Our Genealogy Helper
Introduction ...
So far, we found very little information about West Fort Dodge. The little that we've found leads us believe that the community is historic.<1>
We've added West Fort Dodge to our Gazetteer with the hope that we can develop more information. If you can help us with West Fort Dodge, please Contact Us.
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 Fort Dodge (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 Fort Dodge. 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 Fort Dodge ...
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 Fort Dodge: W. Ft. Dodge (or less commonly used: W. Frt. Dodge)
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.
Although our information shows that the community of West Fort Dodge is historic, it would have been located within present day Webster 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 Webster County: Boone, Calhoun, Greene, Hamilton, Humboldt, Pocahontas & Wright.
Below are the counties that are near West Fort Dodge. For each of these counties, we show a sample of those communities that are closest to West Fort Dodge:
- Webster County (The home county of West Fort Dodge)
- The following are listed by their distance from West Fort Dodge, with the one closest to West Fort Dodge listed first.
- Fort Dodge
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the northeast)
- Cypsum City ‑ Historic
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the east)
- Cypsum City is located in Webster County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cypsum City
- Otho
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the southeast)
- Tara
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the west)
- Tara is located in Webster County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Tara
- Coalville
(5 miles [8 km] to the southeast)
- Coalville is located in Webster County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Coalville
- Kalo
(5 miles [8 km] to the southeast)
- Kalo is located in Webster County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Kalo
- Moorland
(5 miles [8 km] to the southwest)
- Barnum
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the west)
- Barnum is located in Webster County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Barnum
- Population from the 2020 Census: 181 people
- Evanston
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the east)
- Evanston is located in Webster County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Evanston
- Badger
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the north)
- Clare
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the northwest)
- Clare is located in Webster County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Clare
- Population from the 2020 Census: 133 people
- Callender
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the southwest)
- Callender is located in Webster County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Callender
- Population from the 2020 Census: 346 people
- Boone County
- The following are listed by their distance from West Fort Dodge, with the one closest to West Fort Dodge listed first.
- Boxholm
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the south)
- Pilot Mound
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the southeast)
- Pilot Mound is located in Boone County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Pilot Mound
- Population from the 2020 Census: 170 people
- Fraser
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the southeast)
- Fraser is located in Boone County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Fraser
- Population from the 2020 Census: 103 people
- Beaver
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the south)
- Beaver is located in Boone County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Beaver
- Population from the 2020 Census: 50 people
- Centerville
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the southeast)
- Centerville is located in Boone County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Centerville
- Calhoun County
- The following are listed by their distance from West Fort Dodge, with the one closest to West Fort Dodge listed first.
- Knierim
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the west)
- Knierim is located in Calhoun County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Knierim
- Population from the 2020 Census: 57 people
- Somers
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the southwest)
- Somers is located in Calhoun County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Somers
- Population from the 2020 Census: 102 people
- Manson
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the west)
- Farnhamville
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the southwest)
- Farnhamville is located in Calhoun County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Farnhamville
- Population from the 2020 Census: 335 people
- Rinard
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the southwest)
- Rinard is located in Calhoun County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rinard
- Population from the 2020 Census: 48 people
- Rands
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the southwest)
- Rands is located in Calhoun County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rands
- Lohrville
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the southwest)
- Rockwell City
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the west)
- Twin Lakes
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the west)
- Twin Lakes is located in Calhoun County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Twin Lakes
- Pomeroy
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the west)
- Jolley
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the west)
- Jolley is located in Calhoun County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Jolley
- Population from the 2020 Census: 37 people
- Wightman
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the southwest)
- Wightman is located in Calhoun County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Wightman
- Greene County
- The following are listed by their distance from West Fort Dodge, with the one closest to West Fort Dodge listed first.
- Paton
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the south)
- Dana
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the south)
- Dana is located in Greene County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Dana
- Population from the 2020 Census: 67 people
- Churdan
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the southwest)
- Churdan is located in Greene County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Churdan
- Population from the 2020 Census: 363 people
- Grand Junction
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the south)
- Farlin
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the southwest)
- Farlin is located in Greene County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Farlin
- Hamilton County
- The following are listed by their distance from West Fort Dodge, with the one closest to West Fort Dodge listed first.
- Webster City
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the east)
- Stratford
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the southeast)
- Kamrar
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the east)
- Stanhope
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the southeast)
- Stanhope is located in Hamilton County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Stanhope
- Population from the 2020 Census: 394 people
- Blairsburg
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the east)
- Blairsburg is located in Hamilton County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Blairsburg
- Population from the 2020 Census: 199 people
- Humboldt County
- The following are listed by their distance from West Fort Dodge, with the one closest to West Fort Dodge listed first.
- Pioneer
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the northwest)
- Pioneer is located in Humboldt County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Pioneer
- Population from the 2020 Census: 22 people
- Dakota City
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the north)
- Humboldt
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the north)
- Thor
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the northeast)
- Rutland
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the north)
- Rutland is located in Humboldt County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rutland
- Population from the 2020 Census: 121 people
- Gilmore City
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the northwest)
- Arnold
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the north)
- Arnold is located in Humboldt County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Arnold
- Hardy
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the north)
- Hardy is located in Humboldt County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hardy
- Population from the 2020 Census: 41 people
- Bradgate
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the northwest)
- Bradgate is located in Humboldt County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bradgate
- Population from the 2020 Census: 84 people
- Bode
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the north)
- Bode is located in Humboldt County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bode
- Population from the 2020 Census: 286 people
- Livermore
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the north)
- Livermore is located in Humboldt County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Livermore
- Population from the 2020 Census: 361 people
- Renwick
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the northeast)
- Kossuth County
- Lu Verne
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the north)
- Pocahontas County
- The following are listed by their distance from West Fort Dodge, with the one closest to West Fort Dodge listed first.
