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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 Anita (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 Anita. 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 northeast corner of their home county. During their lives, most doctors were in the next county to the east. Almost all of the nearby churches and cemeteries were in the county to the north.

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 north 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.

Anita is located in Cass County.

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

The following counties adjoin and form the boundaries of Cass County: Adair, Adams, Audubon, Guthrie, Montgomery, Pottawattamie & Shelby.

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

  • Cass County     (The home county of Anita)
    • The following are listed by their distance from Anita, with the one closest to Anita listed first.
    • Wiota
      (6 miles [9.7 km] to the southwest)
    • Norway Center
      (8 miles [12.9 km] to the southwest)
      • Norway Center is located in Cass County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Norway Center
    • Grove City ‑ Historic
      (10 miles [16.1 km] to the west)
      • Grove City is located in Cass County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Grove City
    • Cumberland
      (12 miles [19.3 km] to the southwest)
      • Cumberland is located in Cass County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cumberland
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 246 people
    • Sycamore Village
      (12 miles [19.3 km] to the west)
      • Sycamore Village is located in Cass County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sycamore Village
    • Massena
      (13 miles [20.9 km] to the south)
    • Atlantic
      (13 miles [20.9 km] to the west)
    • Dewey
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the south)
      • Dewey is located in Cass County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Dewey
    • Marne
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the west)
    • Lyman
      (18 miles [29 km] to the southwest)
      • Lyman is located in Cass County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lyman
    • Lewis
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the southwest)
    • Griswold
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the southwest)
  • Adair County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Anita, with the one closest to Anita listed first.
    • Bridgewater
      (14 miles [22.5 km] to the south)
    • Fontanelle
      (15 miles [24.1 km] to the southeast)
      • Fontanelle is located in Adair County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Fontanelle
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 612 people
    • Greenfield
      (18 miles [29 km] to the southeast)
    • Gilead
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the southeast)
      • Gilead is located in Adair County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Gilead
    • Arbor Hill
      (23 miles [37 km] to the east)
      • Arbor Hill is located in Adair County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Arbor Hill
    • Orient
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the southeast)
    • Stanzel
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the east)
      • Stanzel is located in Adair County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Stanzel
    • Hebron
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the southeast)
      • Hebron is located in Adair County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hebron
    • Zion
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the southeast)
      • Zion is located in Adair County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Zion
  • Adams County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Anita, with the one closest to Anita listed first.
    • Carl
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the south)
      • Carl is located in Adams County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Carl
    • Mount Etna
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the south)
      • Mount Etna is located in Adams County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mount Etna
    • Lincoln Center
      (23 miles [37 km] to the south)
      • Lincoln Center is located in Adams County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lincoln Center
    • Williamson
      (23 miles [37 km] to the southeast)
      • Williamson is located in Adams County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Williamson
    • Strand
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the south)
      • Strand is located in Adams County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Strand
    • Carbon
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the south)
      • Carbon is located in Adams County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Carbon
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 31 people
    • Quincy
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the south)
      • Quincy is located in Adams County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Quincy
    • Prescott
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the south)
    • Queen City ‑ Historic
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the south)
      • Queen City is located in Adams County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Queen City
  • Audubon County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Anita, with the one closest to Anita listed first.
    • Brayton
      (10 miles [16.1 km] to the northwest)
    • Exira
      (11 miles [17.7 km] to the northwest)
    • Hamlin
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the northwest)
      • Hamlin is located in Audubon County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hamlin
    • Audubon
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the northwest)
    • Kimballton
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the northwest)
    • Ross
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the north)
      • Ross is located in Audubon County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ross
    • Fiscus
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the northwest)
      • Fiscus is located in Audubon County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Fiscus
    • Gray
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the northwest)
  • Carroll County
    • Coon Rapids
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the north)
  • Dallas County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Anita, with the one closest to Anita listed first.
    • Dexter
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the east)
    • Linden
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the northeast)
      • Linden is located in Dallas County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Linden
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 214 people
  • Guthrie County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Anita, with the one closest to Anita listed first.
    • Adair
      (7 miles [11.3 km] to the northeast)
    • Casey
      (13 miles [20.9 km] to the east)
    • North Branch
      (14 miles [22.5 km] to the north)
      • North Branch is located in Guthrie County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for North Branch
    • Menlo
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the east)
    • Glendon
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the northeast)
      • Glendon is located in Guthrie County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Glendon
    • Guthrie Center
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the northeast)
    • Stuart
      (23 miles [37 km] to the east)
    • Dale
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the northeast)
      • Dale is located in Guthrie County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Dale
    • Panora
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the northeast)
    • Bayard
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the north)
  • Madison County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Anita, with the one closest to Anita listed first.
    • Webster
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the east)
      • Webster is located in Madison County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Webster
    • Pitzer
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the east)
      • Pitzer is located in Madison County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Pitzer
  • Montgomery County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Anita, with the one closest to Anita listed first.
    • Grant
      (23 miles [37 km] to the southwest)
      • Grant is located in Montgomery County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Grant
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 84 people
    • Elliott
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the southwest)
    • Sciola
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the south)
      • Sciola is located in Montgomery County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sciola
  • Pottawattamie County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Anita, with the one closest to Anita listed first.
    • Walnut
      (23 miles [37 km] to the west)
      • Walnut is located in Pottawattamie County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Walnut
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 768 people
    • Avoca
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the west)
      • Avoca is located in Pottawattamie County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Avoca
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 1,537 people
      • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Avoca <1>
  • Shelby County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Anita, with the one closest to Anita listed first.
    • Elk Horn
      (18 miles [29 km] to the northwest)
    • Corley
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the west)
      • Corley is located in Shelby County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Corley

