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 Berlin 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 Berlin 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 Berlin 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 Berlin Center: Berlin Ctr. (or less commonly used: Berlin Cen., Berlin Cent. or Berlin Cntr.)
You might be interested in other communities that are also named Berlin Center. More information can be found on our Tidbits & Trivia Page for Berlin 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 southwest corner of their home county. During their lives, most hospitals and doctors 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.
Berlin Center is located in Ionia 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 Ionia County: Barry, Clinton, Eaton, Gratiot, Kent & Montcalm.
Below are the counties that are near Berlin Center. For each of these counties, we show a sample of those communities that are closest to Berlin Center:
- Ionia County (The home county of Berlin Center)
- The following are listed by their distance from Berlin Center, with the one closest to Berlin Center listed first.
- Saranac
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the northwest)
- South Ionia
(5 miles [8 km] to the northeast)
- South Ionia is located in Ionia County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for South Ionia
- West Sebewa
(5 miles [8 km] to the southeast)
- West Sebewa is located in Ionia County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for West Sebewa
- Ionia
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the northeast)
- Clarksville
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the southwest)
- Lake Odessa
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the south)
- Campbell Corners
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the southwest)
- Campbell Corners is located in Ionia County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Campbell Corners
- Elmdale
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the west)
- Elmdale is located in Ionia County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Elmdale
- Portland
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the east)
- Orleans
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the north)
- Orleans is located in Ionia County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Orleans
- Lyons
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the northeast)
- Muir
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the northeast)
- Smyrna
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the northwest)
- Allegan County
- The following are listed by their distance from Berlin Center, with the one closest to Berlin Center listed first.
- Moline
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the southwest)
- Moline is located in Allegan County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Moline
- Wayland
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the southwest)
- Barry County
- The following are listed by their distance from Berlin Center, with the one closest to Berlin Center listed first.
- Woodland
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the south)
- Woodland is located in Barry County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Woodland
- Population from the 2020 Census: 449 people
- Freeport
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the southwest)
- Morgan
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the south)
- Morgan is located in Barry County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Morgan
- Hastings
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the southwest)
- Nashville
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the south)
- Irving
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the southwest)
- Irving is located in Barry County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Irving
- Middleville
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the southwest)
- Maple Grove
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the south)
- Maple Grove is located in Barry County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Maple Grove
- Dowling
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the south)
- Dowling is located in Barry County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Dowling
- Cedar Creek
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the south)
- Cedar Creek is located in Barry County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cedar Creek
- Cloverdale
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the southwest)
- Cloverdale is located in Barry County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cloverdale
- Delton
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the southwest)
- Clinton County
- The following are listed by their distance from Berlin Center, with the one closest to Berlin Center listed first.
- Westphalia
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the east)
- Eagle
(18 miles [29 km] to the east)
- Fowler
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the east)
- Maple Rapids
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the northeast)
- Maple Rapids is located in Clinton County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Maple Rapids
- Population from the 2020 Census: 671 people
- De Witt
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the east)
- Saint Johns
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the east)
- East DeWitt
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the east)
- East DeWitt is located in Clinton County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for East DeWitt
- Eaton County
- The following are listed by their distance from Berlin Center, with the one closest to Berlin Center listed first.
- Woodbury
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the south)
- Woodbury is located in Eaton County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Woodbury
- Sunfield
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the southeast)
- Mulliken
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the southeast)
- Little Venice
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the southeast)
- Little Venice is located in Eaton County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Little Venice
- Vermontville
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the south)
- Needmore
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the southeast)
- Needmore is located in Eaton County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Needmore
- Gresham
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the southeast)
- Gresham is located in Eaton County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Gresham
- Stalls Corner
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the southeast)
- Stalls Corner is located in Eaton County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Stalls Corner
- Grand Ledge
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the southeast)
- Chester
(23 miles [37 km] to the southeast)
- Chester is located in Eaton County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Chester
- Carlisle
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the south)
- Carlisle is located in Eaton County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Carlisle
- Charlotte
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the southeast)
- Potterville
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the southeast)
- Gratiot County
- The following are listed by their distance from Berlin Center, with the one closest to Berlin Center listed first.
- Middleton
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the northeast)
- Perrinton
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the northeast)
- Perrinton is located in Gratiot County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Perrinton
- Population from the 2020 Census: 391 people
- Ingham County
- Edgemont Park
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the east)
- Edgemont Park is located in Ingham County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Edgemont Park
- Kent County
- The following are listed by their distance from Berlin Center, with the one closest to Berlin Center listed first.
