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 Nora Springs (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 Nora Springs. 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.
Name Variations for Nora Springs ...
When searching records, keep in mind that names and their spelling can change over time. Our sources include documents like maps, railroad schedules, Travel, Express and Shipping Guides. Many of these documents date from the 1800's and it's common to find spelling differences.
For example, a typical abbreviation for Nora Springs: Nora Spgs. (or less commonly used: Nora Spngs. or Nora Sprngs.)
If you have information about these names (such as the reason for the change, date of change, the origin of the name), please Contact Us.
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 northwest corner of their home county. During their lives, most hospitals and doctors were in the next county to the west. 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 west 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.
Nora Springs is primarily located in Floyd County. A portion of Nora Springs extends into Cerro Gordo 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 Floyd County: Bremer, Butler, Cerro Gordo, Chickasaw, Franklin, Howard, Mitchell & Worth.
Below are the counties that are near Nora Springs. For each of these counties, we show a sample of those communities that are closest to Nora Springs:
- Floyd County (The home county of Nora Springs)
- The following are listed by their distance from Nora Springs, with the one closest to Nora Springs listed first.
- Rudd
(5 miles [8 km] to the east)
- Rockford
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the southeast)
- Floyd
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the east)
- Aureola
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the southeast)
- Aureola is located in Floyd County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Aureola
- Roseville
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the southeast)
- Roseville is located in Floyd County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Roseville
- Marble Rock
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the southeast)
- Oakwood
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the southeast)
- Oakwood is located in Floyd County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Oakwood
- Charles City
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the east)
- Colwell
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the east)
- Carrville
(23 miles [37 km] to the east)
- Carrville is located in Floyd County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Carrville
- Butler County
- The following are listed by their distance from Nora Springs, with the one closest to Nora Springs listed first.
- Greene
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the southeast)
- Aredale
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the south)
- Bristow
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the south)
- Bristow is located in Butler County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bristow
- Population from the 2020 Census: 147 people
- Dumont
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the south)
- Allison
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the south)
- Clarksville
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the southeast)
- Cerro Gordo County
- The following are listed by their distance from Nora Springs, with the one closest to Nora Springs listed first.
- Rock Falls
(5 miles [8 km] to the northwest)
- Rock Falls is located in Cerro Gordo County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rock Falls
- Population from the 2020 Census: 146 people
- Portland
(5 miles [8 km] to the west)
- Portland is located in Cerro Gordo County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Portland
- Plymouth Junction
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the northwest)
- Plymouth Junction is located in Cerro Gordo County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Plymouth Junction
- Plymouth
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the northwest)
- Plymouth is located in Cerro Gordo County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Plymouth
- Population from the 2020 Census: 361 people
- Cameron
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the southwest)
- Cameron is located in Cerro Gordo County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cameron
- Mason City Junction
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the west)
- Mason City Junction is located in Cerro Gordo County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mason City Junction
- Mason City
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the west)
- Cartersville
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the south)
- Cartersville is located in Cerro Gordo County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cartersville
- Rockwell
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the southwest)
- Burchinal
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the west)
- Burchinal is located in Cerro Gordo County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Burchinal
- Dougherty
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the south)
- Dougherty is located in Cerro Gordo County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Dougherty
- Population from the 2020 Census: 56 people
- Creamery
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the west)
- Creamery is located in Cerro Gordo County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Creamery
- Chickasaw County
- The following are listed by their distance from Nora Springs, with the one closest to Nora Springs listed first.
- Bassett
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the east)
- Bassett is located in Chickasaw County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bassett
- Population from the 2020 Census: 62 people
- Deerfield
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the east)
- Deerfield is located in Chickasaw County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Deerfield
- Chickasaw
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the east)
- Chickasaw is located in Chickasaw County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Chickasaw
- Nashua
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the southeast)
- Ionia
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the east)
- Bradford
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the southeast)
- Bradford is located in Chickasaw County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bradford
- North Washington
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the east)
- North Washington is located in Chickasaw County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for North Washington
- Population from the 2020 Census: 137 people
- Alta Vista
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the east)
- Franklin County
- The following are listed by their distance from Nora Springs, with the one closest to Nora Springs listed first.
- Sheffield
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the southwest)
- Sheffield is located in Franklin County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sheffield
- Population from the 2020 Census: 1,096 people
- Chapin
(23 miles [37 km] to the southwest)
- Chapin is located in Franklin County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Chapin
- Hansell
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the south)
- Hampton
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the south)
- Hancock County
- Garner
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the west)
- Howard County
- The following are listed by their distance from Nora Springs, with the one closest to Nora Springs listed first.
- Riceville
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the northeast)
- Elma
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the east)
- Mitchell County
- The following are listed by their distance from Nora Springs, with the one closest to Nora Springs listed first.
- Rock Creek
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the northeast)
- Rock Creek is located in Mitchell County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rock Creek
- Mitchell
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the northeast)
- Mitchell is located in Mitchell County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mitchell
- Population from the 2020 Census: 128 people
- Orchard
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the northeast)
- Orchard is located in Mitchell County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Orchard
- Population from the 2020 Census: 71 people
- Osage
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the northeast)
- Saint Ansgar
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the north)
- Carpenter
(18 miles [29 km] to the north)
- Carpenter is located in Mitchell County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Carpenter
- Population from the 2020 Census: 108 people
- New Haven
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the northeast)
- New Haven is located in Mitchell County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for New Haven
- Toeterville
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the north)
- Little Cedar
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the northeast)
- Little Cedar is located in Mitchell County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Little Cedar
- Stacyville
(23 miles [37 km] to the northeast)
- Stacyville is located in Mitchell County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Stacyville
- Population from the 2020 Census: 466 people
- Meyer
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the northeast)
- Meyer is located in Mitchell County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Meyer
- McIntire
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the northeast)
- McIntire is located in Mitchell County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for McIntire
- Population from the 2020 Census: 127 people
- Worth County
- The following are listed by their distance from Nora Springs, with the one closest to Nora Springs listed first.
