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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 Oakland (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 Oakland. 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 southeast corner of their home county. During their lives, most hospitals 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.

Oakland 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 Oakland. For each of these counties, we show a sample of those communities that are closest to Oakland:

  • Allegan County     (The home county of Oakland)
    • The following are listed by their distance from Oakland, with the one closest to Oakland listed first.
    • Burnips
      (4 miles [6.4 km] to the east)
      • Burnips is located in Allegan County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Burnips
      • Former name for Burnips:
      • Burnip's Corners
    • Diamond Springs
      (4 miles [6.4 km] to the south)
      • Diamond Springs is located in Allegan County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Diamond Springs
    • New Salem
      (6 miles [9.7 km] to the east)
      • New Salem is located in Allegan County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for New Salem
    • Hamilton
      (6 miles [9.7 km] to the southwest)
    • Fillmore
      (6 miles [9.7 km] to the west)
      • Fillmore is located in Allegan County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Fillmore
    • Boyd
      (8 miles [12.9 km] to the west)
      • Boyd is located in Allegan County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Boyd
    • Dorr
      (10 miles [16.1 km] to the east)
    • Hilliards
      (10 miles [16.1 km] to the southeast)
      • Hilliards is located in Allegan County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hilliards
    • South Monterey
      (10 miles [16.1 km] to the southeast)
      • South Monterey is located in Allegan County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for South Monterey
    • Hopkins
      (11 miles [17.7 km] to the southeast)
    • Graafschap
      (11 miles [17.7 km] to the west)
      • Graafschap is located in Allegan County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Graafschap
    • Moline
      (12 miles [19.3 km] to the east)
      • Moline is located in Allegan County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Moline
    • Fennville
      (13 miles [20.9 km] to the southwest)
  • Barry County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Oakland, with the one closest to Oakland listed first.
    • Middleville
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the east)
    • Irving
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the east)
      • Irving is located in Barry County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Irving
    • Doster
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the southeast)
      • Doster is located in Barry County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Doster
    • Prairieville
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the southeast)
      • Prairieville is located in Barry County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Prairieville
    • Freeport
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the east)
    • Cloverdale
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the southeast)
      • Cloverdale is located in Barry County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cloverdale
    • Delton
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the southeast)
  • Kalamazoo County
    • Alamo
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the southeast)
      • Alamo is located in Kalamazoo County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Alamo
  • Kent County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Oakland, with the one closest to Oakland listed first.
    • North Dorr
      (8 miles [12.9 km] to the east)
      • North Dorr is located in Kent County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for North Dorr
    • Byron Center
      (11 miles [17.7 km] to the northeast)
    • Corinth
      (13 miles [20.9 km] to the east)
      • Corinth is located in Kent County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Corinth
    • Carlisle
      (13 miles [20.9 km] to the northeast)
      • Carlisle is located in Kent County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Carlisle
    • Cutlerville
      (14 miles [22.5 km] to the northeast)
    • Grandville
      (14 miles [22.5 km] to the northeast)
    • Burlingame Heights
      (15 miles [24.1 km] to the northeast)
      • Burlingame Heights is located in Kent County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Burlingame Heights
    • Burlingame
      (15 miles [24.1 km] to the northeast)
      • Burlingame is located in Kent County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Burlingame
    • Beverly
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the northeast)
      • Beverly is located in Kent County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Beverly
    • Clyde Park
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the northeast)
      • Clyde Park is located in Kent County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Clyde Park
    • Wyoming
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the northeast)
    • Galewood
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the northeast)
      • Galewood is located in Kent County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Galewood
    • Urbandale
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the northeast)
      • Urbandale is located in Kent County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Urbandale
  • Muskegon County
    • Fruitport
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the northwest)
  • Ottawa County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Oakland, with the one closest to Oakland listed first.
    • Drenthe
      (3 miles [4.8 km] to the north)
      • Drenthe is located in Ottawa County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Drenthe
    • Forest Grove
      (4 miles [6.4 km] to the northeast)
      • Forest Grove is located in Ottawa County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Forest Grove
    • Forest Grove Station
      (5 miles [8 km] to the north)
      • Forest Grove Station is located in Ottawa County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Forest Grove Station
    • Jamestown
      (7 miles [11.3 km] to the northeast)
      • Jamestown is located in Ottawa County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Jamestown
    • Zeeland
      (7 miles [11.3 km] to the northwest)
    • Hudsonville
      (9 miles [14.5 km] to the north)
    • Waverly
      (9 miles [14.5 km] to the northwest)
      • Waverly is located in Ottawa County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Waverly
    • South Blendon
      (10 miles [16.1 km] to the north)
      • South Blendon is located in Ottawa County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for South Blendon
    • Noordeloos
      (10 miles [16.1 km] to the northwest)
      • Noordeloos is located in Ottawa County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Noordeloos
    • Holland
      (10 miles [16.1 km] to the west)
    • Beechwood
      (11 miles [17.7 km] to the west)
      • Beechwood is located in Ottawa County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Beechwood
    • Bauer
      (12 miles [19.3 km] to the north)
      • Bauer is located in Ottawa County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bauer
    • Jenison
      (13 miles [20.9 km] to the northeast)
  • Van Buren County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Oakland, with the one closest to Oakland listed first.
    • Bloomingdale
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the south)
    • Grand Junction
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the south)
    • Lacota
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the southwest)
      • Lacota is located in Van Buren County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lacota
    • Kibbie
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the southwest)
      • Kibbie is located in Van Buren County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Kibbie
    • Gobles
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the south)
    • Kendall
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the south)
      • Kendall is located in Van Buren County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Kendall
    • Breedsville
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the south)
    • North Lake
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the south)
      • North Lake is located in Van Buren County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for North Lake
    • South Haven
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the southwest)
    • Bangor
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the south)
      • 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>
    • Glendale
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the south)
      • Glendale is located in Van Buren County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Glendale

