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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 West Springfield (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 West Springfield. 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 West Springfield ...

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 have occurred.

For example, a typical abbreviation for West Springfield: W. Springfield

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.

A Few Details for West Springfield ...

While it's still very early in our research, we found that:

  • West Springfield was settled in 1660.
  • It was incorporated in 1774.

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 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.

West Springfield is located in Hampden County.

To see how the shape of Massachusetts' counties have changed over time, we recommend the Atlas of Historical County Boundaries.

The following counties adjoin and form the boundaries of Hampden County: Hartford (CT), Litchfield (CT), Tolland (CT), Berkshire, Hampshire & Worcester.

Below are the counties that are near West Springfield. For each of these counties, we show a sample of those communities that are closest to West Springfield:

  • Hampden County     (The home county of West Springfield)
  • Berkshire County
    • The following are listed by their distance from West Springfield, with the one closest to West Springfield listed first.
    • East Otis
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the west)
      • Note: The GPS coordinates that we are using for East Otis have been provided by the GNIS.<1> The coordinates still need to be verified.
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for East Otis
      • East Otis is located in Berkshire County
    • Otis
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the west)
      • Note: We haven't been able to verify our GPS coordinates for Otis. Although the coordinates have been estimated, they should be in the vicinity.<2>
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Otis
      • Otis is located in Berkshire County
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 1,531 people
      • Google driving directions:
      • From your current location to Otis
      • From West Springfield to Otis
    • North Otis
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the west)
    • Sandisfield
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the west)
    • Becket
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the northwest)
      • Note: The GPS coordinates that we are using for Becket have been provided by the GNIS.<1> The coordinates still need to be verified.
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Becket
      • Becket is located in Berkshire County
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 1,707 people
    • South Sandisfield
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the west)
    • West Becket
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the west)
    • Washington
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the northwest)
      • Note: We haven't been able to verify our GPS coordinates for Washington. Although the coordinates have been estimated, they should be in the vicinity.<2>
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Washington
      • Washington is located in Berkshire County
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 541 people
      • Google driving directions:
      • From your current location to Washington
      • From West Springfield to Washington
    • Monterey
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the west)
    • New Marlborough
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the west)
    • Tyringham
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the west)
      • Note: The GPS coordinates that we are using for Tyringham have been provided by the GNIS.<1> The coordinates still need to be verified.
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Tyringham
      • Tyringham is located in Berkshire County
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 310 people
  • Franklin County
    • The following are listed by their distance from West Springfield, with the one closest to West Springfield listed first.
    • Smiths ‑ Historic
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the northeast)
      • Note: We haven't been able to verify our GPS coordinates for Smiths. Although the coordinates have been estimated, they should be in the vicinity.<2>
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Smiths
      • Smiths is located in Franklin County
      • Google driving directions:
      • From your current location to Smiths
      • From West Springfield to Smiths
    • Whately
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the north)
    • Leverett
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the north)
    • Sunderland
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the north)
    • South Deerfield
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the north)
      • Note: The GPS coordinates that we are using for South Deerfield have been provided by the GNIS.<1> The coordinates still need to be verified.
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for South Deerfield
      • South Deerfield is located in Franklin County
    • Shutesbury
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the northeast)
    • Conway
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the north)
    • Moores Corner
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the north)
    • Cooleyville
