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 Alger (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 Alger. 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 northeast corner of their home county. During their lives, most doctors were in the next county to the east. 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 east 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.
Alger is located in Arenac County.
To see how the shape of Michigan's counties may have changed over time, we recommend the Atlas of Historical County Boundaries.
The following counties adjoin and form the boundaries of Arenac County: Bay, Gladwin, Iosco & Ogemaw.
Below are the counties that are near Alger. For each of these counties, we show a sample of those communities that are closest to Alger:
- Arenac County (The home county of Alger)
- The following are listed by their distance from Alger, with the one closest to Alger listed first.
- Melita
(5 miles [8 km] to the east)
- Melita is located in Arenac County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Melita
- Sterling
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the southeast)
- Maple Ridge
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the east)
- Maple Ridge is located in Arenac County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Maple Ridge
- Standish
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the southeast)
- Omer
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the east)
- Omer is located in Arenac County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Omer
- Population from the 2020 Census: 288 people
- Twining
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the east)
- Twining is located in Arenac County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Twining
- Population from the 2020 Census: 168 people
- Arenac
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the southeast)
- Arenac is located in Arenac County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Arenac
- Pine River
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the southeast)
- Pine River is located in Arenac County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Pine River
- Turner
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the east)
- Turner is located in Arenac County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Turner
- Population from the 2020 Census: 102 people
- Saganing
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the southeast)
- Saganing is located in Arenac County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Saganing
- Whites Beach
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the southeast)
- Whites Beach is located in Arenac County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Whites Beach
- Au Gres
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the east)
- Harmon City Heights
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the east)
- Harmon City Heights is located in Arenac County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Harmon City Heights
- Bay County
- The following are listed by their distance from Alger, with the one closest to Alger listed first.
- Bentley
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the south)
- Bentley is located in Bay County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bentley
- Mount Forest
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the south)
- Mount Forest is located in Bay County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mount Forest
- Nine Mile
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the south)
- Nine Mile is located in Bay County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Nine Mile
- Woodville
(18 miles [29 km] to the south)
- Woodville is located in Bay County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Woodville
- Pinconning
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the southeast)
- Linwood
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the south)
- Duel
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the south)
- Duel is located in Bay County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Duel
- Brissette Beach
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the south)
- Brissette Beach is located in Bay County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Brissette Beach
- Seidlers
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the south)
- Seidlers is located in Bay County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Seidlers
- Clare County
- Meredith
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the west)
- Meredith is located in Clare County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Meredith
- Gladwin County
- The following are listed by their distance from Alger, with the one closest to Alger listed first.
- Sugar Rapids
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the west)
- Sugar Rapids is located in Gladwin County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sugar Rapids
- Rhodes
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the south)
- Rhodes is located in Gladwin County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rhodes
- White Star
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the southwest)
- White Star is located in Gladwin County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for White Star
- Wooden Shoe Village
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the southwest)
- Wooden Shoe Village is located in Gladwin County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Wooden Shoe Village
- Highwood
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the southwest)
- Highwood is located in Gladwin County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Highwood
- Butman
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the west)
- Butman is located in Gladwin County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Butman
- Gladwin
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the southwest)
- Beaverton
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the southwest)
- Iosco County
- The following are listed by their distance from Alger, with the one closest to Alger listed first.
- Whittemore
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the northeast)
- National City
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the east)
- Hale
(23 miles [37 km] to the northeast)
- Long Lake
(23 miles [37 km] to the northeast)
- White Rock ‑ Historic
(23 miles [37 km] to the northeast)
- White Rock is located in Iosco County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for White Rock
- Midland County
- The following are listed by their distance from Alger, with the one closest to Alger listed first.
- Edenville
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the southwest)
- Edenville is located in Midland County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Edenville
- Hope
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the southwest)
- Ogemaw County
- The following are listed by their distance from Alger, with the one closest to Alger listed first.
