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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 Golden (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 Golden. 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 northwest 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 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 west 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.

Golden is located in Midland 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 Midland County: Bay, Clare, Gladwin, Gratiot, Isabella & Saginaw.

Below are the counties that are near Golden. For each of these counties, we show a sample of those communities that are closest to Golden:

  • Midland County     (The home county of Golden)
    • The following are listed by their distance from Golden, with the one closest to Golden listed first.
    • Midland
      (3 miles [4.8 km] to the west)
    • Averill
      (9 miles [14.5 km] to the northwest)
      • Averill is located in Midland County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Averill
    • Sanford
      (11 miles [17.7 km] to the west)
    • Hope
      (13 miles [20.9 km] to the northwest)
    • Ryan
      (13 miles [20.9 km] to the southwest)
      • Ryan is located in Midland County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ryan
    • Edenville
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the northwest)
      • Edenville is located in Midland County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Edenville
    • Porter
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the southwest)
      • Porter is located in Midland County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Porter
    • North Bradley
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the northwest)
      • North Bradley is located in Midland County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for North Bradley
    • Redstone
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the southwest)
      • Redstone is located in Midland County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Redstone
    • Alamando
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the northwest)
      • Alamando is located in Midland County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Alamando
    • Oil City
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the west)
      • Oil City is located in Midland County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Oil City
    • Coleman
      (23 miles [37 km] to the northwest)
  • Arenac County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Golden, with the one closest to Golden listed first.
    • Saganing
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the northeast)
      • Saganing is located in Arenac County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Saganing
    • Whites Beach
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the northeast)
      • Whites Beach is located in Arenac County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Whites Beach
    • Standish
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the north)
    • Pine River
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the northeast)
      • Pine River is located in Arenac County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Pine River
    • Sterling
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the north)
  • Bay County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Golden, with the one closest to Golden listed first.
    • Fisherville
      (2 miles [3.2 km] to the east)
      • Fisherville is located in Bay County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Fisherville
    • Auburn
      (4 miles [6.4 km] to the east)
    • Willard
      (5 miles [8 km] to the northeast)
      • Willard is located in Bay County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Willard
    • Seidlers
      (6 miles [9.7 km] to the northeast)
      • Seidlers is located in Bay County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Seidlers
    • Duel
      (7 miles [11.3 km] to the north)
      • Duel is located in Bay County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Duel
    • Amelith
      (10 miles [16.1 km] to the southeast)
      • Amelith is located in Bay County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Amelith
    • Frankenlust
      (11 miles [17.7 km] to the east)
      • Frankenlust is located in Bay County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Frankenlust
    • Kawkawlin
      (11 miles [17.7 km] to the east)
    • Brooks ‑ Historic
      (12 miles [19.3 km] to the east)
      • Brooks is located in Bay County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Brooks
    • Salzburg ‑ Historic
      (12 miles [19.3 km] to the east)
      • Salzburg is located in Bay County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Salzburg
    • Wenona ‑ Historic
      (13 miles [20.9 km] to the east)
      • Wenona is located in Bay County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Wenona
    • Brissette Beach
      (13 miles [20.9 km] to the northeast)
      • Brissette Beach is located in Bay County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Brissette Beach
    • Linwood
      (13 miles [20.9 km] to the northeast)
  • Gladwin County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Golden, with the one closest to Golden listed first.
    • Rhodes
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the north)
      • Rhodes is located in Gladwin County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rhodes
    • Highwood
      (23 miles [37 km] to the north)
      • Highwood is located in Gladwin County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Highwood
    • Beaverton
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the northwest)
    • White Star
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the north)
      • White Star is located in Gladwin County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for White Star
    • Wooden Shoe Village
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the north)
      • Wooden Shoe Village is located in Gladwin County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Wooden Shoe Village
    • Gladwin
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the northwest)
  • Gratiot County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Golden, with the one closest to Golden listed first.
    • North Wheeler
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the southwest)
      • North Wheeler is located in Gratiot County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for North Wheeler
    • Wheeler
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the southwest)
      • Wheeler is located in Gratiot County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Wheeler
    • Breckenridge
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the southwest)
    • Edgewood
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the southwest)
      • Edgewood is located in Gratiot County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Edgewood
    • Saint Louis
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the southwest)
    • Sickles
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the southwest)
      • Sickles is located in Gratiot County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sickles
    • Forest Hill
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the southwest)
      • Forest Hill is located in Gratiot County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Forest Hill
    • Alma
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the southwest)
      • Alma is located in Gratiot County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Alma
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 8,807 people
      • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Alma <1>
    • Ithaca
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the southwest)
  • Isabella County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Golden, with the one closest to Golden listed first.
    • Alembic
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the west)
      • Alembic is located in Isabella County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Alembic
    • Coe
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the west)
      • Coe is located in Isabella County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Coe
    • Shepherd
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the west)
    • Loomis
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the northwest)
      • Loomis is located in Isabella County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Loomis
    • Jordan
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the west)
      • Jordan is located in Isabella County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Jordan
    • Mount Pleasant
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the west)
    • Summerton
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the west)
      • Summerton is located in Isabella County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Summerton
    • Rosebush
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the west)
  • Saginaw County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Golden, with the one closest to Golden listed first.
    • Freeland
      (6 miles [9.7 km] to the south)
    • Dice
      (10 miles [16.1 km] to the south)
      • Dice is located in Saginaw County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Dice
    • Frost
      (11 miles [17.7 km] to the south)
      • Frost is located in Saginaw County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Frost
    • Iva
      (11 miles [17.7 km] to the southwest)
      • Iva is located in Saginaw County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Iva
    • Hemlock
      (13 miles [20.9 km] to the south)
    • Kochville
      (13 miles [20.9 km] to the southeast)
      • Kochville is located in Saginaw County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Kochville
    • Shields
      (14 miles [22.5 km] to the southeast)
      • Shields is located in Saginaw County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Shields
    • Melbourne ‑ Historic
      (15 miles [24.1 km] to the east)
      • Melbourne is located in Saginaw County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Melbourne
    • Orr
      (15 miles [24.1 km] to the south)
      • Orr is located in Saginaw County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Orr
    • Carrollton
      (15 miles [24.1 km] to the southeast)
      • Carrollton is located in Saginaw County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Carrollton
    • Paines
      (15 miles [24.1 km] to the southeast)
      • Paines is located in Saginaw County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Paines
    • Zilwaukee city
      (15 miles [24.1 km] to the southeast)
      • Zilwaukee city is located in Saginaw County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Zilwaukee city
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 1,517 people
    • Crow Island ‑ Historic
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the southeast)
      • Crow Island is located in Saginaw County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Crow Island
  • Tuscola County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Golden, with the one closest to Golden listed first.
    • Gilford
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the east)
      • Gilford is located in Tuscola County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Gilford
    • Denmark Junction
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the southeast)
      • Denmark Junction is located in Tuscola County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Denmark Junction
    • Richville
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the southeast)
    • Bay Park
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the east)
      • Bay Park is located in Tuscola County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bay Park

