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 Urbandale (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 Urbandale. 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 northeast corner of their home county. During their lives, most doctors and hospitals were in the next county to the east. 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 east 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.
Urbandale is primarily located in Polk County. A portion of Urbandale extends into Dallas 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 Polk County: Boone, Dallas, Jasper, Madison, Marion, Story & Warren.
Below are the counties that are near Urbandale. For each of these counties, we show a sample of those communities that are closest to Urbandale:
- Polk County (The home county of Urbandale)
- The following are listed by their distance from Urbandale, with the one closest to Urbandale listed first.
- Clive
(Less than 2 miles to the southwest)
- Grimes
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the north)
- Johnston
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the northeast)
- Windsor Heights
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the southeast)
- West Des Moines
(5 miles [8 km] to the south)
- Herrold
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the north)
- Herrold is located in Polk County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Herrold
- Commerce
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the south)
- Commerce is located in Polk County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Commerce
- Des Moines
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the east)
- Saylorville
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the east)
- Saylorville is located in Polk County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Saylorville
- Andrews
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the north)
- Andrews is located in Polk County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Andrews
- Carney
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the east)
- Carney is located in Polk County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Carney
- Marquisville
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the east)
- Marquisville is located in Polk County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Marquisville
- Boone County
- The following are listed by their distance from Urbandale, with the one closest to Urbandale listed first.
- Madrid
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the north)
- Luther
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the north)
- Luther is located in Boone County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Luther
- Population from the 2020 Census: 133 people
- Moingona
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the north)
- Moingona is located in Boone County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Moingona
- Berkley
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the northwest)
- Berkley is located in Boone County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Berkley
- Population from the 2020 Census: 33 people
- Jordan
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the north)
- Jordan is located in Boone County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Jordan
- Boone
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the north)
- Ogden
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the northwest)
- Dallas County
- The following are listed by their distance from Urbandale, with the one closest to Urbandale listed first.
- Waukee
(5 miles [8 km] to the west)
- Granger
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the north)
- Booneville
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the southwest)
- Dallas Center
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the west)
- Van Meter
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the southwest)
- Adel
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the west)
- High Bridge
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the north)
- High Bridge is located in Dallas County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for High Bridge
- DeSoto
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the southwest)
- Minburn
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the northwest)
- Minburn is located in Dallas County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Minburn
- Population from the 2020 Census: 357 people
- Xenia
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the north)
- Xenia is located in Dallas County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Xenia
- Woodward
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the northwest)
- Panther
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the west)
- Panther is located in Dallas County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Panther
- Greene County
- Rippey
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the northwest)
- Rippey is located in Greene County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rippey
- Population from the 2020 Census: 269 people
- Guthrie County
- The following are listed by their distance from Urbandale, with the one closest to Urbandale listed first.
- Dale
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the west)
- Dale is located in Guthrie County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Dale
- Stuart
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the west)
- Jamaica
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the northwest)
- Panora
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the west)
- Jasper County
- The following are listed by their distance from Urbandale, with the one closest to Urbandale listed first.
- Valeria
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the east)
- Valeria is located in Jasper County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Valeria
- Population from the 2020 Census: 58 people
- Oswalt
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the east)
- Oswalt is located in Jasper County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Oswalt
- Vandalia
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the east)
- Vandalia is located in Jasper County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Vandalia
- Colfax
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the east)
- Green Castle
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the east)
- Green Castle is located in Jasper County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Green Castle
- Mingo
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the east)
- Prairie City
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the east)
- Goddard
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the east)
- Goddard is located in Jasper County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Goddard
- Clyde
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the northeast)
- Clyde is located in Jasper County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Clyde
- Madison County
- The following are listed by their distance from Urbandale, with the one closest to Urbandale listed first.
- Patterson
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the south)
- Patterson is located in Madison County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Patterson
- Population from the 2020 Census: 163 people
- Earlham
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the southwest)
- Saint Charles
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the south)
- Winterset
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the southwest)
- Pitzer
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the southwest)
- Pitzer is located in Madison County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Pitzer
- East Peru
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the south)
- East Peru is located in Madison County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for East Peru
- Population from the 2020 Census: 133 people
- Truro
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the south)
- Ord
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the southwest)
- Ord is located in Madison County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ord
- Marion County
- The following are listed by their distance from Urbandale, with the one closest to Urbandale listed first.
- Swan
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the southeast)
- Swan is located in Marion County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Swan
- Population from the 2020 Census: 74 people
- Percy ‑ Historic
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the east)
- Percy is located in Marion County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Percy
- Story County
- The following are listed by their distance from Urbandale, with the one closest to Urbandale listed first.
