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 Mahaska (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 Mahaska. 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 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.
Mahaska is located in Washington 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 Washington County: Clay, Cloud, Marshall, Republic, Riley, Gage (NE), Jefferson (NE) & Thayer (NE).
Below are the counties that are near Mahaska. For each of these counties, we show a sample of those communities that are closest to Mahaska:
- Washington County (The home county of Mahaska)
- The following are listed by their distance from Mahaska, with the one closest to Mahaska listed first.
- Haddam
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the south)
- Haddam is located in Washington County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Haddam
- Population from the 2020 Census: 97 people
- Haddam has also been known as:
- Haddam City
- West Haddam
- Blocker ‑ Historic
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the southeast)
- Blocker is located in Washington County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Blocker
- Morrowville
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the southeast)
- Morrowville is located in Washington County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Morrowville
- Population from the 2020 Census: 147 people
- Hollenberg
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the east)
- Hollenberg is located in Washington County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hollenberg
- Population from the 2020 Census: 20 people
- Brantford
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the south)
- Brantford is located in Washington County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Brantford
- Washington
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the southeast)
- Lanham
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the east)
- Lanham is located in Washington County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lanham
- Linn
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the southeast)
- Hanover
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the east)
- Greenleaf
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the southeast)
- Palmer
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the southeast)
- Palmer is located in Washington County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Palmer
- Population from the 2020 Census: 105 people
- Clifton
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the south)
- Clifton is located in Washington County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Clifton
- Population from the 2020 Census: 506 people
- Clifton has also been known as:
- West Clifton
- Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Clifton <1>
- Clay County
- Vining
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the south)
- Vining is located in Clay County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Vining
- Population from the 2020 Census: 42 people
- Cloud County
- The following are listed by their distance from Mahaska, with the one closest to Mahaska listed first.
- Clyde
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the south)
- Ames
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the south)
- Ames is located in Cloud County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ames
- Rice
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the south)
- Rice is located in Cloud County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rice
- Marshall County
- Bremen
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the east)
- Bremen is located in Marshall County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bremen
- Republic County
- The following are listed by their distance from Mahaska, with the one closest to Mahaska listed first.
- Narka
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the southwest)
- Narka is located in Republic County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Narka
- Population from the 2020 Census: 84 people
- Munden
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the southwest)
- Munden is located in Republic County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Munden
- Population from the 2020 Census: 91 people
- Cuba
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the southwest)
- Belleville
(18 miles [29 km] to the southwest)
- Agenda
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the south)
- Agenda is located in Republic County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Agenda
- Population from the 2020 Census: 64 people
- Republic
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the west)
- Republic is located in Republic County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Republic
- Population from the 2020 Census: 106 people
- Sherdahl
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the west)
- Sherdahl is located in Republic County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sherdahl
- Scandia
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the southwest)
- Norway
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the southwest)
- Norway is located in Republic County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Norway
- Fillmore County (NE)
- Ohiowa
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the north)
- Gage County (NE)
- The following are listed by their distance from Mahaska, with the one closest to Mahaska listed first.
- Lanham
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the east)
- Lanham is located in Gage County (NE)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lanham
- Odell
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the east)
- Ellis
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the northeast)
- Ellis is located in Gage County (NE)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ellis
- Jefferson County (NE)
- The following are listed by their distance from Mahaska, with the one closest to Mahaska listed first.
- Reynolds
(5 miles [8 km] to the north)
- Thompson
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the northeast)
- Thompson is located in Jefferson County (NE)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Thompson
- Fairbury
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the northeast)
- Endicott
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the northeast)
- Powell
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the north)
- Powell is located in Jefferson County (NE)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Powell
- Steele City
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the east)
- Jansen
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the northeast)
- Diller
(23 miles [37 km] to the east)
- Daykin
(23 miles [37 km] to the north)
- Harbine
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the northeast)
- Harbine is located in Jefferson County (NE)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Harbine
- Population from the 2020 Census: 44 people
- Plymouth
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the northeast)
- Nuckolls County (NE)
- The following are listed by their distance from Mahaska, with the one closest to Mahaska listed first.
