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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 Blanden (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 Blanden. 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.

Blanden is located in Pocahontas 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 Pocahontas County: Buena Vista, Calhoun, Clay, Humboldt, Kossuth, Palo Alto, Sac & Webster.

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

  • Pocahontas County     (The home county of Blanden)
    • The following are listed by their distance from Blanden, with the one closest to Blanden listed first.
    • Palmer
      (4 miles [6.4 km] to the northwest)
    • Pocahontas
      (12 miles [19.3 km] to the northwest)
    • Fonda
      (14 miles [22.5 km] to the west)
      • Fonda is located in Pocahontas County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Fonda
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 566 people
      • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Fonda <1>
    • Rolfe
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the north)
      • Rolfe is located in Pocahontas County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rolfe
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 530 people
      • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Rolfe <1>
    • Varina
      (18 miles [29 km] to the west)
      • Varina is located in Pocahontas County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Varina
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 64 people
    • Havelock
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the north)
    • Plover
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the north)
      • Plover is located in Pocahontas County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Plover
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 69 people
    • Laurens
      (23 miles [37 km] to the northwest)
  • Buena Vista County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Blanden, with the one closest to Blanden listed first.
    • Newell
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the west)
      • Newell is located in Buena Vista County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Newell
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 859 people
      • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Newell <1>
    • Albert City
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the northwest)
    • Marathon
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the northwest)
      • Marathon is located in Buena Vista County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Marathon
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 228 people
    • Juniata
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the west)
      • Juniata is located in Buena Vista County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Juniata
  • Calhoun County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Blanden, with the one closest to Blanden listed first.
    • Manson
      (3 miles [4.8 km] to the southeast)
    • Pomeroy
      (6 miles [9.7 km] to the west)
    • Twin Lakes
      (8 miles [12.9 km] to the southwest)
      • Twin Lakes is located in Calhoun County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Twin Lakes
    • Knierim
      (9 miles [14.5 km] to the southeast)
      • Knierim is located in Calhoun County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Knierim
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 57 people
    • Jolley
      (10 miles [16.1 km] to the southwest)
      • Jolley is located in Calhoun County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Jolley
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 37 people
    • Rockwell City
      (13 miles [20.9 km] to the south)
    • Somers
      (15 miles [24.1 km] to the southeast)
      • Somers is located in Calhoun County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Somers
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 102 people
    • Rinard
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the south)
      • Rinard is located in Calhoun County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rinard
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 48 people
    • Rands
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the south)
      • Rands is located in Calhoun County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rands
    • Sherwood
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the southwest)
      • Sherwood is located in Calhoun County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sherwood
    • Lytton
      (18 miles [29 km] to the southwest)
      • Lytton is located in Calhoun County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lytton
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 285 people
    • Lohrville
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the south)
  • Carroll County
    • Lanesboro
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the south)
      • Lanesboro is located in Carroll County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lanesboro
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 108 people
  • Greene County
    • Churdan
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the south)
      • Churdan is located in Greene County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Churdan
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 363 people
  • Humboldt County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Blanden, with the one closest to Blanden listed first.
    • Pioneer
      (10 miles [16.1 km] to the northeast)
      • Pioneer is located in Humboldt County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Pioneer
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 22 people
    • Gilmore City
      (12 miles [19.3 km] to the northeast)
    • Bradgate
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the northeast)
      • Bradgate is located in Humboldt County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bradgate
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 84 people
    • Rutland
      (18 miles [29 km] to the northeast)
      • Rutland is located in Humboldt County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rutland
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 121 people
    • Dakota City
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the northeast)
    • Humboldt
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the northeast)
    • Ottosen
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the north)
      • Ottosen is located in Humboldt County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ottosen
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 36 people
    • Arnold
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the northeast)
      • Arnold is located in Humboldt County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Arnold
    • Bode
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the northeast)
      • Bode is located in Humboldt County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bode
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 286 people
    • Thor
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the east)
      • Thor is located in Humboldt County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Thor
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 180 people
      • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Thor <1>
    • Livermore
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the northeast)
      • Livermore is located in Humboldt County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Livermore
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 361 people
    • Hardy
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the northeast)
      • Hardy is located in Humboldt County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hardy
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 41 people
  • Palo Alto County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Blanden, with the one closest to Blanden listed first.
    • Mallard
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the north)
    • West Bend
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the north)
    • Curlew
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the north)
      • Curlew is located in Palo Alto County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Curlew
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 55 people
  • Sac County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Blanden, with the one closest to Blanden listed first.
    • Sac City
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the southwest)
    • Auburn
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the southwest)
    • Grant City
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the southwest)
      • Grant City is located in Sac County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Grant City
    • Nemaha
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the west)
      • Nemaha is located in Sac County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Nemaha
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 80 people
  • Webster County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Blanden, with the one closest to Blanden listed first.
    • Clare
      (11 miles [17.7 km] to the east)
      • Clare is located in Webster County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Clare
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 133 people
    • Barnum
      (11 miles [17.7 km] to the southeast)
      • Barnum is located in Webster County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Barnum
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 181 people
    • Tara
      (14 miles [22.5 km] to the east)
      • Tara is located in Webster County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Tara
    • Moorland
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the southeast)
    • Slifer
      (18 miles [29 km] to the southeast)
      • Slifer is located in Webster County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Slifer
    • Fort Dodge
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the east)
    • Callender
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the southeast)
      • Callender is located in Webster County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Callender
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 346 people
    • Badger
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the east)
    • Coalville
      (23 miles [37 km] to the east)
      • Coalville is located in Webster County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Coalville
    • Cypsum City ‑ Historic
      (23 miles [37 km] to the east)
      • Cypsum City is located in Webster County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cypsum City
    • Otho
      (23 miles [37 km] to the southeast)
      • Otho is located in Webster County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Otho
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 505 people
      • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Otho <1>
    • Gowrie
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the southeast)

