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 Olive 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 Olive 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 Olive 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.
For example, a typical abbreviation for Olive Center: Olive Ctr. (or less commonly used: Olive Cen., Olive Cent. or Olive Cntr.)
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 northeast corner of their home county. During their lives, most doctors were in the next county to the east. 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 east 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.
Olive Center 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 Olive Center. For each of these counties, we show a sample of those communities that are closest to Olive Center:
- Ottawa County (The home county of Olive Center)
- The following are listed by their distance from Olive Center, with the one closest to Olive Center listed first.
- West Olive
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the west)
- Rusk
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the northeast)
- Rusk is located in Ottawa County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rusk
- Robinson
(5 miles [8 km] to the north)
- Robinson is located in Ottawa County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Robinson
- Agnew
(5 miles [8 km] to the northwest)
- Agnew is located in Ottawa County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Agnew
- Noordeloos
(5 miles [8 km] to the south)
- Noordeloos is located in Ottawa County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Noordeloos
- Port Sheldon
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the west)
- Port Sheldon is located in Ottawa County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Port Sheldon
- Allendale
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the northeast)
- Waverly
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the south)
- Waverly is located in Ottawa County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Waverly
- Zeeland
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the southeast)
- South Blendon
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the east)
- South Blendon is located in Ottawa County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for South Blendon
- Beechwood
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the south)
- Beechwood is located in Ottawa County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Beechwood
- Bauer
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the east)
- Bauer is located in Ottawa County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bauer
- Allegan County
- The following are listed by their distance from Olive Center, with the one closest to Olive Center listed first.
- Graafschap
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the south)
- Graafschap is located in Allegan County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Graafschap
- Boyd
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the south)
- Boyd is located in Allegan County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Boyd
- Fillmore
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the south)
- Fillmore is located in Allegan County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Fillmore
- Hamilton
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the south)
- Singapore ‑ Historic
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the south)
- Singapore is located in Allegan County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Singapore
- Burnips
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the southeast)
- Burnips is located in Allegan County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Burnips
- Former name for Burnips:
- Burnip's Corners
- 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
- Saugatuck
(18 miles [29 km] to the south)
- Diamond Springs
(18 miles [29 km] to the southeast)
- Diamond Springs is located in Allegan County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Diamond Springs
- Douglas
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the south)
- Fennville
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the south)
- Dorr
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the southeast)
- Kent County
- The following are listed by their distance from Olive Center, with the one closest to Olive Center listed first.
- Grandville
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the east)
- Walker
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the east)
- Kinney
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the northeast)
- Kinney is located in Kent County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Kinney
- Beverly
(18 miles [29 km] to the east)
- Beverly is located in Kent County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Beverly
- Burlingame Heights
(18 miles [29 km] to the east)
- Burlingame Heights is located in Kent County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Burlingame Heights
- Burlingame
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the east)
- Burlingame is located in Kent County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Burlingame
- Byron Center
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the east)
- Clyde Park
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the east)
- Clyde Park is located in Kent County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Clyde Park
- Galewood
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the east)
- Galewood is located in Kent County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Galewood
- Urbandale
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the east)
- Urbandale is located in Kent County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Urbandale
- Wyoming
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the east)
- North Dorr
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the southeast)
- North Dorr is located in Kent County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for North Dorr
- Muskegon County
- The following are listed by their distance from Olive Center, with the one closest to Olive Center listed first.
- Fruitport
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the north)
- Sullivan
(18 miles [29 km] to the north)
- Sullivan is located in Muskegon County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sullivan
- Norton Shores
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the northwest)
- Ravenna
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the north)
- Muskegon Heights
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the northwest)
- Roosevelt Park
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the northwest)
- Morgan Corners
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the north)
- Morgan Corners is located in Muskegon County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Morgan Corners
- Muskegon
(23 miles [37 km] to the north)
- Slocum
(23 miles [37 km] to the north)
- Slocum is located in Muskegon County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Slocum
- Wolf Lake
(23 miles [37 km] to the north)
- Wolf Lake is located in Muskegon County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Wolf Lake
- Canada Corners
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the northeast)
- Canada Corners is located in Muskegon County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Canada Corners
- North Muskegon
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the northwest)
- Newaygo County
- The following are listed by their distance from Olive Center, with the one closest to Olive Center listed first.
