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 Alpine (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 Alpine. 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 doctors and hospitals 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.
Alpine is located in Kent 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 Kent County: Allegan, Barry, Ionia, Montcalm, Muskegon, Newaygo & Ottawa.
Below are the counties that are near Alpine. For each of these counties, we show a sample of those communities that are closest to Alpine:
- Kent County (The home county of Alpine)
- The following are listed by their distance from Alpine, with the one closest to Alpine listed first.
- Comstock Park
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the south)
- Belmont
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the east)
- Northview
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the southeast)
- Northview is located in Kent County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Northview
- Kinney
(5 miles [8 km] to the southwest)
- Kinney is located in Kent County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Kinney
- Sparta
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the north)
- Walker
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the southwest)
- Rockford
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the northeast)
- Lisbon
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the northwest)
- Lisbon is located in Kent County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lisbon
- Grand Rapids
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the south)
- Edgerton
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the northeast)
- Edgerton is located in Kent County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Edgerton
- Galewood
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the south)
- Galewood is located in Kent County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Galewood
- East Grand Rapids
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the southeast)
- Allegan County
- The following are listed by their distance from Alpine, with the one closest to Alpine listed first.
- New Salem
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the south)
- New Salem is located in Allegan County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for New Salem
- Moline
(23 miles [37 km] to the south)
- Moline is located in Allegan County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Moline
- Burnips
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the south)
- Burnips is located in Allegan County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Burnips
- Former name for Burnips:
- Burnip's Corners
- Dorr
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the south)
- Hilliards
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the south)
- Hilliards is located in Allegan County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hilliards
- Wayland
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the south)
- Diamond Springs
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the south)
- Diamond Springs is located in Allegan County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Diamond Springs
- Bradley
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the south)
- Bradley is located in Allegan County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bradley
- Fillmore
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the southwest)
- Fillmore is located in Allegan County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Fillmore
- Barry County
- The following are listed by their distance from Alpine, with the one closest to Alpine listed first.
- Middleville
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the southeast)
- Freeport
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the southeast)
- Irving
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the southeast)
- Irving is located in Barry County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Irving
- Ionia County
- The following are listed by their distance from Alpine, with the one closest to Alpine listed first.
- Smyrna
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the east)
- Belding
(23 miles [37 km] to the east)
- Elmdale
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the southeast)
- Elmdale is located in Ionia County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Elmdale
- Saranac
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the east)
- Orleans
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the east)
- Orleans is located in Ionia County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Orleans
- Clarksville
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the southeast)
- Campbell Corners
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the southeast)
- Campbell Corners is located in Ionia County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Campbell Corners
- Shiloh
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the east)
- Shiloh is located in Ionia County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Shiloh
- Woods Corners
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the east)
- Woods Corners is located in Ionia County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Woods Corners
- Montcalm County
- The following are listed by their distance from Alpine, with the one closest to Alpine listed first.
- Pierson
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the northeast)
- Greenville
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the east)
- Gowen
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the northeast)
- Trufant
(23 miles [37 km] to the northeast)
- Coral
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the northeast)
- Howard City
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the northeast)
- Eureka Place
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the east)
- Eureka Place is located in Montcalm County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Eureka Place
- Langston
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the northeast)
- Langston is located in Montcalm County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Langston
- Amble
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the northeast)
- Amble is located in Montcalm County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Amble
- Amsden
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the east)
- Amsden is located in Montcalm County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Amsden
- Fenwick
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the east)
- Fenwick is located in Montcalm County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Fenwick
- Sidney
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the northeast)
- Muskegon County
- The following are listed by their distance from Alpine, with the one closest to Alpine listed first.
- Canada Corners
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the northwest)
- Canada Corners is located in Muskegon County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Canada Corners
- Bailey
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the northwest)
- Ravenna
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the northwest)
- Slocum
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the northwest)
- Slocum is located in Muskegon County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Slocum
- Morgan Corners
(18 miles [29 km] to the northwest)
- Morgan Corners is located in Muskegon County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Morgan Corners
- Sullivan
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the west)
- Sullivan is located in Muskegon County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sullivan
- Wolf Lake
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the northwest)
- Wolf Lake is located in Muskegon County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Wolf Lake
- Fruitport
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the west)
- Muskegon Heights
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the west)
- Norton Shores
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the west)
- Brunswick
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the northwest)
- Brunswick is located in Muskegon County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Brunswick
- Holton
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the northwest)
- Newaygo County
- The following are listed by their distance from Alpine, with the one closest to Alpine listed first.
