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 Damascus (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 Damascus. 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 southwest 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 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 west 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.
Damascus 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 Damascus. For each of these counties, we show a sample of those communities that are closest to Damascus:
- Penobscot County (The home county of Damascus)
- The following are listed by their distance from Damascus, with the one closest to Damascus listed first.
- Carmel
(Less than 2 miles to the southeast)
- Etna
(Less than 2 miles to the west)
- Etna is located in Penobscot County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Etna
- Population from the 2020 Census: 1,194 people
- Stetson
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the northwest)
- Stetson is located in Penobscot County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Stetson
- Population from the 2020 Census: 1,192 people
- North Newburgh
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the southeast)
- North Newburgh is located in Penobscot County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for North Newburgh
- East Newport
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the west)
- East Newport is located in Penobscot County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for East Newport
- Newburgh
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the southeast)
- Newburgh is located in Penobscot County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Newburgh
- Population from the 2020 Census: 1,530 people
- Plymouth
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the southwest)
- Hermon
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the east)
- Levant
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the northeast)
- North Newport
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the northwest)
- North Newport is located in Penobscot County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for North Newport
- East Dixmont
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the south)
- East Dixmont is located in Penobscot County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for East Dixmont
- Newburgh Village
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the southeast)
- Newburgh Village is located in Penobscot County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Newburgh Village
- Dixmont
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the southwest)
- Dixmont is located in Penobscot County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Dixmont
- Population from the 2020 Census: 1,119 people
- Hancock County
- The following are listed by their distance from Damascus, with the one closest to Damascus listed first.
- Bucksport Center
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the southeast)
- Bucksport Center is located in Hancock County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bucksport Center
- Bucksport
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the southeast)
- Dedham
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the east)
- Verona Island
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the southeast)
- Verona Island is located in Hancock County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Verona Island
- Population from the 2020 Census: 555 people
- Former name for Verona Island:
- Verona
- Orland
(23 miles [37 km] to the southeast)
- East Orland
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the southeast)
- West Penobscot
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the southeast)
- West Penobscot is located in Hancock County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for West Penobscot
- North Penobscot
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the southeast)
- North Penobscot is located in Hancock County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for North Penobscot
- North Ellsworth
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the southeast)
- North Ellsworth is located in Hancock County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for North Ellsworth
- Kennebec County
- The following are listed by their distance from Damascus, with the one closest to Damascus listed first.
- Clinton
(23 miles [37 km] to the southwest)
- Albion
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the southwest)
- Morrison Corner
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the southwest)
- Morrison Corner is located in Kennebec County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Morrison Corner
- Benton
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the southwest)
- Benton is located in Kennebec County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Benton
- Population from the 2020 Census: 2,720 people
- Benton Falls
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the southwest)
- Benton Falls is located in Kennebec County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Benton Falls
- Benton Station
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the southwest)
- Benton Station is located in Kennebec County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Benton Station
- Piscataquis County
- The following are listed by their distance from Damascus, with the one closest to Damascus listed first.
- Dover South Mills
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the north)
- Dover South Mills is located in Piscataquis County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Dover South Mills
- Atkinson
(23 miles [37 km] to the north)
- Atkinson is located in Piscataquis County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Atkinson
- Population from the 2020 Census: 311 people
- South Dover
(23 miles [37 km] to the north)
- South Dover is located in Piscataquis County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for South Dover
- Atkinson Mills
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the north)
- Atkinson Mills is located in Piscataquis County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Atkinson Mills
- East Sangerville
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the northwest)
- East Sangerville is located in Piscataquis County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for East Sangerville
- Dover - Foxcroft
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the north)
- Howard Corner
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the northwest)
- Howard Corner is located in Piscataquis County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Howard Corner
- Boyd Lake
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the north)
- Boyd Lake is located in Piscataquis County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Boyd Lake
- Sangerville
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the northwest)
- Guilford
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the northwest)
- Parkman
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the northwest)
- Wellington
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the northwest)
- Wellington is located in Piscataquis County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Wellington
- Population from the 2020 Census: 248 people
- Milo
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the north)
- 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>
- Somerset County
- The following are listed by their distance from Damascus, with the one closest to Damascus listed first.
- Detroit
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the west)
- Houston Corner
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the west)
- Houston Corner is located in Somerset County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Houston Corner
- Dogtown
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the west)
- Dogtown is located in Somerset County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Dogtown
- Palmyra
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the west)
- Pittsfield
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the west)
- West Palmyra
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the west)
- West Palmyra is located in Somerset County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for West Palmyra
- Saint Albans
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the west)
- Ripley
(18 miles [29 km] to the northwest)
- Ripley is located in Somerset County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ripley
- Population from the 2020 Census: 479 people
- Hartland
(18 miles [29 km] to the west)
- Mainstream
(23 miles [37 km] to the northwest)
- Mainstream is located in Somerset County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mainstream
- Canaan
(23 miles [37 km] to the west)
- Cambridge
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the northwest)
- Harmony
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the northwest)
- Waldo County
- The following are listed by their distance from Damascus, with the one closest to Damascus listed first.
