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 Dexter (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 Dexter. 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 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.
Dexter 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 Dexter. For each of these counties, we show a sample of those communities that are closest to Dexter:
- Penobscot County (The home county of Dexter)
- The following are listed by their distance from Dexter, with the one closest to Dexter listed first.
- Russell Corner
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the east)
- Russell Corner is located in Penobscot County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Russell Corner
- Silvers Mills
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the northeast)
- Silvers Mills is located in Penobscot County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Silvers Mills
- Garland
(6 miles [9.7 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
- Corinna
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the south)
- Exeter
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the southeast)
- Exeter is located in Penobscot County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Exeter
- Population from the 2020 Census: 1,098 people
- East Exeter
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the southeast)
- East Exeter is located in Penobscot County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for East Exeter
- North Newport
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the southeast)
- North Newport is located in Penobscot County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for North Newport
- Stetson
(11 miles [17.7 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
(12 miles [19.3 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
- Corinth
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the east)
- Newport
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the south)
- East Newport
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the south)
- East Newport is located in Penobscot County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for East Newport
- South Corinth
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the east)
- South Corinth is located in Penobscot County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for South Corinth
- Kennebec County
- The following are listed by their distance from Dexter, with the one closest to Dexter listed first.
- Clinton
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the south)
- Morrison Corner
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the southwest)
- Morrison Corner is located in Kennebec County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Morrison Corner
- Piscataquis County
- The following are listed by their distance from Dexter, with the one closest to Dexter listed first.
- Dover South Mills
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the northeast)
- Dover South Mills is located in Piscataquis County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Dover South Mills
- East Sangerville
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the north)
- East Sangerville is located in Piscataquis County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for East Sangerville
- Howard Corner
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the north)
- Howard Corner is located in Piscataquis County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Howard Corner
- Sangerville
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the north)
- Parkman
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the northwest)
- Dover - Foxcroft
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the north)
- South Dover
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the northeast)
- South Dover is located in Piscataquis County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for South Dover
- Guilford
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the northwest)
- Atkinson Mills
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the northeast)
- Atkinson Mills is located in Piscataquis County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Atkinson Mills
- Abbot
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the northwest)
- Atkinson
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the northeast)
- Atkinson is located in Piscataquis County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Atkinson
- Population from the 2020 Census: 311 people
- Monson Junction
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the northwest)
- Monson Junction is located in Piscataquis County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Monson Junction
- Wellington
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the west)
- Wellington is located in Piscataquis County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Wellington
- Population from the 2020 Census: 248 people
- Somerset County
- The following are listed by their distance from Dexter, with the one closest to Dexter listed first.
- Ripley
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the southwest)
- Ripley is located in Somerset County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ripley
- Population from the 2020 Census: 479 people
- Cambridge
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the west)
- Saint Albans
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the southwest)
- Mainstream
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the west)
- Mainstream is located in Somerset County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mainstream
- Palmyra
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the south)
- Hartland
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the southwest)
- Harmony
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the west)
- West Palmyra
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the southwest)
- West Palmyra is located in Somerset County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for West Palmyra
- Detroit
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the south)
- Dogtown
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the south)
- Dogtown is located in Somerset County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Dogtown
- Houston Corner
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the south)
- Houston Corner is located in Somerset County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Houston Corner
- Pittsfield
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the south)
- Athens
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the west)
- Athens is located in Somerset County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Athens
- Population from the 2020 Census: 976 people
- Waldo County
- The following are listed by their distance from Dexter, with the one closest to Dexter 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
- Troy
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the south)
- Winnecook
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the south)
- Winnecook is located in Waldo County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Winnecook
- Unity
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the south)
- Jackson
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the south)
- Jackson is located in Waldo County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Jackson
- Population from the 2020 Census: 588 people
- Thorndike
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the south)
For an expanded list of the communities that are closest to Dexter, see our County-by-County Page for Dexter.
Cemeteries Near Dexter ...
Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of Dexter.
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 Dexter - one of the links might be able to help.
If not found below, our Cemetery List for Dexter covers a larger area, with the cemeteries listed in alphabetical order.
The following cemeteries are listed based on their distance from Dexter, with the one closest to Dexter listed first.
- Mt. Pleasant Cemetery
(Less than 2 miles to the southeast)
- Storer Cemetery
(Less than 2 miles to the northwest)
- Fern - Dale Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the southwest)
- White Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the southeast)
- West Garland Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the east)
- Frenchs Mills Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the north)
- Nutter Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the south)
- West Ripley Cemetery
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the west)
- North Newport Cemetery
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the south)
- Chamberlain Cemetery
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the southeast)
- Crowell Cemetery
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the east)
- Evergreen Cemetery
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the east)
- Continue List (169 more) ...
- Wing Cemetery
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the southwest)
- Weeks Cemetery
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the south)
- McAllister Cemetery
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the north)
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 Dexter had a population of 2,670 people in 1895 with a post office and railroad service. In 2020, Dexter had a population of 3,702 people.
These communities are listed based on their distance from Dexter, with the one closest to Dexter listed first.
- Ripley
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the southwest)
- Ripley is located in Somerset County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ripley
- Population from the 2020 Census: 479 people
- North Dexter
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the northwest)
- North Dexter is located in Penobscot County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for North Dexter
- Silvers Mills
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the northeast)
- Silvers Mills is located in Penobscot County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Silvers Mills
- Corinna Center
(5 miles [8 km] to the southeast)
- Corinna Center is located in Penobscot County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Corinna Center
- Garland
(6 miles [9.7 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
- Corinna
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the south)
- Spragues Mill
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the south)
- Spragues Mill is located in Penobscot County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Spragues Mill
- Dover South Mills
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the northeast)
- Dover South Mills is located in Piscataquis County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Dover South Mills
- East Sangerville
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the north)
- East Sangerville is located in Piscataquis County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for East Sangerville
- Exeter
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the southeast)
- Exeter is located in Penobscot County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Exeter
- Population from the 2020 Census: 1,098 people
- Cambridge
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the west)
- Saint Albans
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the southwest)
- Continue List (17 more) ...
- South Exeter
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the southeast)
- South Exeter is located in Penobscot County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for South Exeter
- Sangerville
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the north)
- North Newport
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the southeast)
- North Newport is located in Penobscot County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for North Newport
We've also created an expanded list of communities that existed in the 1890's and were located in the area around Dexter. See our List of 1890's Communities around Dexter.
Newspapers Published in the Vicinity of Dexter ...
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 Dexter.
We have organized these newspapers into two lists:
- A Local Newspaper List - focusing on the papers published in the immediate area of Dexter. There are actually two parts to this list - papers printed in the immediate area of Dexter and those printed in the larger area surrounding Dexter.
- An Extended Newspaper List - a longer list, sorted by paper name and containing those papers published within 19 miles [30.6 km]<4> of Dexter.
Websites to Help With Your Genealogy Research ...
When we do our genealogical research, we first visit 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 Dexter:
- Websites specific to Maine
- Pages specific to Penobscot County
- Genealogy information for nearby counties
- 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> | 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 Dexter, 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' distance. A straight line distance ignores things like rivers, canyons, lakes, et cetera - it's truly a line drawn from Point A (ie- Dexter) to Point B. In other words: 'As the crow flies'. |