- Lowell
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the west)
- Segwun
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the west)
- Segwun is located in Kent County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Segwun
- Alto
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the west)
- Grattan
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the northwest)
- Grattan is located in Kent County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Grattan
- Parnell
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the northwest)
- Parnell is located in Kent County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Parnell
- Ada
(18 miles [29 km] to the west)
- Forest Hills
(18 miles [29 km] to the west)
- Forest Hills is located in Kent County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Forest Hills
- Cannonsburg
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the northwest)
- Caledonia
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the west)
- Dutton
(23 miles [37 km] to the west)
- Dutton is located in Kent County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Dutton
- Kentwood
(23 miles [37 km] to the west)
- Harvard
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the northwest)
- Harvard is located in Kent County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Harvard
- East Grand Rapids
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the west)
- Montcalm County
- The following are listed by their distance from Berlin Center, with the one closest to Berlin Center listed first.
- Fenwick
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the north)
- Fenwick is located in Montcalm County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Fenwick
- Amsden
(18 miles [29 km] to the north)
- Amsden is located in Montcalm County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Amsden
- Eureka Place
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the north)
- Eureka Place is located in Montcalm County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Eureka Place
- Greenville
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the north)
- Sheridan
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the north)
- Vickeryville
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the north)
- Vickeryville is located in Montcalm County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Vickeryville
- Butternut
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the northeast)
- Butternut is located in Montcalm County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Butternut
- Carson City
(23 miles [37 km] to the northeast)
- Sidney
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the north)
- Gowen
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the north)
- Stanton
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the north)
- Crystal
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the northeast)
- Langston
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the north)
- Langston is located in Montcalm County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Langston
For an expanded list of the communities that are closest to Berlin Center, see our County-by-County Page for Berlin Center.
Cemeteries Near Berlin Center ...
Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of Berlin 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 Berlin Center - one of the links might be able to help.
If not found below, our Cemetery List for Berlin Center covers a larger area, with the cemeteries listed in alphabetical order.
The following cemeteries are listed based on their distance from Berlin Center, with the one closest to Berlin Center listed first.
- Letts Cemetery
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the east)
- Alderman Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the southeast)
- Saranac Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the northwest)
- Steel Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the east)
- Sunset Memorial Gardens
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the northeast)
- Balcom Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the northeast)
- Tuttle Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the northeast)
- Oakhill Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the northeast)
- White Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the northwest)
- Clarksville Cemetery
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the southwest)
- Easton Cemetery
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the north)
- Mathew Cemetery
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the east)
- Continue List (282 more) ...
- Mt. Olivet Catholic Cemetery
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the northeast)
- Pinckney Cemetery
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the northwest)
- South Boston Cemetery
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the west)
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>
While we didn't find Berlin Center in the Atlas, the following 1895 communities would have been found near the current location of Berlin Center.
These communities are listed based on their distance from Berlin Center, with the one closest to Berlin Center listed first.
- Saranac
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the northwest)
- West Sebewa
(5 miles [8 km] to the southeast)
- West Sebewa is located in Ionia County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for West Sebewa
- Clarksville
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the southwest)
- Ionia
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the northeast)
- Lake Odessa
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the south)
- Elmdale
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the west)
- Elmdale is located in Ionia County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Elmdale
- Collins
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the east)
- Collins is located in Ionia County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Collins
- Woodbury
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the south)
- Woodbury is located in Eaton County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Woodbury
- Lowell
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the west)
- Orleans
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the north)
- Orleans is located in Ionia County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Orleans
- Woodland
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the south)
- Woodland is located in Barry County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Woodland
- Population from the 2020 Census: 449 people
- Portland
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the east)
- Continue List (14 more) ...
- Lyons
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the northeast)
- Fallassburg
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the northwest)
- Fallassburg is located in Kent County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Fallassburg
- Alto
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the west)
We've also created an expanded list of communities that existed in the 1890's and were located in the area around Berlin Center. See our List of 1890's Communities around Berlin Center.
Newspapers Published in Berlin 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 191 newspapers that have been published in the area around Berlin Center.
Although we're unaware of any newspapers that were published in the immediate area of Berlin Center, there are papers which were published within 30 miles [48.3 km]<4>. A list of those papers, sorted by paper name, can be found on the Extended Newspaper List for Berlin Center.
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 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 Berlin Center:
- Websites specific to Michigan
- Pages specific to Ionia County
- Genealogy information for nearby counties
- Allegan County
- Barry County
- Clinton County
- Eaton County
- Gratiot County
- Ingham County
- Kent County
- Montcalm 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 Berlin Center, please let us know so that we can improve our accuracy. |
| <4> | Our distances are not driving distances, but are calculated as a '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- Berlin Center) to Point B. In other words: 'As the crow flies'. |