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 Pownal Center (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 Pownal Center. 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.
Name Variations for Pownal Center ...
When searching records, keep in mind that names and their spelling can change over time. Our sources include documents like maps, railroad schedules, Travel, Express and Shipping Guides. Many of these documents date from the 1800's and it's common to find spelling differences.
For example, a typical abbreviation for Pownal Center: Pownal Ctr. (or less commonly used: Pownal Cen., Pownal Cent. or Pownal Cntr.)
You might be interested in other communities that are also named Pownal Center. More information can be found on our Tidbits & Trivia Page for Pownal Center.
If you have information about these names (such as the reason for the change, date of change, the origin of the name), please Contact Us.
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.
Pownal Center is located in Cumberland 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 Cumberland County: Androscoggin, Oxford, Sagadahoc & York.
Below are the counties that are near Pownal Center. For each of these counties, we show a sample of those communities that are closest to Pownal Center:
- Cumberland County (The home county of Pownal Center)
- The following are listed by their distance from Pownal Center, with the one closest to Pownal Center listed first.
- Pownal
(Less than 2 miles to the east)
- North Pownal
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the north)
- North Pownal is located in Cumberland County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for North Pownal
- Freeport
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the southeast)
- Yarmouth Junction
(5 miles [8 km] to the south)
- Yarmouth Junction is located in Cumberland County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Yarmouth Junction
- North Yarmouth
(5 miles [8 km] to the southwest)
- North Yarmouth is located in Cumberland County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for North Yarmouth
- Population from the 2020 Census: 3,997 people
- East Gray
(5 miles [8 km] to the west)
- East Gray is located in Cumberland County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for East Gray
- New Gloucester
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the northwest)
- Lower Village ‑ Historic
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the south)
- Lower Village is located in Cumberland County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lower Village
- Upper Village ‑ Historic
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the south)
- Upper Village is located in Cumberland County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Upper Village
- Yarmouth
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the south)
- South Freeport
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the southeast)
- Cumberland Center
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the southwest)
- Androscoggin County
- The following are listed by their distance from Pownal Center, with the one closest to Pownal Center listed first.
- Durham
(5 miles [8 km] to the northeast)
- Lisbon Falls
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the northeast)
- Danville
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the northwest)
- Danville is located in Androscoggin County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Danville
- Lisbon
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the north)
- Penley Corner
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the north)
- Penley Corner is located in Androscoggin County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Penley Corner
- Rumford Junction
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the north)
- Rumford Junction is located in Androscoggin County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rumford Junction
- Littlefield Corner
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the north)
- Littlefield Corner is located in Androscoggin County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Littlefield Corner
- Auburn
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the north)
- Lewiston
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the north)
- East Poland
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the northwest)
- East Poland is located in Androscoggin County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for East Poland
- Minot
(14 miles [22.5 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
- Drinkwater Corner
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the north)
- Drinkwater Corner is located in Androscoggin County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Drinkwater Corner
- Kennebec County
- The following are listed by their distance from Pownal Center, with the one closest to Pownal Center listed first.
- Litchfield Corners
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the northeast)
- Litchfield Corners is located in Kennebec County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Litchfield Corners
- Litchfield
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the northeast)
- South Monmouth
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the northeast)
- South Monmouth is located in Kennebec County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for South Monmouth
- Batchelders Crossing
(23 miles [37 km] to the northeast)
- Batchelders Crossing is located in Kennebec County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Batchelders Crossing
- Monmouth
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the north)
- Purgatory
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the northeast)
- Purgatory is located in Kennebec County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Purgatory
- East Monmouth
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the northeast)
- East Monmouth is located in Kennebec County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for East Monmouth
- North Monmouth
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the north)
- West Gardiner
(27 miles [43.5 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
- South Gardiner
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the northeast)
- South Gardiner is located in Kennebec County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for South Gardiner
- Winthrop
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the north)
- Gardiner
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the northeast)
- Lincoln County
- The following are listed by their distance from Pownal Center, with the one closest to Pownal Center listed first.
- Hatchs Corner
(23 miles [37 km] to the northeast)
- Hatchs Corner is located in Lincoln County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hatchs Corner
- South Dresden
(23 miles [37 km] to the northeast)
- South Dresden is located in Lincoln County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for South Dresden
- Westport
(24 miles [38.6 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
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the east)
- Southport
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the east)
- Wiscasset
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the east)
- Boothbay Harbor
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the east)
- Boothbay
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the east)
- Edgecomb
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the east)
- Mouse Island
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the east)
- Mouse Island is located in Lincoln County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mouse Island
- West Boothbay Harbor
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the east)
- West Boothbay Harbor is located in Lincoln County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for West Boothbay Harbor
- Dresden
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the northeast)
- Oxford County
- The following are listed by their distance from Pownal Center, with the one closest to Pownal Center listed first.
- Spurrs Corner
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the northwest)
- Spurrs Corner is located in Oxford County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Spurrs Corner
- 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
- Oxford
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the northwest)
- Hebron
(23 miles [37 km] to the northwest)
- Buckfield
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the north)
- Norway
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the northwest)
- South Paris
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the northwest)
- 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
- Rankins Mill
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the west)
- Rankins Mill is located in Oxford County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rankins Mill
- East Denmark
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the west)
- East Denmark is located in Oxford County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for East Denmark
- East Hiram
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the west)
- East Hiram is located in Oxford County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for East Hiram
- Hiram
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the west)
- Sagadahoc County
- The following are listed by their distance from Pownal Center, with the one closest to Pownal Center listed first.
