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 West Bend (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 West Bend. 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 West Bend ...
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 West Bend: W. Bend
You might be interested in other communities that are also named West Bend. More information can be found on our Tidbits & Trivia Page for West Bend.
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 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.
West Bend is primarily located in Palo Alto County. A portion of West Bend extends into Kossuth 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 Palo Alto County: Buena Vista, Clay, Dickinson, Emmet, Humboldt, Kossuth & Pocahontas.
Below are the counties that are near West Bend. For each of these counties, we show a sample of those communities that are closest to West Bend:
- Palo Alto County (The home county of West Bend)
- The following are listed by their distance from West Bend, with the one closest to West Bend listed first.
- Rodman
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the northwest)
- Rodman is located in Palo Alto County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rodman
- Population from the 2020 Census: 41 people
- Cylinder
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the northwest)
- Cylinder is located in Palo Alto County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cylinder
- Population from the 2020 Census: 84 people
- Mallard
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the west)
- Curlew
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the west)
- Curlew is located in Palo Alto County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Curlew
- Population from the 2020 Census: 55 people
- Emmetsburg
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the northwest)
- Ayrshire
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the west)
- Graettinger
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the northwest)
- Ruthven
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the northwest)
- Buena Vista County
- The following are listed by their distance from West Bend, with the one closest to West Bend listed first.
- Marathon
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the west)
- Marathon is located in Buena Vista County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Marathon
- Population from the 2020 Census: 228 people
- Albert City
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the southwest)
- Calhoun County
- The following are listed by their distance from West Bend, with the one closest to West Bend listed first.
- Manson
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the south)
- Pomeroy
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the south)
- Clay County
- The following are listed by their distance from West Bend, with the one closest to West Bend listed first.
- Webb
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the west)
- Webb is located in Clay County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Webb
- Population from the 2020 Census: 126 people
- Gillett Grove
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the west)
- Gillett Grove is located in Clay County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Gillett Grove
- Population from the 2020 Census: 47 people
- Emmet County
- The following are listed by their distance from West Bend, with the one closest to West Bend listed first.
- Ringsted
(23 miles [37 km] to the north)
- Hoprig
(23 miles [37 km] to the northwest)
- Hoprig is located in Emmet County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hoprig
- Armstrong
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the north)
- Armstrong is located in Emmet County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Armstrong
- Population from the 2020 Census: 841 people
- Wallingford
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the northwest)
- Wallingford is located in Emmet County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Wallingford
- Population from the 2020 Census: 168 people
- Hancock County
- The following are listed by their distance from West Bend, with the one closest to West Bend listed first.
- Corwith
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the east)
- Corwith is located in Hancock County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Corwith
- Population from the 2020 Census: 245 people
- Hutchins
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the east)
- Hutchins is located in Hancock County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hutchins
- Humboldt County
- The following are listed by their distance from West Bend, with the one closest to West Bend listed first.
- Ottosen
(5 miles [8 km] to the southeast)
- Ottosen is located in Humboldt County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ottosen
- Population from the 2020 Census: 36 people
- Bradgate
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the south)
- Bradgate is located in Humboldt County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bradgate
- Population from the 2020 Census: 84 people
- Bode
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the southeast)
- Bode is located in Humboldt County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bode
- Population from the 2020 Census: 286 people
- Livermore
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the southeast)
- Livermore is located in Humboldt County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Livermore
- Population from the 2020 Census: 361 people
- Rutland
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the southeast)
- Rutland is located in Humboldt County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rutland
- Population from the 2020 Census: 121 people
- Gilmore City
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the south)
- Arnold
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the southeast)
- Arnold is located in Humboldt County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Arnold
- Dakota City
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the southeast)
- Humboldt
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the southeast)
- Pioneer
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the south)
- Pioneer is located in Humboldt County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Pioneer
- Population from the 2020 Census: 22 people
- Hardy
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the southeast)
- Hardy is located in Humboldt County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hardy
- Population from the 2020 Census: 41 people
- Renwick
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the east)
- Kossuth County
- The following are listed by their distance from West Bend, with the one closest to West Bend listed first.
- Whittemore
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the north)
- Whittemore is located in Kossuth County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Whittemore
- Population from the 2020 Census: 469 people
- Irvington
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the east)
- Irvington is located in Kossuth County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Irvington
- Algona
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the northeast)
- Fenton
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the north)
- Fenton is located in Kossuth County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Fenton
- Population from the 2020 Census: 225 people
- Lu Verne
(18 miles [29 km] to the east)
- Lone Rock
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the north)
- Sexton
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the northeast)
- Sexton is located in Kossuth County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sexton
- Burt
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the northeast)
- Burt is located in Kossuth County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Burt
- Population from the 2020 Census: 493 people
- Seneca
(23 miles [37 km] to the north)
- Seneca is located in Kossuth County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Seneca
- Wesley
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the east)
- Wesley is located in Kossuth County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Wesley
- Population from the 2020 Census: 364 people
- Bancroft
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the northeast)
- Bancroft is located in Kossuth County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bancroft
- Population from the 2020 Census: 684 people
- Titonka
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the northeast)
- Titonka is located in Kossuth County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Titonka
- Population from the 2020 Census: 433 people
- Pocahontas County
- The following are listed by their distance from West Bend, with the one closest to West Bend listed first.
