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 Alta Vista (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 Vista. 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.
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 hospitals and 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.
Alta Vista is located in Wabaunsee 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 Wabaunsee County: Geary, Lyon, Morris, Osage, Pottawatomie, Riley & Shawnee.
Below are the counties that are near Alta Vista. For each of these counties, we show a sample of those communities that are closest to Alta Vista:
- Wabaunsee County (The home county of Alta Vista)
- The following are listed by their distance from Alta Vista, with the one closest to Alta Vista listed first.
- Alma
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the northeast)
- McFarland
(18 miles [29 km] to the northeast)
- McFarland is located in Wabaunsee County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for McFarland
- Population from the 2020 Census: 250 people
- Eskridge
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the east)
- Eskridge is located in Wabaunsee County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Eskridge
- Population from the 2020 Census: 502 people
- Paxico
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the northeast)
- Vera
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the northeast)
- Vera is located in Wabaunsee County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Vera
- Harveyville
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the east)
- Harveyville is located in Wabaunsee County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Harveyville
- Population from the 2020 Census: 246 people
- Wilmington
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the east)
- Wilmington is located in Wabaunsee County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Wilmington
- Maple Hill
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the northeast)
- Chase County
- Hymer
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the south)
- Hymer is located in Chase County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hymer
- Dickinson County
- The following are listed by their distance from Alta Vista, with the one closest to Alta Vista listed first.
- Lyona
(23 miles [37 km] to the west)
- Lyona is located in Dickinson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lyona
- Woodbine
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the west)
- Herington
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the southwest)
- Chapman
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the west)
- Geary County
- The following are listed by their distance from Alta Vista, with the one closest to Alta Vista listed first.
- Grandview Plaza
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the northwest)
- Grandview Plaza is located in Geary County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Grandview Plaza
- Population from the 2020 Census: 1,553 people
- Wreford
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the west)
- Wreford is located in Geary County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Wreford
- Junction City
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the northwest)
- Kansas Falls
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the west)
- Kansas Falls is located in Geary County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Kansas Falls
- Alida
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the northwest)
- Alida is located in Geary County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Alida
- Lyon County
- The following are listed by their distance from Alta Vista, with the one closest to Alta Vista listed first.
- Agnes City ‑ Historic
(18 miles [29 km] to the southeast)
- Agnes City is located in Lyon County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Agnes City
- Bushong
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the southeast)
- Bushong is located in Lyon County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bushong
- Population from the 2020 Census: 33 people
- Allen
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the southeast)
- Allen is located in Lyon County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Allen
- Population from the 2020 Census: 169 people
- Admire
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the southeast)
- Americus
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the southeast)
- Morris County
- The following are listed by their distance from Alta Vista, with the one closest to Alta Vista listed first.
- Dwight
(5 miles [8 km] to the west)
- Dwight is located in Morris County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Dwight
- Population from the 2020 Census: 255 people
- Downing ‑ Historic
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the southwest)
- Downing is located in Morris County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Downing
- Kelso
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the southwest)
- Kelso is located in Morris County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Kelso
- Parkerville
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the southwest)
- Parkerville is located in Morris County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Parkerville
- Population from the 2020 Census: 59 people
- Council Grove
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the south)
- Council Grove is located in Morris County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Council Grove
- Population from the 2020 Census: 2,100 people
- Council Grove has also been known as:
- Council
- Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Council Grove <1>
- White City
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the west)
- Skiddy ‑ Historic
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the west)
- Skiddy is located in Morris County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Skiddy
- Helmick
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the south)
- Helmick is located in Morris County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Helmick
- Wilsey
(18 miles [29 km] to the southwest)
- Wilsey is located in Morris County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Wilsey
- Population from the 2020 Census: 142 people
- Dunlap
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the south)
- Dunlap is located in Morris County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Dunlap
- Population from the 2020 Census: 29 people
- Latimer
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the southwest)
- Latimer is located in Morris County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Latimer
- Population from the 2020 Census: 19 people
- Delavan
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the southwest)
- Delavan is located in Morris County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Delavan
- Diamond Springs ‑ Historic
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the southwest)
- Diamond Springs is located in Morris County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Diamond Springs
- Pottawatomie County
- The following are listed by their distance from Alta Vista, with the one closest to Alta Vista listed first.
- Saint George
(23 miles [37 km] to the north)
- Wamego
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the north)
- Louisville
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the north)
- Louisville is located in Pottawatomie County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Louisville
- Population from the 2020 Census: 228 people
- Louisville has also been known as:
- Louisville Springs
- Rock City
- Rock Creek Falls
- Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Louisville <1>
- Belvue
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the northeast)
- Belvue is located in Pottawatomie County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Belvue
- Population from the 2020 Census: 204 people
- Riley County
- The following are listed by their distance from Alta Vista, with the one closest to Alta Vista listed first.
