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 Otsego Lake (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 Otsego Lake. 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 Otsego Lake ...
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 Otsego Lake: Otsego Lk.
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 northwest 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 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 west 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.
Otsego Lake is located in Otsego 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 Otsego County: Antrim, Charlevoix, Cheboygan, Crawford, Kalkaska, Montmorency & Oscoda.
Below are the counties that are near Otsego Lake. For each of these counties, we show a sample of those communities that are closest to Otsego Lake:
- Otsego County (The home county of Otsego Lake)
- The following are listed by their distance from Otsego Lake, with the one closest to Otsego Lake listed first.
- Arbutus Beach
(Less than 2 miles to the north)
- Arbutus Beach is located in Otsego County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Arbutus Beach
- Waters
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the south)
- Pearll City
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the north)
- Pearll City is located in Otsego County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Pearll City
- Lower Chub Landing ‑ Historic
(5 miles [8 km] to the east)
- Lower Chub Landing is located in Otsego County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lower Chub Landing
- Gaylord
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the north)
- Sparr
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the northeast)
- Sparr is located in Otsego County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sparr
- Hallock
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the north)
- Hallock is located in Otsego County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hallock
- Johannesburg
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the northeast)
- Elmira
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the northwest)
- Berryville ‑ Historic
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the north)
- Berryville is located in Otsego County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Berryville
- Vanderbilt
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the north)
- Hetherton
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the northeast)
- Hetherton is located in Otsego County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hetherton
- Green Timbers
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the north)
- Green Timbers is located in Otsego County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Green Timbers
- Antrim County
- The following are listed by their distance from Otsego Lake, with the one closest to Otsego Lake listed first.
- Alba
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the west)
- Wetzel ‑ Historic
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the west)
- Wetzel is located in Antrim County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Wetzel
- Wetzel has also been known as:
- Wetzell
- Mancelona
(18 miles [29 km] to the west)
- Finkton
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the northwest)
- Finkton is located in Antrim County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Finkton
- Bellaire
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the west)
- Clam Lake ‑ Historic
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the west)
- Clam Lake is located in Antrim County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Clam Lake
- Alden
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the west)
- Central Lake
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the west)
- Charlevoix County
- The following are listed by their distance from Otsego Lake, with the one closest to Otsego Lake listed first.
- Boyne Falls
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the northwest)
- Goo ‑ Historic
(23 miles [37 km] to the northwest)
- Goo is located in Charlevoix County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Goo
- Boyne City
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the northwest)
- Boyne City is located in Charlevoix County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Boyne City
- Population from the 2020 Census: 3,717 people
- Former names for Boyne City:
- Bay Springs
- Boyne
- Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Boyne City <1>
- Walloon Lake
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the northwest)
- East Jordan
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the northwest)
- Cheboygan County
- The following are listed by their distance from Otsego Lake, with the one closest to Otsego Lake listed first.
- Wolverine
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the north)
- Wildwood
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the north)
- Wildwood is located in Cheboygan County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Wildwood
- Crawford County
- The following are listed by their distance from Otsego Lake, with the one closest to Otsego Lake listed first.
- Deward ‑ Historic
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the southwest)
- Deward is located in Crawford County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Deward
- Frederic
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the south)
- Bucks
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the southeast)
- Bucks is located in Crawford County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bucks
- Grayling
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the south)
- McIntyre Landing
(18 miles [29 km] to the south)
- McIntyre Landing is located in Crawford County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for McIntyre Landing
- Rasmus
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the south)
- Rasmus is located in Crawford County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rasmus
- Pere Cheney ‑ Historic
(23 miles [37 km] to the south)
- Pere Cheney is located in Crawford County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Pere Cheney
- Pere Cheney has also been known as:
- Center Plains
- Cheney
- Skyline Village
(23 miles [37 km] to the south)
- Skyline Village is located in Crawford County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Skyline Village
- Deerheart Valley
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the south)
- Deerheart Valley is located in Crawford County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Deerheart Valley
- Kalkaska County
- The following are listed by their distance from Otsego Lake, with the one closest to Otsego Lake listed first.
- Westwood
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the west)
- Westwood is located in Kalkaska County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Westwood
- Angling
(23 miles [37 km] to the southwest)
- Angling is located in Kalkaska County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Angling
- Sigma
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the southwest)
- Sigma is located in Kalkaska County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sigma
- Kalkaska
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the southwest)
- Spencer
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the southwest)
- Spencer is located in Kalkaska County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Spencer
- Fletcher
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the southwest)
- Fletcher is located in Kalkaska County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Fletcher
- Sharon ‑ Historic
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the southwest)
- Sharon is located in Kalkaska County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sharon
- Sharon has also been known as:
- Big Oley
- Jam One
- Rapid City
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the west)
- Lodi
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the southwest)
- Lodi is located in Kalkaska County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lodi
- Montmorency County
- The following are listed by their distance from Otsego Lake, with the one closest to Otsego Lake listed first.