- Grafton
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the north)
- Manly
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the northwest)
- Bolan
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the north)
- Bolan is located in Worth County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bolan
- Kensett
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the northwest)
- Kensett is located in Worth County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Kensett
- Population from the 2020 Census: 249 people
- Hanlontown
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the northwest)
- Hanlontown is located in Worth County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hanlontown
- Population from the 2020 Census: 220 people
- Fertile
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the west)
- Northwood
(23 miles [37 km] to the northwest)
- Joice
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the northwest)
- Joice is located in Worth County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Joice
- Population from the 2020 Census: 209 people
- Bristol
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the northwest)
- Bristol is located in Worth County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bristol
- Silver Lake
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the northwest)
- Silver Lake is located in Worth County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Silver Lake
- Freeborn County (MN)
- The following are listed by their distance from Nora Springs, with the one closest to Nora Springs listed first.
- London
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the north)
- London is located in Freeborn County (MN)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for London
- Myrtle
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the north)
- Myrtle is located in Freeborn County (MN)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Myrtle
- Population from the 2020 Census: 46 people
- Mower County (MN)
- The following are listed by their distance from Nora Springs, with the one closest to Nora Springs listed first.
- Lyle
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the north)
- Johnsburg
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the northeast)
- Johnsburg is located in Mower County (MN)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Johnsburg
For an expanded list of the communities that are closest to Nora Springs, see our County-by-County Page for Nora Springs.
Cemeteries Near Nora Springs ...
Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of Nora Springs.
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 Nora Springs - one of the links might be able to help.
If not found below, our Cemetery List for Nora Springs covers a larger area, with the cemeteries listed in alphabetical order.
The following cemeteries are listed based on their distance from Nora Springs, with the one closest to Nora Springs listed first.
- Park Cemetery
(Less than 2 miles to the east)
- Rock Grove Twp. Cemetery
(Less than 2 miles to the southeast)
- Spring Grove Cemetery
(Less than 2 miles to the northwest)
- Evergreen Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the east)
- Oscar Peterson Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the northeast)
- Owen's Grove Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the southwest)
- Rockford Riverside Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the southeast)
- Eden Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the northeast)
- West End Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the northeast)
- Rock Falls Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the northwest)
- Rudd Twp. Cemetery
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the southeast)
- Rock Creek Evangelical Lutheran Cemetery
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the northeast)
- Continue List (173 more) ...
- Dudley Cemetery
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the northeast)
- Schmidt Cemetery
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the north)
- Oakwood Cemetery
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the northwest)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Oakwood Cemetery
- To give a relative sense of its location, the Oakwood Cemetery is a large cemetery that is located outside and to the north of Plymouth.
- Jump to Find-A-Grave: FG ID #95696 <2>
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 Nora Springs had a population of 846 people in 1895 with a post office and railroad service. In 2020, Nora Springs had a population of 1,342 people.
These communities are listed based on their distance from Nora Springs, with the one closest to Nora Springs listed first.
- Portland
(5 miles [8 km] to the west)
- Portland is located in Cerro Gordo County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Portland
- Rudd
(5 miles [8 km] to the east)
- Rock Falls
(5 miles [8 km] to the northwest)
- Rock Falls is located in Cerro Gordo County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rock Falls
- Population from the 2020 Census: 146 people
- Rockford
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the southeast)
- Rock Creek
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the northeast)
- Rock Creek is located in Mitchell County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rock Creek
- Plymouth Junction
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the northwest)
- Plymouth Junction is located in Cerro Gordo County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Plymouth Junction
- Mason City Junction
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the west)
- Mason City Junction is located in Cerro Gordo County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mason City Junction
- Cameron
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the southwest)
- Cameron is located in Cerro Gordo County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cameron
- Plymouth
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the northwest)
- Plymouth is located in Cerro Gordo County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Plymouth
- Population from the 2020 Census: 361 people
- Mason City
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the west)
- Grafton
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the north)
- Floyd Crossing
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the east)
- Floyd Crossing is located in Floyd County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Floyd Crossing
- Continue List (14 more) ...
- Floyd
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the east)
- Orchard
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the northeast)
- Orchard is located in Mitchell County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Orchard
- Population from the 2020 Census: 71 people
- Osage
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the northeast)
We've also created an expanded list of communities that existed in the 1890's and were located in the area around Nora Springs. See our List of 1890's Communities around Nora Springs.
Newspapers Published in the Vicinity of Nora Springs ...
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 85 newspapers that have been published in the area around Nora Springs.
We have organized these newspapers into two lists:
- A Local Newspaper List - focusing on the papers published in the immediate area of Nora Springs. There are actually two parts to this list - papers printed in the immediate area of Nora Springs and those printed in the larger area surrounding Nora Springs.
- An Extended Newspaper List - a longer list, sorted by paper name and containing those papers published within 30 miles [48.3 km]<4> of Nora Springs.
Websites to Help With Your Genealogy Research ...
When we do our genealogical research, we first visit the websites from Cyndi's List, FamilySearch and Genealogy Trails. These professional and volunteer 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 Nora Springs:
- Websites specific to Iowa
- Pages specific to Floyd County
- Genealogy information for nearby counties
- Butler County
- Cerro Gordo County
- Chickasaw County
- Franklin County
- Hancock County
- Howard County
- Mitchell County
- Worth County
- Freeborn County
- Mower 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 Nora Springs, 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 drawn from Point A (ie- Nora Springs) to Point B. In other words: 'As the crow flies'. |