- Ashland ‑ Historic
(18 miles [29 km] to the north)
- Ashland is located in Riley County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ashland
- Ashland has also been known as:
- Ashland Bottoms
- Pillsbury Crossing ‑ Historic
(18 miles [29 km] to the north)
- Pillsbury Crossing is located in Riley County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Pillsbury Crossing
- Zeandale
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the north)
- Zeandale is located in Riley County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Zeandale
- Ogden
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the northwest)
- Eureka Lake
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the north)
- Eureka Lake is located in Riley County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Eureka Lake
- Fairmont
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the north)
- Fairmont is located in Riley County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Fairmont
- Manhattan
(23 miles [37 km] to the north)
- Keats
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the northwest)
- Keats is located in Riley County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Keats
- Shawnee County
- Dover
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the east)
For an expanded list of the communities that are closest to Alta Vista, see our County-by-County Page for Alta Vista.
Cemeteries Near Alta Vista ...
Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of Alta Vista.
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 Vista - one of the links might be able to help.
If not found below, our Cemetery List for Alta Vista covers a larger area, with the cemeteries listed in alphabetical order.
The following cemeteries are listed based on their distance from Alta Vista, with the one closest to Alta Vista listed first.
- Alta Vista Cemetery
(Less than 2 miles to the southeast)
- Moss Springs Cemetery
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the northwest)
- East Templin Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the north)
- West Templin Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the north)
- Swartz Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the southwest)
- Garfield Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the south)
- Bemoan Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the southeast)
- Quaker Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the west)
- Dwight Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the west)
- Welcome Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the northwest)
- Prairie View Cemetery
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the southeast)
- Fix Cemetery
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the northeast)
- Continue List (111 more) ...
- Kelso Cemetery
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the southwest)
- Pleasant Ridge Cemetery
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the southeast)
- Upper Humboldt Cemetery
(9 miles [14.5 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.<4>
The Rand McNally Atlas shows that Alta Vista had a population of 320 people in 1895 with a post office and railroad service. In 2020, Alta Vista had a population of 419 people.
These communities are listed based on their distance from Alta Vista, with the one closest to Alta Vista listed first.
- Dwight
(5 miles [8 km] to the west)
- Dwight is located in Morris County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Dwight
- Population from the 2020 Census: 255 people
- Volland
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the northeast)
- Volland is located in Wabaunsee County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Volland
- Downing ‑ Historic
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the southwest)
- Downing is located in Morris County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Downing
- Kelso
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the southwest)
- Kelso is located in Morris County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Kelso
- Parkerville
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the southwest)
- Parkerville is located in Morris County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Parkerville
- Population from the 2020 Census: 59 people
- White City
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the west)
- Alma
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the northeast)
- Skiddy ‑ Historic
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the west)
- Skiddy is located in Morris County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Skiddy
- Helmick
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the south)
- Helmick is located in Morris County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Helmick
- Wilsey
(18 miles [29 km] to the southwest)
- Wilsey is located in Morris County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Wilsey
- Population from the 2020 Census: 142 people
- McFarland
(18 miles [29 km] to the northeast)
- McFarland is located in Wabaunsee County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for McFarland
- Population from the 2020 Census: 250 people
- Bushong
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the southeast)
- Bushong is located in Lyon County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bushong
- Population from the 2020 Census: 33 people
- Continue List (14 more) ...
- Dunlap
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the south)
- Dunlap is located in Morris County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Dunlap
- Population from the 2020 Census: 29 people
- Eskridge
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the east)
- Eskridge is located in Wabaunsee County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Eskridge
- Population from the 2020 Census: 502 people
- Wabaunsee
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the north)
- Wabaunsee is located in Wabaunsee County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Wabaunsee
We've also created an expanded list of communities that existed in the 1890's and were located in the area around Alta Vista. See our List of 1890's Communities around Alta Vista.
Newspapers Published in the Vicinity of Alta Vista ...
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 112 newspapers that have been published in the area around Alta Vista.
We have organized these newspapers into two lists:
- A Local Newspaper List - focusing on the papers published in the immediate area of Alta Vista. There are actually two parts to this list - papers printed in the immediate area of Alta Vista and those printed in the larger area surrounding Alta Vista.
- An Extended Newspaper List - a longer list, sorted by paper name and containing those papers published within 29 miles [46.7 km]<3> of Alta Vista.
Websites to Help With Your Genealogy Research ...
When we do our genealogical research, we like to start with the websites from Cyndi's List, FamilySearch and Genealogy Trails. These websites either 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 Vista:
- Websites specific to Kansas
- Pages specific to Wabaunsee County
- Genealogy information for nearby counties
- Chase County
- Dickinson County
- Geary County
- Lyon County
- Morris County
- Pottawatomie County
- Riley County
- Shawnee County
- Cemetery Information and Directories for Kansas
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> | Our distances are not driving distances, but are calculated as a 'straight-line' (or point-to-point) distance. A straight line distance ignores obstructions like rivers, canyons, lakes, et cetera - it's truly a line from Point A (ie- Alta Vista) to Point B. In other words: 'As the crow flies'. |
| <4> | 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 Vista, please let us know so that we can improve our accuracy. |