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

Cemeteries Near Anita ...

Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of Anita.

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 Anita - one of the links might be able to help.

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

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

  • Evergreen Cemetery
    (Less than 2 miles to the northeast)
  • Lincoln Center Cemetery
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the south)
  • Highland Cemetery
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the northwest)
  • St. Josephs Cemetery
    (5 miles [8 km] to the west)
  • Bowen Cemetery
    (6 miles [9.7 km] to the northwest)
  • Grove Cemetery
    (7 miles [11.3 km] to the north)
  • St. Johns Catholic Cemetery
    (7 miles [11.3 km] to the northeast)
  • Sunnyhill Cemetery
    (7 miles [11.3 km] to the northeast)
  • Immanuel Cemetery
    (7 miles [11.3 km] to the northeast)
  • Immanual Evangelical Lutheran Cemetery
    (7 miles [11.3 km] to the northeast)
  • Wiota Cemetery
    (8 miles [12.9 km] to the southwest)
  • Norway Center Cemetery
    (8 miles [12.9 km] to the southwest)
  • Continue List   (180 more) ...

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>

The Rand McNally Atlas shows that Anita had a population of 695 people in 1895 with a post office and railroad service. In 2020, Anita had a population of 898 people.

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

  • Wiota
    (6 miles [9.7 km] to the southwest)
  • Adair
    (7 miles [11.3 km] to the northeast)
  • Lorah
    (9 miles [14.5 km] to the west)
    • Lorah is located in Cass County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lorah
  • Canby
    (10 miles [16.1 km] to the east)
    • Canby is located in Adair County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Canby
  • Brayton
    (10 miles [16.1 km] to the northwest)
  • Exira
    (11 miles [17.7 km] to the northwest)
  • Cumberland
    (12 miles [19.3 km] to the southwest)
    • Cumberland is located in Cass County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cumberland
    • Population from the 2020 Census: 246 people
  • Atlantic
    (13 miles [20.9 km] to the west)
  • Massena
    (13 miles [20.9 km] to the south)
  • Casey
    (13 miles [20.9 km] to the east)
  • Bridgewater
    (14 miles [22.5 km] to the south)
  • North Branch
    (14 miles [22.5 km] to the north)
    • North Branch is located in Guthrie County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for North Branch
  • Continue List   (16 more) ...
    • Fontanelle
      (15 miles [24.1 km] to the southeast)
      • Fontanelle is located in Adair County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Fontanelle
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 612 people
    • Hamlin
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the northwest)
      • Hamlin is located in Audubon County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hamlin
    • Marne
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the west)

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

Newspapers Published in the Vicinity of Anita ...

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 114 newspapers that have been published in the area around Anita.

We have organized these newspapers into two lists:

  • A Local Newspaper List - focusing on the papers published in the immediate area of Anita. There are actually two parts to this list - papers printed in the immediate area of Anita and those printed in the larger area surrounding Anita.
  • An Extended Newspaper List - a longer list, sorted by paper name and containing those papers published within 30 miles [48.3 km]<4> of Anita.

Websites to Help With Your Genealogy Research ...

When we do our genealogical research, we first turn to the websites from Cyndi's List, FamilySearch and Genealogy Trails. These professional and volunteer websites 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 Anita:

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 Anita, 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' distance. A straight line distance ignores obstructions like rivers, canyons, lakes, et cetera - it's truly a line drawn from Point A (ie- Anita) to Point B. In other words: 'As the crow flies'.