- Ashland
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the north)
- Ashland is located in Newaygo County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ashland
- Sun
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the north)
- Sun is located in Newaygo County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sun
- Grant
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the north)
- Bridgeton
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the northwest)
- Bridgeton is located in Newaygo County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bridgeton
- Newaygo
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the north)
- Croton
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the north)
- Croton is located in Newaygo County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Croton
- Riverview
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the north)
- Riverview is located in Newaygo County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Riverview
- Bishop
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the northwest)
- Bishop is located in Newaygo County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bishop
- Sitka
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the northwest)
- Sitka is located in Newaygo County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sitka
- Brookside
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the northwest)
- Brookside is located in Newaygo County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Brookside
- Fremont
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the northwest)
- Fremont is located in Newaygo County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Fremont
- Population from the 2020 Census: 4,102 people
- Former name for Fremont:
- Fremont Center
- Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Fremont <1>
- Reeman
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the northwest)
- Reeman is located in Newaygo County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Reeman
- Ottawa County
- The following are listed by their distance from Alpine, with the one closest to Alpine listed first.
- Wright
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the west)
- Wright is located in Ottawa County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Wright
- Marne
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the west)
- Conklin
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the west)
- Lamont
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the west)
- Lamont is located in Ottawa County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lamont
- Jenison
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the southwest)
- Coopersville
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the west)
- Eastmanville
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the west)
- Eastmanville is located in Ottawa County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Eastmanville
- Allendale
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the southwest)
- Bauer
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the southwest)
- Bauer is located in Ottawa County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bauer
- Hudsonville
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the southwest)
- South Blendon
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the southwest)
- South Blendon is located in Ottawa County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for South Blendon
- Jamestown
(18 miles [29 km] to the southwest)
- Jamestown is located in Ottawa County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Jamestown
For an expanded list of the communities that are closest to Alpine, see our County-by-County Page for Alpine.
Cemeteries Near Alpine ...
Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of Alpine.
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 Alpine - one of the links might be able to help.
If not found below, our Cemetery List for Alpine covers a larger area, with the cemeteries listed in alphabetical order.
The following cemeteries are listed based on their distance from Alpine, with the one closest to Alpine listed first.
- Alpine Twp. Pine Grove Cemetery
(Less than 2 miles to the northeast)
- Holy Trinity Cemetery
(Less than 2 miles to the southwest)
- Englishville Cemetery
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the north)
- Alpine Cemetery
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the west)
- Brooklawn Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the southwest)
- Lamareaux Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the south)
- Grand Rapids Veterans Home Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the south)
- Veterans Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the south)
- Belmont Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the east)
- Cross Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the west)
- Plainfield Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the east)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Plainfield Cemetery
- To give a relative sense of its location, the Plainfield Cemetery is a large cemetery that is located in Belmont.
- The Plainfield Cemetery has also been known as:
- Livingston Cemetery
- Plainfield Twp. Cemetery
- Jump to Find-A-Grave: FG ID #1406 <2>
- White Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the south)
- Continue List (282 more) ...
- Holy Cross Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the south)
- Blood Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the south)
- Greenwood Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the south)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Greenwood Cemetery
- To give a relative sense of its location, the Greenwood Cemetery is a very large cemetery that is located outside and to the northwest of Grand Rapids.
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 Alpine had a population of 68 people in 1895 with a post office and railroad service.
These communities are listed based on their distance from Alpine, with the one closest to Alpine listed first.
- Belmont
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the east)
- Englishville
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the north)
- Englishville is located in Kent County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Englishville
- Kinney
(5 miles [8 km] to the southwest)
- Kinney is located in Kent County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Kinney
- Sparta
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the north)
- Chauncey
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the east)
- Chauncey is located in Kent County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Chauncey
- Wright
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the west)
- Wright is located in Ottawa County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Wright
- Grand Rapids
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the south)
- Rockford
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the northeast)
- Lisbon
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the northwest)
- Lisbon is located in Kent County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lisbon
- Reno
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the west)
- Reno is located in Ottawa County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Reno
- Herrington
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the west)
- Herrington is located in Ottawa County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Herrington
- Edgerton
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the northeast)
- Edgerton is located in Kent County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Edgerton
- Continue List (15 more) ...
- Tallmadge
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the southwest)
- Tallmadge is located in Ottawa County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Tallmadge
- Kent City
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the north)
- Cannonsburg
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the east)
We've also created an expanded list of communities that existed in the 1890's and were located in the area around Alpine. See our List of 1890's Communities around Alpine.
Newspapers Published in Alpine ...
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 226 newspapers that have been published in the area around Alpine.
Although we're unaware of any newspapers that were published in the immediate area of Alpine, there are papers which were published within 25 miles [40.2 km]<4>. A list of those papers, sorted by paper name, can be found on the Extended Newspaper List for Alpine.
Websites to Help With Your Genealogy Research ...
When we do our genealogical research, we first turn to 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 Alpine:
- Websites specific to Michigan
- Pages specific to Kent County
- Genealogy information for nearby counties
- Allegan County
- Barry County
- Ionia County
- Montcalm County
- Muskegon County
- Newaygo County
- Ottawa 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 Alpine, 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 obstructions like rivers, canyons, lakes, et cetera - it's truly a line drawn from Point A (ie- Alpine) to Point B. In other words: 'As the crow flies'. |