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 York Center (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 York Center. 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 York Center ...
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.
Although we can't give a definitive list, hopefully the following will give you a feel for the variations that might occur.
For example, a typical abbreviation for York Center: York Ctr. (or less commonly used: York Cen., York Cent. or York Cntr.)
You might see York Centre instead of York Center.
You might be interested in other communities that are also named York Center. More information can be found on our Tidbits & Trivia Page for York Center.
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.
For more information about how community names might have been affected by the Board of Geographic Names (BGN), see our page about Placename Rules.
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 doctors and 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.
York Center is located in Pottawattamie 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 Pottawattamie County: Cass, Harrison, Mills, Montgomery, Shelby, Douglas (NE), Sarpy (NE) & Washington (NE).
Below are the counties that are near York Center. For each of these counties, we show a sample of those communities that are closest to York Center:
- Pottawattamie County (The home county of York Center)
- The following are listed by their distance from York Center, with the one closest to York Center listed first.
- Minden
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the north)
- Neola
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the northwest)
- Underwood
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the west)
- McClelland
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the southwest)
- Oakland
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the southeast)
- Weston
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the west)
- Weston is located in Pottawattamie County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Weston
- Hancock
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the east)
- Hancock is located in Pottawattamie County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hancock
- Population from the 2020 Census: 196 people
- Treynor
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the south)
- Carson
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the southeast)
- Avoca
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the northeast)
- Avoca is located in Pottawattamie County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Avoca
- Population from the 2020 Census: 1,537 people
- Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Avoca <1>
- Harlan Junction ‑ Historic
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the northeast)
- Harlan Junction is located in Pottawattamie County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Harlan Junction
- Pigeon
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the northwest)
- Pigeon is located in Pottawattamie County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Pigeon
- Chautauqua
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the southwest)
- Chautauqua is located in Pottawattamie County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Chautauqua
- Audubon County
- Kimballton
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the northeast)
- Cass County
- The following are listed by their distance from York Center, with the one closest to York Center listed first.
- Marne
(23 miles [37 km] to the east)
- Griswold
(23 miles [37 km] to the southeast)
- Lewis
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the east)
- Atlantic
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the east)
- Sycamore Village
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the east)
- Sycamore Village is located in Cass County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sycamore Village
- Grove City ‑ Historic
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the east)
- Grove City is located in Cass County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Grove City
- Harrison County
- The following are listed by their distance from York Center, with the one closest to York Center listed first.
- Yorkshire
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the north)
- Yorkshire is located in Harrison County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Yorkshire
- Persia
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the north)
- Persia is located in Harrison County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Persia
- Population from the 2020 Census: 281 people
- Missouri Valley
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the northwest)
- Logan
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the northwest)
- Woodbine
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the north)
- California Junction
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the northwest)
- California Junction is located in Harrison County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for California Junction
- Magnolia
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the northwest)
- Magnolia is located in Harrison County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Magnolia
- Population from the 2020 Census: 170 people
- Modale
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the northwest)
- Mills County
- The following are listed by their distance from York Center, with the one closest to York Center listed first.
- Henderson
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the south)
- Mineola
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the southwest)
- Silver City
(18 miles [29 km] to the south)
- Silver City is located in Mills County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Silver City
- Population from the 2020 Census: 246 people
- Folsom
(23 miles [37 km] to the southwest)
- Folsom is located in Mills County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Folsom
- Hastings
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the south)
- Hastings is located in Mills County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hastings
- Population from the 2020 Census: 149 people
- Glenwood
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the southwest)
- Hentons ‑ Historic
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the southwest)
- Hentons is located in Mills County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hentons
- Emerson
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the south)
- Malvern
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the south)
- Pacific City
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the southwest)
- Pacific City is located in Mills County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Pacific City
- Mills
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the southwest)
- Mills is located in Mills County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mills
- Pacific Junction
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the southwest)
- Clark
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the south)
- Clark is located in Mills County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Clark
- Montgomery County
- The following are listed by their distance from York Center, with the one closest to York Center listed first.
- Elliott
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the southeast)
- Red Oak
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the southeast)
- Shelby County
- The following are listed by their distance from York Center, with the one closest to York Center listed first.
- Shelby
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the northeast)
- Tennant
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the north)
- Tennant is located in Shelby County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Tennant
- Population from the 2020 Census: 63 people
- Corley
(18 miles [29 km] to the northeast)
- Corley is located in Shelby County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Corley
- Portsmouth
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the north)
- Harlan
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the northeast)
- Panama
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the north)
- Westphalia
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the north)
- Westphalia is located in Shelby County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Westphalia
- Population from the 2020 Census: 117 people
- Earling
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the north)
- Earling is located in Shelby County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Earling
- Population from the 2020 Census: 403 people
- Kirkman
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the northeast)
- Kirkman is located in Shelby County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Kirkman
- Population from the 2020 Census: 61 people
- Elk Horn
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the northeast)
- Douglas County (NE)
- The following are listed by their distance from York Center, with the one closest to York Center listed first.