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the northeast)
    • Locks Village
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the north)
      • Note: The GPS coordinates that we are using for Locks Village have been provided by the GNIS.<1> The coordinates still need to be verified.
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Locks Village
      • Locks Village is located in Franklin County
    • South Ashfield
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the north)
    • Ashfield
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the north)
    • Montague
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the north)
  • Hampshire County
    • The following are listed by their distance from West Springfield, with the one closest to West Springfield listed first.
    • Southampton
      (9 miles [14.5 km] to the northwest)
      • Note: The GPS coordinates that we are using for Southampton have been provided by the GNIS.<1> The coordinates still need to be verified.
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Southampton
      • Southampton is located in Hampshire County
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 6,162 people
    • South Hadley
      (10 miles [16.1 km] to the north)
    • Easthampton
      (11 miles [17.7 km] to the north)
    • Granby
      (11 miles [17.7 km] to the northeast)
      • Note: The GPS coordinates that we are using for Granby have been provided by the GNIS.<1> The coordinates still need to be verified.
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Granby
      • Granby is located in Hampshire County
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 6,262 people
    • Mount Tom
      (12 miles [19.3 km] to the north)
    • Bay State
      (14 miles [22.5 km] to the north)
    • Northampton
      (14 miles [22.5 km] to the north)
    • West Farms
      (14 miles [22.5 km] to the north)
    • Florence
      (15 miles [24.1 km] to the north)
    • Huntington
      (15 miles [24.1 km] to the northwest)
      • Note: The GPS coordinates that we are using for Huntington have been provided by the GNIS.<1> The coordinates still need to be verified.
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Huntington
      • Huntington is located in Hampshire County
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 2,159 people
    • Westhampton
      (15 miles [24.1 km] to the northwest)
    • Belchertown
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the northeast)
      • Note: We haven't been able to verify our GPS coordinates for Belchertown. Although the coordinates have been estimated, they should be in the vicinity.<2>
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Belchertown
      • Belchertown is located in Hampshire County
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 15,103 people
      • Google driving directions:
      • From your current location to Belchertown
      • From West Springfield to Belchertown
    • Bondsville
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the northeast)
      • Note: The GPS coordinates that we are using for Bondsville have been provided by the GNIS.<1> The coordinates still need to be verified.
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bondsville
      • Bondsville is located in Hampshire County
  • Worcester County
    • The following are listed by their distance from West Springfield, with the one closest to West Springfield listed first.
    • West Warren
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the east)
    • Warren
      (23 miles [37 km] to the east)
      • Note: The GPS coordinates that we are using for Warren have been provided by the GNIS.<1> The coordinates still need to be verified.
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Warren
      • Warren is located in Worcester County
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 5,203 people
    • Greenwich ‑ Historic
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the northeast)
    • Gilbertville
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the northeast)
    • Fiskdale
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the east)
    • West Brookfield
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the east)
    • Greenwich Village ‑ Historic
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the northeast)
    • Brookfield
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the east)
      • Note: The GPS coordinates that we are using for Brookfield have been provided by the GNIS.<1> The coordinates still need to be verified.
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Brookfield
      • Brookfield is located in Worcester County
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 3,439 people
    • Old Sturbridge Village
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the east)
      • Note: The GPS coordinates that we are using for Old Sturbridge Village have been provided by the GNIS.<1> The coordinates still need to be verified.
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Old Sturbridge Village
      • Old Sturbridge Village is located in Worcester County
    • Hardwick
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the northeast)
      • Note: The GPS coordinates that we are using for Hardwick have been provided by the GNIS.<1> The coordinates still need to be verified.
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hardwick
      • Hardwick is located in Worcester County
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 3,047 people
    • Sturbridge
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the east)
