Our Genealogy Helper
Introduction ...
So far, we found very little information about Alta Mills. The little that we've found leads us believe that the community is historic.<1>
We've added Alta Mills to our Gazetteer with the hope that we can develop more information. If you can help us with Alta Mills, 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 Alta Mills (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 Alta Mills. 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 Alta Mills ...
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 Alta Mills: Alta Mls. (or less commonly used: Alta Mlls.)
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 doctors 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.
Although our information shows that the community of Alta Mills is historic, it would have been located within present day Harvey County.
To see how the shape of Kansas' counties may have changed over time, we recommend the Atlas of Historical County Boundaries.
The following counties adjoin and form the boundaries of Harvey County: Butler, Marion, McPherson, Reno & Sedgwick.
Below are the counties that are near Alta Mills. For each of these counties, we show a sample of those communities that are closest to Alta Mills:
- Harvey County (The home county of Alta Mills)
- The following are listed by their distance from Alta Mills, with the one closest to Alta Mills listed first.
- Paxton
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the south)
- Paxton is located in Harvey County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Paxton
- Burrton
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the southwest)
- Burrton is located in Harvey County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Burrton
- Population from the 2020 Census: 854 people
- Hesston
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the east)
- Halstead
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the southeast)
- Zimmerdale
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the east)
- Zimmerdale is located in Harvey County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Zimmerdale
- Patterson
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the south)
- Patterson is located in Harvey County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Patterson
- Van Arsdale
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the southeast)
- Van Arsdale is located in Harvey County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Van Arsdale
- North Newton
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the east)
- Newton
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the east)
- McGraw
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the southeast)
- McGraw is located in Harvey County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for McGraw
- Putnam
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the southeast)
- Putnam is located in Harvey County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Putnam
- Sedgwick
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the southeast)
- Butler County
- The following are listed by their distance from Alta Mills, with the one closest to Alta Mills listed first.
- Elbing
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the east)
- Elbing is located in Butler County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Elbing
- Population from the 2020 Census: 230 people
- Whitewater
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the southeast)
- Brainerd
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the east)
- Brainerd is located in Butler County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Brainerd
- Marion County
- The following are listed by their distance from Alta Mills, with the one closest to Alta Mills listed first.
- Goessel
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the northeast)
- Goessel is located in Marion County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Goessel
- Population from the 2020 Census: 489 people
- Lehigh
(23 miles [37 km] to the northeast)
- Lehigh is located in Marion County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lehigh
- Population from the 2020 Census: 168 people
- Waldeck
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the northeast)
- Waldeck is located in Marion County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Waldeck
- Peabody
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the east)
- Peabody is located in Marion County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Peabody
- Population from the 2020 Census: 1,079 people
- Former name for Peabody:
- Coneburgh
- Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Peabody <2>
- Hillsboro
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the northeast)
- Aulne ‑ Historic
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the east)
- Aulne is located in Marion County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Aulne
- Canada
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the northeast)
- Canada is located in Marion County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Canada
- McPherson County
- The following are listed by their distance from Alta Mills, with the one closest to Alta Mills listed first.
- Moundridge
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the northeast)
- Elyria
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the north)
- Elyria is located in McPherson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Elyria
- Inman
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the northwest)
- Groveland
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the northwest)
- Groveland is located in McPherson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Groveland
- McPherson
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the north)
- Galva
(18 miles [29 km] to the north)
- Canton
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the northeast)
- Conway
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the northwest)
- Conway is located in McPherson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Conway
- Windom
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the northwest)
- Windom is located in McPherson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Windom
- Population from the 2020 Census: 125 people
- Reno County
- The following are listed by their distance from Alta Mills, with the one closest to Alta Mills listed first.
- Buhler
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the west)
- Buhler is located in Reno County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Buhler
- Population from the 2020 Census: 1,269 people
- Buhler has also been known as:
- Tulip Town
- Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Buhler <2>
- Punkin Center ‑ Historic
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the southwest)
- Punkin Center is located in Reno County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Punkin Center
- Medora
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the west)
- Medora is located in Reno County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Medora
- Obeeville
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the west)
- Obeeville is located in Reno County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Obeeville
- Haven
(18 miles [29 km] to the southwest)
- Hutchinson
(18 miles [29 km] to the west)
- Yoder
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the southwest)
- South Hutchinson
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the west)
- Cruppers Corner
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the southwest)
- Cruppers Corner is located in Reno County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cruppers Corner
- Elmer
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the southwest)
- Elmer is located in Reno County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Elmer
- Willowbrook
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the west)
- Willowbrook is located in Reno County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Willowbrook
- Population from the 2020 Census: 85 people
- Darlow
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the southwest)
- Darlow is located in Reno County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Darlow
- Rice County
- Little River
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the northwest)
- Sedgwick County
- The following are listed by their distance from Alta Mills, with the one closest to Alta Mills listed first.