- Rolfe
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the south)
- Plover
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the southwest)
- Plover is located in Pocahontas County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Plover
- Population from the 2020 Census: 69 people
- Havelock
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the southwest)
- Pocahontas
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the southwest)
- Laurens
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the west)
- Palmer
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the south)
- Webster County
- The following are listed by their distance from West Bend, with the one closest to West Bend listed first.
- Clare
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the south)
- Clare is located in Webster County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Clare
- Population from the 2020 Census: 133 people
- Badger
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the southeast)
- Wright County
- Goldfield
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the southeast)
For an expanded list of the communities that are closest to West Bend, see our County-by-County Page for West Bend.
Cemeteries Near West Bend ...
Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of West Bend.
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 West Bend - one of the links might be able to help.
If not found below, our Cemetery List for West Bend covers a larger area, with the cemeteries listed in alphabetical order.
The following cemeteries are listed based on their distance from West Bend, with the one closest to West Bend listed first.
- West Bend Cemetery
(Less than 2 miles to the west)
- Apostolic Christian Cemetery
(Less than 2 miles to the east)
- Riverside Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the west)
- Garfield Twp. Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the northeast)
- Union Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the southeast)
- Riverside Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the northwest)
- Lincoln Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the west)
- McKnight Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the south)
- Omer - Thorsen Farm Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the south)
- St. Pauls Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the north)
- Whittemore Cemetery
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the north)
- Old Rolfe Cemetery
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the south)
- Continue List (137 more) ...
- St. Michaels Cemetery
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the north)
- Powhatan Cemetery
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the southwest)
- Ellington Cemetery
(9 miles [14.5 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>
The Rand McNally Atlas shows that West Bend had a population of 325 people in 1895 with a post office and railroad service. In 2020, West Bend had a population of 741 people.
These communities are listed based on their distance from West Bend, with the one closest to West Bend listed first.
- Rodman
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the northwest)
- Rodman is located in Palo Alto County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rodman
- Population from the 2020 Census: 41 people
- Whittemore
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the north)
- Whittemore is located in Kossuth County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Whittemore
- Population from the 2020 Census: 469 people
- Plover
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the southwest)
- Plover is located in Pocahontas County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Plover
- Population from the 2020 Census: 69 people
- Rolfe
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the south)
- Bradgate
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the south)
- Bradgate is located in Humboldt County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bradgate
- Population from the 2020 Census: 84 people
- Bode
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the southeast)
- Bode is located in Humboldt County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bode
- Population from the 2020 Census: 286 people
- Cylinder
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the northwest)
- Cylinder is located in Palo Alto County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cylinder
- Population from the 2020 Census: 84 people
- Saint Joseph
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the east)
- Saint Joseph is located in Kossuth County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Saint Joseph
- Mallard
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the west)
- Irvington
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the east)
- Irvington is located in Kossuth County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Irvington
- Algona
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the northeast)
- Livermore
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the southeast)
- Livermore is located in Humboldt County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Livermore
- Population from the 2020 Census: 361 people
- Continue List (16 more) ...
- Curlew
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the west)
- Curlew is located in Palo Alto County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Curlew
- Population from the 2020 Census: 55 people
- Havelock
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the southwest)
- Rutland
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the southeast)
- Rutland is located in Humboldt County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rutland
- Population from the 2020 Census: 121 people
We've also created an expanded list of communities that existed in the 1890's and were located in the area around West Bend. See our List of 1890's Communities around West Bend.
Newspapers Published in the Vicinity of West Bend ...
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 89 newspapers that have been published in the area around West Bend.
We have organized these newspapers into two lists:
- A Local Newspaper List - focusing on the papers published in the immediate area of West Bend. There are actually two parts to this list - papers printed in the immediate area of West Bend and those printed in the larger area surrounding West Bend.
- An Extended Newspaper List - a longer list, sorted by paper name and containing those papers published within 30 miles [48.3 km]<4> of West Bend.
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 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 West Bend:
- Websites specific to Iowa
- Pages specific to Palo Alto County
- Genealogy information for nearby counties
- Buena Vista County
- Calhoun County
- Clay County
- Emmet County
- Hancock County
- Humboldt County
- Kossuth County
- Pocahontas County
- Webster County
- Wright 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 West Bend, 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 obstructions like rivers, canyons, lakes, et cetera - it's truly a line drawn from Point A (ie- West Bend) to Point B. In other words: 'As the crow flies'. |