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 Monroe 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 Monroe 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 Monroe 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.
Although we can't give a definitive list, hopefully the following will give you a feel for the variations that might occur.
For example, a typical abbreviation for Monroe Center: Monroe Ctr. (or less commonly used: Monroe Cen., Monroe Cent. or Monroe Cntr.)
You might be interested in other communities that are also named Monroe Center. More information can be found on our Tidbits & Trivia Page for Monroe 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 southeast corner of their home county. During their lives, most hospitals and doctors were in the next county to the east. 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 east 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.
Monroe Center is located in Grand Traverse 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 Grand Traverse County: Antrim, Benzie, Kalkaska, Leelanau, Manistee, Missaukee & Wexford.
Below are the counties that are near Monroe Center. For each of these counties, we show a sample of those communities that are closest to Monroe Center:
- Grand Traverse County (The home county of Monroe Center)
- The following are listed by their distance from Monroe Center, with the one closest to Monroe Center listed first.
- Grawn
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the north)
- Interlochen
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the northwest)
- Karlin
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the southwest)
- Karlin is located in Grand Traverse County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Karlin
- Pavlovic Corner
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the southwest)
- Pavlovic Corner is located in Grand Traverse County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Pavlovic Corner
- Kingsley
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the east)
- Mayfield
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the east)
- Mayfield is located in Grand Traverse County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mayfield
- Summit City
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the southeast)
- Summit City is located in Grand Traverse County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Summit City
- Traverse City
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the north)
- Devils Elbow
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the northeast)
- Devils Elbow is located in Grand Traverse County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Devils Elbow
- Acme
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the northeast)
- Walton
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the southeast)
- Walton is located in Grand Traverse County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Walton
- Walton has also been known as:
- Walton Junction
- Williamsburg
(18 miles [29 km] to the northeast)
- Mabel
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the northeast)
- Mabel is located in Grand Traverse County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mabel
- Antrim County
- The following are listed by their distance from Monroe Center, with the one closest to Monroe Center listed first.
- Elk Rapids
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the northeast)
- Kewadin
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the northeast)
- Alden
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the northeast)
- Clam Lake ‑ Historic
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the northeast)
- Clam Lake is located in Antrim County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Clam Lake
- Benzie County
- The following are listed by their distance from Monroe Center, with the one closest to Monroe Center listed first.
- Bendon
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the west)
- Bendon is located in Benzie County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bendon
- Griner Station
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the southwest)
- Griner Station is located in Benzie County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Griner Station
- Griner Station has also been known as:
- Print
- Wallin
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the west)
- Wallin is located in Benzie County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Wallin
- Lake Ann
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the northwest)
- Nessen City
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the southwest)
- Nessen City is located in Benzie County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Nessen City
- Platte River
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the west)
- Platte River is located in Benzie County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Platte River
- Thompsonville
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the southwest)
- Honor
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the west)
- Benzonia
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the west)
- Beulah
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the west)
- Aral ‑ Historic
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the northwest)
- Aral is located in Benzie County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Aral
- Aral has also been known as:
- Otter Creek
- Elberta
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the west)
- Frankfort
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the west)
- Kalkaska County
- The following are listed by their distance from Monroe Center, with the one closest to Monroe Center listed first.
- Fife Lake
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the east)
- South Boardman
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the east)
- Barker Creek
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the northeast)
- Barker Creek is located in Kalkaska County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Barker Creek
- Deibert
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the east)
- Deibert is located in Kalkaska County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Deibert
- Torch River
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the northeast)
- Torch River is located in Kalkaska County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Torch River
- Lodi
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the east)
- Lodi is located in Kalkaska County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lodi
- Rapid City
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the northeast)
- Kalkaska
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the east)
- Spencer
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the east)
- Spencer is located in Kalkaska County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Spencer
- Sharon ‑ Historic
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the east)
- Sharon is located in Kalkaska County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sharon
- Sharon has also been known as:
- Big Oley
- Jam One
- Leelanau County
- The following are listed by their distance from Monroe Center, with the one closest to Monroe Center listed first.
- Greilickville
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the north)
- Greilickville is located in Leelanau County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Greilickville
- Solon
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the north)
- Solon is located in Leelanau County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Solon
- Hatchs
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the north)
- Hatchs is located in Leelanau County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hatchs
- Cedar
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the north)
- Bingham
(18 miles [29 km] to the north)
- Bingham is located in Leelanau County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bingham
- Isadore ‑ Historic
(18 miles [29 km] to the north)
- Isadore is located in Leelanau County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Isadore
- Jacktown ‑ Historic
(18 miles [29 km] to the northwest)
- Jacktown is located in Leelanau County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Jacktown
- Jacktown has also been known as:
- Osborn
- Maple City
(18 miles [29 km] to the northwest)
- Bodus
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the north)
- Bodus is located in Leelanau County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bodus
- Burdickville
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the northwest)
- Burdickville is located in Leelanau County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Burdickville
- Schomberg
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the north)
- Schomberg is located in Leelanau County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Schomberg
- Empire
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the northwest)
- Shalda Corners ‑ Historic
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the northwest)
- Shalda Corners is located in Leelanau County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Shalda Corners
- Manistee County
- The following are listed by their distance from Monroe Center, with the one closest to Monroe Center listed first.