- Bentley
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the south)
- Mount Hope
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the south)
- Coleman
(18 miles [29 km] to the south)
- Coleman is located in Sedgwick County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Coleman
- Andale
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the south)
- Colwich
(23 miles [37 km] to the south)
- Valley Center
(23 miles [37 km] to the southeast)
- Maize
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the south)
- Park City
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the southeast)
- Wichita Heights
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the southeast)
- Wichita Heights is located in Sedgwick County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Wichita Heights
- Kechi
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the southeast)
- Westlink Village
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the south)
- Westlink Village is located in Sedgwick County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Westlink Village
- Bel Aire
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the southeast)
For an expanded list of the communities that are closest to Alta Mills, see our County-by-County Page for Alta Mills.
Cemeteries Near Alta Mills ...
Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of Alta Mills.
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 Alta Mills - one of the links might be able to help.
If not found below, our Cemetery List for Alta Mills covers a larger area, with the cemeteries listed in alphabetical order.
The following cemeteries are listed based on their distance from Alta Mills, with the one closest to Alta Mills listed first.
- Schlender Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the northeast)
- Fairview Pioneer Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the southeast)
- Garden Valley Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the east)
- Hebron Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the west)
- First Christian Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the northeast)
- West Zion Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the northeast)
- Mound Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the northeast)
- Ebenezer Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the west)
- Little River Twp. Cemetery
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the west)
- Burrton Cemetery
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the southwest)
- Old Halstead Cemetery
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the southeast)
- Halstead Cemetery
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the southeast)
- Continue List (109 more) ...
- Church of God of the First Born Cemetery
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the east)
- Freedom Cemetery
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the northeast)
- Buhler Municipal Cemetery
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the west)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Buhler Municipal Cemetery
- To give a relative sense of its location, the Buhler Municipal Cemetery is a large cemetery that is located outside and to the northwest of Buhler.
- Jump to Find-A-Grave: FG ID #1974082 <3>
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 Alta Mills in the Atlas, the following 1895 communities would have been found near the current location of Alta Mills.
These communities are listed based on their distance from Alta Mills, with the one closest to Alta Mills listed first.
- Burrton
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the southwest)
- Burrton is located in Harvey County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Burrton
- Population from the 2020 Census: 854 people
- Moundridge
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the northeast)
- Hesston
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the east)
- Halstead
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the southeast)
- Buhler
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the west)
- Buhler is located in Reno County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Buhler
- Population from the 2020 Census: 1,269 people
- Buhler has also been known as:
- Tulip Town
- Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Buhler <2>
- Patterson
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the south)
- Patterson is located in Harvey County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Patterson
- Inman
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the northwest)
- Elyria
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the north)
- Elyria is located in McPherson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Elyria
- Medora
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the west)
- Medora is located in Reno County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Medora
- Newton
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the east)
- Groveland
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the northwest)
- Groveland is located in McPherson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Groveland
- Putnam
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the southeast)
- Putnam is located in Harvey County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Putnam
- Continue List (13 more) ...
- Bentley
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the south)
- Sedgwick
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the southeast)
- McPherson
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the north)
We've also created an expanded list of communities that existed in the 1890's and were located in the area around Alta Mills. See our List of 1890's Communities around Alta Mills.
Newspapers Published in Alta Mills ...
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 120 newspapers that have been published in the area around Alta Mills.
Although we're unaware of any newspapers that were published in the immediate area of Alta Mills, 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 Alta Mills.
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 Alta Mills:
- Websites specific to Kansas
- Pages specific to Harvey County
- Genealogy information for nearby counties
- Butler County
- Marion County
- McPherson County
- Reno County
- Rice County
- Sedgwick County
- Cemetery Information and Directories for Kansas
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 Alta Mills, 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 '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- Alta Mills) to Point B. In other words: 'As the crow flies'. |