- Slater
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the north)
- Huxley
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the northeast)
- Midvale
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the northeast)
- Midvale is located in Story County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Midvale
- Kelley
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the north)
- Cambridge
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the northeast)
- Maxwell
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the northeast)
- Ames
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the north)
- Ontario
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the north)
- Ontario is located in Story County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ontario
- Iowa Center
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the northeast)
- Iowa Center is located in Story County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Iowa Center
- Shipley
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the northeast)
- Shipley is located in Story County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Shipley
- Collins
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the northeast)
- Collins is located in Story County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Collins
- Population from the 2020 Census: 472 people
- Warren County
- The following are listed by their distance from Urbandale, with the one closest to Urbandale listed first.
- Orillia
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the south)
- Orillia is located in Warren County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Orillia
- Cumming
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the south)
- Lakewood
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the southeast)
- Lakewood is located in Warren County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lakewood
- Churchville
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the south)
- Churchville is located in Warren County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Churchville
- Prole
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the south)
- Prole is located in Warren County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Prole
- Spring Hill
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the southeast)
- Spring Hill is located in Warren County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Spring Hill
- Population from the 2020 Census: 65 people
- Martensdale
(18 miles [29 km] to the south)
- Bevington
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the south)
- Saint Marys
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the south)
- Saint Marys is located in Warren County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Saint Marys
- Population from the 2020 Census: 127 people
- Hartford
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the southeast)
- Indianola
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the southeast)
- Palmyra
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the southeast)
- Palmyra is located in Warren County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Palmyra
For an expanded list of the communities that are closest to Urbandale, see our County-by-County Page for Urbandale.
Cemeteries Near Urbandale ...
Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of Urbandale.
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 Urbandale - one of the links might be able to help.
If not found below, our Cemetery List for Urbandale covers a larger area, with the cemeteries listed in alphabetical order.
The following cemeteries are listed based on their distance from Urbandale, with the one closest to Urbandale listed first.
- Sunny Hill Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the north)
- McDivitt Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the east)
- Resthaven Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the southeast)
- Chapel Hill Gardens Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the east)
- Hoff Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the northwest)
- Jordan Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the south)
- Glendale Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the southeast)
- Kinsey Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the northeast)
- Rittgers Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the northeast)
- Ridgedale Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the northeast)
- Waukee Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the southwest)
- Huston Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the southwest)
- Continue List (270 more) ...
- Valley View Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the northeast)
- Emmanuel Cemetery
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the southeast)
- Woodland Cemetery
(7 miles [11.3 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>
While we didn't find Urbandale in the Atlas, the following 1895 communities would have been found near the current location of Urbandale.
These communities are listed based on their distance from Urbandale, with the one closest to Urbandale listed first.
- Clive
(Less than 2 miles to the southwest)
- Campbell
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the southwest)
- Campbell is located in Polk County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Campbell
- Grimes
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the north)
- Ashawa
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the south)
- Ashawa is located in Polk County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ashawa
- Waukee
(5 miles [8 km] to the west)
- Valley Junction
(5 miles [8 km] to the southeast)
- Valley Junction is located in Polk County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Valley Junction
- Commerce
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the south)
- Commerce is located in Polk County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Commerce
- Ingersoll ‑ Historic
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the north)
- Ingersoll is located in Dallas County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ingersoll
- Granger
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the north)
- Des Moines
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the east)
- Saylorville
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the east)
- Saylorville is located in Polk County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Saylorville
- Booneville
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the southwest)
- Continue List (14 more) ...
- Orillia
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the south)
- Orillia is located in Warren County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Orillia
- Saylor
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the east)
- Saylor is located in Polk County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Saylor
- Dallas Center
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the west)
We've also created an expanded list of communities that existed in the 1890's and were located in the area around Urbandale. See our List of 1890's Communities around Urbandale.
Newspapers Published in the Vicinity of Urbandale ...
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 58 newspapers that have been published in the area around Urbandale.
We have organized these newspapers into two lists:
- A Local Newspaper List - focusing on the papers published in the immediate area of Urbandale. There are actually two parts to this list - papers printed in the immediate area of Urbandale and those printed in the larger area surrounding Urbandale.
- An Extended Newspaper List - a longer list, sorted by paper name and containing those papers published within 27 miles [43.5 km]<4> of Urbandale.
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 Urbandale:
- Websites specific to Iowa
- Pages specific to Polk County
- Genealogy information for nearby counties
- Boone County
- Dallas County
- Greene County
- Guthrie County
- Jasper County
- Madison County
- Marion County
- Story County
- Warren 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 Urbandale, 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' distance. A straight line distance ignores things like rivers, canyons, lakes, et cetera - it's truly a line from Point A (ie- Urbandale) to Point B. In other words: 'As the crow flies'. |