Our Genealogy Helper
Introduction ...
So far, we found very little information about Prairie Center. The little that we've found leads us believe that the community is historic.<1>
We've added Prairie Center to our Gazetteer with the hope that we can develop more information. If you can help us with Prairie Center, 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 Prairie 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 Prairie 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 Prairie 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.
Another variation: Prairie Centre.
- A typical abbreviation for Prairie Center: Prairie Ctr. (or less commonly used: Prairie Cen., Prairie Cent. or Prairie Cntr.)
You might be interested in other communities that are also named Prairie Center. More information can be found on our Tidbits & Trivia Page for Prairie 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.
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 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 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 Prairie Center is historic, it would have been located within present day Johnson 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 Johnson County: Douglas, Franklin, Leavenworth, Miami, Wyandotte, Cass (MO) & Jackson (MO).
Below are the counties that are near Prairie Center. For each of these counties, we show a sample of those communities that are closest to Prairie Center:
- Johnson County (The home county of Prairie Center)
- The following are listed by their distance from Prairie Center, with the one closest to Prairie Center listed first.
- Clearview City
(5 miles [8 km] to the north)
- Clearview City is located in Johnson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Clearview City
- Edgerton
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the south)
- Gardner
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the southeast)
- Clare
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the east)
- Clare is located in Johnson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Clare
- De Soto
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the northeast)
- Olathe
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the east)
- Spring Hill
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the southeast)
- Spring Hill is located in Johnson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Spring Hill
- Population from the 2020 Census: 7,871 people
- Spring Hill has also been known as:
- Spring Hill Station
- Springfield
- Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Spring Hill <2>
- Monticello
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the northeast)
- Monticello is located in Johnson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Monticello
- Wilder
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the northeast)
- Wilder is located in Johnson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Wilder
- Zarah
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the northeast)
- Zarah is located in Johnson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Zarah
- Shawnee
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the northeast)
- Holliday
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the northeast)
- Holliday is located in Johnson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Holliday
- Lenexa
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the northeast)
- Douglas County
- The following are listed by their distance from Prairie Center, with the one closest to Prairie Center listed first.
- Hesper
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the northwest)
- Hesper is located in Douglas County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hesper
- Clearfield
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the southwest)
- Clearfield is located in Douglas County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Clearfield
- Eudora
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the northwest)
- Weaver
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the north)
- Weaver is located in Douglas County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Weaver
- Black Jack ‑ Historic
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the southwest)
- Black Jack is located in Douglas County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Black Jack
- Vinland
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the west)
- Vinland is located in Douglas County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Vinland
- Sibleyville
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the west)
- Sibleyville is located in Douglas County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sibleyville
- Noria
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the northwest)
- Noria is located in Douglas County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Noria
- Baldwin City
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the southwest)
- Bismarck Grove ‑ Historic
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the northwest)
- Bismarck Grove is located in Douglas County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bismarck Grove
- Pleasant Grove
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the west)
- Pleasant Grove is located in Douglas County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Pleasant Grove
- Lawrence
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the northwest)
- Midland
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the northwest)
- Midland is located in Douglas County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Midland
- Franklin County
- The following are listed by their distance from Prairie Center, with the one closest to Prairie Center listed first.
- Wellsville
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the south)
- Le Loup
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the southwest)
- Le Loup is located in Franklin County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Le Loup
- Norwood
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the southwest)
- Norwood is located in Franklin County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Norwood
- Peoria
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the south)
- Peoria is located in Franklin County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Peoria
- Centropolis
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the southwest)
- Centropolis is located in Franklin County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Centropolis
- Ottawa Junction
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the southwest)
- Ottawa Junction is located in Franklin County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ottawa Junction
- Imes
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the south)
- Imes is located in Franklin County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Imes
- Rantoul
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the south)
- Rantoul is located in Franklin County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rantoul
- Population from the 2020 Census: 187 people
- Ottawa
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the southwest)
- B N Junction
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the southwest)
- B N Junction is located in Franklin County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for B N Junction
- Richter
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the southwest)
- Richter is located in Franklin County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Richter
- Lane
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the south)
- Lane is located in Franklin County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lane
- Population from the 2020 Census: 229 people
- Lane has also been known as:
- Lane City
- Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Lane <2>
- Pomona
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the southwest)
- Jefferson County
- The following are listed by their distance from Prairie Center, with the one closest to Prairie Center listed first.