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

Cemeteries Near Oakland ...

Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of Oakland.

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

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

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

  • Overisel Cemetery
    (Less than 2 miles to the northwest)
  • Bentheim Cemetery
    (Less than 2 miles to the south)
  • East Drenthe Cemetery
    (2 miles [3.2 km] to the north)
  • Van Dam Family Cemetery
    (2 miles [3.2 km] to the northwest)
  • Old Drenthe Cemetery
    (3 miles [4.8 km] to the northwest)
  • Diamond Springs Cemetery
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the south)
  • Dowd Cemetery
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the south)
  • Old Vriesland Cemetery
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the northwest)
  • Burnips Cemetery
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the east)
  • Salem Cemetery
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the east)
  • West Drenthe Cemetery
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the northwest)
  • New Overisel Cemetery
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the west)
  • Continue List   (246 more) ...
    • Old Overisel Cemetery
      (4 miles [6.4 km] to the west)
    • Riverside Cemetery
      (5 miles [8 km] to the southwest)
    • Vriesland Cemetery
      (5 miles [8 km] to the north)

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 Oakland had a population of 27 people in 1895 with a post office and no railroad service.

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

  • Drenthe
    (3 miles [4.8 km] to the north)
    • Drenthe is located in Ottawa County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Drenthe
  • Diamond Springs
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the south)
    • Diamond Springs is located in Allegan County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Diamond Springs
  • Gitchel
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the northeast)
    • Gitchel is located in Ottawa County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Gitchel
  • Forest Grove
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the northeast)
    • Forest Grove is located in Ottawa County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Forest Grove
  • Overisel
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the west)
    • Overisel is located in Allegan County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Overisel
  • Vriesland
    (5 miles [8 km] to the north)
    • Vriesland is located in Ottawa County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Vriesland
  • Fillmore
    (6 miles [9.7 km] to the west)
    • Fillmore is located in Allegan County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Fillmore
  • Hamilton
    (6 miles [9.7 km] to the southwest)
  • New Salem
    (6 miles [9.7 km] to the east)
    • New Salem is located in Allegan County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for New Salem
  • Zutphen
    (6 miles [9.7 km] to the north)
    • Zutphen is located in Ottawa County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Zutphen
  • Beaverdam
    (7 miles [11.3 km] to the north)
    • Beaverdam is located in Ottawa County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Beaverdam
  • Jamestown
    (7 miles [11.3 km] to the northeast)
    • Jamestown is located in Ottawa County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Jamestown
  • Continue List   (20 more) ...
    • Zeeland
      (7 miles [11.3 km] to the northwest)
    • Dunningville
      (8 miles [12.9 km] to the south)
      • Dunningville is located in Allegan County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Dunningville
    • North Dorr
      (8 miles [12.9 km] to the east)
      • North Dorr is located in Kent County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for North Dorr

We've also created an expanded list of communities that existed in the 1890's and were located in the area around Oakland. See our List of 1890's Communities around Oakland.

Newspapers Published in Oakland ...

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 156 newspapers that have been published in the area around Oakland.

Although we're unaware of any newspapers that were published in the immediate area of Oakland, there are papers which were published within 24 miles [38.6 km]<3>. A list of those papers, sorted by paper name, can be found on the Extended Newspaper List for Oakland.

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 Oakland:

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 Oakland, please let us know so that we can improve our accuracy.
<3>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- Oakland) to Point B. In other words: 'As the crow flies'.