- Palmer
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the northwest)
- Rolfe
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the northwest)
- Pocahontas
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the northwest)
- Wright County
- The following are listed by their distance from West Fort Dodge, with the one closest to West Fort Dodge listed first.
- Woolstock
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the east)
- Woolstock is located in Wright County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Woolstock
- Population from the 2020 Census: 159 people
- Eagle Grove
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the northeast)
- Goldfield
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the northeast)
- Holmes
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the northeast)
- Holmes is located in Wright County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Holmes
- Clarion
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the northeast)
For an expanded list of the communities that are closest to West Fort Dodge, see our County-by-County Page for West Fort Dodge.
Cemeteries Near West Fort Dodge ...
Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of West Fort Dodge.
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 Fort Dodge - one of the links might be able to help.
If not found below, our Cemetery List for West Fort Dodge covers a larger area, with the cemeteries listed in alphabetical order.
The following cemeteries are listed based on their distance from West Fort Dodge, with the one closest to West Fort Dodge listed first.
- C C Carpenter Cemetery
(Less than 2 miles to the north)
- St. Olafs Cemetery
(Less than 2 miles to the north)
- Elkhorn Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the south)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Elkhorn Cemetery
- The Elkhorn Cemetery has also been known as:
- Elkhorn Twp. Cemetery
- Graceland Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the south)
- Willowledge Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the northwest)
- Ft. Dodge Memorial Park
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the northeast)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ft. Dodge Memorial Park
- To give a relative sense of its location, the Ft. Dodge Memorial Park is a large cemetery that is located in Fort Dodge.
- The Ft. Dodge Memorial Park has also been known as:
- Memorial Park
- Jump to Find-A-Grave: FG ID #95444 <3>
- North Lawn Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the northeast)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for North Lawn Cemetery
- The North Lawn Cemetery has also been known as:
- Haviland Cemetery
- St. Paul German Lutheran Cemetery
- Jump to Find-A-Grave: FG ID #95607 <3>
- Oakland Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the northeast)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Oakland Cemetery
- To give a relative sense of its location, the Oakland Cemetery is located in Fort Dodge.
- Corpus Christi Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the northeast)
- Burns Family Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the northwest)
- Our Lady of Good Council Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the southwest)
- Concordia Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the north)
- Continue List (168 more) ...
- Fulton Twp. Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the southwest)
- Pleasant Valley Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the east)
- Old Lizzard Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the northwest)
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.
While we didn't find West Fort Dodge in the Atlas, the following 1895 communities would have been found near the current location of West Fort Dodge.
These communities are listed based on their distance from West Fort Dodge, with the one closest to West Fort Dodge listed first.
- Fort Dodge
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the northeast)
- Otho
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the southeast)
- Tara
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the west)
- Tara is located in Webster County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Tara
- Moorland
(5 miles [8 km] to the southwest)
- Kalo
(5 miles [8 km] to the southeast)
- Kalo is located in Webster County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Kalo
- Coalville
(5 miles [8 km] to the southeast)
- Coalville is located in Webster County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Coalville
- Barnum
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the west)
- Barnum is located in Webster County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Barnum
- Population from the 2020 Census: 181 people
- Evanston
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the east)
- Evanston is located in Webster County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Evanston
- Judd
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the east)
- Judd is located in Webster County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Judd
- Callender
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the southwest)
- Callender is located in Webster County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Callender
- Population from the 2020 Census: 346 people
- Badger
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the north)
- Clare
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the northwest)
- Clare is located in Webster County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Clare
- Population from the 2020 Census: 133 people
- Continue List (16 more) ...
- Burnside
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the southeast)
- Burnside is located in Webster County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Burnside
- Border Plains
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the southeast)
- Border Plains is located in Webster County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Border Plains
- Brushy
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the east)
- Brushy is located in Webster County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Brushy
We've also created an expanded list of communities that existed in the 1890's and were located in the area around West Fort Dodge. See our List of 1890's Communities around West Fort Dodge.
Newspapers Published in West Fort Dodge ...
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 151 newspapers that have been published in the area around West Fort Dodge.
Although we're unaware of any newspapers that were published in the immediate area of West Fort Dodge, 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 West Fort Dodge.
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 West Fort Dodge:
- Websites specific to Iowa
- Pages specific to Webster County
- Genealogy information for nearby counties
- Boone County
- Calhoun County
- Greene County
- Hamilton County
- Humboldt County
- Kossuth County
- Pocahontas County
- Wright County
- Cemetery Information and Directories for Iowa
Footnotes ...
| <1> | 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 Fort Dodge, please let us know so that we can improve our accuracy. |
| <2> | While we're fans and frequent users of TripAdvisor, you should know that we're also members of the TripAdvisor affiliate program. |
| <3> | 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. |
| <4> | Our distances are not driving distances, but are calculated as a 'point-to-point' distance. A straight line distance ignores obstructions like rivers, canyons, lakes, et cetera - it's truly a line drawn from Point A (ie- West Fort Dodge) to Point B. In other words: 'As the crow flies'. |