- Buck Creek
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the northwest)
- Buck Creek is located in Jefferson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Buck Creek
- Williamstown
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the northwest)
- Williamstown is located in Jefferson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Williamstown
- Perry
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the northwest)
- McLouth
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the northwest)
- Medina
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the northwest)
- Medina is located in Jefferson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Medina
- Thompsonville
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the northwest)
- Thompsonville is located in Jefferson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Thompsonville
- Newman
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the northwest)
- Newman is located in Jefferson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Newman
- Oskaloosa
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the northwest)
- Lakeside Village
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the northwest)
- Lakeside Village is located in Jefferson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lakeside Village
- Leavenworth County
- The following are listed by their distance from Prairie Center, with the one closest to Prairie Center listed first.
- Linwood
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the north)
- Linwood is located in Leavenworth County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Linwood
- Population from the 2020 Census: 433 people
- Linwood has also been known as:
- Big Stranger
- Johnny Cake
- Journeycake
- Fall Leaf
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the northwest)
- Fall Leaf is located in Leavenworth County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Fall Leaf
- Loring
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the northeast)
- Loring is located in Leavenworth County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Loring
- Tonganoxie
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the north)
- Basehor
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the north)
- Hoge
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the north)
- Hoge is located in Leavenworth County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hoge
- Fairmount
(23 miles [37 km] to the north)
- Fairmount is located in Leavenworth County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Fairmount
- Fairmount has also been known as:
- Fairmont Village
- Jarbalo
(23 miles [37 km] to the north)
- Jarbalo is located in Leavenworth County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Jarbalo
- Highland
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the north)
- Highland is located in Leavenworth County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Highland
- Lansing
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the north)
- Springdale
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the north)
- Springdale is located in Leavenworth County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Springdale
- Bain City
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the north)
- Bain City is located in Leavenworth County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bain City
- Miami County
- The following are listed by their distance from Prairie Center, with the one closest to Prairie Center listed first.
- Hillsdale
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the southeast)
- Hillsdale is located in Miami County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hillsdale
- Bucyrus
(18 miles [29 km] to the southeast)
- Bucyrus is located in Miami County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bucyrus
- Chiles
(18 miles [29 km] to the southeast)
- Chiles is located in Miami County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Chiles
- Paola
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the south)
- Wea
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the southeast)
- Wea is located in Miami County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Wea
- Stanton
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the south)
- Stanton is located in Miami County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Stanton
- Somerset
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the southeast)
- Louisburg
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the southeast)
- Louisburg is located in Miami County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Louisburg
- Population from the 2020 Census: 4,590 people
- Former name for Louisburg:
- New Saint Lewis
- Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Louisburg <2>
- Osawatomie
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the south)
- Block
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the southeast)
- Block is located in Miami County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Block
- Osage County
- Overbrook
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the west)
- Shawnee County
- The following are listed by their distance from Prairie Center, with the one closest to Prairie Center listed first.
- Richland
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the west)
- Richland is located in Shawnee County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Richland
- Spencer
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the northwest)
- Spencer is located in Shawnee County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Spencer
- Watson
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the west)
- Watson is located in Shawnee County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Watson
- Wyandotte County
- The following are listed by their distance from Prairie Center, with the one closest to Prairie Center listed first.
- Bonner Springs
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the northeast)
- Edwardsville
(18 miles [29 km] to the northeast)
- Grinter Heights
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the northeast)
- Grinter Heights is located in Wyandotte County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Grinter Heights
- Morris
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the northeast)
- Morris is located in Wyandotte County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Morris
- Piper
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the northeast)
- Piper is located in Wyandotte County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Piper
- Wallula
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the north)
- Wallula is located in Wyandotte County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Wallula
- Argentine
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the northeast)
- Argentine is located in Wyandotte County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Argentine
- Turner
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the northeast)
- Turner is located in Wyandotte County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Turner
- Kansas City
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the northeast)
- Quindaro ‑ Historic
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the northeast)
- Quindaro is located in Wyandotte County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Quindaro
- Cass County (MO)
- The following are listed by their distance from Prairie Center, with the one closest to Prairie Center listed first.
- Loch Lloyd
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the east)
- Loch Lloyd is located in Cass County (MO)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Loch Lloyd
- Population from the 2020 Census: 835 people
- Loch Lloyd has also been known as:
- Loch Lloyd village
- Belton
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the east)
- Cleveland
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the southeast)
- Cleveland is located in Cass County (MO)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cleveland
- Population from the 2020 Census: 668 people
- Riverview Estates
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the east)
- Riverview Estates is located in Cass County (MO)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Riverview Estates
- Population from the 2020 Census: 84 people
- Riverview Estates has also been known as:
- Riverview Estates village
- West Line
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the southeast)
- West Line is located in Cass County (MO)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for West Line
- Population from the 2020 Census: 108 people
- Harrelson
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the east)
- Harrelson is located in Cass County (MO)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Harrelson
- Raymore
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the east)
- Clay County (MO)
- North Kansas City
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the northeast)
- Jackson County (MO)
- The following are listed by their distance from Prairie Center, with the one closest to Prairie Center listed first.