For an expanded list of the communities that are closest to Golden, see our County-by-County Page for Golden.

Cemeteries Near Golden ...

Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of Golden.

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 Golden - one of the links might be able to help.

If not found below, our Cemetery List for Golden covers a larger area, with the cemeteries listed in alphabetical order.

The following cemeteries are listed based on their distance from Golden, with the one closest to Golden listed first.

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 Golden in the Atlas, the following 1895 communities would have been found near the current location of Golden.

These communities are listed based on their distance from Golden, with the one closest to Golden listed first.

  • Fisherville
    (2 miles [3.2 km] to the east)
    • Fisherville is located in Bay County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Fisherville
  • Midland
    (3 miles [4.8 km] to the west)
  • Auburn
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the east)
  • Willard
    (5 miles [8 km] to the northeast)
    • Willard is located in Bay County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Willard
  • Freeland
    (6 miles [9.7 km] to the south)
  • Averill
    (9 miles [14.5 km] to the northwest)
    • Averill is located in Midland County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Averill
  • Frost
    (11 miles [17.7 km] to the south)
    • Frost is located in Saginaw County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Frost
  • Frankenlust
    (11 miles [17.7 km] to the east)
    • Frankenlust is located in Bay County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Frankenlust
  • Kawkawlin
    (11 miles [17.7 km] to the east)
  • Sanford
    (11 miles [17.7 km] to the west)
  • Brooks ‑ Historic
    (12 miles [19.3 km] to the east)
    • Brooks is located in Bay County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Brooks
  • Salzburg ‑ Historic
    (12 miles [19.3 km] to the east)
    • Salzburg is located in Bay County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Salzburg
  • Continue List   (17 more) ...
    • Linwood
      (13 miles [20.9 km] to the northeast)
    • Hope
      (13 miles [20.9 km] to the northwest)
    • Bay City
      (14 miles [22.5 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 Golden. See our List of 1890's Communities around Golden.

Newspapers Published in Golden ...

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 136 newspapers that have been published in the area around Golden.

Although we're unaware of any newspapers that were published in the immediate area of Golden, there are papers which were published within 29 miles [46.7 km]<4>. A list of those papers, sorted by paper name, can be found on the Extended Newspaper List for Golden.

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 either 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 Golden:

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 Golden, 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- Golden) to Point B. In other words: 'As the crow flies'.