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 Twin 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 Twin 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 Twin 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 Twin Springs: Twin Spgs. (or less commonly used: Twin Spngs. or Twin Sprngs.)
You might be interested in other communities that are also named Twin Springs. More information can be found on our Tidbits & Trivia Page for Twin Springs.
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 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.
Twin Springs is located in Winneshiek 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 Winneshiek County: Allamakee, Chickasaw, Clayton, Fayette, Howard, Fillmore (MN) & Houston (MN).
Below are the counties that are near Twin Springs. For each of these counties, we show a sample of those communities that are closest to Twin Springs:
- Winneshiek County (The home county of Twin Springs)
- The following are listed by their distance from Twin Springs, with the one closest to Twin Springs listed first.
- Festina
(Less than 2 miles to the southwest)
- Calmar
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the north)
- Fort Atkinson
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the west)
- Ossian
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the east)
- Spillville
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the northwest)
- Castalia
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the east)
- Castalia is also located in Winneshiek County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Castalia
- Population from the 2020 Census: 156 people
- Jackson Junction
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the west)
- Jackson Junction is also located in Winneshiek County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Jackson Junction
- Population from the 2020 Census: 54 people
- Navan
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the west)
- Navan is also located in Winneshiek County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Navan
- Frankville
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the east)
- Frankville is also located in Winneshiek County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Frankville
- Decorah
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the north)
- Ridgeway
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the northwest)
- Bluffton
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the north)
- Bluffton is also located in Winneshiek County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bluffton
- Allamakee County
- The following are listed by their distance from Twin Springs, with the one closest to Twin Springs listed first.
- Postville
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the east)
- Waukon
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the northeast)
- Rossville
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the east)
- Rossville is located in Allamakee County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rossville
- Volney
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the east)
- Volney is located in Allamakee County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Volney
- Quandahl
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the northeast)
- Quandahl is located in Allamakee County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Quandahl
- Lycurgus
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the northeast)
- Lycurgus is located in Allamakee County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lycurgus
- Elon
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the east)
- Elon is located in Allamakee County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Elon
- Waterville
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the east)
- Waterville is located in Allamakee County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Waterville
- Population from the 2020 Census: 142 people
- Dorchester
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the northeast)
- Dalby
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the east)
- Dalby is located in Allamakee County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Dalby
- Ion
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the east)
- Ion is located in Allamakee County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ion
- Bremer County
- The following are listed by their distance from Twin Springs, with the one closest to Twin Springs listed first.
- Sumner
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the southwest)
- Frederika
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the southwest)
- Frederika is located in Bremer County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Frederika
- Population from the 2020 Census: 205 people
- Tripoli
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the southwest)
- Chickasaw County
- The following are listed by their distance from Twin Springs, with the one closest to Twin Springs listed first.
- Lawler
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the west)
- Fredericksburg
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the southwest)
- Jerico
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the west)
- Jerico is located in Chickasaw County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Jerico
- New Hampton
(23 miles [37 km] to the west)
- Alta Vista
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the west)
- North Washington
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the west)
- North Washington is located in Chickasaw County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for North Washington
- Population from the 2020 Census: 137 people
- Republic
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the southwest)
- Republic is located in Chickasaw County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Republic
- Ionia
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the west)
- Clayton County
- The following are listed by their distance from Twin Springs, with the one closest to Twin Springs listed first.
- Hardin
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the east)
- Hardin is located in Clayton County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hardin
- Luana
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the east)
- Gunder
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the southeast)
- Gunder is located in Clayton County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Gunder
- Monona
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the east)
- Watson
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the east)
- Watson is located in Clayton County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Watson
- Farmersburg
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the southeast)
- Farmersburg is located in Clayton County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Farmersburg
- Population from the 2020 Census: 264 people
- Saint Olaf
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the southeast)
- Volga
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the southeast)
- Volga is located in Clayton County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Volga
- Population from the 2020 Census: 193 people
- Beulah
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the east)
- Beulah is located in Clayton County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Beulah
- Elkader
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the southeast)
- Fayette County
- The following are listed by their distance from Twin Springs, with the one closest to Twin Springs listed first.
