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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 Moorhead (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 Moorhead. 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.

Moorhead is located in Monona 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 Monona County: Crawford, Harrison, Woodbury, Burt (NE) & Thurston (NE).

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

  • Monona County     (The home county of Moorhead)
    • The following are listed by their distance from Moorhead, with the one closest to Moorhead listed first.
    • Soldier
      (5 miles [8 km] to the northeast)
    • Turin
      (8 miles [12.9 km] to the northwest)
    • Castana
      (10 miles [16.1 km] to the north)
    • Ute
      (11 miles [17.7 km] to the northeast)
      • Ute is located in Monona County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ute
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 337 people
      • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Ute <1>
    • Blencoe
      (11 miles [17.7 km] to the west)
      • Blencoe is located in Monona County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Blencoe
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 196 people
    • Onawa
      (14 miles [22.5 km] to the northwest)
    • Mapleton
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the north)
    • Rodney
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the north)
      • Rodney is located in Monona County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rodney
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 57 people
    • Whiting
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the northwest)
    • Albaton
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the northwest)
      • Albaton is located in Monona County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Albaton
  • Crawford County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Moorhead, with the one closest to Moorhead listed first.
    • Charter Oak
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the northeast)
    • Bell
      (18 miles [29 km] to the east)
      • Bell is located in Crawford County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bell
    • Dow City
      (18 miles [29 km] to the east)
    • Kenwood
      (18 miles [29 km] to the east)
      • Kenwood is located in Crawford County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Kenwood
    • Ricketts
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the northeast)
      • Ricketts is located in Crawford County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ricketts
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 135 people
    • Arion
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the east)
      • Arion is located in Crawford County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Arion
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 107 people
    • Buck Grove
      (23 miles [37 km] to the east)
      • Buck Grove is located in Crawford County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Buck Grove
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 43 people
    • Sunset Village
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the east)
      • Sunset Village is located in Crawford County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sunset Village
    • Denison
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the east)
    • Schleswig
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the northeast)
    • Deloit
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the northeast)
      • Deloit is located in Crawford County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Deloit
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 254 people
    • Astor
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the east)
      • Astor is located in Crawford County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Astor
  • Harrison County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Moorhead, with the one closest to Moorhead listed first.
    • Pisgah
      (7 miles [11.3 km] to the southwest)
    • Little Sioux
      (12 miles [19.3 km] to the southwest)
    • Orson
      (12 miles [19.3 km] to the southwest)
      • Orson is located in Harrison County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Orson
    • Dunlap
      (13 miles [20.9 km] to the east)
    • Woodbine
      (15 miles [24.1 km] to the southeast)
    • Magnolia
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the south)
      • Magnolia is located in Harrison County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Magnolia
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 170 people
    • Mondamin
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the southwest)
    • Logan
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the south)
      • Logan is located in Harrison County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Logan
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 1,403 people
      • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Logan <1>
    • Modale
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the south)
    • Missouri Valley
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the south)
    • California Junction
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the south)
      • California Junction is located in Harrison County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for California Junction
    • Persia
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the southeast)
      • Persia is located in Harrison County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Persia
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 281 people
  • Ida County
    • Battle Creek
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the northeast)
  • Pottawattamie County
    • Loveland
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the south)
      • Loveland is located in Pottawattamie County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Loveland
  • Shelby County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Moorhead, with the one closest to Moorhead listed first.
    • Panama
      (23 miles [37 km] to the southeast)
    • Earling
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the southeast)
      • Earling is located in Shelby County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Earling
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 403 people
    • Portsmouth
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the southeast)
    • Defiance
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the east)
      • Defiance is located in Shelby County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Defiance
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 260 people
    • Westphalia
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the southeast)
      • Westphalia is located in Shelby County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Westphalia
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 117 people
  • Woodbury County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Moorhead, with the one closest to Moorhead listed first.
    • Smithland
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the north)
    • Danbury
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the north)
    • Oto
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the north)
      • Oto is located in Woodbury County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Oto
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 101 people
    • Hornick
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the northwest)
      • Hornick is located in Woodbury County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hornick
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 210 people
    • Sloan
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the northwest)
  • Burt County (NE)
    • The following are listed by their distance from Moorhead, with the one closest to Moorhead listed first.
    • Tekamah
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the southwest)
    • Decatur
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the west)
    • Bertha
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the west)
      • Bertha is located in Burt County (NE)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bertha
    • Craig
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the west)
      • Craig is located in Burt County (NE)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Craig
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 188 people
      • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Craig <1>
  • Thurston County (NE)
    • Macy
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the northwest)
  • Washington County (NE)
    • The following are listed by their distance from Moorhead, with the one closest to Moorhead listed first.
    • Herman
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the southwest)
      • Herman is located in Washington County (NE)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Herman
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 272 people
      • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Herman <1>
    • Blair
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the southwest)
      • Blair is located in Washington County (NE)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Blair
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 7,948 people
      • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Blair <1>

