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 Helena (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 Helena. 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 and doctors 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.
Helena is located in Tama 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 Tama County: Benton, Black Hawk, Grundy, Iowa, Jasper, Marshall & Poweshiek.
Below are the counties that are near Helena. For each of these counties, we show a sample of those communities that are closest to Helena:
- Tama County (The home county of Helena)
- The following are listed by their distance from Helena, with the one closest to Helena listed first.
- Long Point
(Less than 2 miles to the north)
- Long Point is located in Tama County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Long Point
- Gladstone
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the north)
- Gladstone is located in Tama County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Gladstone
- Chelsea
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the east)
- Vining
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the northeast)
- Vining is located in Tama County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Vining
- Population from the 2020 Census: 49 people
- Tama
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the northwest)
- Toledo
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the northwest)
- Elberon
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the northeast)
- Clutier
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the north)
- Montour
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the west)
- Garwin
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the northwest)
- Garwin is located in Tama County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Garwin
- Population from the 2020 Census: 490 people
- Traer
(18 miles [29 km] to the north)
- Dysart
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the northeast)
- Benton County
- The following are listed by their distance from Helena, with the one closest to Helena listed first.
- Irving
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the east)
- Irving is located in Benton County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Irving
- Belle Plaine
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the east)
- Keystone
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the east)
- Luzerne
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the east)
- Luzerne is located in Benton County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Luzerne
- Population from the 2020 Census: 92 people
- Blairstown
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the east)
- Van Horne
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the east)
- Van Horne is located in Benton County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Van Horne
- Population from the 2020 Census: 646 people
- Garrison
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the northeast)
- Garrison is located in Benton County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Garrison
- Population from the 2020 Census: 355 people
- Watkins
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the east)
- Watkins is located in Benton County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Watkins
- Newhall
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the east)
- Norway
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the east)
- Vinton
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the northeast)
- Mount Auburn
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the northeast)
- Mount Auburn is located in Benton County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mount Auburn
- Population from the 2020 Census: 144 people
- Black Hawk County
- The following are listed by their distance from Helena, with the one closest to Helena listed first.
- Blessing
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the north)
- Blessing is located in Black Hawk County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Blessing
- Voorhies
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the north)
- Voorhies is located in Black Hawk County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Voorhies
- Eagle Center
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the north)
- Eagle Center is located in Black Hawk County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Eagle Center
- La Porte City
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the northeast)
- Grundy County
- The following are listed by their distance from Helena, with the one closest to Helena listed first.
- Beaman
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the northwest)
- Beaman is located in Grundy County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Beaman
- Population from the 2020 Census: 183 people
- Reinbeck
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the north)
- Conrad
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the northwest)
- Morrison
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the north)
- Iowa County
- The following are listed by their distance from Helena, with the one closest to Helena listed first.
- Dayton
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the east)
- Dayton is located in Iowa County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Dayton
- Ladora
(18 miles [29 km] to the southeast)
- Marengo
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the east)
- South Amana
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the east)
- West Amana
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the east)
- West Amana is located in Iowa County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for West Amana
- Conroy
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the southeast)
- Conroy is located in Iowa County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Conroy
- Millersburg
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the southeast)
- Millersburg is located in Iowa County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Millersburg
- Population from the 2020 Census: 139 people
- Ambrose
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the southeast)
- Ambrose is located in Iowa County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ambrose
- Williamsburg
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the southeast)
- Middle Amana
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the east)
- Jasper County
- The following are listed by their distance from Helena, with the one closest to Helena listed first.
- Newburg
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the southwest)
- Newburg is located in Jasper County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Newburg
- Oakland Acres
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the southwest)
- Oakland Acres is located in Jasper County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Oakland Acres
- Population from the 2020 Census: 161 people
- Kellogg
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the southwest)
- Lynnville
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the southwest)
- Killduff
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the southwest)
- Killduff is located in Jasper County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Killduff
- Sully
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the southwest)
- Keokuk County
- Gibson
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the south)
- Gibson is located in Keokuk County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Gibson
- Population from the 2020 Census: 59 people
- Mahaska County
- Barnes City
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the south)
- Marshall County
- The following are listed by their distance from Helena, with the one closest to Helena listed first.
