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 Durham (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 Durham. 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 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.
Durham is located in Androscoggin 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 Androscoggin County: Cumberland, Franklin, Kennebec, Oxford & Sagadahoc.
Below are the counties that are near Durham. For each of these counties, we show a sample of those communities that are closest to Durham:
- Androscoggin County (The home county of Durham)
- The following are listed by their distance from Durham, with the one closest to Durham listed first.
- Lisbon Falls
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the northeast)
- Lisbon
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the north)
- Penley Corner
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the northwest)
- Penley Corner is located in Androscoggin County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Penley Corner
- Danville
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the northwest)
- Danville is located in Androscoggin County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Danville
- Rumford Junction
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the northwest)
- Rumford Junction is located in Androscoggin County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rumford Junction
- Drinkwater Corner
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the north)
- Drinkwater Corner is located in Androscoggin County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Drinkwater Corner
- Sabattus
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the north)
- Auburn
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the northwest)
- Lewiston
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the northwest)
- Littlefield Corner
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the northwest)
- Littlefield Corner is located in Androscoggin County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Littlefield Corner
- East Poland
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the northwest)
- East Poland is located in Androscoggin County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for East Poland
- Minot
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the northwest)
- Minot is located in Androscoggin County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Minot
- Population from the 2020 Census: 2,595 people
- Cumberland County
- The following are listed by their distance from Durham, with the one closest to Durham listed first.
- North Pownal
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the southwest)
- North Pownal is located in Cumberland County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for North Pownal
- Pownal
(5 miles [8 km] to the southwest)
- Freeport
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the south)
- Brunswick
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the southeast)
- Bunganuc Landing
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the southeast)
- Bunganuc Landing is located in Cumberland County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bunganuc Landing
- New Gloucester
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the west)
- South Freeport
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the south)
- East Gray
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the southwest)
- East Gray is located in Cumberland County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for East Gray
- Merepoint
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the southeast)
- Merepoint is located in Cumberland County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Merepoint
- Pennellville
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the southeast)
- Pennellville is located in Cumberland County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Pennellville
- Bustins Island
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the south)
- Bustins Island is located in Cumberland County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bustins Island
- Gray
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the southwest)
- Gray is located in Cumberland County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Gray
- Population from the 2020 Census: 8,297 people
- Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Gray <1>
- Kennebec County
- The following are listed by their distance from Durham, with the one closest to Durham listed first.
- Litchfield Corners
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the northeast)
- Litchfield Corners is located in Kennebec County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Litchfield Corners
- Litchfield
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the northeast)
- South Monmouth
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the northeast)
- South Monmouth is located in Kennebec County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for South Monmouth
- Batchelders Crossing
(18 miles [29 km] to the northeast)
- Batchelders Crossing is located in Kennebec County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Batchelders Crossing
- Monmouth
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the north)
- Purgatory
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the northeast)
- Purgatory is located in Kennebec County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Purgatory
- East Monmouth
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the north)
- East Monmouth is located in Kennebec County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for East Monmouth
- West Gardiner
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the northeast)
- West Gardiner is located in Kennebec County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for West Gardiner
- Population from the 2020 Census: 3,376 people
- North Monmouth
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the north)
- South Gardiner
(23 miles [37 km] to the northeast)
- South Gardiner is located in Kennebec County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for South Gardiner
- Winthrop
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the north)
- Farmingdale
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the northeast)
- Lincoln County
- The following are listed by their distance from Durham, with the one closest to Durham listed first.
- Hatchs Corner
(18 miles [29 km] to the east)
- Hatchs Corner is located in Lincoln County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hatchs Corner
- South Dresden
(18 miles [29 km] to the east)
- South Dresden is located in Lincoln County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for South Dresden
- Westport
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the east)
- 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
- Trevett
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the east)
- Wiscasset
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the east)
- Dresden
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the northeast)
- Boothbay
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the east)
- Edgecomb
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the east)
- Southport
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the east)
- Boothbay Harbor
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the east)
- East Edgecomb
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the east)
- East Edgecomb is located in Lincoln County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for East Edgecomb
- Mouse Island
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the east)
- Mouse Island is located in Lincoln County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mouse Island
- Oxford County
- The following are listed by their distance from Durham, with the one closest to Durham listed first.
- Hebron
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the northwest)
- Oxford
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the northwest)
- East Otisfield
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the northwest)
- East Otisfield is located in Oxford County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for East Otisfield
- Spurrs Corner
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the west)
- Spurrs Corner is located in Oxford County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Spurrs Corner
- Buckfield
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the northwest)
- South Paris
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the northwest)
- Norway
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the northwest)
- Paris
(27 miles [43.5 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
- East Sumner
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the northwest)
- East Sumner is located in Oxford County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for East Sumner
- Hartford
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the north)
- Hartford is located in Oxford County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hartford
- Population from the 2020 Census: 1,229 people
- Sagadahoc County
- The following are listed by their distance from Durham, with the one closest to Durham listed first.
