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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 Monterey 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 Monterey 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 Monterey 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 Monterey Center: Monterey Ctr. (or less commonly used: Monterey Cen., Monterey Cent. or Monterey Cntr.)

You might see Monterey Centre instead of Monterey 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.

For more information about how community names might have been affected by the Board of Geographic Names (BGN), see our page about Placename Rules.

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.

Monterey Center is located in Allegan 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 Allegan County: Barry, Kalamazoo, Kent, Ottawa & Van Buren.

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

  • Allegan County     (The home county of Monterey Center)
    • The following are listed by their distance from Monterey Center, with the one closest to Monterey Center listed first.
    • South Monterey
      (2 miles [3.2 km] to the south)
      • South Monterey is located in Allegan County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for South Monterey
    • Hopkins
      (3 miles [4.8 km] to the east)
    • Diamond Springs
      (4 miles [6.4 km] to the northwest)
      • Diamond Springs is located in Allegan County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Diamond Springs
    • Burnips
      (6 miles [9.7 km] to the north)
      • Burnips is located in Allegan County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Burnips
      • Former name for Burnips:
      • Burnip's Corners
    • Hilliards
      (6 miles [9.7 km] to the northeast)
      • Hilliards is located in Allegan County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hilliards
    • Allegan
      (7 miles [11.3 km] to the south)
    • New Salem
      (8 miles [12.9 km] to the north)
      • New Salem is located in Allegan County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for New Salem
    • Dorr
      (8 miles [12.9 km] to the northeast)
    • Hamilton
      (8 miles [12.9 km] to the west)
    • Watson
      (9 miles [14.5 km] to the southeast)
      • Watson is located in Allegan County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Watson
    • Bradley
      (10 miles [16.1 km] to the east)
      • Bradley is located in Allegan County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bradley
    • Shelbyville
      (10 miles [16.1 km] to the east)
    • Wayland
      (10 miles [16.1 km] to the east)
  • Barry County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Monterey Center, with the one closest to Monterey Center listed first.
    • Middleville
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the east)
    • Doster
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the southeast)
      • Doster is located in Barry County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Doster
    • Irving
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the east)
      • Irving is located in Barry County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Irving
    • Prairieville
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the southeast)
      • Prairieville is located in Barry County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Prairieville
    • Cloverdale
      (23 miles [37 km] to the east)
      • Cloverdale is located in Barry County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cloverdale
    • Delton
      (23 miles [37 km] to the southeast)
    • Cedar Creek
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the east)
      • Cedar Creek is located in Barry County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cedar Creek
    • Freeport
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the east)
    • Hastings
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the east)
    • Hickory Corners
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the southeast)
    • Dowling
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the east)
      • Dowling is located in Barry County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Dowling
    • Banfield
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the southeast)
      • Banfield is located in Barry County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Banfield
  • Ionia County
    • Elmdale
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the northeast)
      • Elmdale is located in Ionia County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Elmdale
  • Kalamazoo County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Monterey Center, with the one closest to Monterey Center listed first.
    • Alamo
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the south)
      • Alamo is located in Kalamazoo County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Alamo
    • East Cooper
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the southeast)
      • East Cooper is located in Kalamazoo County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for East Cooper
    • Parchment
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the southeast)
    • Westwood
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the southeast)
      • Westwood is located in Kalamazoo County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Westwood
    • Richland
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the southeast)
    • Oshtemo
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the south)
    • Eastwood
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the southeast)
      • Eastwood is located in Kalamazoo County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Eastwood
    • Highland Park
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the southeast)
      • Highland Park is located in Kalamazoo County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Highland Park
    • Kalamazoo
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the southeast)
    • South Gull Lake
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the southeast)
      • South Gull Lake is located in Kalamazoo County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for South Gull Lake
    • Yorkville
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the southeast)
      • Yorkville is located in Kalamazoo County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Yorkville
    • Comstock
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the southeast)
      • Comstock is located in Kalamazoo County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Comstock
    • Milwood
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the southeast)
      • Milwood is located in Kalamazoo County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Milwood
  • Kent County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Monterey Center, with the one closest to Monterey Center listed first.
    • North Dorr
      (9 miles [14.5 km] to the northeast)
      • North Dorr is located in Kent County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for North Dorr
    • Byron Center
      (13 miles [20.9 km] to the northeast)
    • Corinth
      (13 miles [20.9 km] to the northeast)
      • Corinth is located in Kent County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Corinth
    • Carlisle
      (15 miles [24.1 km] to the northeast)
      • Carlisle is located in Kent County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Carlisle
    • Cutlerville
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the northeast)
    • Burlingame Heights
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the north)
      • Burlingame Heights is located in Kent County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Burlingame Heights
    • Burlingame
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the north)
      • Burlingame is located in Kent County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Burlingame
    • Clyde Park
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the north)
      • Clyde Park is located in Kent County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Clyde Park
    • Grandville
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the north)
    • Caledonia
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the northeast)
    • Dutton
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the northeast)
      • Dutton is located in Kent County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Dutton
    • Beverly
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the north)
      • Beverly is located in Kent County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Beverly
    • Wyoming
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the north)
  • Ottawa County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Monterey Center, with the one closest to Monterey Center listed first.
    • Forest Grove
      (10 miles [16.1 km] to the north)
      • Forest Grove is located in Ottawa County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Forest Grove
    • Drenthe
      (11 miles [17.7 km] to the northwest)
      • Drenthe is located in Ottawa County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Drenthe
    • Forest Grove Station
      (12 miles [19.3 km] to the north)
      • Forest Grove Station is located in Ottawa County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Forest Grove Station
    • Jamestown
      (12 miles [19.3 km] to the north)
      • Jamestown is located in Ottawa County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Jamestown
    • Hudsonville
      (15 miles [24.1 km] to the north)
    • Zeeland
      (15 miles [24.1 km] to the northwest)
    • Holland
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the northwest)
    • South Blendon
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the north)
      • South Blendon is located in Ottawa County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for South Blendon
    • Noordeloos
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the northwest)
      • Noordeloos is located in Ottawa County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Noordeloos
    • Waverly
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the northwest)
      • Waverly is located in Ottawa County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Waverly
    • Jenison
      (18 miles [29 km] to the north)
    • Beechwood
      (18 miles [29 km] to the northwest)
      • Beechwood is located in Ottawa County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Beechwood
    • Bauer
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the north)
      • Bauer is located in Ottawa County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bauer
  • Van Buren County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Monterey Center, with the one closest to Monterey Center listed first.
    • Gobles
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the south)
    • Kendall
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the south)
      • Kendall is located in Van Buren County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Kendall
    • Bloomingdale
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the southwest)
    • Grand Junction
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the southwest)
    • North Lake
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the south)
      • North Lake is located in Van Buren County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for North Lake
    • Lacota
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the southwest)
      • Lacota is located in Van Buren County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lacota
    • Glendale
      (23 miles [37 km] to the south)
      • Glendale is located in Van Buren County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Glendale
    • Breedsville
      (23 miles [37 km] to the southwest)
    • Kibbie
      (23 miles [37 km] to the southwest)
      • Kibbie is located in Van Buren County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Kibbie
    • Almena
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the south)
      • Almena is located in Van Buren County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Almena
    • Bangor
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the southwest)
      • Bangor is located in Van Buren County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bangor
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 1,808 people
      • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Bangor <1>
    • South Haven
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the southwest)
    • Mattawan
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the south)

