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 Centralia (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 Centralia. 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 hospitals and 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.
Centralia is located in Dubuque 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 Dubuque County: Clayton, Delaware, Jackson, Jones, Jo Daviess (IL) & Grant (WI).
Below are the counties that are near Centralia. For each of these counties, we show a sample of those communities that are closest to Centralia:
- Dubuque County (The home county of Centralia)
- The following are listed by their distance from Centralia, with the one closest to Centralia listed first.
- Peosta
(Less than 2 miles to the south)
- Graf
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the northwest)
- Graf is located in Dubuque County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Graf
- Population from the 2020 Census: 81 people
- Asbury
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the northeast)
- Asbury is located in Dubuque County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Asbury
- Population from the 2020 Census: 5,841 people
- Epworth
(5 miles [8 km] to the west)
- Durango
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the northeast)
- Bankston
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the west)
- Bankston is located in Dubuque County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bankston
- Population from the 2020 Census: 27 people
- Key West
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the east)
- Key West is located in Dubuque County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Key West
- Rickardsville
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the north)
- Rickardsville is located in Dubuque County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rickardsville
- Population from the 2020 Census: 179 people
- Dubuque
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the east)
- Rockdale
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the east)
- Rockdale is located in Dubuque County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rockdale
- Sageville
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the northeast)
- Sageville is located in Dubuque County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sageville
- Population from the 2020 Census: 100 people
- Farley
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the west)
- Sherrill
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the north)
- Clayton County
- The following are listed by their distance from Centralia, with the one closest to Centralia listed first.
- North Buena Vista
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the northwest)
- North Buena Vista is located in Clayton County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for North Buena Vista
- Population from the 2020 Census: 120 people
- Turkey River
(18 miles [29 km] to the northwest)
- Turkey River is located in Clayton County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Turkey River
- Millville
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the northwest)
- Millville is located in Clayton County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Millville
- Estimated population in 2014: 29 people
- Osterdock
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the northwest)
- Osterdock is located in Clayton County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Osterdock
- Population from the 2020 Census: 47 people
- Guttenberg
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the northwest)
- Garber
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the northwest)
- Garber is located in Clayton County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Garber
- Population from the 2020 Census: 86 people
- Wood
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the northwest)
- Wood is located in Clayton County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Wood
- Elkport
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the northwest)
- Elkport is located in Clayton County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Elkport
- Population from the 2020 Census: 36 people
- Delaware County
- The following are listed by their distance from Centralia, with the one closest to Centralia listed first.
- Rockville
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the west)
- Rockville is located in Delaware County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rockville
- Petersburg
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the west)
- Petersburg is located in Delaware County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Petersburg
- Colesburg
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the northwest)
- Colesburg is located in Delaware County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Colesburg
- Population from the 2020 Census: 371 people
- Holy Cross
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the northwest)
- Holy Cross is located in Delaware County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Holy Cross
- Hopkinton
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the southwest)
- Earlville
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the west)
- Almoral
(23 miles [37 km] to the west)
- Almoral is located in Delaware County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Almoral
- Delaware
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the west)
- Delaware is located in Delaware County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Delaware
- Population from the 2020 Census: 149 people
- Delhi
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the west)
- Greeley
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the west)
- Oneida
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the west)
- Oneida is located in Delaware County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Oneida
- Jackson County
- The following are listed by their distance from Centralia, with the one closest to Centralia listed first.
