29 km] to the north)
- Continue List (19 more) ...
- Buffalo Creek
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the east)
- Graymont
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the northwest)
- Graymont is located in Clear Creek County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Graymont
- Lamartine ‑ Historic
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the north)
- Lamartine is located in Clear Creek County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lamartine
We've also created an expanded list of communities that existed in the 1890's and were located in the area around Santa Maria. See our List of 1890's Communities around Santa Maria.
Newspapers Published in Santa Maria ...
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 63 newspapers that have been published in the area around Santa Maria.
Although we're unaware of any newspapers that were published in the immediate area of Santa Maria, there are papers which were published within 25 miles [40.2 km]<3>. A list of those papers, sorted by paper name, can be found on the Extended Newspaper List for Santa Maria.
Websites to Help With Your Genealogy Research ...
When we do our genealogical research, we first visit 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 Santa Maria:
- Websites specific to Colorado
- Pages specific to Park County
- Genealogy information for nearby counties
- Clear Creek County
- Douglas County
- Gilpin County
- Jefferson County
- Lake County
- Summit County
- Cemetery Information and Directories for Colorado
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> | 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 drawn from Point A (ie- Santa Maria) to Point B. In other words: 'As the crow flies'. |
| <4> | 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 Santa Maria, please let us know so that we can improve our accuracy. |