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

Cemeteries Near Monterey Center ...

Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of Monterey 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 Monterey Center - one of the links might be able to help.

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

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

  • Poplar Hill Cemetery
    (Less than 2 miles to the south)
  • St. Paul's Evangelical Lutheran Cemetery
    (3 miles [4.8 km] to the east)
  • Jewett Cemetery
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the south)
  • Allegan County Poor Farm Cemetery
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the south)
  • Lakeview Cemetery
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the east)
  • Dowd Cemetery
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the northwest)
  • Tanner Cemetery
    (5 miles [8 km] to the northeast)
  • Diamond Springs Cemetery
    (5 miles [8 km] to the northwest)
  • Burnips Cemetery
    (6 miles [9.7 km] to the north)
  • Brookside Cemetery
    (6 miles [9.7 km] to the west)
  • Millgrove Cemetery
    (6 miles [9.7 km] to the southwest)
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Millgrove Cemetery
    • To give a relative sense of its location, the Millgrove Cemetery is a large cemetery that is located 4 miles [6.4 km]<2> to the northwest of Allegan.
    • Jump to Find-A-Grave: FG ID #1014084 <3>
  • Hudson Corners Cemetery
    (6 miles [9.7 km] to the south)
  • Continue List   (270 more) ...

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.<4>

While we didn't find Monterey Center in the Atlas, the following 1895 communities would have been found near the current location of Monterey Center.

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

  • South Monterey
    (2 miles [3.2 km] to the south)
    • South Monterey is located in Allegan County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for South Monterey
  • Hopkins
    (3 miles [4.8 km] to the east)
  • Diamond Springs
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the northwest)
    • Diamond Springs is located in Allegan County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Diamond Springs
  • Dunningville
    (5 miles [8 km] to the west)
    • Dunningville is located in Allegan County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Dunningville
  • Millgrove
    (5 miles [8 km] to the southwest)
    • Millgrove is located in Allegan County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Millgrove
    • Millgrove has also been known as:
    • Mill Grove
  • Hilliards
    (6 miles [9.7 km] to the northeast)
    • Hilliards is located in Allegan County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hilliards
  • Allegan
    (7 miles [11.3 km] to the south)
  • Oakland
    (8 miles [12.9 km] to the northwest)
    • Oakland is located in Allegan County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Oakland
  • Dorr
    (8 miles [12.9 km] to the northeast)
  • New Salem
    (8 miles [12.9 km] to the north)
    • New Salem is located in Allegan County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for New Salem
  • Hamilton
    (8 miles [12.9 km] to the west)
  • Gitchel
    (9 miles [14.5 km] to the north)
    • Gitchel is located in Ottawa County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Gitchel
  • Continue List   (13 more) ...
    • Watson
      (9 miles [14.5 km] to the southeast)
      • Watson is located in Allegan County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Watson
    • North Dorr
      (9 miles [14.5 km] to the northeast)
      • North Dorr is located in Kent County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for North Dorr
    • Shelbyville
      (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 Monterey Center. See our List of 1890's Communities around Monterey Center.

Newspapers Published in Monterey 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 137 newspapers that have been published in the area around Monterey Center.

Although we're unaware of any newspapers that were published in the immediate area of Monterey Center, there are papers which were published within 24 miles [38.6 km]<2>. A list of those papers, sorted by paper name, can be found on the Extended Newspaper List for Monterey 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 Monterey Center:

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>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 from Point A (ie- Monterey Center) to Point B. In other words: 'As the crow flies'.
<3>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.
<4>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 Monterey Center, please let us know so that we can improve our accuracy.