- Ruskin
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the west)
- Hardy
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the west)
- Saline County (NE)
- The following are listed by their distance from Mahaska, with the one closest to Mahaska listed first.
- Tobias
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the north)
- Western
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the north)
- Swanton
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the northeast)
- Thayer County (NE)
- The following are listed by their distance from Mahaska, with the one closest to Mahaska listed first.
- Hubbell
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the west)
- Gilead
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the north)
- Chester
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the west)
- Stoddard ‑ Historic
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the northwest)
- Stoddard is located in Thayer County (NE)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Stoddard
- Alexandria
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the north)
- Hebron
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the northwest)
- Belvidere
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the northwest)
- Byron
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the west)
- Deshler
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the northwest)
- Bruning
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the northwest)
- Carleton
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the northwest)
For an expanded list of the communities that are closest to Mahaska, see our County-by-County Page for Mahaska.
Cemeteries Near Mahaska ...
Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of Mahaska.
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 Mahaska - one of the links might be able to help.
If not found below, our Cemetery List for Mahaska covers a larger area, with the cemeteries listed in alphabetical order.
The following cemeteries are listed based on their distance from Mahaska, with the one closest to Mahaska listed first.
- Mahaska Cemetery
(Less than 2 miles to the east)
- Maple Grove Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the west)
- Pleasant View Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the southeast)
- Williams Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the northwest)
- Rose Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the north)
- St. Pauls Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the northwest)
- Zion Lutheran Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the northwest)
- National Cemetery
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the southwest)
- Larabee Cemetery
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the southeast)
- Greenfield Cemetery
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the southeast)
- Silver Creek Cemetery
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the northeast)
- Hubbell Cemetery
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the west)
- Continue List (161 more) ...
- Canfil Cemetery
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the south)
- Haddam Cemetery
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the south)
- Union Cemetery
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the north)
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 in 1895, Mahaska had a post office and railroad service. In 2020, Mahaska had a population of 77 people.
These communities are listed based on their distance from Mahaska, with the one closest to Mahaska listed first.
- Narka
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the southwest)
- Narka is located in Republic County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Narka
- Population from the 2020 Census: 84 people
- Reynolds
(5 miles [8 km] to the north)
- Thompson
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the northeast)
- Thompson is located in Jefferson County (NE)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Thompson
- Hubbell
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the west)
- Haddam
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the south)
- Haddam is located in Washington County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Haddam
- Population from the 2020 Census: 97 people
- Haddam has also been known as:
- Haddam City
- West Haddam
- Munden
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the southwest)
- Munden is located in Republic County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Munden
- Population from the 2020 Census: 91 people
- Gilead
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the north)
- Haworth
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the south)
- Haworth is located in Republic County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Haworth
- Gladstone
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the north)
- Gladstone is located in Jefferson County (NE)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Gladstone
- Cuba
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the southwest)
- Morrowville
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the southeast)
- Morrowville is located in Washington County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Morrowville
- Population from the 2020 Census: 147 people
- Fairbury
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the northeast)
- Continue List (16 more) ...
- Chester
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the west)
- Endicott
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the northeast)
- Stoddard ‑ Historic
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the northwest)
- Stoddard is located in Thayer County (NE)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Stoddard
We've also created an expanded list of communities that existed in the 1890's and were located in the area around Mahaska. See our List of 1890's Communities around Mahaska.
Newspapers Published in Mahaska ...
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 228 newspapers that have been published in the area around Mahaska.
Although we're unaware of any newspapers that were published in the immediate area of Mahaska, 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 Mahaska.
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 professional and volunteer 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 Mahaska:
- Websites specific to Kansas
- Pages specific to Washington County
- Genealogy information for nearby counties
- Clay County
- Cloud County
- Marshall County
- Republic County
- Fillmore County
- Gage County
- Jefferson County
- Nuckolls County
- Saline County
- Thayer 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> | 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 Mahaska, 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 obstructions like rivers, canyons, lakes, et cetera - it's truly a line drawn from Point A (ie- Mahaska) to Point B. In other words: 'As the crow flies'. |