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 Rainbow Bend (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 Rainbow Bend. 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 Rainbow Bend ...
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 Rainbow Bend: Rainbow Bnd.
You might be interested in other communities that are also named Rainbow Bend. More information can be found on our Tidbits & Trivia Page for Rainbow Bend.
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 and hospitals 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.
Rainbow Bend is located in Clare 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 Clare County: Gladwin, Isabella, Mecosta, Midland, Missaukee & Roscommon.
Below are the counties that are near Rainbow Bend. For each of these counties, we show a sample of those communities that are closest to Rainbow Bend:
- Clare County (The home county of Rainbow Bend)
- The following are listed by their distance from Rainbow Bend, with the one closest to Rainbow Bend listed first.
- Harrison
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the southeast)
- Allendale
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the southeast)
- Allendale is located in Clare County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Allendale
- Lake George
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the south)
- Lake George is located in Clare County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lake George
- Meredith
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the east)
- Meredith is located in Clare County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Meredith
- Hatton
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the south)
- Hatton is located in Clare County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hatton
- Dover
(18 miles [29 km] to the southeast)
- Dover is located in Clare County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Dover
- Lake
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the south)
- Lake is located in Clare County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lake
- Former name for Lake:
- Lake Station
- Farwell
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the south)
- Clare
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the south)
- Gladwin County
- The following are listed by their distance from Rainbow Bend, with the one closest to Rainbow Bend listed first.
- Butman
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the east)
- Butman is located in Gladwin County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Butman
- Gladwin
(23 miles [37 km] to the southeast)
- Sugar Rapids
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the east)
- Sugar Rapids is located in Gladwin County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sugar Rapids
- Beaverton
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the southeast)
- White Star
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the east)
- White Star is located in Gladwin County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for White Star
- Wooden Shoe Village
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the east)
- Wooden Shoe Village is located in Gladwin County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Wooden Shoe Village
- Isabella County
- The following are listed by their distance from Rainbow Bend, with the one closest to Rainbow Bend listed first.
- Vernon City
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the south)
- Vernon City is located in Isabella County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Vernon City
- Brinton
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the south)
- Brinton is located in Isabella County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Brinton
- Loomis
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the southeast)
- Loomis is located in Isabella County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Loomis
- Sherman City ‑ Historic
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the south)
- Sherman City is located in Isabella County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sherman City
- Rosebush
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the south)
- Weidman
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the south)
- Kalkaska County
- Fletcher
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the north)
- Fletcher is located in Kalkaska County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Fletcher
- Mecosta County
- The following are listed by their distance from Rainbow Bend, with the one closest to Rainbow Bend listed first.
- Barryton
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the south)
- Pogy
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the southwest)
- Pogy is located in Mecosta County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Pogy
- Midland County
- Coleman
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the southeast)
- Missaukee County
- The following are listed by their distance from Rainbow Bend, with the one closest to Rainbow Bend listed first.
- Vogel Center
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the northwest)
- Vogel Center is located in Missaukee County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Vogel Center
- Falmouth
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the northwest)
- Merritt
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the north)
- McBain
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the west)
- Star City
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the north)
- Star City is located in Missaukee County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Star City
- Stoney Corner
(18 miles [29 km] to the west)
- Stoney Corner is located in Missaukee County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Stoney Corner
- Stoney Corner has also been known as:
- Stoney Corners
- Lucas
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the west)
- Lucas is located in Missaukee County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lucas
- Lake City
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the northwest)
- Cutcheon
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the northwest)
- Cutcheon is located in Missaukee County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cutcheon
- Moorestown
(23 miles [37 km] to the north)
- Moorestown is located in Missaukee County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Moorestown
- Stittsville ‑ Historic
(23 miles [37 km] to the north)
- Stittsville is located in Missaukee County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Stittsville
- Jennings
(23 miles [37 km] to the northwest)
- Jennings is located in Missaukee County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Jennings
- Stratford ‑ Historic
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the north)
- Stratford is located in Missaukee County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Stratford
- Osceola County
- The following are listed by their distance from Rainbow Bend, with the one closest to Rainbow Bend listed first.
- Marion
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the west)
- Gormer ‑ Historic
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the southwest)
- Gormer is located in Osceola County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Gormer
- Park Lake
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the west)
- Park Lake is located in Osceola County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Park Lake
- Avondale
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the southwest)
- Avondale is located in Osceola County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Avondale
- Highland
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the west)
- Highland is located in Osceola County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Highland
- Chippewa Station ‑ Historic
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the southwest)
- Chippewa Station is located in Osceola County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Chippewa Station
- Sears
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the southwest)
- Hartwick ‑ Historic
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the west)
- Hartwick is located in Osceola County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hartwick
- Orient
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the southwest)
- Orient is located in Osceola County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Orient
- Dighton
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the west)
- Dighton is located in Osceola County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Dighton
- Evart
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the southwest)
- Tustin
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the west)
- Le Roy
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the west)
- Roscommon County
- The following are listed by their distance from Rainbow Bend, with the one closest to Rainbow Bend listed first.
