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 Alton (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 Alton. 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 doctors and 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.
Alton is located in Penobscot County.
To see how the shape of Maine's counties may have changed over time, we recommend the Atlas of Historical County Boundaries.
The following counties adjoin and form the boundaries of Penobscot County: Aroostook, Hancock, Piscataquis, Somerset, Waldo & Washington.
Below are the counties that are near Alton. For each of these counties, we show a sample of those communities that are closest to Alton:
- Penobscot County (The home county of Alton)
- The following are listed by their distance from Alton, with the one closest to Alton listed first.
- Costigan
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the east)
- Costigan is located in Penobscot County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Costigan
- West Old Town
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the southwest)
- West Old Town is located in Penobscot County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for West Old Town
- Greenbush
(5 miles [8 km] to the northeast)
- Greenbush is located in Penobscot County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Greenbush
- Population from the 2020 Census: 1,519 people
- Old Town Landing
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the southwest)
- Old Town Landing is located in Penobscot County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Old Town Landing
- South Lagrange
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the northwest)
- South Lagrange is located in Penobscot County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for South Lagrange
- Milford
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the southeast)
- Old Town
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the southeast)
- Hudson
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the west)
- Hudson is located in Penobscot County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hudson
- Population from the 2020 Census: 1,499 people
- Olamon
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the northeast)
- Olamon is located in Penobscot County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Olamon
- Stillwater
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the south)
- Stillwater is located in Penobscot County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Stillwater
- Bradford Center
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the west)
- Bradford Center is located in Penobscot County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bradford Center
- Bradley
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the southeast)
- Glenburn
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the southwest)
- Glenburn is located in Penobscot County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Glenburn
- Population from the 2020 Census: 4,567 people
- Hancock County
- The following are listed by their distance from Alton, with the one closest to Alton listed first.
- Great Pond
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the east)
- Great Pond is located in Hancock County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Great Pond
- Population from the 2020 Census: 56 people
- Amherst
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the southeast)
- Amherst is located in Hancock County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Amherst
- Population from the 2020 Census: 256 people
- Dedham
(23 miles [37 km] to the south)
- Aurora
(23 miles [37 km] to the southeast)
- Otis
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the southeast)
- Otis is located in Hancock County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Otis
- Population from the 2020 Census: 659 people
- Mariaville
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the southeast)
- Mariaville is located in Hancock County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mariaville
- Population from the 2020 Census: 540 people
- Bucksport Center
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the south)
- Bucksport Center is located in Hancock County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bucksport Center
- Osborn
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the southeast)
- Osborn is located in Hancock County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Osborn
- Population from the 2020 Census: 66 people
- Waltham
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the southeast)
- Waltham is located in Hancock County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Waltham
- Population from the 2020 Census: 340 people
- North Ellsworth
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the south)
- North Ellsworth is located in Hancock County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for North Ellsworth
- Piscataquis County
- The following are listed by their distance from Alton, with the one closest to Alton listed first.
- Boyd Lake
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the northwest)
- Boyd Lake is located in Piscataquis County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Boyd Lake
- Medford Center
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the north)
- Medford Center is located in Piscataquis County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Medford Center
- Medford
(18 miles [29 km] to the north)
- Medford is located in Piscataquis County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Medford
- Population from the 2020 Census: 245 people
- Atkinson
(18 miles [29 km] to the northwest)
- Atkinson is located in Piscataquis County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Atkinson
- Population from the 2020 Census: 311 people
- Atkinson Mills
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the northwest)
- Atkinson Mills is located in Piscataquis County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Atkinson Mills
- Milo
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the northwest)
- Milo is located in Piscataquis County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Milo
- Population from the 2020 Census: 2,314 people
- Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Milo <1>
- South Dover
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the west)
- South Dover is located in Piscataquis County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for South Dover
- Adams
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the northwest)
- Adams is located in Piscataquis County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Adams
- Dover South Mills
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the west)
- Dover South Mills is located in Piscataquis County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Dover South Mills
- Lake View Plantation
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the north)
- Lake View Plantation is located in Piscataquis County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lake View Plantation
- Population from the 2020 Census: 86 people
- Brownville
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the northwest)
- Sebec
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the northwest)
- Dover - Foxcroft
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the northwest)
- Waldo County
- The following are listed by their distance from Alton, with the one closest to Alton listed first.
