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 Bowdoin (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 Bowdoin. 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.
Bowdoin is located in Sagadahoc 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 Sagadahoc County: Androscoggin, Cumberland, Kennebec & Lincoln.
Below are the counties that are near Bowdoin. For each of these counties, we show a sample of those communities that are closest to Bowdoin:
- Sagadahoc County (The home county of Bowdoin)
- The following are listed by their distance from Bowdoin, with the one closest to Bowdoin listed first.
- Bowdoin Center
(Less than 2 miles to the south)
- Bowdoin Center is located in Sagadahoc County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bowdoin Center
- Richmond Corner
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the northeast)
- Richmond Corner is located in Sagadahoc County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Richmond Corner
- Bowdoinham
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the southeast)
- Harwards
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the east)
- Harwards is located in Sagadahoc County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Harwards
- Pejepscot
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the south)
- Pejepscot is located in Sagadahoc County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Pejepscot
- Richmond
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the east)
- Topsham
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the south)
- Days Ferry
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the southeast)
- Days Ferry is located in Sagadahoc County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Days Ferry
- Bath
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the southeast)
- Woolwich
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the southeast)
- West Bath
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the southeast)
- Murphys Corner
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the southeast)
- Murphys Corner is located in Sagadahoc County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Murphys Corner
- Androscoggin County
- The following are listed by their distance from Bowdoin, with the one closest to Bowdoin listed first.
- Lisbon Falls
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the southwest)
- Drinkwater Corner
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the northwest)
- Drinkwater Corner is located in Androscoggin County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Drinkwater Corner
- Lisbon
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the west)
- Sabattus
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the northwest)
- Wales
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the northwest)
- Wales is located in Androscoggin County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Wales
- Population from the 2020 Census: 1,640 people
- Nason Beach
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the northwest)
- Nason Beach is located in Androscoggin County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Nason Beach
- Wales Corner
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the northwest)
- Wales Corner is located in Androscoggin County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Wales Corner
- Durham
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the southwest)
- Leeds Junction
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the northwest)
- Leeds Junction is located in Androscoggin County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Leeds Junction
- Penley Corner
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the west)
- Penley Corner is located in Androscoggin County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Penley Corner
- Foggs Corner
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the northwest)
- Foggs Corner is located in Androscoggin County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Foggs Corner
- Greene Corner
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the northwest)
- Greene Corner is located in Androscoggin County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Greene Corner
- Cumberland County
- The following are listed by their distance from Bowdoin, with the one closest to Bowdoin listed first.
- Brunswick
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the south)
- Harding
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the southeast)
- Harding is located in Cumberland County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Harding
- Bunganuc Landing
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the south)
- Bunganuc Landing is located in Cumberland County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bunganuc Landing
- Pennellville
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the south)
- Pennellville is located in Cumberland County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Pennellville
- North Pownal
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the southwest)
- North Pownal is located in Cumberland County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for North Pownal
- Freeport
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the southwest)
- Pownal
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the southwest)
- East Harpswell
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the south)
- East Harpswell is located in Cumberland County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for East Harpswell
- Merepoint
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the south)
- Merepoint is located in Cumberland County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Merepoint
- Harpswell Center
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the south)
- Harpswell Center is located in Cumberland County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Harpswell Center
- New Gloucester
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the southwest)
- Bustins Island
(18 miles [29 km] to the south)
- Bustins Island is located in Cumberland County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bustins Island
- Kennebec County
- The following are listed by their distance from Bowdoin, with the one closest to Bowdoin listed first.
- Litchfield Corners
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the north)
- Litchfield Corners is located in Kennebec County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Litchfield Corners
- Litchfield
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the north)
- South Monmouth
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the north)
- South Monmouth is located in Kennebec County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for South Monmouth
- Batchelders Crossing
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the north)
- Batchelders Crossing is located in Kennebec County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Batchelders Crossing
- Purgatory
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the north)
- Purgatory is located in Kennebec County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Purgatory
- West Gardiner
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the north)
- West Gardiner is located in Kennebec County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for West Gardiner
- Population from the 2020 Census: 3,376 people
- East Monmouth
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the north)
- East Monmouth is located in Kennebec County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for East Monmouth
- Monmouth
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the north)
- South Gardiner
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the northeast)
- South Gardiner is located in Kennebec County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for South Gardiner
- North Monmouth
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the north)
- Farmingdale
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the northeast)
- Gardiner
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the northeast)
- Knox County
- Globe
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the northeast)
- Globe is located in Knox County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Globe
- Lincoln County
- The following are listed by their distance from Bowdoin, with the one closest to Bowdoin listed first.