- Saint Lucas
(5 miles [8 km] to the southwest)
- Saint Lucas is located in Fayette County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Saint Lucas
- Population from the 2020 Census: 134 people
- Douglass
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the south)
- Douglass is located in Fayette County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Douglass
- Waucoma
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the southwest)
- West Union
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the south)
- Hawkeye
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the south)
- Hawkeye is located in Fayette County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hawkeye
- Population from the 2020 Census: 399 people
- Clermont
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the southeast)
- Alpha
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the southwest)
- Alpha is located in Fayette County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Alpha
- Donnan
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the south)
- Donnan is located in Fayette County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Donnan
- Brainard
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the southeast)
- Brainard is located in Fayette County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Brainard
- Elgin
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the southeast)
- Randalia
(18 miles [29 km] to the south)
- Randalia is located in Fayette County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Randalia
- Population from the 2020 Census: 60 people
- Fayette
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the south)
- Howard County
- The following are listed by their distance from Twin Springs, with the one closest to Twin Springs listed first.
- Protivin
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the northwest)
- Vernon Springs
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the northwest)
- Vernon Springs is located in Howard County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Vernon Springs
- Cresco
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the northwest)
- Davis Corners
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the northwest)
- Davis Corners is located in Howard County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Davis Corners
- Florenceville
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the northwest)
- Florenceville is located in Howard County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Florenceville
- Lime Springs
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the northwest)
- Elma
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the west)
- Fillmore County (MN)
- The following are listed by their distance from Twin Springs, with the one closest to Twin Springs listed first.
- Mabel
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the north)
- Canton
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the north)
- Granger
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the northwest)
- Granger is located in Fillmore County (MN)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Granger
- Harmony
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the north)
- Newburg
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the north)
- Newburg is located in Fillmore County (MN)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Newburg
- Houston County (MN)
- Bee
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the northeast)
- Bee is located in Houston County (MN)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bee
For an expanded list of the communities that are closest to Twin Springs, see our County-by-County Page for Twin Springs.
Cemeteries Near Twin Springs ...
Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of Twin 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 Twin Springs - one of the links might be able to help.
If not found below, our Cemetery List for Twin Springs covers a larger area, with the cemeteries listed in alphabetical order.
The following cemeteries are listed based on their distance from Twin Springs, with the one closest to Twin Springs listed first.
- St. Marys Cemetery
(Less than 2 miles to the southwest)
- Smallest Church Cemetery
(Less than 2 miles to the southwest)
- Young Cemetery
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the west)
- St. Anthonys Cemetery
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the southwest)
- Calmar Community Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the north)
- Auburn Twp. Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the south)
- Dover Twp. Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the south)
- St. Aloysius Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the north)
- St. Johns Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the west)
- Oak Hill Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the west)
- St. Peter Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the south)
- Bethany Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the southeast)
- Continue List (309 more) ...
- Stavanger Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the east)
- Ossian Community Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the east)
- St. Peters Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the west)
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>
While we didn't find Twin Springs in the Atlas, the following 1895 communities would have been found near the current location of Twin Springs.
These communities are listed based on their distance from Twin Springs, with the one closest to Twin Springs listed first.
- Festina
(Less than 2 miles to the southwest)
- Calmar
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the north)
- Fort Atkinson
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the west)
- Ossian
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the east)
- Saint Lucas
(5 miles [8 km] to the southwest)
- Saint Lucas is located in Fayette County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Saint Lucas
- Population from the 2020 Census: 134 people
- Eldorado
(5 miles [8 km] to the south)
- Eldorado is located in Fayette County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Eldorado
- Conover
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the north)
- Conover is also located in Winneshiek County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Conover
- Spillville
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the northwest)
- Douglass
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the south)
- Douglass is located in Fayette County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Douglass
- Nordness
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the northeast)
- Nordness is also located in Winneshiek County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Nordness
- Dover Mills
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the southeast)
- Dover Mills is located in Fayette County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Dover Mills
- Castalia
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the east)
- Castalia is also located in Winneshiek County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Castalia
- Population from the 2020 Census: 156 people
- Continue List (13 more) ...
- Jackson Junction
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the west)
- Jackson Junction is also located in Winneshiek County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Jackson Junction
- Population from the 2020 Census: 54 people
- Navan
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the west)
- Navan is also located in Winneshiek County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Navan
- Waucoma
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the southwest)
We've also created an expanded list of communities that existed in the 1890's and were located in the area around Twin Springs. See our List of 1890's Communities around Twin Springs.
Newspapers Published in Twin 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 136 newspapers that have been published in the area around Twin Springs.
Although we're unaware of any newspapers that were published in the immediate area of Twin Springs, 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 Twin Springs.
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 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 Twin Springs:
- Websites specific to Iowa
- Pages specific to Winneshiek County
- Genealogy information for nearby counties
- Allamakee County
- Bremer County
- Chickasaw County
- Clayton County
- Fayette County
- Howard County
- Fillmore County
- Houston 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 Twin Springs, 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- Twin Springs) to Point B. In other words: 'As the crow flies'. |