- Pejepscot
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the northeast)
- Pejepscot is located in Sagadahoc County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Pejepscot
- Topsham
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the east)
- Bowdoin Center
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the northeast)
- Bowdoin Center is located in Sagadahoc County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bowdoin Center
- Bowdoin
(15 miles [24.1 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
- Sabino
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the east)
- Sabino is located in Sagadahoc County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sabino
- West Bath
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the east)
- Bowdoinham
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the northeast)
- Bath
(18 miles [29 km] to the east)
- Sebasco Estates
(18 miles [29 km] to the southeast)
- Days Ferry
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the east)
- Days Ferry is located in Sagadahoc County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Days Ferry
- Phippsburg
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the east)
- Woolwich
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the east)
- York County
- The following are listed by their distance from Pownal Center, with the one closest to Pownal Center listed first.
- Chicopee
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the southwest)
- Chicopee is located in York County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Chicopee
- Kimbles Corner
(23 miles [37 km] to the southwest)
- Kimbles Corner is located in York County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Kimbles Corner
- Buxton
(24 miles [38.6 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
- East Limington
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the southwest)
- East Limington is located in York County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for East Limington
- Bar Mills
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the southwest)
- North Limington
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the west)
- North Limington is located in York County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for North Limington
- Old Orchard Beach
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the south)
- Ocean Park
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the south)
- Hollis Center
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the southwest)
- Hollis
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the southwest)
- Hollis is located in York County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hollis
- Population from the 2020 Census: 4,807 people
- Limington
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the southwest)
- South Limington
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the southwest)
- South Limington is located in York County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for South Limington
For an expanded list of the communities that are closest to Pownal Center, see our County-by-County Page for Pownal Center.
Cemeteries Near Pownal Center ...
Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of Pownal Center.
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 Pownal Center - one of the links might be able to help.
If not found below, our Cemetery List for Pownal Center covers a larger area, with the cemeteries listed in alphabetical order.
The following cemeteries are listed based on their distance from Pownal Center, with the one closest to Pownal Center listed first.
- Elmwood Cemetery
(Less than 2 miles to the northwest)
- Pine Grove Cemetery
(Less than 2 miles to the southwest)
- Merrill Cemetery
(Less than 2 miles to the southeast)
- Old Friends Cemetery
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the east)
- Maplewood Cemetery
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the west)
- Lake Cemetery
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the north)
- Webster Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the southeast)
- Stetson Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the east)
- Cedar Grove Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the northeast)
- Pineland Memorial Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the west)
- Woodlawn Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the southeast)
- Burr Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the east)
- Continue List (422 more) ...
- North Freeport Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the east)
- Collins Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the east)
- Sylvester Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 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.<2>
While we didn't find Pownal Center in the Atlas, the following 1895 communities would have been found near the current location of Pownal Center.
These communities are listed based on their distance from Pownal Center, with the one closest to Pownal Center listed first.
- Pownal
(Less than 2 miles to the east)
- West Pownal
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the west)
- West Pownal is located in Cumberland County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for West Pownal
- North Pownal
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the north)
- North Pownal is located in Cumberland County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for North Pownal
- Freeport
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the southeast)
- West Durham
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the northeast)
- West Durham is located in Androscoggin County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for West Durham
- Gray Station
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the west)
- Gray Station is located in Cumberland County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Gray Station
- North Yarmouth
(5 miles [8 km] to the southwest)
- North Yarmouth is located in Cumberland County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for North Yarmouth
- Population from the 2020 Census: 3,997 people
- Walnut Hill
(5 miles [8 km] to the southwest)
- Walnut Hill is located in Cumberland County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Walnut Hill
- Yarmouth Junction
(5 miles [8 km] to the south)
- Yarmouth Junction is located in Cumberland County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Yarmouth Junction
- Durham
(5 miles [8 km] to the northeast)
- East Gray
(5 miles [8 km] to the west)
- East Gray is located in Cumberland County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for East Gray
- Yarmouth
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the south)
- Continue List (16 more) ...
- South Freeport
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the southeast)
- South Durham
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the northeast)
- South Durham is located in Androscoggin County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for South Durham
- New Gloucester
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the northwest)
We've also created an expanded list of communities that existed in the 1890's and were located in the area around Pownal Center. See our List of 1890's Communities around Pownal Center.
Newspapers Published in Pownal Center ...
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 32 newspapers that have been published in the area around Pownal Center.
Although we're unaware of any newspapers that were published in the immediate area of Pownal Center, there are papers which were published within 14 miles [22.5 km]<3>. A list of those papers, sorted by paper name, can be found on the Extended Newspaper List for Pownal Center.
Websites to Help With Your Genealogy Research ...
When we do our genealogical research, we begin 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 Pownal Center:
- Websites specific to Maine
- Pages specific to Cumberland County
- Genealogy information for nearby counties
- Androscoggin 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 Pownal Center, 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 things like rivers, canyons, lakes, et cetera - it's truly a line from Point A (ie- Pownal Center) to Point B. In other words: 'As the crow flies'. |