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 Bloomington (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 Bloomington. 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 doctors and 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.
Bloomington is located in Story 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 Story County: Boone, Hamilton, Hardin, Jasper, Marshall & Polk.
Below are the counties that are near Bloomington. For each of these counties, we show a sample of those communities that are closest to Bloomington:
- Story County (The home county of Bloomington)
- The following are listed by their distance from Bloomington, with the one closest to Bloomington listed first.
- Ames
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the southwest)
- Gilbert
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the northwest)
- Ontario
(5 miles [8 km] to the west)
- Ontario is located in Story County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ontario
- Shipley
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the southeast)
- Shipley is located in Story County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Shipley
- Nevada
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the east)
- Zenorsville
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the northwest)
- Zenorsville is located in Story County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Zenorsville
- Roland
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the northeast)
- Roland is located in Story County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Roland
- Population from the 2020 Census: 1,252 people
- Midvale
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the south)
- Midvale is located in Story County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Midvale
- Kelley
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the southwest)
- Fernald
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the east)
- Fernald is located in Story County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Fernald
- Story City
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the north)
- Cambridge
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the south)
- Boone County
- The following are listed by their distance from Bloomington, with the one closest to Bloomington listed first.
- Jordan
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the west)
- Jordan is located in Boone County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Jordan
- Mackey
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the northwest)
- Mackey is located in Boone County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mackey
- Luther
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the southwest)
- Luther is located in Boone County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Luther
- Population from the 2020 Census: 133 people
- Boone
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the west)
- Madrid
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the southwest)
- Moingona
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the west)
- Moingona is located in Boone County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Moingona
- Centerville
(18 miles [29 km] to the west)
- Centerville is located in Boone County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Centerville
- Fraser
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the west)
- Fraser is located in Boone County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Fraser
- Population from the 2020 Census: 103 people
- Ogden
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the west)
- Pilot Mound
(23 miles [37 km] to the west)
- Pilot Mound is located in Boone County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Pilot Mound
- Population from the 2020 Census: 170 people
- Boxholm
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the west)
- Beaver
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the west)
- Beaver is located in Boone County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Beaver
- Population from the 2020 Census: 50 people
- Dallas County
- The following are listed by their distance from Bloomington, with the one closest to Bloomington listed first.
- High Bridge
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the southwest)
- High Bridge is located in Dallas County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for High Bridge
- Xenia
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the southwest)
- Xenia is located in Dallas County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Xenia
- Woodward
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the southwest)
- Granger
(23 miles [37 km] to the southwest)
- Bouton
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the southwest)
- Minburn
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the southwest)
- Minburn is located in Dallas County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Minburn
- Population from the 2020 Census: 357 people
- Perry
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the southwest)
- Hamilton County
- The following are listed by their distance from Bloomington, with the one closest to Bloomington listed first.
- Randall
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the north)
- Randall is located in Hamilton County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Randall
- Population from the 2020 Census: 166 people
- Ellsworth
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the north)
- Jewell
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the north)
- Jewell is located in Hamilton County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Jewell
- Population from the 2020 Census: 1,138 people
- Jewell has also been known as:
- Jewell Junction
- Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Jewell <1>
- Stanhope
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the northwest)
- Stanhope is located in Hamilton County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Stanhope
- Population from the 2020 Census: 394 people
- Stratford
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the northwest)
- Kamrar
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the north)
- Blairsburg
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the north)
- Blairsburg is located in Hamilton County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Blairsburg
- Population from the 2020 Census: 199 people
- Williams
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the north)
- Webster City
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the northwest)
- Hardin County
- The following are listed by their distance from Bloomington, with the one closest to Bloomington listed first.
- Garden City
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the northeast)
- Garden City is located in Hardin County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Garden City
- Radcliffe
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the northeast)
- Hubbard
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the northeast)
- Sherman
(23 miles [37 km] to the northeast)
- Sherman is located in Hardin County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sherman
- New Providence
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the northeast)
- New Providence is located in Hardin County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for New Providence
- Population from the 2020 Census: 220 people
- Buckeye
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the northeast)
- Buckeye is located in Hardin County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Buckeye
- Population from the 2020 Census: 107 people
- Union
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the northeast)
- Union is located in Hardin County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Union
- Population from the 2020 Census: 373 people
- Gifford
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the northeast)
- Jasper County
- The following are listed by their distance from Bloomington, with the one closest to Bloomington listed first.
- Clyde
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the southeast)
- Clyde is located in Jasper County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Clyde
- Mingo
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the southeast)
- Valeria
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the southeast)
- Valeria is located in Jasper County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Valeria
- Population from the 2020 Census: 58 people
- Baxter
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the southeast)
- Green Castle
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the southeast)
- Green Castle is located in Jasper County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Green Castle
- Ira
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the southeast)
- Ira is located in Jasper County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ira
- Oswalt
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the southeast)
- Oswalt is located in Jasper County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Oswalt
- Goddard
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the southeast)
- Goddard is located in Jasper County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Goddard
- Marshall County
- The following are listed by their distance from Bloomington, with the one closest to Bloomington listed first.
