RoadsideThoughts
A Gazetteer for the United States and Canada
Home >> State of Michigan >> Otsego County >> Whites Landing >> Genealogy HelperIndex...

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 Whites Landing (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 Whites Landing. 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 Whites Landing ...

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.

  • A typical abbreviation for Whites Landing: Whites Lndg. (or less commonly used: Whites Lndng.)
  • While the name of this community is Whites Landing, be aware that it's the common practice of mapmakers to remove the apostrophe from possessive names<1>. So Whites Landing may originally have been White's Landing.

    Sometimes the trailing 's' might be dropped altogether, in which case Whites Landing might be written as White Landing.

You might be interested in other communities that are also named Whites Landing. More information can be found on our Tidbits & Trivia Page for Whites Landing.

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.

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

  • Otsego County     (The home county of Whites Landing)
    • The following are listed by their distance from Whites Landing, with the one closest to Whites Landing listed first.
    • Lower Chub Landing ‑ Historic
      (Less than 2 miles to the southwest)
      • Lower Chub Landing is located in Otsego County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lower Chub Landing
    • Arbutus Beach
      (6 miles [9.7 km] to the northwest)
      • Arbutus Beach is located in Otsego County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Arbutus Beach
    • Waters
      (6 miles [9.7 km] to the west)
    • Johannesburg
      (7 miles [11.3 km] to the northeast)
    • Pearll City
      (7 miles [11.3 km] to the northwest)
      • Pearll City is located in Otsego County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Pearll City
    • Sparr
      (9 miles [14.5 km] to the north)
      • Sparr is located in Otsego County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sparr
    • Gaylord
      (9 miles [14.5 km] to the northwest)
    • Hetherton
      (12 miles [19.3 km] to the northeast)
      • Hetherton is located in Otsego County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hetherton
    • Hallock
      (15 miles [24.1 km] to the northwest)
      • Hallock is located in Otsego County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hallock
    • Vanderbilt
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the north)
    • Berryville ‑ Historic
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the northwest)
      • Berryville is located in Otsego County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Berryville
    • Elmira
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the northwest)
    • Green Timbers
      (18 miles [29 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 Whites Landing, with the one closest to Whites Landing listed first.
    • Alba
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the west)
    • Wetzel ‑ Historic
      (22 miles [35.4 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
      (23 miles [37 km] to the west)
    • Finkton
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the west)
      • Finkton is located in Antrim County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Finkton
  • Charlevoix County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Whites Landing, with the one closest to Whites Landing listed first.
    • Boyne Falls
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the northwest)
    • Goo ‑ Historic
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the northwest)
      • Goo is located in Charlevoix County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Goo
    • Boyne City
      (30 miles [48.3 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 <2>
    • Walloon Lake
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the northwest)
  • Cheboygan County
    • Wolverine
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the north)
  • Crawford County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Whites Landing, with the one closest to Whites Landing listed first.
    • Bucks
      (10 miles [16.1 km] to the south)
      • Bucks is located in Crawford County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bucks
    • Frederic
      (12 miles [19.3 km] to the southwest)
    • Deward ‑ Historic
      (13 miles [20.9 km] to the west)
      • Deward is located in Crawford County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Deward
    • Grayling
      (18 miles [29 km] to the south)
    • McIntyre Landing
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the southwest)
      • McIntyre Landing is located in Crawford County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for McIntyre Landing
    • Rasmus
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the southwest)
      • Rasmus is located in Crawford County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rasmus
    • Pere Cheney ‑ Historic
      (22 miles [35.4 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
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the south)
      • Skyline Village is located in Crawford County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Skyline Village
    • Deerheart Valley
      (25 miles [40.2 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 Whites Landing, with the one closest to Whites Landing listed first.
    • Westwood
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the west)
      • Westwood is located in Kalkaska County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Westwood
    • Angling
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the southwest)
      • Angling is located in Kalkaska County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Angling
    • Sigma
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the southwest)
      • Sigma is located in Kalkaska County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sigma
  • Montmorency County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Whites Landing, with the one closest to Whites Landing listed first.
    • Vienna Corners
      (10 miles [16.1 km] to the northeast)
      • Vienna Corners is located in Montmorency County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Vienna Corners
    • Vienna Junction
      (12 miles [19.3 km] to the east)
      • Vienna Junction is located in Montmorency County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Vienna Junction
    • Garland Village
      (13 miles [20.9 km] to the east)
      • Garland Village is located in Montmorency County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Garland Village
    • Lewiston
      (13 miles [20.9 km] to the east)
    • Bigelow
      (15 miles [24.1 km] to the east)
      • Bigelow is located in Montmorency County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bigelow
    • Big Rock ‑ Historic
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the northeast)
      • Big Rock is located in Montmorency County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Big Rock
    • Atlanta
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the east)
    • Canada Creek Ranch
      (25 miles [40.2 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 Whites Landing, with the one closest to Whites Landing listed first.
    • Red Oak
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the southeast)
      • Red Oak is located in Oscoda County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Red Oak
    • Luzerne
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the southeast)
    • Kneeland
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the southeast)
      • Kneeland is located in Oscoda County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Kneeland
    • Mio
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the southeast)
    • Fairview
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the southeast)
  • Roscommon County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Whites Landing, with the one closest to Whites Landing listed first.
    • Roscommon
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the south)
    • Higgins Lake
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the south)
    • Tent City
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the southwest)
      • Tent City is located in Roscommon County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Tent City