      • Note: The GPS coordinates that we are using for Sturbridge have been provided by the GNIS.<1> The coordinates still need to be verified.
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sturbridge
      • Sturbridge is located in Worcester County
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 9,561 people
    • Globe Village
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the east)
      • Note: The GPS coordinates that we are using for Globe Village have been provided by the GNIS.<1> The coordinates still need to be verified.
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Globe Village
      • Globe Village is located in Worcester County
    • Dana ‑ Historic
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the northeast)
      • Note: We haven't been able to verify our GPS coordinates for Dana. Although the coordinates have been estimated, they should be in the vicinity.<2>
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Dana
      • Dana is located in Worcester County
      • Google driving directions:
      • From your current location to Dana
      • From West Springfield to Dana
  • Hartford County (CT)
    • The following are listed by their distance from West Springfield, with the one closest to West Springfield listed first.
    • Rising Corner
      (6 miles [9.7 km] to the southwest)
    • Thompsonville
      (7 miles [11.3 km] to the south)
      • Note: The GPS coordinates that we are using for Thompsonville have been provided by the GNIS.<1> The coordinates still need to be verified.
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Thompsonville
      • Thompsonville is located in Hartford County (CT)
    • Sherwood Manor
      (7 miles [11.3 km] to the southeast)
    • Enfield
      (8 miles [12.9 km] to the south)
    • Suffield
      (8 miles [12.9 km] to the south)
    • Suffield Depot
      (9 miles [14.5 km] to the south)
      • Note: The GPS coordinates that we are using for Suffield Depot have been provided by the GNIS.<1> The coordinates still need to be verified.
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Suffield Depot
      • Suffield Depot is located in Hartford County (CT)
    • Suffield
      (9 miles [14.5 km] to the south)
      • Note: The GPS coordinates that we are using for Suffield have been provided by the GNIS.<1> The coordinates still need to be verified.
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Suffield
      • Suffield is located in Hartford County (CT)
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 15,812 people
    • West Suffield
      (9 miles [14.5 km] to the south)
      • Note: The GPS coordinates that we are using for West Suffield have been provided by the GNIS.<1> The coordinates still need to be verified.
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for West Suffield
      • West Suffield is located in Hartford County (CT)
      • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for West Suffield <3>
    • Hazardville
      (9 miles [14.5 km] to the southeast)
    • Southwood Acres
      (10 miles [16.1 km] to the south)
      • Note: The GPS coordinates that we are using for Southwood Acres have been provided by the GNIS.<1> The coordinates still need to be verified.
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Southwood Acres
      • Southwood Acres is located in Hartford County (CT)
    • Enfield
      (10 miles [16.1 km] to the southeast)
      • Note: The GPS coordinates that we are using for Enfield have been provided by the GNIS.<1> The coordinates still need to be verified.
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Enfield
      • Enfield is located in Hartford County (CT)
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 43,559 people
    • East Granby
      (12 miles [19.3 km] to the southwest)
      • Note: The GPS coordinates that we are using for East Granby have been provided by the GNIS.<1> The coordinates still need to be verified.
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for East Granby
      • East Granby is located in Hartford County (CT)
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 5,120 people
    • East Granby
      (12 miles [19.3 km] to the southwest)
  • Litchfield County (CT)
    • The following are listed by their distance from West Springfield, with the one closest to West Springfield listed first.
    • Hampsted
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the southwest)
      • Note: The GPS coordinates that we are using for Hampsted have been provided by the GNIS.<1> The coordinates still need to be verified.
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hampsted
      • Hampsted is located in Litchfield County (CT)
    • Barkhamsted
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the southwest)
    • Barkhamsted
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the southwest)
      • Note: The GPS coordinates that we are using for Barkhamsted have been provided by the GNIS.<1> The coordinates still need to be verified.
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Barkhamsted
      • Barkhamsted is located in Litchfield County (CT)
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 3,587 people
    • Riverton
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the southwest)
      • Note: The GPS coordinates that we are using for Riverton have been provided by the GNIS.<1> The coordinates still need to be verified.
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Riverton
      • Riverton is located in Litchfield County (CT)
      • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Riverton <3>
    • New Hartford
      (23 miles [37 km] to the southwest)