- New Santa Fe
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the east)
- New Santa Fe is located in Jackson County (MO)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for New Santa Fe
- Martin City
(23 miles [37 km] to the east)
- Martin City is located in Jackson County (MO)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Martin City
- Indian Village
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the east)
- Indian Village is located in Jackson County (MO)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Indian Village
- Belvidere
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the east)
- Belvidere is located in Jackson County (MO)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Belvidere
- Grandview
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the east)
- Holmes Park
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the east)
- Holmes Park is located in Jackson County (MO)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Holmes Park
- Holmes Park has also been known as:
- Holmes
- Kansas City
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the northeast)
- Platte County (MO)
- The following are listed by their distance from Prairie Center, with the one closest to Prairie Center listed first.
- Waldron
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the northeast)
- Waldron is located in Platte County (MO)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Waldron
- Parkville
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the northeast)
- Riverside
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the northeast)
For an expanded list of the communities that are closest to Prairie Center, see our County-by-County Page for Prairie Center.
Cemeteries Near Prairie Center ...
Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of Prairie 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 Prairie Center - one of the links might be able to help.
If not found below, our Cemetery List for Prairie Center covers a larger area, with the cemeteries listed in alphabetical order.
The following cemeteries are listed based on their distance from Prairie Center, with the one closest to Prairie Center listed first.
- Adams Cemetery
(Less than 2 miles to the west)
- Pleasant Valley Cemetery
(Less than 2 miles to the southwest)
- Prairie Center Cemetery
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the north)
- Four Corners Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the southeast)
- Hesper Friends Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the northwest)
- Deay Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the west)
- Clearfield Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the southwest)
- Gardner Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the southeast)
- St. Columbia Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the east)
- Eudora City Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the northwest)
- Holy Family Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the northwest)
- Cemetery Beni Israel
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the northwest)
- Continue List (267 more) ...
- Edgerton Cemetery
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the south)
- St. Columbine Cemetery
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the south)
- De Soto Cemetery
(7 miles [11.3 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.
Prairie Center itself is historic and was described in the Rand McNally Atlas as having a population of 53 people in 1895 with a post office and no railroad service.
These communities are listed based on their distance from Prairie Center, with the one closest to Prairie Center listed first.
- Hesper
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the northwest)
- Hesper is located in Douglas County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hesper
- Clearfield
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the southwest)
- Clearfield is located in Douglas County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Clearfield
- Edgerton
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the south)
- Gardner
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the southeast)
- Eudora
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the northwest)
- Weaver
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the north)
- Weaver is located in Douglas County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Weaver
- Vinland
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the west)
- Vinland is located in Douglas County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Vinland
- Black Jack ‑ Historic
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the southwest)
- Black Jack is located in Douglas County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Black Jack
- De Soto
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the northeast)
- Fall Leaf
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the northwest)
- Fall Leaf is located in Leavenworth County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Fall Leaf
- Linwood
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the north)
- Linwood is located in Leavenworth County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Linwood
- Population from the 2020 Census: 433 people
- Linwood has also been known as:
- Big Stranger
- Johnny Cake
- Journeycake
- Baldwin City
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the southwest)
- Continue List (16 more) ...
- Wellsville
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the south)
- Olathe
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the east)
- Lenape
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the north)
- Lenape is located in Leavenworth County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lenape
We've also created an expanded list of communities that existed in the 1890's and were located in the area around Prairie Center. See our List of 1890's Communities around Prairie Center.
Newspapers Published in Prairie 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 123 newspapers that have been published in the area around Prairie Center.
Although we're unaware of any newspapers that were published in the immediate area of Prairie Center, there are papers which were published within 26 miles [41.8 km]<4>. A list of those papers, sorted by paper name, can be found on the Extended Newspaper List for Prairie 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 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 Prairie Center:
- Websites specific to Kansas
- Pages specific to Johnson County
- Genealogy information for nearby counties
- Douglas County
- Franklin County
- Jefferson County
- Leavenworth County
- Miami County
- Osage County
- Shawnee County
- Wyandotte County
- Cass County
- Clay County
- Jackson County
- Platte 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 Prairie Center, 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 things like rivers, canyons, lakes, et cetera - it's truly a line drawn from Point A (ie- Prairie Center) to Point B. In other words: 'As the crow flies'. |