RoadsideThoughts
A Gazetteer for the United States and Canada
Home >> State of Iowa >> Polk County >> West Des Moines >> Genealogy HelperIndex...

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 Des Moines (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 Des Moines. 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 Des Moines ...

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 Des Moines: W. Des Moines

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 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.

West Des Moines is primarily located in Polk County. A portion of West Des Moines extends into Dallas County and Warren 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 West Des Moines. For each of these counties, we show a sample of those communities that are closest to West Des Moines:

  • Polk County     (The home county of West Des Moines)
    • The following are listed by their distance from West Des Moines, with the one closest to West Des Moines listed first.
    • Commerce
      (Less than 2 miles to the south)
      • Commerce is located in Polk County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Commerce
    • Windsor Heights
      (4 miles [6.4 km] to the northeast)
    • Clive
      (4 miles [6.4 km] to the northwest)
    • Urbandale
      (5 miles [8 km] to the north)
    • Norwalk
      (6 miles [9.7 km] to the southeast)
    • Des Moines
      (8 miles [12.9 km] to the east)
    • Grimes
      (9 miles [14.5 km] to the north)
    • Johnston
      (9 miles [14.5 km] to the north)
    • Marquisville
      (10 miles [16.1 km] to the northeast)
      • Marquisville is located in Polk County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Marquisville
    • Saylorville
      (10 miles [16.1 km] to the northeast)
      • Saylorville is located in Polk County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Saylorville
    • Herrold
      (11 miles [17.7 km] to the north)
      • Herrold is located in Polk County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Herrold
    • Carney
      (12 miles [19.3 km] to the northeast)
      • Carney is located in Polk County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Carney
  • Adair County
    • Stanzel
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the southwest)
      • Stanzel is located in Adair County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Stanzel
  • Boone County
    • The following are listed by their distance from West Des Moines, with the one closest to West Des Moines listed first.
    • Madrid
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the north)
    • Luther
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the north)
      • Luther is located in Boone County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Luther
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 133 people
  • Clarke County
    • Liberty
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the south)
      • Liberty is located in Clarke County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Liberty
  • Dallas County
    • The following are listed by their distance from West Des Moines, with the one closest to West Des Moines listed first.
    • Booneville
      (6 miles [9.7 km] to the west)
    • Waukee
      (7 miles [11.3 km] to the northwest)
    • Van Meter
      (9 miles [14.5 km] to the west)
    • DeSoto
      (12 miles [19.3 km] to the west)
    • Dallas Center
      (13 miles [20.9 km] to the northwest)
    • Adel
      (13 miles [20.9 km] to the west)
      • Adel is located in Dallas County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Adel
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 5,607 people
      • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Adel <1>
    • Granger
      (14 miles [22.5 km] to the north)
    • High Bridge
      (18 miles [29 km] to the north)
      • High Bridge is located in Dallas County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for High Bridge
    • Minburn
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the northwest)
      • Minburn is located in Dallas County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Minburn
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 357 people
    • Panther
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the northwest)
      • Panther is located in Dallas County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Panther
    • Woodward
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the north)
    • Wiscotta
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the west)
      • Wiscotta is located in Dallas County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Wiscotta
  • Guthrie County
    • The following are listed by their distance from West Des Moines, with the one closest to West Des Moines listed first.
    • Stuart
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the west)
    • Dale
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the west)
      • Dale is located in Guthrie County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Dale
  • Jasper County
    • The following are listed by their distance from West Des Moines, with the one closest to West Des Moines listed first.
    • Vandalia
      (23 miles [37 km] to the east)
      • Vandalia is located in Jasper County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Vandalia
    • Oswalt
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the east)
      • Oswalt is located in Jasper County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Oswalt
    • Valeria
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the northeast)
      • Valeria is located in Jasper County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Valeria
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 58 people
    • Prairie City
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the east)
    • Colfax
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the east)
    • Mingo
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the northeast)
    • Green Castle
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the northeast)
      • Green Castle is located in Jasper County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Green Castle
  • Madison County
    • The following are listed by their distance from West Des Moines, with the one closest to West Des Moines listed first.
    • Patterson
      (15 miles [24.1 km] to the south)
      • Patterson is located in Madison County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Patterson
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 163 people
    • Saint Charles
      (18 miles [29 km] to the south)
    • Earlham
      (18 miles [29 km] to the west)
    • Winterset
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the southwest)
    • East Peru
      (24 miles [38.6 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
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the south)
    • Pitzer
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the southwest)
      • Pitzer is located in Madison County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Pitzer
    • Ord
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the southwest)
      • Ord is located in Madison County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ord
    • Webster
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the southwest)
      • Webster is located in Madison County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Webster
    • Barney
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the southwest)
      • Barney is located in Madison County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Barney
  • Marion County
    • The following are listed by their distance from West Des Moines, with the one closest to West Des Moines listed first.
    • Swan
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the east)
      • Swan is located in Marion County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Swan
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 74 people
    • Percy ‑ Historic
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the east)
      • Percy is located in Marion County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Percy
    • Pleasantville
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the southeast)
  • Story County
    • The following are listed by their distance from West Des Moines, with the one closest to West Des Moines listed first.
    • Slater
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the north)
    • Huxley
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the north)
    • Midvale
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the north)
      • Midvale is located in Story County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Midvale
    • Cambridge
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the northeast)
    • Kelley
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the north)
    • Maxwell
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the northeast)
  • Warren County
    • The following are listed by their distance from West Des Moines, with the one closest to West Des Moines listed first.
    • Orillia
      (3 miles [4.8 km] to the southeast)
      • Orillia is located in Warren County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Orillia
    • Cumming
      (4 miles [6.4 km] to the south)
    • Lakewood
      (5 miles [8 km] to the southeast)
      • Lakewood is located in Warren County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lakewood
    • Prole
      (10 miles [16.1 km] to the south)
      • Prole is located in Warren County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Prole
    • Churchville
      (11 miles [17.7 km] to the south)
      • Churchville is located in Warren County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Churchville
    • Spring Hill
      (11 miles [17.7 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
      (12 miles [19.3 km] to the south)
    • Bevington
      (13 miles [20.9 km] to the south)
    • Saint Marys
      (17 miles [27.4 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
    • Indianola
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the southeast)
    • Palmyra
      (18 miles [29 km] to the southeast)
      • Palmyra is located in Warren County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Palmyra
    • Hartford
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the east)

