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 Cambridge (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 Cambridge. 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 northwest 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 north.
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 north 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.
Cambridge is located in Somerset 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 Somerset County: Franklin, Kennebec, Penobscot, Piscataquis & Waldo.
Below are the counties that are near Cambridge. For each of these counties, we show a sample of those communities that are closest to Cambridge:
- Somerset County (The home county of Cambridge)
- The following are listed by their distance from Cambridge, with the one closest to Cambridge listed first.
- Harmony
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the southwest)
- Mainstream
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the southwest)
- Mainstream is located in Somerset County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mainstream
- Ripley
(5 miles [8 km] to the southeast)
- Ripley is located in Somerset County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ripley
- Population from the 2020 Census: 479 people
- Saint Albans
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the south)
- Hartland
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the south)
- Brighton
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the west)
- Brighton is located in Somerset County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Brighton
- Population from the 2020 Census: 67 people
- Brighton has also been known as:
- Brighton Plantation
- Athens
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the southwest)
- Athens is located in Somerset County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Athens
- Population from the 2020 Census: 976 people
- Mayfield Corner
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the northwest)
- Mayfield Corner is located in Somerset County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mayfield Corner
- West Palmyra
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the south)
- West Palmyra is located in Somerset County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for West Palmyra
- Palmyra
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the southeast)
- Cass Corner
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the southwest)
- Cass Corner is located in Somerset County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cass Corner
- Dogtown
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the south)
- Dogtown is located in Somerset County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Dogtown
- Cornville
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the southwest)
- Cornville is located in Somerset County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cornville
- Population from the 2020 Census: 1,389 people
- Kennebec County
- The following are listed by their distance from Cambridge, with the one closest to Cambridge listed first.
- Morrison Corner
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the south)
- Morrison Corner is located in Kennebec County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Morrison Corner
- Clinton
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the south)
- Benton Station
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the south)
- Benton Station is located in Kennebec County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Benton Station
- Benton
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the south)
- Benton is located in Kennebec County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Benton
- Population from the 2020 Census: 2,720 people
- Penobscot County
- The following are listed by their distance from Cambridge, with the one closest to Cambridge listed first.
- Dexter
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the east)
- Russell Corner
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the east)
- Russell Corner is located in Penobscot County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Russell Corner
- Silvers Mills
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the east)
- Silvers Mills is located in Penobscot County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Silvers Mills
- Corinna
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the southeast)
- Garland
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the east)
- Garland is located in Penobscot County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Garland
- Population from the 2020 Census: 1,046 people
- North Newport
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the southeast)
- North Newport is located in Penobscot County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for North Newport
- Exeter
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the east)
- Exeter is located in Penobscot County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Exeter
- Population from the 2020 Census: 1,098 people
- Newport
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the southeast)
- East Exeter
(18 miles [29 km] to the east)
- East Exeter is located in Penobscot County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for East Exeter
- East Newport
(18 miles [29 km] to the southeast)
- East Newport is located in Penobscot County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for East Newport
- Stetson
(18 miles [29 km] to the southeast)
- Stetson is located in Penobscot County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Stetson
- Population from the 2020 Census: 1,192 people
- Charleston
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the east)
- Charleston is located in Penobscot County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Charleston
- Population from the 2020 Census: 1,675 people
- Plymouth
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the southeast)
- Piscataquis County
- The following are listed by their distance from Cambridge, with the one closest to Cambridge listed first.
- Wellington
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the west)
- Wellington is located in Piscataquis County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Wellington
- Population from the 2020 Census: 248 people
- Parkman
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the north)
- Guilford
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the northeast)
- Kingsbury Plantation
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the northwest)
- Kingsbury Plantation is located in Piscataquis County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Kingsbury Plantation
- Population from the 2020 Census: 27 people
- Kingsbury
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the northwest)
- Kingsbury is located in Piscataquis County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Kingsbury
- Abbot
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the north)
- Sangerville
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the northeast)
- East Sangerville
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the northeast)
- East Sangerville is located in Piscataquis County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for East Sangerville
- Howard Corner
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the northeast)
- Howard Corner is located in Piscataquis County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Howard Corner
- Monson Junction
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the north)
- Monson Junction is located in Piscataquis County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Monson Junction
- Dover South Mills
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the northeast)
- Dover South Mills is located in Piscataquis County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Dover South Mills
- Dover - Foxcroft
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the northeast)
- Monson
(18 miles [29 km] to the north)
- Waldo County
- The following are listed by their distance from Cambridge, with the one closest to Cambridge listed first.