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

Cemeteries Near Whites Landing ...

Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of Whites Landing.

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 Whites Landing - one of the links might be able to help.

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

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

  • Otsego Lake Cemetery
    (5 miles [8 km] to the west)
  • Johannesburg Cemetery
    (7 miles [11.3 km] to the northeast)
  • Lovells Cemetery
    (8 miles [12.9 km] to the southeast)
  • St. Marys Cemetery
    (9 miles [14.5 km] to the northwest)
  • Bagley Cemetery
    (9 miles [14.5 km] to the northwest)
  • Maple Forest Cemetery
    (10 miles [16.1 km] to the southwest)
  • Fairview Cemetery
    (10 miles [16.1 km] to the northwest)
  • Shrine Cemetery
    (11 miles [17.7 km] to the southwest)
  • Charleton Cemetery
    (11 miles [17.7 km] to the northeast)
  • Oakwood Cemetery
    (12 miles [19.3 km] to the southwest)
  • Hayes Cemetery
    (12 miles [19.3 km] to the northwest)
  • Lewiston Cemetery
    (13 miles [20.9 km] to the east)
  • Continue List   (73 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 Whites Landing in the Atlas, the following 1895 communities would have been found near the current location of Whites Landing.

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

  • Otsego Lake
    (5 miles [8 km] to the west)
    • Otsego Lake is located in Otsego County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Otsego Lake
  • Waters
    (6 miles [9.7 km] to the west)
  • Gaylord
    (9 miles [14.5 km] to the northwest)
  • Frederic
    (12 miles [19.3 km] to the southwest)
  • Hetherton
    (12 miles [19.3 km] to the northeast)
    • Hetherton is located in Otsego County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hetherton
  • Vanderbilt
    (16 miles [25.7 km] to the north)
  • Big Rock ‑ Historic
    (17 miles [27.4 km] to the northeast)
    • Big Rock is located in Montmorency County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Big Rock
  • Elmira
    (17 miles [27.4 km] to the northwest)
  • Grayling
    (18 miles [29 km] to the south)
  • Red Oak
    (19 miles [30.6 km] to the southeast)
    • Red Oak is located in Oscoda County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Red Oak
  • Alba
    (19 miles [30.6 km] to the west)
  • Pere Cheney ‑ Historic
    (22 miles [35.4 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
  • Continue List   (15 more) ...
    • Trowbridge
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the north)
      • Trowbridge is located in Cheboygan County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Trowbridge
    • Atlanta
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the east)
    • Wetzel ‑ Historic
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the west)
      • Wetzel is located in Antrim County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Wetzel
      • Wetzel has also been known as:
      • Wetzell

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

Newspapers Published in Whites Landing ...

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 47 newspapers that have been published in the area around Whites Landing.

Although we're unaware of any newspapers that were published in the immediate area of Whites Landing, there are papers which were published within 30 miles [48.3 km]<5>. A list of those papers, sorted by paper name, can be found on the Extended Newspaper List for Whites Landing.

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 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 Whites Landing:

Footnotes ...

<1>It's generally believed that possessive apostrophes are removed to prevent confusion on maps where the apostrophe may be confused with a cartographic symbol. While this is generally true, it's not uncommon to find possessive apostrophes in administrative names (such as towns or counties).
<2>While we're fans and frequent users of TripAdvisor, you should know that we're also members of the TripAdvisor affiliate program.
<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 Whites Landing, please let us know so that we can improve our accuracy.
<5>Our distances are not driving distances, but are calculated as a 'point-to-point' distance. A straight line distance ignores things like rivers, canyons, lakes, et cetera - it's truly a line from Point A (ie- Whites Landing) to Point B. In other words: 'As the crow flies'.