      • Note: The GPS coordinates that we are using for New Hartford have been provided by the GNIS.<1> The coordinates still need to be verified.
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for New Hartford
      • New Hartford is located in Litchfield County (CT)
      • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for New Hartford <3>
    • Pine Meadow
      (23 miles [37 km] to the southwest)
      • Note: The GPS coordinates that we are using for Pine Meadow have been provided by the GNIS.<1> The coordinates still need to be verified.
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Pine Meadow
      • Pine Meadow is located in Litchfield County (CT)
      • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Pine Meadow <3>
    • Pleasant Valley
      (23 miles [37 km] to the southwest)
    • Puddle Town
      (23 miles [37 km] to the southwest)
      • Note: The GPS coordinates that we are using for Puddle Town have been provided by the GNIS.<1> The coordinates still need to be verified.
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Puddle Town
      • Puddle Town is located in Litchfield County (CT)
    • Colebrook
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the west)
      • Note: The GPS coordinates that we are using for Colebrook have been provided by the GNIS.<1> The coordinates still need to be verified.
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Colebrook
      • Colebrook is located in Litchfield County (CT)
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 1,396 people
    • Winsted
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the southwest)
    • Colebrook
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the west)
    • North Colebrook
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the west)
    • Browns Corner
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the southwest)
  • Tolland County (CT)
    • The following are listed by their distance from West Springfield, with the one closest to West Springfield listed first.
    • Somersville
      (11 miles [17.7 km] to the southeast)
      • Note: The GPS coordinates that we are using for Somersville have been provided by the GNIS.<1> The coordinates still need to be verified.
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Somersville
      • Somersville is located in Tolland County (CT)
      • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Somersville <3>
    • Somers
      (12 miles [19.3 km] to the southeast)
      • Note: The GPS coordinates that we are using for Somers have been provided by the GNIS.<1> The coordinates still need to be verified.
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Somers
      • Somers is located in Tolland County (CT)
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 10,741 people
    • Somers
      (12 miles [19.3 km] to the southeast)
      • Note: The GPS coordinates that we are using for Somers have been provided by the GNIS.<1> The coordinates still need to be verified.
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Somers
      • Somers is located in Tolland County (CT)
      • Somers has also been known as:
      • Central Somers
      • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Somers <3>
    • Ellington
      (15 miles [24.1 km] to the southeast)
      • Note: The GPS coordinates that we are using for Ellington have been provided by the GNIS.<1> The coordinates still need to be verified.
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ellington
      • Ellington is located in Tolland County (CT)
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 16,652 people
    • State Line
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the east)
    • Ellington
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the southeast)
      • Note: The GPS coordinates that we are using for Ellington have been provided by the GNIS.<1> The coordinates still need to be verified.
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ellington
      • Ellington is located in Tolland County (CT)
      • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Ellington <3>
    • Crystal Lake
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the southeast)
    • Windermere
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the southeast)
    • Stafford
      (18 miles [29 km] to the southeast)
      • Note: The GPS coordinates that we are using for Stafford have been provided by the GNIS.<1> The coordinates still need to be verified.
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Stafford
      • Stafford is located in Tolland County (CT)
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 11,834 people
    • Rockville
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the southeast)
    • Stafford Springs
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the southeast)
    • Stafford
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the southeast)
      • Note: The GPS coordinates that we are using for Stafford have been provided by the GNIS.<1> The coordinates still need to be verified.
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Stafford
      • Stafford is located in Tolland County (CT)
      • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Stafford <3>
    • Quarryville
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the southeast)
      • Note: The GPS coordinates that we are using for Quarryville have been provided by the GNIS.<1> The coordinates still need to be verified.
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Quarryville
      • Quarryville is located in Tolland County (CT)
  • Windham County (CT)