- Saint Anthony
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the east)
- Saint Anthony is located in Marshall County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Saint Anthony
- Population from the 2020 Census: 101 people
- State Center
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the east)
- Clemons
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the east)
- Clemons is located in Marshall County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Clemons
- Population from the 2020 Census: 141 people
- Rhodes
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the southeast)
- Rhodes is located in Marshall County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rhodes
- Population from the 2020 Census: 298 people
- Malta
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the east)
- Malta is located in Marshall County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Malta
- Bangor
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the east)
- Bangor is located in Marshall County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bangor
- Melbourne
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the east)
- LaMoille
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the east)
- LaMoille is located in Marshall County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for LaMoille
- State Center Junction
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the east)
- Albion
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the east)
- Luray
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the east)
- Luray is located in Marshall County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Luray
- Marietta
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the east)
- Marietta is located in Marshall County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Marietta
- Polk County
- The following are listed by their distance from Bloomington, with the one closest to Bloomington listed first.
- Sheldahl
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the south)
- Sheldahl is located in Polk County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sheldahl
- Population from the 2020 Census: 325 people
- Alleman
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the south)
- Alleman is located in Polk County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Alleman
- Population from the 2020 Census: 447 people
- Loring
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the southeast)
- Loring is located in Polk County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Loring
- Elkhart
(18 miles [29 km] to the south)
- Polk City Junction
(18 miles [29 km] to the south)
- Polk City Junction is located in Polk County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Polk City Junction
- Polk City
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the south)
- Andrews
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the south)
- Andrews is located in Polk County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Andrews
- Ankeny
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the south)
- Herrold
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the south)
- Herrold is located in Polk County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Herrold
- Bondurant
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the south)
- Carney
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the south)
- Carney is located in Polk County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Carney
- Berwick
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the south)
- Berwick is located in Polk County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Berwick
- Webster County
- Dayton
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the northwest)
For an expanded list of the communities that are closest to Bloomington, see our County-by-County Page for Bloomington.
Cemeteries Near Bloomington ...
Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of Bloomington.
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 Bloomington - one of the links might be able to help.
If not found below, our Cemetery List for Bloomington covers a larger area, with the cemeteries listed in alphabetical order.
The following cemeteries are listed based on their distance from Bloomington, with the one closest to Bloomington listed first.
- Bloomington Cemetery
(Less than 2 miles to the south)
- Ames Municipal Cemetery
(Less than 2 miles to the southwest)
- McMichael Cemetery
(Less than 2 miles to the north)
- Arrasmith Cemetery
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the north)
- College Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the southwest)
- Pleasant Grove Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the north)
- Memorial Gardens Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the south)
- Sunday Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the south)
- Born Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the north)
- Brouhard Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the northeast)
- Gilbert Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the northwest)
- Ontario Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the southwest)
- Continue List (258 more) ...
- Baldus Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the north)
- Knoll Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the east)
- Sheffield Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the north)
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 Bloomington in the Atlas, the following 1895 communities would have been found near the current location of Bloomington.
These communities are listed based on their distance from Bloomington, with the one closest to Bloomington listed first.
- Ames
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the southwest)
- Gilbert
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the northwest)
- Ontario
(5 miles [8 km] to the west)
- Ontario is located in Story County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ontario
- Nevada
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the east)
- Kelley
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the southwest)
- Roland
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the northeast)
- Roland is located in Story County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Roland
- Population from the 2020 Census: 1,252 people
- Story City
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the north)
- Huxley
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the south)
- Cambridge
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the south)
- Mackey
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the northwest)
- Mackey is located in Boone County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mackey
- Iowa Center
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the southeast)
- Iowa Center is located in Story County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Iowa Center
- McCallsburg
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the northeast)
- McCallsburg is located in Story County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for McCallsburg
- Population from the 2020 Census: 320 people
- Continue List (14 more) ...
- Rosendale
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the northwest)
- Rosendale is located in Hamilton County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rosendale
- Randall
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the north)
- Randall is located in Hamilton County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Randall
- Population from the 2020 Census: 166 people
- Luther
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the southwest)
- Luther is located in Boone County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Luther
- Population from the 2020 Census: 133 people
We've also created an expanded list of communities that existed in the 1890's and were located in the area around Bloomington. See our List of 1890's Communities around Bloomington.
Newspapers Published in Bloomington ...
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 177 newspapers that have been published in the area around Bloomington.
Although we're unaware of any newspapers that were published in the immediate area of Bloomington, there are papers which were published within 30 miles [48.3 km]<4>. A list of those papers, sorted by paper name, can be found on the Extended Newspaper List for Bloomington.
Websites to Help With Your Genealogy Research ...
When we do our genealogical research, we start 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 Bloomington:
- Websites specific to Iowa
- Pages specific to Story County
- Genealogy information for nearby counties
- Boone County
- Dallas County
- Hamilton County
- Hardin County
- Jasper County
- Marshall County
- Polk County
- Webster County
- Cemetery Information and Directories for Iowa
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 Bloomington, 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- Bloomington) to Point B. In other words: 'As the crow flies'. |