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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 Denver (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 Denver. 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.

Denver is located in Bremer 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 Bremer County: Black Hawk, Buchanan, Butler, Chickasaw, Fayette & Floyd.

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

  • Bremer County     (The home county of Denver)
    • The following are listed by their distance from Denver, with the one closest to Denver listed first.
    • Knittel
      (4 miles [6.4 km] to the northeast)
      • Knittel is located in Bremer County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Knittel
    • Klinger
      (5 miles [8 km] to the east)
      • Klinger is located in Bremer County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Klinger
    • Readlyn
      (6 miles [9.7 km] to the northeast)
    • Bremer
      (7 miles [11.3 km] to the northwest)
      • Bremer is located in Bremer County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bremer
    • Waverly
      (7 miles [11.3 km] to the northwest)
    • Tripoli
      (10 miles [16.1 km] to the north)
    • Seigel
      (11 miles [17.7 km] to the north)
      • Seigel is located in Bremer County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Seigel
    • Frederika
      (14 miles [22.5 km] to the north)
      • Frederika is located in Bremer County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Frederika
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 205 people
    • Horton
      (14 miles [22.5 km] to the northwest)
      • Horton is located in Bremer County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Horton
    • Plainfield
      (15 miles [24.1 km] to the northwest)
    • Sumner
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the northeast)
  • Black Hawk County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Denver, with the one closest to Denver listed first.
    • Janesville
      (6 miles [9.7 km] to the west)
    • Edwards ‑ Historic
      (7 miles [11.3 km] to the southeast)
      • Edwards is located in Black Hawk County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Edwards
    • Cedar City
      (10 miles [16.1 km] to the southwest)
      • Cedar City is located in Black Hawk County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cedar City
    • Cedar Falls
      (10 miles [16.1 km] to the southwest)
    • North Cedar
      (10 miles [16.1 km] to the southwest)
      • North Cedar is located in Black Hawk County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for North Cedar
    • Dewar
      (11 miles [17.7 km] to the southeast)
      • Dewar is located in Black Hawk County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Dewar
    • Dunkerton
      (11 miles [17.7 km] to the southeast)
      • Dunkerton is located in Black Hawk County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Dunkerton
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 851 people
    • Finchford
      (11 miles [17.7 km] to the west)
      • Finchford is located in Black Hawk County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Finchford
    • Waterloo
      (12 miles [19.3 km] to the south)
    • Evansdale
      (13 miles [20.9 km] to the south)
    • Elk Run Heights
      (14 miles [22.5 km] to the south)
      • Elk Run Heights is located in Black Hawk County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Elk Run Heights
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 1,135 people
    • Raymond
      (15 miles [24.1 km] to the southeast)
      • Raymond is located in Black Hawk County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Raymond
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 788 people
    • Gilbertville
      (18 miles [29 km] to the south)
      • Gilbertville is located in Black Hawk County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Gilbertville
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 725 people
  • Buchanan County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Denver, with the one closest to Denver listed first.
    • Fairbank
      (14 miles [22.5 km] to the east)
    • Hazleton
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the east)
    • Shady Grove
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the southeast)
      • Shady Grove is located in Buchanan County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Shady Grove
    • Stanley
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the east)
      • Stanley is located in Buchanan County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Stanley
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 120 people
    • Independence
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the southeast)
    • Brandon
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the southeast)
      • Brandon is located in Buchanan County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Brandon
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 320 people
    • Doris
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the southeast)
      • Doris is located in Buchanan County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Doris
    • Aurora
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the east)
      • Aurora is located in Buchanan County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Aurora
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 162 people
  • Butler County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Denver, with the one closest to Denver listed first.
    • Shell Rock
      (12 miles [19.3 km] to the west)
    • New Hartford
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the southwest)
    • Clarksville
      (18 miles [29 km] to the northwest)
    • Coster
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the west)
      • Coster is located in Butler County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Coster
    • Butler Center
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the west)
      • Butler Center is located in Butler County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Butler Center
    • Sinclair
      (23 miles [37 km] to the southwest)
      • Sinclair is located in Butler County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sinclair
    • Parkersburg
      (23 miles [37 km] to the west)
    • Allison
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the west)
    • Greene
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the northwest)
    • Aplington
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the west)
    • Bristow
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the west)
      • Bristow is located in Butler County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bristow
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 147 people
    • Kesley
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the west)
      • Kesley is located in Butler County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Kesley
  • Chickasaw County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Denver, with the one closest to Denver listed first.
    • Republic
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the north)
      • Republic is located in Chickasaw County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Republic
    • Fredericksburg
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the north)
    • Bradford
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the northwest)
      • Bradford is located in Chickasaw County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bradford
    • Nashua
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the northwest)
      • Nashua is located in Chickasaw County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Nashua
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 1,571 people
      • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Nashua <1>
    • Ionia
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the north)
      • Ionia is located in Chickasaw County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ionia
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 273 people
      • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Ionia <1>
    • Chickasaw
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the north)
      • Chickasaw is located in Chickasaw County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Chickasaw
    • New Hampton
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the north)
    • Bassett
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the north)
      • Bassett is located in Chickasaw County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bassett
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 62 people
    • Lawler
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the north)
  • Fayette County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Denver, with the one closest to Denver listed first.
    • Oran
      (13 miles [20.9 km] to the east)
      • Oran is located in Fayette County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Oran
    • Westgate
      (18 miles [29 km] to the east)
      • Westgate is located in Fayette County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Westgate
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 209 people
    • Oelwein
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the east)
    • Maynard
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the east)
    • Alpha
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the northeast)
      • Alpha is located in Fayette County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Alpha
    • Hawkeye
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the northeast)
      • Hawkeye is located in Fayette County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hawkeye
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 399 people
    • Randalia
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the northeast)
      • Randalia is located in Fayette County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Randalia
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 60 people
    • Donnan
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the northeast)
      • Donnan is located in Fayette County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Donnan
    • Fayette
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the northeast)
    • Waucoma
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the northeast)
  • Floyd County
    • Carrville
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the northwest)
      • Carrville is located in Floyd County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Carrville
  • Grundy County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Denver, with the one closest to Denver listed first.
    • Fredsville
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the southwest)
      • Fredsville is located in Grundy County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Fredsville
    • Dike
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the southwest)
      • Dike is located in Grundy County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Dike
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 1,267 people
      • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Dike <1>
    • Stout
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the southwest)
      • Stout is located in Grundy County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Stout
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 214 people
    • Fern
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the southwest)
      • Fern is located in Grundy County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Fern
    • Reinbeck
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the southwest)
    • Buck Grove
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the southwest)
      • Buck Grove is located in Grundy County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Buck Grove
    • Morrison
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the southwest)
    • Grundy Center
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the southwest)
    • Holland
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the southwest)
  • Tama County
    • Dinsdale
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the south)
      • Dinsdale is located in Tama County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Dinsdale

