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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 Iowa City (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 Iowa City. 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 hospitals 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.

Iowa City is located in Seminole County.

To see how the shape of Florida's counties may have changed over time, we recommend the Atlas of Historical County Boundaries.

The following counties adjoin and form the boundaries of Seminole County: Lake, Orange & Volusia.

Below are the counties that are near Iowa City. For each of these counties, we show a sample of those communities that are closest to Iowa City:

  • Seminole County     (The home county of Iowa City)
    • The following are listed by their distance from Iowa City, with the one closest to Iowa City listed first.
    • Geneva
      (3 miles [4.8 km] to the northeast)
    • Chuluota
      (3 miles [4.8 km] to the southeast)
    • Oviedo
      (3 miles [4.8 km] to the southwest)
      • Oviedo is located in Seminole County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Oviedo
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 41,652 people
      • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Oviedo <1>
    • Cameron City
      (6 miles [9.7 km] to the northwest)
      • Cameron City is located in Seminole County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cameron City
    • Indian Mound Village
      (8 miles [12.9 km] to the northwest)
      • Indian Mound Village is located in Seminole County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Indian Mound Village
    • Midway
      (8 miles [12.9 km] to the northwest)
      • Midway is located in Seminole County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Midway
    • Winter Springs
      (9 miles [14.5 km] to the west)
    • Sanford
      (10 miles [16.1 km] to the northwest)
    • Casselberry
      (10 miles [16.1 km] to the west)
    • Lake Mary
      (11 miles [17.7 km] to the northwest)
    • Longwood
      (11 miles [17.7 km] to the west)
    • Fern Park
      (12 miles [19.3 km] to the west)
    • Altamonte Springs
      (13 miles [20.9 km] to the west)
  • Brevard County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Iowa City, with the one closest to Iowa City listed first.
    • Aurantia
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the east)
      • Aurantia is located in Brevard County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Aurantia
    • Scottsmoor
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the east)
    • Turnbull
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the east)
      • Turnbull is located in Brevard County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Turnbull
    • Mims
      (18 miles [29 km] to the east)
    • Titusville
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the east)
    • Indian River City
      (23 miles [37 km] to the southeast)
      • Indian River City is located in Brevard County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Indian River City
    • Port Saint John
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the southeast)
      • Port Saint John is located in Brevard County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Port Saint John
    • Sharpes
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the southeast)
  • Lake County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Iowa City, with the one closest to Iowa City listed first.
    • Ethel
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the northwest)
      • Ethel is located in Lake County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ethel
    • Cassia
      (23 miles [37 km] to the northwest)
      • Cassia is located in Lake County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cassia
    • Pine Lakes
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the northwest)
      • Pine Lakes is located in Lake County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Pine Lakes
    • Mount Plymouth
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the west)
      • Mount Plymouth is located in Lake County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mount Plymouth
    • Sorrento
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the west)
    • Lake Mack - Forest Hills
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the northwest)
    • Acron ‑ Historic
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the northwest)
      • Acron is located in Lake County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Acron
    • Lake Kathryn
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the northwest)
      • Lake Kathryn is located in Lake County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lake Kathryn
    • Mount Dora
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the west)
  • Orange County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Iowa City, with the one closest to Iowa City listed first.
    • Alafaya
      (9 miles [14.5 km] to the south)
    • Bithlo
      (9 miles [14.5 km] to the south)
      • Bithlo is located in Orange County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bithlo
    • Goldenrod
      (10 miles [16.1 km] to the southwest)
    • Union Park
      (10 miles [16.1 km] to the southwest)
    • Aloma
      (11 miles [17.7 km] to the southwest)
    • Winter Park
      (12 miles [19.3 km] to the southwest)
    • Azalea Park
      (13 miles [20.9 km] to the southwest)
    • Maitland
      (13 miles [20.9 km] to the west)
    • Wedgefield
      (14 miles [22.5 km] to the south)
      • Wedgefield is located in Orange County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Wedgefield
    • Christmas
      (14 miles [22.5 km] to the southeast)
    • Eatonville
      (14 miles [22.5 km] to the west)
    • Conway
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the southwest)
      • Conway is located in Orange County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Conway
    • Fairview Shores
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the southwest)
      • Fairview Shores is located in Orange County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Fairview Shores
  • Osceola County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Iowa City, with the one closest to Iowa City listed first.
    • Buena Ventura Lakes
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the southwest)
    • Runnymede
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the south)
      • Runnymede is located in Osceola County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Runnymede
  • Volusia County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Iowa City, with the one closest to Iowa City listed first.
    • Lemon Bluff
      (8 miles [12.9 km] to the north)
      • Lemon Bluff is located in Volusia County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lemon Bluff
    • Kalamazoo
      (10 miles [16.1 km] to the north)
      • Kalamazoo is located in Volusia County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Kalamazoo
    • Osteen
      (10 miles [16.1 km] to the north)
    • Cow Creek
      (12 miles [19.3 km] to the northeast)
      • Cow Creek is located in Volusia County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cow Creek
    • Enterprise
      (13 miles [20.9 km] to the northwest)
    • Maytown
      (14 miles [22.5 km] to the northeast)
      • Maytown is located in Volusia County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Maytown
    • Valdez
      (14 miles [22.5 km] to the northwest)
      • Valdez is located in Volusia County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Valdez
    • De Bary
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the northwest)
    • Deltona
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the northwest)
    • Alamana
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the north)
      • Alamana is located in Volusia County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Alamana
    • Fort Florida
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the northwest)
      • Fort Florida is located in Volusia County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Fort Florida
    • Orange City Hills
      (18 miles [29 km] to the northwest)
      • Orange City Hills is located in Volusia County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Orange City Hills
    • Cassadaga
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the north)