- Harlan ‑ Historic
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the southwest)
- Harlan is located in Manistee County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Harlan
- Pomona
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the southwest)
- Pomona is located in Manistee County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Pomona
- Copemish
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the southwest)
- Henry ‑ Historic
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the southwest)
- Henry is located in Manistee County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Henry
- Humphrey
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the southwest)
- Humphrey is located in Manistee County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Humphrey
- Kaleva
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the southwest)
- Malcolm
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the west)
- Malcolm is located in Manistee County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Malcolm
- Bear Lake
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the southwest)
- Brethren
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the southwest)
- Chief Lake
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the southwest)
- Chief Lake is located in Manistee County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Chief Lake
- Arcadia
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the west)
- Norwalk
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the southwest)
- Norwalk is located in Manistee County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Norwalk
- Onekama
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the southwest)
- Missaukee County
- The following are listed by their distance from Monroe Center, with the one closest to Monroe Center listed first.
- Jennings
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the southeast)
- Jennings is located in Missaukee County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Jennings
- Lake City
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the southeast)
- Wexford County
- The following are listed by their distance from Monroe Center, with the one closest to Monroe Center listed first.
- Buckley
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the south)
- Baxter
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the southeast)
- Baxter is located in Wexford County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Baxter
- Bagnall
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the south)
- Bagnall is located in Wexford County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bagnall
- Glengary
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the south)
- Glengary is located in Wexford County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Glengary
- Sherman
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the south)
- Sherman is located in Wexford County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sherman
- Mesick
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the south)
- Yuma
(18 miles [29 km] to the south)
- Yuma is located in Wexford County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Yuma
- Meauwataka
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the southeast)
- Meauwataka is located in Wexford County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Meauwataka
- Manton
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the southeast)
- Harrietta
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the south)
- Boon
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the south)
- Boon is located in Wexford County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Boon
- Bond's Mills ‑ Historic
(23 miles [37 km] to the southeast)
- Bond's Mills is located in Wexford County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bond's Mills
- Millersville
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the south)
- Millersville is located in Wexford County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Millersville
For an expanded list of the communities that are closest to Monroe Center, see our County-by-County Page for Monroe Center.
Cemeteries Near Monroe Center ...
Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of Monroe 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 Monroe Center - one of the links might be able to help.
If not found below, our Cemetery List for Monroe Center covers a larger area, with the cemeteries listed in alphabetical order.
The following cemeteries are listed based on their distance from Monroe Center, with the one closest to Monroe Center listed first.
- Monroe Center Cemetery
(Less than 2 miles to the south)
- Downs Cemetery
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the south)
- Maple Grove Cemetery
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the north)
- St. Mary's Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the southeast)
- De Lorme Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the southwest)
- Grant Methodist Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the southwest)
- Grant Twp. Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the southwest)
- Mt. Hope Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the northwest)
- Old Inland Cemetery
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the northwest)
- New Inland Cemetery
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the northwest)
- Cornell Cemetery
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the south)
- Blackman Cemetery
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the southeast)
- Continue List (151 more) ...
- Fowler Cemetery
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the southeast)
- Barnum Cemetery
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the east)
- Koch Cemetery
(8 miles [12.9 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.<2>
The Rand McNally Atlas shows that Monroe Center had a population of 57 people in 1895 with a post office and no railroad service.
These communities are listed based on their distance from Monroe Center, with the one closest to Monroe Center listed first.
- Hannah
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the southeast)
- Hannah is located in Grand Traverse County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hannah
- Grawn
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the north)
- Interlochen
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the northwest)
- Bendon
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the west)
- Bendon is located in Benzie County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bendon
- Kingsley
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the east)
- Mayfield
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the east)
- Mayfield is located in Grand Traverse County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mayfield
- Summit City
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the southeast)
- Summit City is located in Grand Traverse County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Summit City
- Traverse City
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the north)
- Lake Ann
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the northwest)
- Nessen City
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the southwest)
- Nessen City is located in Benzie County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Nessen City
- Cedar Run
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the northwest)
- Cedar Run is located in Benzie County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cedar Run
- Harlan ‑ Historic
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the southwest)
- Harlan is located in Manistee County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Harlan
- Continue List (16 more) ...
- Thompsonville
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the southwest)
- Pomona
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the southwest)
- Pomona is located in Manistee County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Pomona
- Solon
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the north)
- Solon is located in Leelanau County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Solon
We've also created an expanded list of communities that existed in the 1890's and were located in the area around Monroe Center. See our List of 1890's Communities around Monroe Center.
Newspapers Published in Monroe 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 76 newspapers that have been published in the area around Monroe Center.
Although we're unaware of any newspapers that were published in the immediate area of Monroe Center, there are papers which were published within 30 miles [48.3 km]<3>. A list of those papers, sorted by paper name, can be found on the Extended Newspaper List for Monroe Center.
Websites to Help With Your Genealogy Research ...
When we do our genealogical research, we begin with 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 Monroe Center:
- Websites specific to Michigan
- Pages specific to Grand Traverse County
- Genealogy information for nearby counties
- Antrim County
- Benzie County
- Kalkaska County
- Leelanau County
- Manistee County
- Missaukee County
- Wexford 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> | 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 Monroe Center, please let us know so that we can improve our accuracy. |
| <3> | Our distances are not driving distances, but are calculated as a 'point-to-point' distance. A straight line distance ignores obstructions like rivers, canyons, lakes, et cetera - it's truly a line from Point A (ie- Monroe Center) to Point B. In other words: 'As the crow flies'. |