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

Cemeteries Near West Des Moines ...

Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of West Des Moines.

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 Des Moines - one of the links might be able to help.

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

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

  • Jordan Cemetery
    (Less than 2 miles to the east)
  • Resthaven Cemetery
    (2 miles [3.2 km] to the northeast)
  • Dale Moffit Reservoir Cemetery
    (3 miles [4.8 km] to the southwest)
  • Huston Cemetery
    (3 miles [4.8 km] to the west)
  • St. Johns Cemetery
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the south)
  • Pleasant Ridge Cemetery
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the southeast)
  • Oak Grove Cemetery
    (5 miles [8 km] to the east)
  • Glendale Cemetery
    (5 miles [8 km] to the northeast)
  • Booneville Cemetery
    (6 miles [9.7 km] to the west)
  • Woodland Cemetery
    (6 miles [9.7 km] to the east)
  • Emmanuel Cemetery
    (6 miles [9.7 km] to the east)
  • St. Ambrose Cemetery
    (6 miles [9.7 km] to the east)
  • Continue List   (271 more) ...

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 West Des Moines in the Atlas, the following 1895 communities would have been found near the current location of West Des Moines.

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

  • Commerce
    (Less than 2 miles to the south)
    • Commerce is located in Polk County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Commerce
  • Ashawa
    (Less than 2 miles to the northeast)
    • Ashawa is located in Polk County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ashawa
  • Orillia
    (3 miles [4.8 km] to the southeast)
    • Orillia is located in Warren County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Orillia
  • Campbell
    (3 miles [4.8 km] to the northwest)
    • Campbell is located in Polk County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Campbell
  • Valley Junction
    (3 miles [4.8 km] to the east)
    • Valley Junction is located in Polk County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Valley Junction
  • Cumming
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the south)
  • Clive
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the northwest)
  • Booneville
    (6 miles [9.7 km] to the west)
  • Norwalk
    (6 miles [9.7 km] to the southeast)
  • Waukee
    (7 miles [11.3 km] to the northwest)
  • Des Moines
    (8 miles [12.9 km] to the east)
  • Van Meter
    (9 miles [14.5 km] to the west)
  • Continue List   (13 more) ...
    • Grimes
      (9 miles [14.5 km] to the north)
    • Prole
      (10 miles [16.1 km] to the south)
      • Prole is located in Warren County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Prole
    • Saylorville
      (10 miles [16.1 km] to the northeast)
      • Saylorville is located in Polk County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Saylorville

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

Newspapers Published in West Des Moines ...

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 77 newspapers that have been published in the area around West Des Moines.

Although we're unaware of any newspapers that were published in the immediate area of West Des Moines, there are papers which were published within 27 miles [43.5 km]<4>. A list of those papers, sorted by paper name, can be found on the Extended Newspaper List for West Des Moines.

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 West Des Moines:

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 Des Moines, 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- West Des Moines) to Point B. In other words: 'As the crow flies'.