- Dunbar
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the west)
- Dunbar is located in Marshall County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Dunbar
- Gilman
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the west)
- Gilman is located in Marshall County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Gilman
- Population from the 2020 Census: 484 people
- Le Grand
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the west)
- Dillon
(18 miles [29 km] to the west)
- Dillon is located in Marshall County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Dillon
- Ferguson
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the west)
- Ferguson is located in Marshall County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ferguson
- Population from the 2020 Census: 122 people
- Green Mountain
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the northwest)
- Green Mountain is located in Marshall County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Green Mountain
- Laurel
(23 miles [37 km] to the west)
- Laurel is located in Marshall County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Laurel
- Population from the 2020 Census: 234 people
- Marshalltown
(23 miles [37 km] to the west)
- Haverhill
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the west)
- Luray
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the west)
- Luray is located in Marshall County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Luray
- Albion
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the northwest)
- LaMoille
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the west)
- LaMoille is located in Marshall County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for LaMoille
- Poweshiek County
- The following are listed by their distance from Helena, with the one closest to Helena listed first.
- Sheridan
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the southwest)
- Sheridan is located in Poweshiek County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sheridan
- Hartwick
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the southeast)
- Hartwick is located in Poweshiek County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hartwick
- Population from the 2020 Census: 81 people
- Brooklyn
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the south)
- Malcom
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the south)
- Victor
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the southeast)
- Grinnell
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the southwest)
- Guernsey
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the south)
- Montezuma
(23 miles [37 km] to the south)
- Deep River
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the south)
- Deep River is located in Poweshiek County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Deep River
- Population from the 2020 Census: 268 people
- Searsboro
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the southwest)
- Searsboro is located in Poweshiek County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Searsboro
- Population from the 2020 Census: 145 people
- Tilton
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the south)
- Tilton is located in Poweshiek County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Tilton
For an expanded list of the communities that are closest to Helena, see our County-by-County Page for Helena.
Cemeteries Near Helena ...
Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of Helena.
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 Helena - one of the links might be able to help.
If not found below, our Cemetery List for Helena covers a larger area, with the cemeteries listed in alphabetical order.
The following cemeteries are listed based on their distance from Helena, with the one closest to Helena listed first.
- Helena Cemetery
(Less than 2 miles to the west)
- Haven Cemetery
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the south)
- Day Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the southeast)
- Walz Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the west)
- Grandview Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the west)
- Rector Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the southeast)
- Wilkinson Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the southeast)
- IOOF Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the east)
- St. Josephs Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the east)
- Hayes Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the north)
- Flatters Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the east)
- Walton Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the east)
- Continue List (268 more) ...
- Stayskal Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the northeast)
- Oakhill Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the northwest)
- Squires Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the southeast)
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 Helena had a population of 72 people in 1895 with a post office and no railroad service.
These communities are listed based on their distance from Helena, with the one closest to Helena listed first.
- Long Point
(Less than 2 miles to the north)
- Long Point is located in Tama County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Long Point
- Haven
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the south)
- Haven is located in Tama County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Haven
- Gladstone
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the north)
- Gladstone is located in Tama County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Gladstone
- Chelsea
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the east)
- Vining
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the northeast)
- Vining is located in Tama County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Vining
- Population from the 2020 Census: 49 people
- Tama
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the northwest)
- Toledo
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the northwest)
- Sheridan
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the southwest)
- Sheridan is located in Poweshiek County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sheridan
- Irving
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the east)
- Irving is located in Benton County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Irving
- Belle Plaine
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the east)
- Potter
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the west)
- Potter is located in Tama County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Potter
- Hartwick
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the southeast)
- Hartwick is located in Poweshiek County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hartwick
- Population from the 2020 Census: 81 people
- Continue List (14 more) ...
- Brooklyn
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the south)
- Montour
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the west)
- Malcom
(15 miles [24.1 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 Helena. See our List of 1890's Communities around Helena.
Newspapers Published in Helena ...
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 167 newspapers that have been published in the area around Helena.
Although we're unaware of any newspapers that were published in the immediate area of Helena, 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 Helena.
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 Helena:
- Websites specific to Iowa
- Pages specific to Tama County
- Genealogy information for nearby counties
- Benton County
- Black Hawk County
- Grundy County
- Iowa County
- Jasper County
- Keokuk County
- Mahaska County
- Marshall County
- Poweshiek 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 Helena, 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 from Point A (ie- Helena) to Point B. In other words: 'As the crow flies'. |