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

Cemeteries Near Blanden ...

Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of Blanden.

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

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

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

  • St. Pauls American Lutheran Cemetery
    (Less than 2 miles to the southeast)
  • Swedish Cemetery
    (3 miles [4.8 km] to the southwest)
  • Palmer Cemetery
    (3 miles [4.8 km] to the northwest)
  • St. Paul Cemetery
    (3 miles [4.8 km] to the northwest)
  • St. Thomas Cemetery
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the south)
  • Rose Hill Cemetery
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the southeast)
  • Lizard Cemetery
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the east)
  • St. Johns Cemetery
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the northeast)
  • St. Josephs Cemetery
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the northwest)
  • Memorial Park
    (5 miles [8 km] to the southwest)
  • Hope Cemetery
    (5 miles [8 km] to the south)
  • St. Marys Cemetery
    (6 miles [9.7 km] to the west)
  • Continue List   (155 more) ...
    • Union Cemetery
      (6 miles [9.7 km] to the west)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Union Cemetery
      • To give a relative sense of its location, the Union Cemetery is a large cemetery that is located outside and to the north of Pomeroy.
      • Jump to Find-A-Grave: FG ID #96531 <2>
    • Heuser - Leith Cemetery
      (6 miles [9.7 km] to the south)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Heuser - Leith Cemetery
      • To give a relative sense of its location, the Heuser - Leith Cemetery is located 3 miles [4.8 km]<3> to the southwest of Manson.
      • The Heuser - Leith Cemetery has also been known as:
      • Leith Cemetery
      • Jump to Find-A-Grave: FG ID #95273 <2>
    • St. Patricks Cemetery
      (6 miles [9.7 km] to the east)

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

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

  • Manson
    (3 miles [4.8 km] to the southeast)
  • Lizard ‑ Historic
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the northeast)
    • Lizard is located in Pocahontas County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lizard
  • Pomeroy
    (6 miles [9.7 km] to the west)
  • Twin Lakes
    (8 miles [12.9 km] to the southwest)
    • Twin Lakes is located in Calhoun County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Twin Lakes
  • Jolley
    (10 miles [16.1 km] to the southwest)
    • Jolley is located in Calhoun County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Jolley
    • Population from the 2020 Census: 37 people
  • Pioneer
    (10 miles [16.1 km] to the northeast)
    • Pioneer is located in Humboldt County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Pioneer
    • Population from the 2020 Census: 22 people
  • Barnum
    (11 miles [17.7 km] to the southeast)
    • Barnum is located in Webster County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Barnum
    • Population from the 2020 Census: 181 people
  • Clare
    (11 miles [17.7 km] to the east)
    • Clare is located in Webster County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Clare
    • Population from the 2020 Census: 133 people
  • Pocahontas
    (12 miles [19.3 km] to the northwest)
  • Gilmore City
    (12 miles [19.3 km] to the northeast)
  • Rockwell City
    (13 miles [20.9 km] to the south)
  • Tara
    (14 miles [22.5 km] to the east)
    • Tara is located in Webster County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Tara
  • Continue List   (14 more) ...
    • Fonda
      (14 miles [22.5 km] to the west)
      • Fonda is located in Pocahontas County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Fonda
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 566 people
      • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Fonda <1>
    • Moorland
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the southeast)
    • Rolfe
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the north)
      • Rolfe is located in Pocahontas County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rolfe
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 530 people
      • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Rolfe <1>

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

Newspapers Published in Blanden ...

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 81 newspapers that have been published in the area around Blanden.

Although we're unaware of any newspapers that were published in the immediate area of Blanden, there are papers which were published within 29 miles [46.7 km]<3>. A list of those papers, sorted by paper name, can be found on the Extended Newspaper List for Blanden.

Websites to Help With Your Genealogy Research ...

When we do our genealogical research, we begin with the websites from Cyndi's List, FamilySearch and Genealogy Trails. These helpful 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 Blanden:

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 things like rivers, canyons, lakes, et cetera - it's truly a line from Point A (ie- Blanden) 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 Blanden, please let us know so that we can improve our accuracy.