- Burnham
(23 miles [37 km] to the south)
- Burnham is located in Waldo County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Burnham
- Population from the 2020 Census: 1,243 people
- Winnecook
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the south)
- Winnecook is located in Waldo County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Winnecook
- Troy
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the southeast)
- Unity
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the south)
For an expanded list of the communities that are closest to Cambridge, see our County-by-County Page for Cambridge.
Cemeteries Near Cambridge ...
Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of Cambridge.
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 Cambridge - one of the links might be able to help.
If not found below, our Cemetery List for Cambridge covers a larger area, with the cemeteries listed in alphabetical order.
The following cemeteries are listed based on their distance from Cambridge, with the one closest to Cambridge listed first.
- Memorial Garden Cemetery
(Less than 2 miles to the east)
- Mt. Pleasant Cemetery
(Less than 2 miles to the northeast)
- West Ripley Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the southeast)
- Chadborne Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the southwest)
- Wing Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the south)
- North Road Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the southwest)
- Libby Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the southwest)
- Fern - Dale Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the southeast)
- Klondike Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the west)
- Leighton Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the southwest)
- Pingree Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the north)
- Dore Hill Cemetery
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the west)
- Continue List (146 more) ...
- Storer Cemetery
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the east)
- Parkman Corner Cemetery
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the north)
- Taylor Cemetery
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the west)
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.<2>
The Rand McNally Atlas shows that Cambridge had a population of 129 people in 1895 with a post office and no railroad service. In 2020, Cambridge had a population of 457 people.
These communities are listed based on their distance from Cambridge, with the one closest to Cambridge listed first.
- Harmony
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the southwest)
- Mainstream
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the southwest)
- Mainstream is located in Somerset County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mainstream
- Ripley
(5 miles [8 km] to the southeast)
- Ripley is located in Somerset County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ripley
- Population from the 2020 Census: 479 people
- Wellington
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the west)
- Wellington is located in Piscataquis County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Wellington
- Population from the 2020 Census: 248 people
- North Dexter
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the northeast)
- North Dexter is located in Penobscot County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for North Dexter
- Parkman
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the north)
- Saint Albans
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the south)
- Dexter
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the east)
- Hartland
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the south)
- Guilford
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the northeast)
- Kingsbury
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the northwest)
- Kingsbury is located in Piscataquis County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Kingsbury
- Brighton
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the west)
- Brighton is located in Somerset County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Brighton
- Population from the 2020 Census: 67 people
- Brighton has also been known as:
- Brighton Plantation
- Continue List (14 more) ...
- Athens
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the southwest)
- Athens is located in Somerset County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Athens
- Population from the 2020 Census: 976 people
- Silvers Mills
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the east)
- Silvers Mills is located in Penobscot County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Silvers Mills
- Sangerville
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the northeast)
We've also created an expanded list of communities that existed in the 1890's and were located in the area around Cambridge. See our List of 1890's Communities around Cambridge.
Newspapers Published in Cambridge ...
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 34 newspapers that have been published in the area around Cambridge.
Although we're unaware of any newspapers that were published in the immediate area of Cambridge, there are papers which were published within 20 miles [32.2 km]<3>. A list of those papers, sorted by paper name, can be found on the Extended Newspaper List for Cambridge.
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 Cambridge:
- Websites specific to Maine
- Pages specific to Somerset County
- Genealogy information for nearby counties
- Kennebec County
- Penobscot 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> | 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 Cambridge, please let us know so that we can improve our accuracy. |
| <3> | Our distances are not driving distances, but are calculated as a 'straight-line' distance. A straight line distance ignores things like rivers, canyons, lakes, et cetera - it's truly a line drawn from Point A (ie- Cambridge) to Point B. In other words: 'As the crow flies'. |