- North Winterport
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the south)
- North Winterport is located in Waldo County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for North Winterport
- Winterport
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the south)
- Frankfort
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the south)
For an expanded list of the communities that are closest to Alton, see our County-by-County Page for Alton.
Cemeteries Near Alton ...
Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of Alton.
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 Alton - one of the links might be able to help.
If not found below, our Cemetery List for Alton covers a larger area, with the cemeteries listed in alphabetical order.
The following cemeteries are listed based on their distance from Alton, with the one closest to Alton listed first.
- Alton Cemetery
(Less than 2 miles to the northeast)
- Cedarvale Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the east)
- Hemlock Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the northeast)
- Tribal Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the southeast)
- Milford Cemetery
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the southeast)
- Cardville Cemetery
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the east)
- Hoyt Brook Cemetery
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the northeast)
- Mills Cemetery
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the west)
- Lawndale Cemetery
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the south)
- Woodlawn Cemetery
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the south)
- Forest Hill Cemetery
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the southeast)
- Dennis Cemetery
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the northeast)
- Continue List (150 more) ...
- Welles Cemetery
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the northeast)
- Williams Cemetery
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the northwest)
- Lakeview Cemetery
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the southwest)
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 Alton had a population of 100 people in 1895 with a post office and railroad service. In 2020, Alton had a population of 858 people.
These communities are listed based on their distance from Alton, with the one closest to Alton listed first.
- Pea Cove
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the southeast)
- Pea Cove is located in Penobscot County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Pea Cove
- Argyle
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the northeast)
- Argyle is located in Penobscot County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Argyle
- West Old Town
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the southwest)
- West Old Town is located in Penobscot County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for West Old Town
- Costigan
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the east)
- Costigan is located in Penobscot County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Costigan
- Greenbush
(5 miles [8 km] to the northeast)
- Greenbush is located in Penobscot County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Greenbush
- Population from the 2020 Census: 1,519 people
- Cardville
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the east)
- Cardville is located in Penobscot County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cardville
- Hudson
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the west)
- Hudson is located in Penobscot County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hudson
- Population from the 2020 Census: 1,499 people
- Old Town
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the southeast)
- Milford
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the southeast)
- South Lagrange
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the northwest)
- South Lagrange is located in Penobscot County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for South Lagrange
- Olamon
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the northeast)
- Olamon is located in Penobscot County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Olamon
- Bradford Center
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the west)
- Bradford Center is located in Penobscot County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bradford Center
- Continue List (16 more) ...
- Glenburn
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the southwest)
- Glenburn is located in Penobscot County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Glenburn
- Population from the 2020 Census: 4,567 people
- Great Works
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the southeast)
- Great Works is located in Penobscot County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Great Works
- Bradley
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the southeast)
We've also created an expanded list of communities that existed in the 1890's and were located in the area around Alton. See our List of 1890's Communities around Alton.
Newspapers Published in Alton ...
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 97 newspapers that have been published in the area around Alton.
Although we're unaware of any newspapers that were published in the immediate area of Alton, there are papers which were published within 21 miles [33.8 km]<4>. A list of those papers, sorted by paper name, can be found on the Extended Newspaper List for Alton.
Websites to Help With Your Genealogy Research ...
When we do our genealogical research, we first turn to 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 Alton:
- Websites specific to Maine
- Pages specific to Penobscot County
- Genealogy information for nearby counties
- Hancock County
- Piscataquis County
- Waldo County
- Cemetery Information and Directories for Maine
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 Alton, 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- Alton) to Point B. In other words: 'As the crow flies'. |