- Troy
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the southwest)
- Jackson
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the south)
- Jackson is located in Waldo County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Jackson
- Population from the 2020 Census: 588 people
- Monroe
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the south)
- Monroe is located in Waldo County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Monroe
- Population from the 2020 Census: 948 people
- Monroe Center
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the south)
- Monroe Center is located in Waldo County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Monroe Center
- North Winterport
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the southeast)
- North Winterport is located in Waldo County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for North Winterport
- Winterport
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the southeast)
- Frankfort
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the southeast)
- Brooks
(18 miles [29 km] to the south)
- Knox Ledge Corner
(18 miles [29 km] to the south)
- Knox Ledge Corner is located in Waldo County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Knox Ledge Corner
- North Searsport
(18 miles [29 km] to the south)
- North Searsport is located in Waldo County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for North Searsport
- Burnham
(18 miles [29 km] to the southwest)
- Burnham is located in Waldo County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Burnham
- Population from the 2020 Census: 1,243 people
- Thorndike
(18 miles [29 km] to the southwest)
- Unity
(18 miles [29 km] to the southwest)
For an expanded list of the communities that are closest to Damascus, see our County-by-County Page for Damascus.
Cemeteries Near Damascus ...
Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of Damascus.
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 Damascus - one of the links might be able to help.
If not found below, our Cemetery List for Damascus covers a larger area, with the cemeteries listed in alphabetical order.
The following cemeteries are listed based on their distance from Damascus, with the one closest to Damascus listed first.
- Pleasant Hill Cemetery
(Less than 2 miles to the southwest)
- Etna Cemetery
(Less than 2 miles to the west)
- Highland Cemetery
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the east)
- Coboro Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the northwest)
- Toothaker Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the south)
- North Carmel Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the east)
- Graveyard Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the south)
- Hill Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the southeast)
- Rogers Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the southeast)
- Rug le Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the southeast)
- Pine Tree Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the east)
- Mt. Pleasant Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the north)
- Continue List (258 more) ...
- Palmer Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the west)
- Sawyer Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the southwest)
- Waughn Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the northeast)
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>
The Rand McNally Atlas shows that in 1895, Damascus had a post office and no railroad service.
These communities are listed based on their distance from Damascus, with the one closest to Damascus listed first.
- Carmel
(Less than 2 miles to the southeast)
- Etna
(Less than 2 miles to the west)
- Etna is located in Penobscot County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Etna
- Population from the 2020 Census: 1,194 people
- Etna Center
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the southwest)
- Etna Center is located in Penobscot County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Etna Center
- South Levant
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the northeast)
- South Levant is located in Penobscot County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for South Levant
- North Newburgh
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the southeast)
- North Newburgh is located in Penobscot County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for North Newburgh
- Hermon Pond
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the east)
- Hermon Pond is located in Penobscot County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hermon Pond
- Stetson
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the northwest)
- Stetson is located in Penobscot County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Stetson
- Population from the 2020 Census: 1,192 people
- East Newport
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the west)
- East Newport is located in Penobscot County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for East Newport
- Plymouth
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the southwest)
- North Dixmont
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the southwest)
- North Dixmont is located in Penobscot County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for North Dixmont
- Newburgh
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the southeast)
- Newburgh is located in Penobscot County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Newburgh
- Population from the 2020 Census: 1,530 people
- Newburgh Center
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the southeast)
- Newburgh Center is located in Penobscot County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Newburgh Center
- Continue List (15 more) ...
- West Levant
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the northeast)
- West Levant is located in Penobscot County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for West Levant
- Dixmont Center
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the south)
- Dixmont Center is located in Penobscot County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Dixmont Center
- West Hampden
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the southeast)
- West Hampden is located in Penobscot County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for West Hampden
We've also created an expanded list of communities that existed in the 1890's and were located in the area around Damascus. See our List of 1890's Communities around Damascus.
Newspapers Published in Damascus ...
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 108 newspapers that have been published in the area around Damascus.
Although we're unaware of any newspapers that were published in the immediate area of Damascus, there are papers which were published within 17 miles [27.4 km]<3>. A list of those papers, sorted by paper name, can be found on the Extended Newspaper List for Damascus.
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 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 Damascus:
- Websites specific to Maine
- Pages specific to Penobscot County
- Genealogy information for nearby counties
- Hancock County
- Kennebec County
- Piscataquis County
- Somerset 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> | Our distances are not driving distances, but are calculated as a '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- Damascus) to Point B. In other words: 'As the crow flies'. |
| <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 Damascus, please let us know so that we can improve our accuracy. |