- Greenwood
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the northwest)
- Greenwood is located in Ogemaw County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Greenwood
- Skidway Lake
(5 miles [8 km] to the northeast)
- Prescott
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the northeast)
- West Branch
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the northwest)
- Campbells Corners
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the north)
- Campbells Corners is located in Ogemaw County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Campbells Corners
- Ogemaw Springs
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the northwest)
- Ogemaw Springs is located in Ogemaw County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ogemaw Springs
- Fayettes Corner ‑ Historic
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the north)
- Fayettes Corner is located in Ogemaw County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Fayettes Corner
- Rose City
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the north)
- Lupton
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the north)
- Damon
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the north)
- Damon is located in Ogemaw County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Damon
- South Branch
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the northeast)
- Roscommon County
- The following are listed by their distance from Alger, with the one closest to Alger listed first.
- Saint Helen
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the northwest)
- Geels
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the northwest)
- Geels is located in Roscommon County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Geels
- Prudenville
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the northwest)
For an expanded list of the communities that are closest to Alger, see our County-by-County Page for Alger.
Cemeteries Near Alger ...
Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of Alger.
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 Alger - one of the links might be able to help.
If not found below, our Cemetery List for Alger covers a larger area, with the cemeteries listed in alphabetical order.
The following cemeteries are listed based on their distance from Alger, with the one closest to Alger listed first.
- Alger Cemetery
(Less than 2 miles to the south)
- Bourret Twp. Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the west)
- Sterling Cemetery
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the southeast)
- St. George Cemetery
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the southeast)
- Mills Cemetery
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the northeast)
- Plains Cemetery
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the southeast)
- Clayton Cemetery
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the east)
- Edwards Twp. Cemetery
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the northwest)
- St. Joseph's Polish National Cemetery
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the southeast)
- Gibson Twp. Cemetery
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the south)
- Brookside Cemetery
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the northwest)
- St. Joseph's Cemetery
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the northwest)
- Continue List (100 more) ...
- St. Johns Cemetery
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the southeast)
- Woodmere Cemetery
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the southeast)
- Richland Cemetery
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the east)
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 in 1895, Alger had a post office and railroad service.
These communities are listed based on their distance from Alger, with the one closest to Alger listed first.
- Greenwood
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the northwest)
- Greenwood is located in Ogemaw County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Greenwood
- Melita
(5 miles [8 km] to the east)
- Melita is located in Arenac County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Melita
- Sterling
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the southeast)
- Maple Ridge
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the east)
- Maple Ridge is located in Arenac County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Maple Ridge
- Prescott
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the northeast)
- West Branch
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the northwest)
- Standish
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the southeast)
- Selkirk
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the north)
- Selkirk is located in Ogemaw County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Selkirk
- Campbells Corners
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the north)
- Campbells Corners is located in Ogemaw County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Campbells Corners
- Omer
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the east)
- Omer is located in Arenac County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Omer
- Population from the 2020 Census: 288 people
- Rhodes
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the south)
- Rhodes is located in Gladwin County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rhodes
- Worth
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the southeast)
- Worth is located in Arenac County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Worth
- Continue List (15 more) ...
- Arenac
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the southeast)
- Arenac is located in Arenac County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Arenac
- Ogemaw Springs
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the northwest)
- Ogemaw Springs is located in Ogemaw County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ogemaw Springs
- McClure
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the west)
- McClure is located in Gladwin County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for McClure
We've also created an expanded list of communities that existed in the 1890's and were located in the area around Alger. See our List of 1890's Communities around Alger.
Newspapers Published in Alger ...
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 26 newspapers that have been published in the area around Alger.
Although we're unaware of any newspapers that were published in the immediate area of Alger, there are papers which were published within 24 miles [38.6 km]<4>. A list of those papers, sorted by paper name, can be found on the Extended Newspaper List for Alger.
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 helpful 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 Alger:
- Websites specific to Michigan
- Pages specific to Arenac County
- Genealogy information for nearby counties
- Bay County
- Clare County
- Gladwin County
- Iosco County
- Midland County
- Ogemaw County
- Roscommon County
- Cemetery Information and Directories for Michigan
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 Alger, 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' (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- Alger) to Point B. In other words: 'As the crow flies'. |