- South Dresden
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the east)
- South Dresden is located in Lincoln County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for South Dresden
- Hatchs Corner
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the east)
- Hatchs Corner is located in Lincoln County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hatchs Corner
- Dresden
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the east)
- Wiscasset
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the east)
- Westport
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the southeast)
- Westport is located in Lincoln County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Westport
- Population from the 2020 Census: 732 people
- Former name for Westport:
- Westport Island
- Head Tide
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the east)
- Head Tide is located in Lincoln County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Head Tide
- Alna
(18 miles [29 km] to the east)
- Edgecomb
(18 miles [29 km] to the east)
- Whitefield
(18 miles [29 km] to the northeast)
- North Newcastle
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the east)
- North Newcastle is located in Lincoln County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for North Newcastle
- East Edgecomb
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the southeast)
- East Edgecomb is located in Lincoln County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for East Edgecomb
- Trevett
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the southeast)
- Oxford County
- The following are listed by their distance from Bowdoin, with the one closest to Bowdoin listed first.
- Hebron
(23 miles [37 km] to the northwest)
- Buckfield
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the northwest)
- Oxford
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the west)
- East Sumner
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the northwest)
- East Sumner is located in Oxford County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for East Sumner
- Hartford
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the northwest)
- Hartford is located in Oxford County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hartford
- Population from the 2020 Census: 1,229 people
- East Otisfield
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the west)
- East Otisfield is located in Oxford County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for East Otisfield
- Paris
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the northwest)
- Paris is located in Oxford County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Paris
- Population from the 2020 Census: 5,162 people
- South Paris
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the west)
- Spurrs Corner
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the west)
- Spurrs Corner is located in Oxford County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Spurrs Corner
- Norway
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the west)
For an expanded list of the communities that are closest to Bowdoin, see our County-by-County Page for Bowdoin.
Cemeteries Near Bowdoin ...
Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of Bowdoin.
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 Bowdoin - one of the links might be able to help.
If not found below, our Cemetery List for Bowdoin covers a larger area, with the cemeteries listed in alphabetical order.
The following cemeteries are listed based on their distance from Bowdoin, with the one closest to Bowdoin listed first.
- Hix Small Cemetery
(Less than 2 miles to the southeast)
- Coombs Cemetery
(Less than 2 miles to the southeast)
- Starbird Cemetery
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the east)
- Woodlawn Cemetery
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the west)
- South Bowdoin Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the south)
- Blanchard Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the northeast)
- Fisher Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the northwest)
- Potter Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the west)
- St. Cyril Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the southwest)
- Calvary Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the southwest)
- Maxwell Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the northwest)
- Dinsmore Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the east)
- Continue List (421 more) ...
- Spear Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the northwest)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Spear Cemetery
- To give a relative sense of its location, the Spear Cemetery is located 2 miles [3.2 km]<2> to the southeast of Sabattus.
- Jump to Find-A-Grave: FG ID #90576 <3>
- Hewey Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the west)
- Lisbon Center Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 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.<4>
While we didn't find Bowdoin in the Atlas, the following 1895 communities would have been found near the current location of Bowdoin.
These communities are listed based on their distance from Bowdoin, with the one closest to Bowdoin listed first.
- Bowdoin Center
(Less than 2 miles to the south)
- Bowdoin Center is located in Sagadahoc County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bowdoin Center
- West Bowdoin
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the west)
- West Bowdoin is located in Sagadahoc County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for West Bowdoin
- Bowdoinham
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the southeast)
- Richmond Corner
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the northeast)
- Richmond Corner is located in Sagadahoc County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Richmond Corner
- Litchfield Corners
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the north)
- Litchfield Corners is located in Kennebec County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Litchfield Corners
- Lisbon Center
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the southwest)
- Lisbon Center is located in Androscoggin County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lisbon Center
- Lisbon Falls
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the southwest)
- Litchfield Plains
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the north)
- Litchfield Plains is located in Kennebec County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Litchfield Plains
- Litchfield
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the north)
- Lisbon
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the west)
- Cathance
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the south)
- Cathance is located in Sagadahoc County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cathance
- Harwards
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the east)
- Harwards is located in Sagadahoc County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Harwards
- Continue List (15 more) ...
- East Wales
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the northwest)
- East Wales is located in Androscoggin County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for East Wales
- Richmond
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the east)
- Wales
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the northwest)
- Wales is located in Androscoggin County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Wales
- Population from the 2020 Census: 1,640 people
We've also created an expanded list of communities that existed in the 1890's and were located in the area around Bowdoin. See our List of 1890's Communities around Bowdoin.
Newspapers Published in Bowdoin ...
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 33 newspapers that have been published in the area around Bowdoin.
Although we're unaware of any newspapers that were published in the immediate area of Bowdoin, there are papers which were published within 17 miles [27.4 km]<2>. A list of those papers, sorted by paper name, can be found on the Extended Newspaper List for Bowdoin.
Websites to Help With Your Genealogy Research ...
When we do our genealogical research, we start 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 Bowdoin:
- Websites specific to Maine
- Pages specific to Sagadahoc County
- Genealogy information for nearby counties
- Androscoggin County
- Cumberland County
- Kennebec County
- Knox County
- Lincoln County
- Oxford 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> | 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- Bowdoin) to Point B. In other words: 'As the crow flies'. |
| <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> | 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 Bowdoin, please let us know so that we can improve our accuracy. |