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 Smolan (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 Smolan. 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 southeast corner of their home county. During their lives, most hospitals and doctors were in the next county to the east. 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 east 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.
Smolan is located in Saline 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 Saline County: Dickinson, Ellsworth, Lincoln, Marion, McPherson & Ottawa.
Below are the counties that are near Smolan. For each of these counties, we show a sample of those communities that are closest to Smolan:
- Saline County (The home county of Smolan)
- The following are listed by their distance from Smolan, with the one closest to Smolan listed first.
- Phillips Village ‑ Historic
(Less than 2 miles to the northwest)
- Phillips Village is located in Saline County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Phillips Village
- Salemsborg
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the south)
- Salemsborg is located in Saline County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Salemsborg
- Mentor
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the east)
- Mentor is located in Saline County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mentor
- Bavaria
(5 miles [8 km] to the northwest)
- Bavaria is located in Saline County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bavaria
- Bavaria has also been known as:
- Houch
- Assaria
(5 miles [8 km] to the southeast)
- Falun
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the southwest)
- Salina
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the northeast)
- Bridgeport
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the southeast)
- Bridgeport is located in Saline County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bridgeport
- Hallville
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the southeast)
- Hallville is located in Saline County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hallville
- Brookville
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the west)
- Kipp
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the east)
- Kipp is located in Saline County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Kipp
- Gypsum
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the east)
- New Cambria
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the northeast)
- New Cambria is located in Saline County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for New Cambria
- Population from the 2020 Census: 125 people
- Dickinson County
- The following are listed by their distance from Smolan, with the one closest to Smolan listed first.
- Solomon
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the northeast)
- Carlton
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the east)
- Carlton is located in Dickinson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Carlton
- Population from the 2020 Census: 40 people
- Holland
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the east)
- Holland is located in Dickinson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Holland
- Acme
(23 miles [37 km] to the east)
- Acme is located in Dickinson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Acme
- Elmo
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the east)
- Elmo is located in Dickinson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Elmo
- Abilene
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the northeast)
- Dillon
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the east)
- Dillon is located in Dickinson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Dillon
- Talmage
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the northeast)
- Talmage is located in Dickinson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Talmage
- Ellsworth County
- The following are listed by their distance from Smolan, with the one closest to Smolan listed first.
- Terra Cotta
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the west)
- Terra Cotta is located in Ellsworth County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Terra Cotta
- Venango
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the southwest)
- Venango is located in Ellsworth County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Venango
- Carneiro ‑ Historic
(18 miles [29 km] to the west)
- Carneiro is located in Ellsworth County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Carneiro
- Yankee Run
(18 miles [29 km] to the west)
- Yankee Run is located in Ellsworth County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Yankee Run
- Langley
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the southwest)
- Langley is located in Ellsworth County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Langley
- Kanopolis
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the west)
- Midway
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the west)
- Midway is located in Ellsworth County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Midway
- Ellsworth
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the west)
- Lincoln County
- The following are listed by their distance from Smolan, with the one closest to Smolan listed first.
- Beverly
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the northwest)
- Beverly is located in Lincoln County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Beverly
- Population from the 2020 Census: 146 people
- Quartzite
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the northwest)
- Quartzite is located in Lincoln County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Quartzite
- Marion County
- The following are listed by their distance from Smolan, with the one closest to Smolan listed first.
- Waldeck
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the southeast)
- Waldeck is located in Marion County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Waldeck
- Durham
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the southeast)
- Durham is located in Marion County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Durham
- Population from the 2020 Census: 106 people
- McPherson County
- The following are listed by their distance from Smolan, with the one closest to Smolan listed first.
- Lindsborg
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the south)
- Marquette
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the southwest)
- Roxbury
(18 miles [29 km] to the southeast)
- Roxbury is located in McPherson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Roxbury
- Galva
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the south)
- McPherson
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the south)
- Conway
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the south)
- Conway is located in McPherson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Conway
- Canton
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the southeast)
- Windom
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the southwest)
- Windom is located in McPherson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Windom
- Population from the 2020 Census: 125 people
- Groveland
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the south)
- Groveland is located in McPherson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Groveland
- Ottawa County
- The following are listed by their distance from Smolan, with the one closest to Smolan listed first.