- Bridgeton
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the north)
- Bridgeton is located in Newaygo County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bridgeton
- Ashland
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the northeast)
- Ashland is located in Newaygo County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ashland
For an expanded list of the communities that are closest to Olive Center, see our County-by-County Page for Olive Center.
Cemeteries Near Olive Center ...
Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of Olive 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 Olive Center - one of the links might be able to help.
If not found below, our Cemetery List for Olive Center covers a larger area, with the cemeteries listed in alphabetical order.
The following cemeteries are listed based on their distance from Olive Center, with the one closest to Olive Center listed first.
- Olive Cemetery
(Less than 2 miles to the northeast)
- West Olive Cemetery
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the northwest)
- Borculo Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the southeast)
- Rusk Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the northeast)
- Noordeloos Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the south)
- Indian Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the west)
- Ventura Cemetery
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the southwest)
- North Holland Cemetery
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the south)
- Cobmosay Grave
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the west)
- Lake Shore Cemetery
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the southwest)
- Roselawn Memorial Gardens
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the south)
- New Groningen Cemetery
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the south)
- Continue List (205 more) ...
- Zeeland Cemetery
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the southeast)
- Beaverdam Cemetery
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the southeast)
- Blendon Twp. Cemetery
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the east)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Blendon Twp. Cemetery
- To give a relative sense of its location, the Blendon Twp. Cemetery is a large cemetery that is located 3 miles [4.8 km]<3> to the northwest of Hudsonville.
- The Blendon Twp. Cemetery has also been known as:
- Blendon Cemetery
- Jump to Find-A-Grave: FG ID #128 <2>
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>
The Rand McNally Atlas shows that Olive Center had a population of 35 people in 1895 with a post office and no railroad service.
These communities are listed based on their distance from Olive Center, with the one closest to Olive Center listed first.
- Borculo
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the southeast)
- Borculo is located in Ottawa County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Borculo
- West Olive
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the west)
- New Holland
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the south)
- New Holland is located in Ottawa County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for New Holland
- Noordeloos
(5 miles [8 km] to the south)
- Noordeloos is located in Ottawa County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Noordeloos
- Robinson
(5 miles [8 km] to the north)
- Robinson is located in Ottawa County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Robinson
- Agnew
(5 miles [8 km] to the northwest)
- Agnew is located in Ottawa County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Agnew
- Zeeland
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the southeast)
- Beaverdam
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the southeast)
- Beaverdam is located in Ottawa County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Beaverdam
- Allendale
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the northeast)
- South Blendon
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the east)
- South Blendon is located in Ottawa County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for South Blendon
- Pearline
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the northeast)
- Pearline is located in Ottawa County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Pearline
- Holland
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the south)
- Continue List (14 more) ...
- Bauer
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the east)
- Bauer is located in Ottawa County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bauer
- Eastmanville
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the northeast)
- Eastmanville is located in Ottawa County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Eastmanville
- Vriesland
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the southeast)
- Vriesland is located in Ottawa County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Vriesland
We've also created an expanded list of communities that existed in the 1890's and were located in the area around Olive Center. See our List of 1890's Communities around Olive Center.
Newspapers Published in Olive 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 66 newspapers that have been published in the area around Olive Center.
Although we're unaware of any newspapers that were published in the immediate area of Olive Center, there are papers which were published within 28 miles [45.1 km]<3>. A list of those papers, sorted by paper name, can be found on the Extended Newspaper List for Olive Center.
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 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 Olive Center:
- Websites specific to Michigan
- Pages specific to Ottawa County
- Genealogy information for nearby counties
- Allegan County
- Kent County
- Muskegon County
- Newaygo 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> | 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- Olive Center) to Point B. In other words: 'As the crow flies'. |
| <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 Olive Center, please let us know so that we can improve our accuracy. |