RoadsideThoughts
A Gazetteer for the United States and Canada
Home >> State of Iowa >> Polk County >> Bondurant >> Genealogy HelperIndex...

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 Bondurant (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 Bondurant. 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.

Bondurant is located in Polk 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 Polk County: Boone, Dallas, Jasper, Madison, Marion, Story & Warren.

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

  • Polk County     (The home county of Bondurant)
    • The following are listed by their distance from Bondurant, with the one closest to Bondurant listed first.
    • Altoona
      (3 miles [4.8 km] to the south)
    • Santiago
      (4 miles [6.4 km] to the east)
      • Santiago is located in Polk County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Santiago
    • Berwick
      (4 miles [6.4 km] to the southwest)
      • Berwick is located in Polk County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Berwick
    • Mitchellville
      (5 miles [8 km] to the east)
    • Country Estate Village
      (6 miles [9.7 km] to the southwest)
    • Elkhart
      (7 miles [11.3 km] to the northwest)
    • Rising Sun
      (7 miles [11.3 km] to the south)
      • Rising Sun is located in Polk County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rising Sun
    • Pleasant Hill
      (7 miles [11.3 km] to the southwest)
    • Ankeny
      (7 miles [11.3 km] to the west)
    • Carney
      (7 miles [11.3 km] to the west)
      • Carney is located in Polk County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Carney
    • Marquisville
      (7 miles [11.3 km] to the west)
      • Marquisville is located in Polk County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Marquisville
    • Saylorville
      (8 miles [12.9 km] to the west)
      • Saylorville is located in Polk County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Saylorville
    • Loring
      (9 miles [14.5 km] to the north)
      • Loring is located in Polk County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Loring
  • Boone County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Bondurant, with the one closest to Bondurant listed first.
    • Madrid
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the northwest)
    • Luther
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the northwest)
      • Luther is located in Boone County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Luther
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 133 people
    • Jordan
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the northwest)
      • Jordan is located in Boone County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Jordan
  • Dallas County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Bondurant, with the one closest to Bondurant listed first.
    • Granger
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the west)
    • High Bridge
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the northwest)
      • High Bridge is located in Dallas County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for High Bridge
    • Waukee
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the west)
    • Booneville
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the southwest)
    • Xenia
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the northwest)
      • Xenia is located in Dallas County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Xenia
    • Dallas Center
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the west)
    • Woodward
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the northwest)
    • Van Meter
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the southwest)
    • Adel
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the west)
      • Adel is located in Dallas County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Adel
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 5,607 people
      • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Adel <1>
    • Minburn
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the west)
      • Minburn is located in Dallas County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Minburn
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 357 people
    • Bouton
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the west)
    • DeSoto
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the west)
  • Jasper County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Bondurant, with the one closest to Bondurant listed first.
    • Valeria
      (7 miles [11.3 km] to the east)
      • Valeria is located in Jasper County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Valeria
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 58 people
    • Oswalt
      (8 miles [12.9 km] to the east)
      • Oswalt is located in Jasper County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Oswalt
    • Green Castle
      (10 miles [16.1 km] to the east)
      • Green Castle is located in Jasper County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Green Castle
    • Mingo
      (10 miles [16.1 km] to the northeast)
    • Colfax
      (11 miles [17.7 km] to the east)
    • Goddard
      (13 miles [20.9 km] to the east)
      • Goddard is located in Jasper County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Goddard
    • Prairie City
      (13 miles [20.9 km] to the southeast)
    • Vandalia
      (13 miles [20.9 km] to the southeast)
      • Vandalia is located in Jasper County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Vandalia
    • Clyde
      (14 miles [22.5 km] to the northeast)
      • Clyde is located in Jasper County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Clyde
    • Ira
      (14 miles [22.5 km] to the northeast)
      • Ira is located in Jasper County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ira
    • Metz
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the east)
      • Metz is located in Jasper County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Metz
    • Baxter
      (18 miles [29 km] to the northeast)
    • Lambs Grove
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the east)
      • Lambs Grove is located in Jasper County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lambs Grove
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 165 people
  • Marion County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Bondurant, with the one closest to Bondurant listed first.
    • Swan
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the southeast)
      • Swan is located in Marion County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Swan
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 74 people
    • Percy ‑ Historic
      (18 miles [29 km] to the southeast)
      • Percy is located in Marion County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Percy
    • Pleasantville
      (23 miles [37 km] to the southeast)
    • Cordova
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the southeast)
      • Cordova is located in Marion County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cordova
    • Otley
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the southeast)
  • Marshall County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Bondurant, with the one closest to Bondurant listed first.
    • Rhodes
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the northeast)
      • Rhodes is located in Marshall County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rhodes
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 298 people
    • Melbourne
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the northeast)
    • Malta
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the northeast)
      • Malta is located in Marshall County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Malta
    • State Center
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the northeast)
    • State Center Junction
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the northeast)
      • State Center Junction is located in Marshall County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for State Center Junction
    • Haverhill
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the northeast)
    • Laurel
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the northeast)
      • Laurel is located in Marshall County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Laurel
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 234 people
  • Story County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Bondurant, with the one closest to Bondurant listed first.
    • Maxwell
      (13 miles [20.9 km] to the north)
    • Cambridge
      (14 miles [22.5 km] to the north)
    • Huxley
      (15 miles [24.1 km] to the northwest)
    • Iowa Center
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the north)
      • Iowa Center is located in Story County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Iowa Center
    • Collins
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the northeast)
      • Collins is located in Story County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Collins
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 472 people
    • Slater
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the northwest)
    • Midvale
      (18 miles [29 km] to the northwest)
      • Midvale is located in Story County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Midvale
    • Shipley
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the north)
      • Shipley is located in Story County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Shipley
    • Kelley
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the northwest)
    • Nevada
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the north)
    • Colo
      (23 miles [37 km] to the north)
    • Ames
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the north)
      • Ames is located in Story County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ames
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 67,033 people
      • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Ames <1>
    • Fernald
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the north)
      • Fernald is located in Story County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Fernald
  • Warren County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Bondurant, with the one closest to Bondurant listed first.
    • Hartford
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the south)
    • Palmyra
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the south)
      • Palmyra is located in Warren County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Palmyra
    • Lakewood
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the southwest)
      • Lakewood is located in Warren County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lakewood
    • Orillia
      (18 miles [29 km] to the southwest)
      • Orillia is located in Warren County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Orillia
    • Cumming
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the southwest)
    • Spring Hill
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the southwest)
      • Spring Hill is located in Warren County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Spring Hill
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 65 people
    • Ackworth
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the south)
      • Ackworth is located in Warren County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ackworth
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 105 people
    • Sandyville
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the south)
      • Sandyville is located in Warren County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sandyville
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 54 people
    • Indianola
      (23 miles [37 km] to the south)
    • Clarkson ‑ Historic
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the south)
      • Clarkson is located in Warren County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Clarkson
    • Prole
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the southwest)
      • Prole is located in Warren County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Prole
    • Churchville
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the southwest)
      • Churchville is located in Warren County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Churchville
    • Martensdale
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the southwest)