- Culver
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the north)
- Culver is located in Ottawa County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Culver
- Population from the 2020 Census: 115 people
- Niles
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the northeast)
- Niles is located in Ottawa County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Niles
- Verdi
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the northeast)
- Verdi is located in Ottawa County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Verdi
- Bennington
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the north)
- Tescott
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the northwest)
- Tescott is located in Ottawa County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Tescott
- Population from the 2020 Census: 282 people
- Lindsey
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the north)
- Lindsey is located in Ottawa County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lindsey
- Lindsey has also been known as:
- Ayersville
- Minneapolis
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the north)
- Alfmil
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the north)
- Alfmil is located in Ottawa County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Alfmil
- Brewer
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the north)
- Brewer is located in Ottawa County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Brewer
- Ackley
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the northeast)
- Ackley is located in Ottawa County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ackley
- Wells
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the north)
- Wells is located in Ottawa County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Wells
- Vine Creek
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the northeast)
- Vine Creek is located in Ottawa County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Vine Creek
- Former name for Vine Creek:
- Vine
- Ada
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the north)
- Ada is located in Ottawa County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ada
- Rice County
- The following are listed by their distance from Smolan, with the one closest to Smolan listed first.
- Crawford
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the southwest)
- Crawford is located in Rice County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Crawford
- Galt
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the southwest)
- Galt is located in Rice County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Galt
- Geneseo
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the southwest)
- Little River
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the southwest)
For an expanded list of the communities that are closest to Smolan, see our County-by-County Page for Smolan.
Cemeteries Near Smolan ...
Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of Smolan.
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 Smolan - one of the links might be able to help.
If not found below, our Cemetery List for Smolan covers a larger area, with the cemeteries listed in alphabetical order.
The following cemeteries are listed based on their distance from Smolan, with the one closest to Smolan listed first.
- Smolan Cemetery
(Less than 2 miles to the north)
- Faun Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the southwest)
- Rose Hill Cemetery
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the south)
- Smoky Hill Cemetery
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the south)
- Bridgeport Cemetery
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the southeast)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bridgeport Cemetery
- To give a relative sense of its location, the Bridgeport Cemetery is located outside and to the northeast of Bridgeport.
- The Bridgeport Cemetery has also been known as:
- Husted Family Cemetery
- Jump to Find-A-Grave: FG ID #2185179 <2>
- Roselawn Memorial Park Cemetery
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the northeast)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Roselawn Memorial Park Cemetery
- The Roselawn Memorial Park Cemetery has also been known as:
- Memorial Park Cemetery
- Rose Lawn Memorial Park
- Roselawn Memorial Park
- Jump to Find-A-Grave: FG ID #93017 <2>
- Gypsum Hill Cemetery
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the northeast)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Gypsum Hill Cemetery
- To give a relative sense of its location, the Gypsum Hill Cemetery is a very large cemetery that is located in Salina.
- Jump to Find-A-Grave: FG ID #92619 <2>
- Dry Creek Cemetery
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the southwest)
- Mt. Calvary Cemetery
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the northeast)
- Brookville Cemetery
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the west)
- Calvary Cemetery
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the west)
- Shiloh Cemetery
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the north)
- Continue List (89 more) ...
- Swenson Gravesite
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the southeast)
- Summit Cemetery
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the west)
- Elmwood Cemetery
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the south)
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 Smolan had a population of 27 people in 1895 with a post office and railroad service. In 2020, Smolan had a population of 203 people.
These communities are listed based on their distance from Smolan, with the one closest to Smolan listed first.
- Salemsborg
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the south)
- Salemsborg is located in Saline County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Salemsborg
- Mentor
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the east)
- Mentor is located in Saline County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mentor
- Assaria
(5 miles [8 km] to the southeast)
- Bavaria
(5 miles [8 km] to the northwest)
- Bavaria is located in Saline County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bavaria
- Bavaria has also been known as:
- Houch
- Falun
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the southwest)
- Salina
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the northeast)
- Bridgeport
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the southeast)
- Bridgeport is located in Saline County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bridgeport
- Hallville
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the southeast)
- Hallville is located in Saline County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hallville
- Trenton ‑ Historic
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the north)
- Trenton is located in Saline County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Trenton
- Brookville
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the west)
- Lindsborg
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the south)
- Kipp
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the east)
- Kipp is located in Saline County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Kipp
- Continue List (14 more) ...
- Shipton
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the north)
- Shipton is located in Saline County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Shipton
- Gypsum
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the east)
- New Cambria
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the northeast)
- New Cambria is located in Saline County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for New Cambria
- Population from the 2020 Census: 125 people
We've also created an expanded list of communities that existed in the 1890's and were located in the area around Smolan. See our List of 1890's Communities around Smolan.
Newspapers Published in Smolan ...
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 61 newspapers that have been published in the area around Smolan.
Although we're unaware of any newspapers that were published in the immediate area of Smolan, 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 Smolan.
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 Smolan:
- Websites specific to Kansas
- Pages specific to Saline County
- Genealogy information for nearby counties
- Dickinson County
- Ellsworth County
- Lincoln County
- Marion County
- McPherson County
- Ottawa County
- Rice 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 Smolan, 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' distance. A straight line distance ignores obstructions like rivers, canyons, lakes, et cetera - it's truly a line drawn from Point A (ie- Smolan) to Point B. In other words: 'As the crow flies'. |