- Home Park
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the west)
- Home Park is located in Douglas County (NE)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Home Park
- Briggs
(23 miles [37 km] to the west)
- Briggs is located in Douglas County (NE)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Briggs
- Omaha
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the west)
- Omaha is located in Douglas County (NE)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Omaha
- Population from the 2020 Census: 478,393 people
- Omaha has also been known as:
- Omaha City
- Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Omaha <1>
- Irvington
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the west)
- Irvington is located in Douglas County (NE)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Irvington
- Ralston
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the southwest)
- Boys Town
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the west)
- Sarpy County (NE)
- The following are listed by their distance from York Center, with the one closest to York Center listed first.
- Avery
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the southwest)
- Avery is located in Sarpy County (NE)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Avery
- Bellevue
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the southwest)
- Gilmore
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the southwest)
- Gilmore is located in Sarpy County (NE)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Gilmore
- La Platte
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the southwest)
- La Platte is located in Sarpy County (NE)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for La Platte
- La Vista
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the southwest)
- Papillion
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the southwest)
- Portal
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the southwest)
- Portal is located in Sarpy County (NE)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Portal
- Washington County (NE)
- The following are listed by their distance from York Center, with the one closest to York Center listed first.
- Fort Calhoun
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the west)
- De Soto ‑ Historic
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the west)
- De Soto is located in Washington County (NE)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for De Soto
- De Soto has also been known as:
- DeSoto
For an expanded list of the communities that are closest to York Center, see our County-by-County Page for York Center.
Cemeteries Near York Center ...
Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of York Center.
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 York Center - one of the links might be able to help.
If not found below, our Cemetery List for York Center covers a larger area, with the cemeteries listed in alphabetical order.
The following cemeteries are listed based on their distance from York Center, with the one closest to York Center listed first.
- York Twp. Cemetery
(Less than 2 miles to the southwest)
- Silver Valley Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the northeast)
- Pottawattamie County Home Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the southwest)
- Fairview Pioneer Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the south)
- St. Patricks Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the northwest)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for St. Patricks Cemetery
- To give a relative sense of its location, the St. Patricks Cemetery is a large cemetery that is located outside and to the north of Neola.
- Jump to Find-A-Grave: FG ID #1960110 <2>
- Neola Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the northwest)
- St. Patricks Catholic Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the northwest)
- Minden Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the north)
- Fisher Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the west)
- Downsville Cemetery
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the west)
- Hardin Twp. Cemetery
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the southwest)
- Hardin Twp. Cemetery
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the southwest)
- Continue List (206 more) ...
- Big Grove Cemetery
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the southeast)
- Castor Cemetery
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the west)
- Belknap Cemetery
(8 miles [12.9 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>
The Rand McNally Atlas shows that York Center had a population of 45 people in 1895 with a post office and no railroad service.
These communities are listed based on their distance from York Center, with the one closest to York Center listed first.
- Neola
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the northwest)
- Minden
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the north)
- Underwood
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the west)
- Taylor
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the south)
- Taylor is located in Pottawattamie County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Taylor
- Quick
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the southwest)
- Quick is located in Pottawattamie County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Quick
- Weston
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the west)
- Weston is located in Pottawattamie County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Weston
- Oakland
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the southeast)
- Hancock
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the east)
- Hancock is located in Pottawattamie County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hancock
- Population from the 2020 Census: 196 people
- Shelby
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the northeast)
- Yorkshire
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the north)
- Yorkshire is located in Harrison County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Yorkshire
- Carson
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the southeast)
- Union Burg ‑ Historic
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the north)
- Union Burg is located in Harrison County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Union Burg
- Continue List (14 more) ...
- Avoca
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the northeast)
- Avoca is located in Pottawattamie County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Avoca
- Population from the 2020 Census: 1,537 people
- Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Avoca <1>
- Harlan Junction ‑ Historic
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the northeast)
- Harlan Junction is located in Pottawattamie County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Harlan Junction
- Pigeon
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the northwest)
- Pigeon is located in Pottawattamie County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Pigeon
We've also created an expanded list of communities that existed in the 1890's and were located in the area around York Center. See our List of 1890's Communities around York Center.
Newspapers Published in York Center ...
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 49 newspapers that have been published in the area around York Center.
Although we're unaware of any newspapers that were published in the immediate area of York Center, 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 York Center.
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 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 York Center:
- Websites specific to Iowa
- Pages specific to Pottawattamie County
- Genealogy information for nearby counties
- Audubon County
- Cass County
- Harrison County
- Mills County
- Montgomery County
- Shelby County
- Douglas County
- Sarpy County
- Washington 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 York Center, please let us know so that we can improve our accuracy. |
| <4> | Our distances are not driving distances, but are calculated as a '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- York Center) to Point B. In other words: 'As the crow flies'. |