- Nellsville
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the north)
- Nellsville is located in Roscommon County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Nellsville
- Houghton Lake Heights
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the northeast)
- Houghton Lake Heights is located in Roscommon County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Houghton Lake Heights
- Houghton Lake
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the northeast)
- Prudenville
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the northeast)
- Hillcrest
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the north)
- Hillcrest is located in Roscommon County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hillcrest
- Higgins Lake
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the north)
- Tent City
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the north)
- Tent City is located in Roscommon County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Tent City
- Geels
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the northeast)
- Geels is located in Roscommon County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Geels
- Roscommon
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the northeast)
- Saint Helen
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the northeast)
- Wexford County
- The following are listed by their distance from Rainbow Bend, with the one closest to Rainbow Bend listed first.
- Cadillac
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the west)
- Haring
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the northwest)
- Haring is located in Wexford County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Haring
- Missaukee Junction
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the northwest)
- Missaukee Junction is located in Wexford County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Missaukee Junction
- Bond's Mills ‑ Historic
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the northwest)
- Bond's Mills is located in Wexford County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bond's Mills
- Benson
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the west)
- Benson is located in Wexford County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Benson
- Manton
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the northwest)
For an expanded list of the communities that are closest to Rainbow Bend, see our County-by-County Page for Rainbow Bend.
Cemeteries Near Rainbow Bend ...
Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of Rainbow Bend.
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 Rainbow Bend - one of the links might be able to help.
If not found below, our Cemetery List for Rainbow Bend covers a larger area, with the cemeteries listed in alphabetical order.
The following cemeteries are listed based on their distance from Rainbow Bend, with the one closest to Rainbow Bend listed first.
- Summerfield Cemetery
(Less than 2 miles to the south)
- Wilson Grove Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the east)
- Frost Twp. Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the east)
- Winterfield Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the west)
- West Moddersville Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the north)
- East Moddersville Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the north)
- Greenwood Cemetery
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the south)
- Hillcrest Cemetery
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the south)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hillcrest Cemetery
- To give a relative sense of its location, the Hillcrest Cemetery is a large cemetery that is located 3 miles [4.8 km]<2> to the west of Harrison.
- The Hillcrest Cemetery has also been known as:
- Greenwood Cemetery
- Greenwood Twp. Cemetery
- Jump to Find-A-Grave: FG ID #642 <3>
- Maple Grove Cemetery
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the southeast)
- St. Athanasius Cemetery
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the southeast)
- Pleasant Plains Cemetery
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the southeast)
- Watson Road Cemetery
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the west)
- Continue List (120 more) ...
- Fernwood Cemetery
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the southwest)
- Prosper Cemetery
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the northwest)
- Vogel Center Cemetery
(9 miles [14.5 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.<4>
While we didn't find Rainbow Bend in the Atlas, the following 1895 communities would have been found near the current location of Rainbow Bend.
These communities are listed based on their distance from Rainbow Bend, with the one closest to Rainbow Bend listed first.
- Moddersville
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the north)
- Moddersville is located in Missaukee County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Moddersville
- Vogel Center
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the northwest)
- Vogel Center is located in Missaukee County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Vogel Center
- Temple
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the southwest)
- Temple is located in Clare County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Temple
- Harrison
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the southeast)
- Lake George
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the south)
- Lake George is located in Clare County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lake George
- Falmouth
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the northwest)
- Marion
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the west)
- Park Lake
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the west)
- Park Lake is located in Osceola County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Park Lake
- Hatton
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the south)
- Hatton is located in Clare County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hatton
- Meredith
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the east)
- Meredith is located in Clare County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Meredith
- Houghton Lake
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the northeast)
- McBain
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the west)
- Continue List (13 more) ...
- Star City
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the north)
- Star City is located in Missaukee County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Star City
- Avondale
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the southwest)
- Avondale is located in Osceola County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Avondale
- Prudenville
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the northeast)
We've also created an expanded list of communities that existed in the 1890's and were located in the area around Rainbow Bend. See our List of 1890's Communities around Rainbow Bend.
Newspapers Published in Rainbow Bend ...
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 69 newspapers that have been published in the area around Rainbow Bend.
Although we're unaware of any newspapers that were published in the immediate area of Rainbow Bend, there are papers which were published within 30 miles [48.3 km]<2>. A list of those papers, sorted by paper name, can be found on the Extended Newspaper List for Rainbow Bend.
Websites to Help With Your Genealogy Research ...
When we do our genealogical research, we first visit 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 Rainbow Bend:
- Websites specific to Michigan
- Pages specific to Clare County
- Genealogy information for nearby counties
- Gladwin County
- Isabella County
- Kalkaska County
- Mecosta County
- Midland County
- Missaukee County
- Osceola County
- Roscommon 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> | 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- Rainbow Bend) 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 Rainbow Bend, please let us know so that we can improve our accuracy. |