- Garry Owen
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the south)
- Garry Owen is located in Jackson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Garry Owen
- La Motte
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the southeast)
- Saint Donatus
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the southeast)
- Crab Town
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the south)
- Crab Town is located in Jackson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Crab Town
- Cottonville
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the southeast)
- Cottonville is located in Jackson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cottonville
- Canton
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the south)
- Canton is located in Jackson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Canton
- Emeline
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the south)
- Emeline is located in Jackson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Emeline
- Fulton
(23 miles [37 km] to the south)
- Fulton is located in Jackson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Fulton
- Ironhills
(23 miles [37 km] to the south)
- Ironhills is located in Jackson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ironhills
- Smiths
(23 miles [37 km] to the southeast)
- Smiths is located in Jackson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Smiths
- North Bellevue
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the southeast)
- North Bellevue is located in Jackson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for North Bellevue
- Andrew
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the southeast)
- Bellevue
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the southeast)
- Jones County
- The following are listed by their distance from Centralia, with the one closest to Centralia listed first.
- Clay Mills
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the south)
- Clay Mills is located in Jones County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Clay Mills
- Monticello
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the southwest)
- Onslow
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the south)
- Center Junction
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the southwest)
- Center Junction is located in Jones County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Center Junction
- Estimated population in 2015: 111 people
- Langworthy
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the southwest)
- Langworthy is located in Jones County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Langworthy
- Wyoming
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the south)
- Amber
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the southwest)
- Amber is located in Jones County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Amber
- Argand
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the southwest)
- Argand is located in Jones County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Argand
- Jo Daviess County (IL)
- The following are listed by their distance from Centralia, with the one closest to Centralia listed first.
- East Dubuque
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the east)
- Menominee
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the east)
- Menominee is located in Jo Daviess County (IL)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Menominee
- Population from the 2020 Census: 241 people
- Galena Junction
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the east)
- Galena Junction is located in Jo Daviess County (IL)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Galena Junction
- Galena
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the east)
- Galena is located in Jo Daviess County (IL)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Galena
- Population from the 2020 Census: 3,151 people
- Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Galena <1>
- Bremen
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the east)
- Bremen is located in Jo Daviess County (IL)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bremen
- Aiken
(23 miles [37 km] to the east)
- Aiken is located in Jo Daviess County (IL)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Aiken
- Scales Mound
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the east)
- Grant County (WI)
- The following are listed by their distance from Centralia, with the one closest to Centralia listed first.
- Rutledge
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the northeast)
- Rutledge is located in Grant County (WI)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rutledge
- Sinnipee ‑ Historic
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the northeast)
- Sinnipee is located in Grant County (WI)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sinnipee
- Potosi
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the north)
- Potosi is located in Grant County (WI)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Potosi
- Population from the 2020 Census: 668 people
- Dickeyville
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the northeast)
- Dickeyville is located in Grant County (WI)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Dickeyville
- Population from the 2020 Census: 1,020 people
- Jamestown
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the northeast)
- Jamestown is located in Grant County (WI)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Jamestown
- Tennyson
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the northeast)
- Tennyson is located in Grant County (WI)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Tennyson
- Population from the 2020 Census: 339 people
- Cassville
(18 miles [29 km] to the northwest)
- Cassville is located in Grant County (WI)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cassville
- Population from the 2020 Census: 877 people
- Hazel Green
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the east)
- Hazel Green is located in Grant County (WI)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hazel Green
- Population from the 2020 Census: 1,219 people
- Beetown
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the north)
- Beetown is located in Grant County (WI)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Beetown
- Cuba City
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the northeast)
- Cuba City is located in Grant County (WI)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cuba City
- Population from the 2020 Census: 2,047 people
- North Andover
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the north)
- North Andover is located in Grant County (WI)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for North Andover
- Platteville
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the northeast)
- Platteville is located in Grant County (WI)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Platteville
- Population from the 2020 Census: 11,650 people
- Lancaster
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the north)
- Lancaster is located in Grant County (WI)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lancaster
- Population from the 2020 Census: 3,700 people
- Lafayette County (WI)
- The following are listed by their distance from Centralia, with the one closest to Centralia listed first.
