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 Harlem (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 Harlem. 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.
Harlem is located in Ottawa 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 Ottawa County: Allegan, Kent & Muskegon.
Below are the counties that are near Harlem. For each of these counties, we show a sample of those communities that are closest to Harlem:
- Ottawa County (The home county of Harlem)
- The following are listed by their distance from Harlem, with the one closest to Harlem listed first.
- Noordeloos
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the southeast)
- Noordeloos is located in Ottawa County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Noordeloos
- Port Sheldon
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the northwest)
- Port Sheldon is located in Ottawa County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Port Sheldon
- West Olive
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the northwest)
- Waverly
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the south)
- Waverly is located in Ottawa County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Waverly
- Beechwood
(5 miles [8 km] to the south)
- Beechwood is located in Ottawa County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Beechwood
- Holland
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the south)
- Zeeland
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the southeast)
- Rusk
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the northeast)
- Rusk is located in Ottawa County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rusk
- Agnew
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the northwest)
- Agnew is located in Ottawa County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Agnew
- Robinson
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the north)
- Robinson is located in Ottawa County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Robinson
- Macatawa
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the southwest)
- South Blendon
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the east)
- South Blendon is located in Ottawa County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for South Blendon
- Allendale
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the northeast)
- Allegan County
- The following are listed by their distance from Harlem, with the one closest to Harlem listed first.
- Graafschap
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the south)
- Graafschap is located in Allegan County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Graafschap
- Boyd
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the south)
- Boyd is located in Allegan County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Boyd
- Fillmore
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the south)
- Fillmore is located in Allegan County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Fillmore
- Singapore ‑ Historic
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the south)
- Singapore is located in Allegan County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Singapore
- Hamilton
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the southeast)
- Saugatuck
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the south)
- Douglas
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the south)
- Burnips
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the southeast)
- Burnips is located in Allegan County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Burnips
- Former name for Burnips:
- Burnip's Corners
- Diamond Springs
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the southeast)
- Diamond Springs is located in Allegan County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Diamond Springs
- New Salem
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the southeast)
- New Salem is located in Allegan County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for New Salem
- Fennville
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the south)
- Ganges
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the south)
- Ganges is located in Allegan County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ganges
- Dorr
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the southeast)
- Kent County
- The following are listed by their distance from Harlem, with the one closest to Harlem listed first.
- Grandville
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the east)
- North Dorr
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the east)
- North Dorr is located in Kent County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for North Dorr
- Beverly
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the east)
- Beverly is located in Kent County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Beverly
- Burlingame Heights
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the east)
- Burlingame Heights is located in Kent County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Burlingame Heights
- Burlingame
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the east)
- Burlingame is located in Kent County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Burlingame
- Byron Center
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the east)
- Wyoming
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the east)
- Kinney
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the northeast)
- Kinney is located in Kent County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Kinney
- Walker
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the northeast)
- Carlisle
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the east)
- Carlisle is located in Kent County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Carlisle
- Clyde Park
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the east)
- Clyde Park is located in Kent County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Clyde Park
- Galewood
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the east)
- Galewood is located in Kent County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Galewood
- Urbandale
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the east)
- Urbandale is located in Kent County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Urbandale
- Muskegon County
- The following are listed by their distance from Harlem, with the one closest to Harlem listed first.
- Fruitport
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the north)
- Norton Shores
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the north)
- Sullivan
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the north)
- Sullivan is located in Muskegon County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sullivan
- Ravenna
(23 miles [37 km] to the north)
- Roosevelt Park
(23 miles [37 km] to the north)
- Muskegon Heights
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the north)
- Morgan Corners
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the north)
- Morgan Corners is located in Muskegon County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Morgan Corners
- Muskegon
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the north)
- Wolf Lake
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the north)
- Wolf Lake is located in Muskegon County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Wolf Lake
- Slocum
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the northeast)
- Slocum is located in Muskegon County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Slocum
- North Muskegon
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the north)
- Canada Corners
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the northeast)
- Canada Corners is located in Muskegon County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Canada Corners
For an expanded list of the communities that are closest to Harlem, see our County-by-County Page for Harlem.
Cemeteries Near Harlem ...
Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of Harlem.
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 Harlem - one of the links might be able to help.
If not found below, our Cemetery List for Harlem covers a larger area, with the cemeteries listed in alphabetical order.
The following cemeteries are listed based on their distance from Harlem, with the one closest to Harlem listed first.
- North Holland Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the south)
- Noordeloos Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the southeast)
- Ventura Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the west)
- Borculo Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the east)
- Olive Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the northeast)
- West Olive Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the north)
- Lake Shore Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the southwest)
- Roselawn Memorial Gardens
(5 miles [8 km] to the southeast)
- Lakewood Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the southwest)
- Pilgrim Home Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the south)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Pilgrim Home Cemetery
- To give a relative sense of its location, the Pilgrim Home Cemetery is a very large cemetery that is located in Holland.
- The Pilgrim Home Cemetery has also been known as:
- Holland Twp. Cemetery
- Jump to Find-A-Grave: FG ID #1371 <2>
- New Groningen Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the southeast)
- Zeeland Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the southeast)
- Continue List (196 more) ...
- Graafschap Cemetery
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the south)
- Graafschap Cemetery
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the south)
- Rusk Cemetery
(7 miles [11.3 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.<3>
While we didn't find Harlem in the Atlas, the following 1895 communities would have been found near the current location of Harlem.
These communities are listed based on their distance from Harlem, with the one closest to Harlem listed first.
- New Holland
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the southeast)
- New Holland is located in Ottawa County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for New Holland
- Noordeloos
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the southeast)
- Noordeloos is located in Ottawa County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Noordeloos
- Olive Center
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the northeast)
- Olive Center is located in Ottawa County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Olive Center
- West Olive
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the northwest)
- Borculo
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the east)
- Borculo is located in Ottawa County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Borculo
- Holland
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the south)
- Zeeland
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the southeast)
- Beaverdam
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the east)
- Beaverdam is located in Ottawa County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Beaverdam
- Agnew
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the northwest)
- Agnew is located in Ottawa County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Agnew
- Graafschap
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the south)
- Graafschap is located in Allegan County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Graafschap
- Robinson
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the north)
- Robinson is located in Ottawa County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Robinson
- Vriesland
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the southeast)
- Vriesland is located in Ottawa County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Vriesland
- Continue List (14 more) ...
- South Blendon
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the east)
- South Blendon is located in Ottawa County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for South Blendon
- Fillmore
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the south)
- Fillmore is located in Allegan County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Fillmore
- Drenthe
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the southeast)
- Drenthe is located in Ottawa County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Drenthe
We've also created an expanded list of communities that existed in the 1890's and were located in the area around Harlem. See our List of 1890's Communities around Harlem.
Newspapers Published in Harlem ...
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 59 newspapers that have been published in the area around Harlem.
Although we're unaware of any newspapers that were published in the immediate area of Harlem, there are papers which were published within 27 miles [43.5 km]<4>. A list of those papers, sorted by paper name, can be found on the Extended Newspaper List for Harlem.
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 Harlem:
- Websites specific to Michigan
- Pages specific to Ottawa County
- Genealogy information for nearby counties
- Allegan County
- Kent County
- Muskegon 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 Harlem, 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- Harlem) to Point B. In other words: 'As the crow flies'. |