- Vienna Corners
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the east)
- Vienna Corners is located in Montmorency County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Vienna Corners
- Vienna Junction
(18 miles [29 km] to the east)
- Vienna Junction is located in Montmorency County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Vienna Junction
- Garland Village
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the east)
- Garland Village is located in Montmorency County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Garland Village
- Lewiston
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the east)
- Bigelow
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the east)
- Bigelow is located in Montmorency County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bigelow
- Big Rock ‑ Historic
(23 miles [37 km] to the east)
- Big Rock is located in Montmorency County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Big Rock
- Atlanta
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the east)
- Canada Creek Ranch
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the northeast)
- Canada Creek Ranch is located in Montmorency County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Canada Creek Ranch
- Oscoda County
- The following are listed by their distance from Otsego Lake, with the one closest to Otsego Lake listed first.
- Red Oak
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the southeast)
- Red Oak is located in Oscoda County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Red Oak
- Luzerne
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the southeast)
- Roscommon County
- The following are listed by their distance from Otsego Lake, with the one closest to Otsego Lake listed first.
- Roscommon
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the south)
- Tent City
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the south)
- Tent City is located in Roscommon County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Tent City
- Higgins Lake
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the south)
For an expanded list of the communities that are closest to Otsego Lake, see our County-by-County Page for Otsego Lake.
Cemeteries Near Otsego Lake ...
Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of Otsego Lake.
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 Otsego Lake - one of the links might be able to help.
If not found below, our Cemetery List for Otsego Lake covers a larger area, with the cemeteries listed in alphabetical order.
The following cemeteries are listed based on their distance from Otsego Lake, with the one closest to Otsego Lake listed first.
- Otsego Lake Cemetery
(Less than 2 miles to the east)
- Bagley Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the north)
- St. Marys Cemetery
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the north)
- Shrine Cemetery
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the south)
- Hayes Cemetery
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the northwest)
- Fairview Cemetery
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the north)
- Maple Forest Cemetery
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the south)
- Oakwood Cemetery
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the south)
- Hallock Cemetery
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the north)
- Johannesburg Cemetery
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the east)
- Lovells Cemetery
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the southeast)
- St. Thomas Cemetery
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the northwest)
- Continue List (80 more) ...
- Resurrection Catholic Cemetery
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the north)
- Resurrection Cemetery
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the north)
- Maple Hill Cemetery
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the northwest)
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>
The Rand McNally Atlas shows that Otsego Lake had a population of 410 people in 1895 with a post office and railroad service.
These communities are listed based on their distance from Otsego Lake, with the one closest to Otsego Lake listed first.
- Waters
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the south)
- Gaylord
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the north)
- Frederic
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the south)
- Elmira
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the northwest)
- Alba
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the west)
- Vanderbilt
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the north)
- Wetzel ‑ Historic
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the west)
- Wetzel is located in Antrim County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Wetzel
- Wetzel has also been known as:
- Wetzell
- Grayling
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the south)
- Hetherton
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the northeast)
- Hetherton is located in Otsego County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hetherton
- Mancelona
(18 miles [29 km] to the west)
- Antrim
(18 miles [29 km] to the west)
- Antrim is located in Antrim County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Antrim
- Westwood
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the west)
- Westwood is located in Kalkaska County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Westwood
- Continue List (18 more) ...
- Boyne Falls
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the northwest)
- Chestonia
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the northwest)
- Chestonia is located in Antrim County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Chestonia
- Trowbridge
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the north)
- Trowbridge is located in Cheboygan County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Trowbridge
We've also created an expanded list of communities that existed in the 1890's and were located in the area around Otsego Lake. See our List of 1890's Communities around Otsego Lake.
Newspapers Published in the Vicinity of Otsego Lake ...
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 60 newspapers that have been published in the area around Otsego Lake.
We have organized these newspapers into two lists:
- A Local Newspaper List - focusing on the papers published in the immediate area of Otsego Lake. There are actually two parts to this list - papers printed in the immediate area of Otsego Lake and those printed in the larger area surrounding Otsego Lake.
- An Extended Newspaper List - a longer list, sorted by paper name and containing those papers published within 29 miles [46.7 km]<4> of Otsego Lake.
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 professional and volunteer 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 Otsego Lake:
- Websites specific to Michigan
- Pages specific to Otsego County
- Genealogy information for nearby counties
- Antrim County
- Charlevoix County
- Cheboygan County
- Crawford County
- Kalkaska County
- Montmorency County
- Oscoda County
- Roscommon 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 Otsego Lake, please let us know so that we can improve our accuracy. |
| <4> | 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 drawn from Point A (ie- Otsego Lake) to Point B. In other words: 'As the crow flies'. |