- Pejepscot
(5 miles [8 km] to the east)
- Pejepscot is located in Sagadahoc County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Pejepscot
- Topsham
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the east)
- Bowdoin Center
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the northeast)
- Bowdoin Center is located in Sagadahoc County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bowdoin Center
- Bowdoin
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the northeast)
- Bowdoin is located in Sagadahoc County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bowdoin
- Population from the 2020 Census: 3,222 people
- Bowdoinham
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the east)
- Richmond Corner
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the northeast)
- Richmond Corner is located in Sagadahoc County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Richmond Corner
- Sabino
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the southeast)
- Sabino is located in Sagadahoc County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sabino
- West Bath
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the southeast)
- Bath
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the east)
- Days Ferry
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the east)
- Days Ferry is located in Sagadahoc County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Days Ferry
- Harwards
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the east)
- Harwards is located in Sagadahoc County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Harwards
- Woolwich
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the east)
- York County
- The following are listed by their distance from Durham, with the one closest to Durham listed first.
- Chicopee
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the southwest)
- Chicopee is located in York County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Chicopee
- Kimbles Corner
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the southwest)
- Kimbles Corner is located in York County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Kimbles Corner
- Buxton
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the southwest)
- Buxton is located in York County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Buxton
- Population from the 2020 Census: 8,368 people
For an expanded list of the communities that are closest to Durham, see our County-by-County Page for Durham.
Cemeteries Near Durham ...
Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of Durham.
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 Durham - one of the links might be able to help.
If not found below, our Cemetery List for Durham covers a larger area, with the cemeteries listed in alphabetical order.
The following cemeteries are listed based on their distance from Durham, with the one closest to Durham listed first.
- Sawyer Cemetery
(Less than 2 miles to the north)
- Gerrish Cemetery
(Less than 2 miles to the south)
- Strout Cemetery
(Less than 2 miles to the northwest)
- Harmony Grove Cemetery
(Less than 2 miles to the west)
- Sylvester Cemetery
(Less than 2 miles to the south)
- Vining Cemetery
(Less than 2 miles to the northeast)
- Cedar Grove Cemetery
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the southwest)
- Friends Cemetery
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the southeast)
- Fairfield Cemetery
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the east)
- Stetson Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the south)
- Day Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the southeast)
- Lunt Memorial Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the southeast)
- Continue List (432 more) ...
- Shiloh Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the east)
- Littlefield Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the northeast)
- Lisbon Center Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 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.<2>
The Rand McNally Atlas shows that Durham had a population of 224 people in 1895 with a post office and no railroad service. In 2020, Durham had a population of 4,044 people.
These communities are listed based on their distance from Durham, with the one closest to Durham listed first.
- West Durham
(Less than 2 miles to the southwest)
- West Durham is located in Androscoggin County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for West Durham
- South Durham
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the southeast)
- South Durham is located in Androscoggin County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for South Durham
- Lisbon Falls
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the northeast)
- North Pownal
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the southwest)
- North Pownal is located in Cumberland County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for North Pownal
- Lisbon Center
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the north)
- Lisbon Center is located in Androscoggin County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lisbon Center
- Lisbon
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the north)
- Pownal
(5 miles [8 km] to the southwest)
- Hillside
(5 miles [8 km] to the southeast)
- Hillside is located in Cumberland County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hillside
- West Pownal
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the southwest)
- West Pownal is located in Cumberland County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for West Pownal
- Freeport
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the south)
- Topsham
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the east)
- West Bowdoin
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the northeast)
- West Bowdoin is located in Sagadahoc County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for West Bowdoin
- Continue List (16 more) ...
- South Lewiston
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the north)
- South Lewiston is located in Androscoggin County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for South Lewiston
- Brunswick
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the southeast)
- Bowdoin Center
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the northeast)
- Bowdoin Center is located in Sagadahoc County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bowdoin Center
We've also created an expanded list of communities that existed in the 1890's and were located in the area around Durham. See our List of 1890's Communities around Durham.
Newspapers Published in Durham ...
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 53 newspapers that have been published in the area around Durham.
Although we're unaware of any newspapers that were published in the immediate area of Durham, there are papers which were published within 16 miles [25.7 km]<3>. A list of those papers, sorted by paper name, can be found on the Extended Newspaper List for Durham.
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 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 Durham:
- Websites specific to Maine
- Pages specific to Androscoggin County
- Genealogy information for nearby counties
- Cumberland County
- Kennebec County
- Lincoln County
- Oxford County
- Sagadahoc County
- York 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 Durham, 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' (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- Durham) to Point B. In other words: 'As the crow flies'. |