For an expanded list of the communities that are closest to West Springfield, see our County-by-County Page for West Springfield.

Cemeteries Near West Springfield ...

Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of West Springfield.

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.

If you need information about a burial or interment, photos, transcripts, how to contact the cemetery or local authorities, please visit our selection of Genealogy Websites (see below).

If not found below, our Cemetery List for West Springfield covers a larger area, with the cemeteries listed in alphabetical order.

The following cemeteries are listed based on their distance from West Springfield, with the one closest to West Springfield listed first.

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.<6>

The Rand McNally Atlas shows that West Springfield had a population of 500 people in 1895 with a post office and no railroad service. In 2020, West Springfield had a population of 28,397 people.

These communities are listed based on their distance from West Springfield, with the one closest to West Springfield listed first.

  • Brightwood
    (Less than 2 miles to the northeast)
    • Note: The GPS coordinates that we are using for Brightwood have been provided by the GNIS.<1> The coordinates still need to be verified.
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Brightwood
    • Brightwood is located in Hampden County
  • Merrick
    (Less than 2 miles to the north)
    • Note: The GPS coordinates that we are using for Merrick have been provided by the GNIS.<1> The coordinates still need to be verified.
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Merrick
    • Merrick is located in Hampden County
  • Mittineague
    (Less than 2 miles to the southwest)
    • Note: The GPS coordinates that we are using for Mittineague have been provided by the GNIS.<1> The coordinates still need to be verified.
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mittineague
    • Mittineague is located in Hampden County
  • Springfield
    (Less than 2 miles to the east)
  • Agawam
    (2 miles [3.2 km] to the south)
  • Chicopee
    (2 miles [3.2 km] to the north)
  • Athol Junction
    (3 miles [4.8 km] to the east)
    • Note: The GPS coordinates that we are using for Athol Junction have been provided by the GNIS.<1> The coordinates still need to be verified.
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Athol Junction
    • Athol Junction is located in Hampden County
  • Chicopee Falls
    (3 miles [4.8 km] to the northeast)
    • Note: The GPS coordinates that we are using for Chicopee Falls have been provided by the GNIS.<1> The coordinates still need to be verified.
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Chicopee Falls
    • Chicopee Falls is located in Hampden County
  • Feeding Hills
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the southwest)
  • Longmeadow
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the southeast)
  • Ingleside
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the north)
    • Note: The GPS coordinates that we are using for Ingleside have been provided by the GNIS.<1> The coordinates still need to be verified.
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ingleside
    • Ingleside is located in Hampden County
  • East Longmeadow
    (6 miles [9.7 km] to the southeast)
    • Note: The GPS coordinates that we are using for East Longmeadow have been provided by the GNIS.<1> The coordinates still need to be verified.
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for East Longmeadow
    • East Longmeadow is located in Hampden County
    • Population from the 2020 Census: 16,093 people
  • Continue List   (18 more) ...
    • Holyoke
      (6 miles [9.7 km] to the north)
    • Westfield
      (6 miles [9.7 km] to the west)
    • Thompsonville
      (7 miles [11.3 km] to the south)
      • Note: The GPS coordinates that we are using for Thompsonville have been provided by the GNIS.<1> The coordinates still need to be verified.
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Thompsonville
      • Thompsonville is located in Hartford County (CT)

We've also created an expanded list of communities that existed in the 1890's and were located in the area around West Springfield. See our List of 1890's Communities around West Springfield.

Newspapers Published in the Vicinity of West Springfield ...

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 49 newspapers that have been published in the area around West Springfield.

We have organized these newspapers into two lists:

  • A Local Newspaper List - focusing on the papers published in the immediate area of West Springfield. There are actually two parts to this list - papers printed in the immediate area of West Springfield and those printed in the larger area surrounding West Springfield.
  • An Extended Newspaper List - a longer list, sorted by paper name and containing those papers published within 12 miles [19.3 km]<7> of West Springfield.

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 West Springfield:

The official website for West Springfield: www.west-springfield.ma.us/

The official website for State of Massachusetts: https://www.mass.gov/

Footnotes ...

<1>The location has been supplied by the Geographic Names Information System - which is maintained by the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS). While these values should be definitive, we found that accuracy can vary and you should double-check the location if accuracy is required.
<2>An 'estimated' location is one where we have been given GPS coordinates, but are unable to verify the accuracy of those coordinates. That said, we have some confidence that we have placed the marker near the actual location. A typical reason for being unable to verify a location is that it might be on private property or maybe historic and gone without an obvious trace.
<3>While we're fans and frequent users of TripAdvisor, you should know that we're also members of the TripAdvisor affiliate program.
<4>The Massachusetts Historical Commission (MHC) has created and maintains a database of historic properties that is called MACRIS (for the Massachusetts Cultural Resource Information System). More information about the MHC and MACRIS can be found on their website: mhc-macris.net.

When visiting the MACRIS website, you might encounter their page requiring the 'Acceptance of Terms'. With your acceptance, you'll be transfered to the desired page.

<5>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.
<6>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 West Springfield, please let us know so that we can improve our accuracy.
<7>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 from Point A (ie- West Springfield) to Point B.Our distance measurements begin at a specific point in West Springfield. The point we use is located at these GPS coordinates - Latitude: 42.1108, Longitude: -72.6277    









 

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This page was last modified/updated: 28 Apr 2025