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

Cemeteries Near Denver ...

Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of Denver.

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

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

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

  • Jefferson Cemetery
    (Less than 2 miles to the south)
  • Jefferson Cemetery
    (Less than 2 miles to the south)
  • Fairview Cemetery
    (Less than 2 miles to the east)
  • Fairview Cemetery
    (Less than 2 miles to the east)
  • St. Johns Lutheran Cemetery
    (Less than 2 miles to the northeast)
  • St. Pauls Cemetery
    (Less than 2 miles to the northeast)
  • East Janesville Cemetery
    (2 miles [3.2 km] to the southwest)
  • St. Pauls Cemetery
    (3 miles [4.8 km] to the south)
  • St. Paul UCC Cemetery
    (3 miles [4.8 km] to the south)
  • Pioneer Cemetery
    (3 miles [4.8 km] to the south)
  • Emanuel Evangelical Lutheran Cemetery
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the east)
  • Warren Evangelical Cemetery
    (5 miles [8 km] to the northwest)
  • Continue List   (245 more) ...
    • St. Pauls Cemetery
      (5 miles [8 km] to the northeast)
    • Zions Cemetery
      (5 miles [8 km] to the northeast)
    • St. Johns Lutheran 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>

The Rand McNally Atlas shows that Denver had a population of 218 people in 1895 with a post office and no railroad service. In 2020, Denver had a population of 1,879 people.

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

  • Knittel
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the northeast)
    • Knittel is located in Bremer County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Knittel
  • Klinger
    (5 miles [8 km] to the east)
    • Klinger is located in Bremer County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Klinger
  • Janesville
    (6 miles [9.7 km] to the west)
  • Edwards ‑ Historic
    (7 miles [11.3 km] to the southeast)
    • Edwards is located in Black Hawk County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Edwards
  • Bremer
    (7 miles [11.3 km] to the northwest)
    • Bremer is located in Bremer County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bremer
  • Wapsie
    (7 miles [11.3 km] to the northeast)
    • Wapsie is located in Bremer County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Wapsie
  • Waverly
    (7 miles [11.3 km] to the northwest)
  • Waverly Junction
    (9 miles [14.5 km] to the west)
    • Waverly Junction is located in Bremer County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Waverly Junction
  • Cedar Falls
    (10 miles [16.1 km] to the southwest)
  • Tripoli
    (10 miles [16.1 km] to the north)
  • Finchford
    (11 miles [17.7 km] to the west)
    • Finchford is located in Black Hawk County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Finchford
  • Dewar
    (11 miles [17.7 km] to the southeast)
    • Dewar is located in Black Hawk County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Dewar
  • Continue List   (14 more) ...
    • Dunkerton
      (11 miles [17.7 km] to the southeast)
      • Dunkerton is located in Black Hawk County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Dunkerton
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 851 people
    • Seigel
      (11 miles [17.7 km] to the north)
      • Seigel is located in Bremer County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Seigel
    • Waterloo
      (12 miles [19.3 km] to the south)

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

Newspapers Published in the Vicinity of Denver ...

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 121 newspapers that have been published in the area around Denver.

We have organized these newspapers into two lists:

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

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 websites either 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 Denver:

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 Denver, please let us know so that we can improve our accuracy.
<4>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- Denver) to Point B. In other words: 'As the crow flies'.