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

Cemeteries Near Moorhead ...

Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of Moorhead.

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

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

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

  • Spring Valley Cemetery
    (Less than 2 miles to the southeast)
  • Bethesda Cemetery
    (3 miles [4.8 km] to the west)
  • Preparation Canyon Cemetery
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the southwest)
  • Soldier Cemetery
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the northeast)
  • Jordan Cemetery
    (5 miles [8 km] to the north)
  • Belvidere Cemetery
    (6 miles [9.7 km] to the northwest)
  • Putman Cemetery
    (8 miles [12.9 km] to the northeast)
  • Bisbee Cemetery
    (8 miles [12.9 km] to the northwest)
  • Cleveland Cemetery
    (9 miles [14.5 km] to the southeast)
  • Fountainbleau Cemetery
    (10 miles [16.1 km] to the southwest)
  • Soldier Valley Cemetery
    (10 miles [16.1 km] to the southwest)
  • Kennebec Cemetery
    (10 miles [16.1 km] to the north)
  • Continue List   (116 more) ...
    • Conyers Cemetery
      (11 miles [17.7 km] to the southwest)
    • Little Sioux Cemetery
      (11 miles [17.7 km] to the southwest)
    • Hodges Cemetery
      (11 miles [17.7 km] to the south)

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 Moorhead had a population of 35 people in 1895 with a post office and no railroad service. In 2020, Moorhead had a population of 202 people.

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

  • Soldier
    (5 miles [8 km] to the northeast)
  • Turin
    (8 miles [12.9 km] to the northwest)
  • Castana
    (10 miles [16.1 km] to the north)
  • Ute
    (11 miles [17.7 km] to the northeast)
    • Ute is located in Monona County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ute
    • Population from the 2020 Census: 337 people
    • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Ute <1>
  • Blencoe
    (11 miles [17.7 km] to the west)
    • Blencoe is located in Monona County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Blencoe
    • Population from the 2020 Census: 196 people
  • River Sioux
    (12 miles [19.3 km] to the southwest)
    • River Sioux is located in Harrison County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for River Sioux
  • Little Sioux
    (12 miles [19.3 km] to the southwest)
  • Dunlap
    (13 miles [20.9 km] to the east)
  • Onawa
    (14 miles [22.5 km] to the northwest)
  • Woodbine
    (15 miles [24.1 km] to the southeast)
  • Magnolia
    (16 miles [25.7 km] to the south)
    • Magnolia is located in Harrison County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Magnolia
    • Population from the 2020 Census: 170 people
  • Charter Oak
    (16 miles [25.7 km] to the northeast)
  • Continue List   (16 more) ...
    • Mondamin
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the southwest)
    • Ticonic
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the north)
      • Ticonic is located in Monona County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ticonic
    • Manteno
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the east)
      • Manteno is located in Shelby County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Manteno

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

Newspapers Published in the Vicinity of Moorhead ...

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 106 newspapers that have been published in the area around Moorhead.

We have organized these newspapers into two lists:

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

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 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 Moorhead:

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 Moorhead, 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 obstructions like rivers, canyons, lakes, et cetera - it's truly a line drawn from Point A (ie- Moorhead) to Point B. In other words: 'As the crow flies'.