For an expanded list of the communities that are closest to Iowa City, see our County-by-County Page for Iowa City.

Cemeteries Near Iowa City ...

Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of Iowa City.

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 Iowa City - one of the links might be able to help.

If not found below, our Cemetery List for Iowa City covers a larger area, with the cemeteries listed in alphabetical order.

The following cemeteries are listed based on their distance from Iowa City, with the one closest to Iowa City listed first.

  • Geneva Cemetery
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the north)
  • Chuluota Cemetery
    (5 miles [8 km] to the southeast)
  • Slavia Cemetery
    (6 miles [9.7 km] to the southwest)
  • Rouse Cemetery
    (7 miles [11.3 km] to the southwest)
  • Chapel Hill Cemetery
    (10 miles [16.1 km] to the southwest)
  • Restlawn Cemetery
    (10 miles [16.1 km] to the northwest)
  • Sanford Cemetery
    (10 miles [16.1 km] to the northwest)
  • Glen Haven Memorial Park
    (11 miles [17.7 km] to the southwest)
  • Longwood Memorial Gardens
    (11 miles [17.7 km] to the west)
  • Christmas Cemetery
    (12 miles [19.3 km] to the southeast)
  • Palm Cemetery
    (13 miles [20.9 km] to the southwest)
  • Pinewood Cemetery
    (13 miles [20.9 km] to the southwest)
  • Continue List   (76 more) ...
    • Osteen Cemetery
      (13 miles [20.9 km] to the north)
    • Garfield Settlement Cemetery
      (13 miles [20.9 km] to the north)
    • Davis Grave Site
      (13 miles [20.9 km] to the northeast)

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 Iowa City in the Atlas, the following 1895 communities would have been found near the current location of Iowa City.

These communities are listed based on their distance from Iowa City, with the one closest to Iowa City listed first.

  • Goldenrod
    (10 miles [16.1 km] to the southwest)
  • Osteen
    (10 miles [16.1 km] to the north)
  • Winter Park
    (12 miles [19.3 km] to the southwest)
  • Cow Creek
    (12 miles [19.3 km] to the northeast)
    • Cow Creek is located in Volusia County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cow Creek
  • Maitland
    (13 miles [20.9 km] to the west)
  • Enterprise
    (13 miles [20.9 km] to the northwest)
  • Eatonville
    (14 miles [22.5 km] to the west)
  • Maytown
    (14 miles [22.5 km] to the northeast)
    • Maytown is located in Volusia County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Maytown
  • Conway
    (16 miles [25.7 km] to the southwest)
    • Conway is located in Orange County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Conway
  • Aurantia
    (16 miles [25.7 km] to the east)
    • Aurantia is located in Brevard County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Aurantia
  • Orlando
    (17 miles [27.4 km] to the southwest)
  • Turnbull
    (17 miles [27.4 km] to the east)
    • Turnbull is located in Brevard County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Turnbull
  • Continue List   (13 more) ...
    • Piedmont
      (18 miles [29 km] to the west)
      • Piedmont is located in Orange County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Piedmont
    • Mims
      (18 miles [29 km] to the east)
    • Orange City
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the northwest)

We've also created an expanded list of communities that existed in the 1890's and were located in the area around Iowa City. See our List of 1890's Communities around Iowa City.

Newspapers Published in Iowa City ...

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 54 newspapers that have been published in the area around Iowa City.

Although we're unaware of any newspapers that were published in the immediate area of Iowa City, 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 Iowa City.

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 Iowa City:

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 Iowa City, please let us know so that we can improve our accuracy.
<4>Our distances are not driving distances, but are calculated as a 'straight-line' (or point-to-point) distance. A straight line distance ignores things like rivers, canyons, lakes, et cetera - it's truly a line drawn from Point A (ie- Iowa City) to Point B. In other words: 'As the crow flies'.