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

Cemeteries Near Bondurant ...

Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of Bondurant.

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

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

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

  • Bondurant Cemetery
    (Less than 2 miles to the northeast)
  • New Altoona Cemetery
    (2 miles [3.2 km] to the south)
  • Altoona Cemetery
    (2 miles [3.2 km] to the south)
  • Berwick Cemetery
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the west)
  • Franklin Cemetery
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the east)
  • Enterprise Cemetery
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the west)
  • Harvey Cemetery
    (5 miles [8 km] to the southwest)
  • Mitchellville Cemetery
    (5 miles [8 km] to the east)
  • Greenwood Friends Cemetery
    (5 miles [8 km] to the west)
  • Rising Sun Cemetery
    (6 miles [9.7 km] to the south)
  • Canfield Cemetery
    (6 miles [9.7 km] to the south)
  • Oralabor Cemetery
    (6 miles [9.7 km] to the west)
  • Continue List   (278 more) ...
    • Byers Cemetery
      (6 miles [9.7 km] to the north)
    • Sims Cemetery
      (7 miles [11.3 km] to the southwest)
    • Elkhart Cemetery
      (7 miles [11.3 km] to the northwest)

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 in 1895, Bondurant had a post office and railroad service. In 2020, Bondurant had a population of 7,293 people.

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

  • Altoona
    (3 miles [4.8 km] to the south)
  • Berwick
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the southwest)
    • Berwick is located in Polk County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Berwick
  • Santiago
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the east)
    • Santiago is located in Polk County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Santiago
  • Mitchellville
    (5 miles [8 km] to the east)
  • Ivy
    (6 miles [9.7 km] to the south)
    • Ivy is located in Polk County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ivy
  • Oralabor
    (6 miles [9.7 km] to the west)
    • Oralabor is located in Polk County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Oralabor
  • Saylor
    (7 miles [11.3 km] to the west)
    • Saylor is located in Polk County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Saylor
  • Rising Sun
    (7 miles [11.3 km] to the south)
    • Rising Sun is located in Polk County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rising Sun
  • Elkhart
    (7 miles [11.3 km] to the northwest)
  • Valeria
    (7 miles [11.3 km] to the east)
    • Valeria is located in Jasper County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Valeria
    • Population from the 2020 Census: 58 people
  • Ankeny
    (7 miles [11.3 km] to the west)
  • Oswalt
    (8 miles [12.9 km] to the east)
    • Oswalt is located in Jasper County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Oswalt
  • Continue List   (17 more) ...
    • Saylorville
      (8 miles [12.9 km] to the west)
      • Saylorville is located in Polk County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Saylorville
    • East Des Moines
      (9 miles [14.5 km] to the southwest)
      • East Des Moines is located in Polk County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for East Des Moines
    • Hastie
      (9 miles [14.5 km] to the south)
      • Hastie is located in Polk County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hastie

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

Newspapers Published in Bondurant ...

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 305 newspapers that have been published in the area around Bondurant.

Although we're unaware of any newspapers that were published in the immediate area of Bondurant, there are papers which were published within 27 miles [43.5 km]<4>. A list of those papers, sorted by paper name, can be found on the Extended Newspaper List for Bondurant.

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 Bondurant:

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 Bondurant, 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 from Point A (ie- Bondurant) to Point B. In other words: 'As the crow flies'.