- Benton
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the east)
- Benton is located in Lafayette County (WI)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Benton
- Population from the 2020 Census: 966 people
- New Diggings
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the east)
- New Diggings is located in Lafayette County (WI)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for New Diggings
- Etna
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the east)
- Etna is located in Lafayette County (WI)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Etna
- Elk Grove
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the northeast)
- Elk Grove is located in Lafayette County (WI)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Elk Grove
- White Oak
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the east)
- White Oak is located in Lafayette County (WI)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for White Oak
For an expanded list of the communities that are closest to Centralia, see our County-by-County Page for Centralia.
Cemeteries Near Centralia ...
Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of Centralia.
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 Centralia - one of the links might be able to help.
If not found below, our Cemetery List for Centralia covers a larger area, with the cemeteries listed in alphabetical order.
The following cemeteries are listed based on their distance from Centralia, with the one closest to Centralia listed first.
- St. John the Baptist Catholic Cemetery
(Less than 2 miles to the southeast)
- Peosta Protestant Cemetery
(Less than 2 miles to the southwest)
- Centralia Presbyterian Cemetery
(Less than 2 miles to the north)
- Johnson Cemetery
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the southwest)
- Michael Schmitt Cemetery
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the south)
- Annunciation Cemetery
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the west)
- Sniffea Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the east)
- Highview Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the west)
- Reeds Chapel Methodist Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the east)
- St. Johns Lutheran Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the north)
- St. Patricks Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the west)
- Epworth Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the southwest)
- Continue List (317 more) ...
- New Melleray Abbey Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the south)
- Baehler Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the southeast)
- Resurrection Cemetery
(5 miles [8 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.<2>
The Rand McNally Atlas shows that Centralia had a population of 63 people in 1895 with a post office and no railroad service. In 2020, Centralia had a population of 128 people.
These communities are listed based on their distance from Centralia, with the one closest to Centralia listed first.
- Peosta
(Less than 2 miles to the south)
- Julien
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the east)
- Julien is located in Dubuque County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Julien
- Graf
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the northwest)
- Graf is located in Dubuque County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Graf
- Population from the 2020 Census: 81 people
- Lore
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the northeast)
- Lore is located in Dubuque County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lore
- Kidder
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the west)
- Kidder is located in Dubuque County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Kidder
- Epworth
(5 miles [8 km] to the west)
- Ballyclough
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the southeast)
- Ballyclough is located in Dubuque County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ballyclough
- Center Grove
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the east)
- Center Grove is located in Dubuque County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Center Grove
- Durango
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the northeast)
- Bankston
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the west)
- Bankston is located in Dubuque County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bankston
- Population from the 2020 Census: 27 people
- Rickardsville
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the north)
- Rickardsville is located in Dubuque County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rickardsville
- Population from the 2020 Census: 179 people
- Key West
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the east)
- Key West is located in Dubuque County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Key West
- Continue List (14 more) ...
- Farley
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the west)
- Rockdale
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the east)
- Rockdale is located in Dubuque County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rockdale
- Cottage Hill
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the northwest)
- Cottage Hill is located in Dubuque County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cottage Hill
We've also created an expanded list of communities that existed in the 1890's and were located in the area around Centralia. See our List of 1890's Communities around Centralia.
Newspapers Published in Centralia ...
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 77 newspapers that have been published in the area around Centralia.
Although we're unaware of any newspapers that were published in the immediate area of Centralia, there are papers which were published within 25 miles [40.2 km]<3>. A list of those papers, sorted by paper name, can be found on the Extended Newspaper List for Centralia.
Websites to Help With Your Genealogy Research ...
When we do our genealogical research, we like to start with the websites from Cyndi's List, FamilySearch and Genealogy Trails. These 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 Centralia:
- Websites specific to Iowa
- Pages specific to Dubuque County
- Genealogy information for nearby counties
- Clayton County
- Delaware County
- Jackson County
- Jones County
- Jo Daviess County
- Grant County
- Lafayette 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> | 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 Centralia, please let us know so that we can improve our accuracy. |
| <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- Centralia) to Point B. In other words: 'As the crow flies'. |