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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 Woodhaven (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 Woodhaven. 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 northeast corner of their home county. During their lives, most hospitals and 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.

Woodhaven is located in Wayne 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 Wayne County: Macomb, Monroe, Oakland & Washtenaw.

Below are the counties that are near Woodhaven. For each of these counties, we show a sample of those communities that are closest to Woodhaven:

  • Wayne County     (The home county of Woodhaven)
    • The following are listed by their distance from Woodhaven, with the one closest to Woodhaven listed first.
    • Trenton
      (3 miles [4.8 km] to the east)
    • Riverview
      (3 miles [4.8 km] to the northeast)
    • Gibraltar
      (3 miles [4.8 km] to the southeast)
      • Gibraltar is located in Wayne County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Gibraltar
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 4,516 people
    • Grosse Ile
      (4 miles [6.4 km] to the east)
    • Rockwood
      (4 miles [6.4 km] to the south)
    • Southgate
      (5 miles [8 km] to the north)
    • Taylor
      (6 miles [9.7 km] to the north)
    • Wyandotte
      (7 miles [11.3 km] to the northeast)
    • Allen Park
      (8 miles [12.9 km] to the north)
    • Lincoln Park
      (8 miles [12.9 km] to the north)
    • Ecorse
      (8 miles [12.9 km] to the northeast)
    • New Boston
      (8 miles [12.9 km] to the west)
  • Macomb County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Woodhaven, with the one closest to Woodhaven listed first.
    • Dalton Corners ‑ Historic
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the northeast)
      • Dalton Corners is located in Macomb County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Dalton Corners
    • Van Dyke ‑ Historic
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the northeast)
      • Van Dyke is located in Macomb County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Van Dyke
    • Center Line
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the northeast)
    • Eastpointe
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the northeast)
      • Eastpointe is located in Macomb County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Eastpointe
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 31,720 people
      • Former names for Eastpointe:
      • East Detroit
      • Half-Way
      • Halfway
      • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Eastpointe <1>
    • Warren
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the northeast)
      • Warren is located in Macomb County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Warren
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 132,877 people
      • Warren has also been known as:
      • Cottageville
      • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Warren <1>
    • Spinnings ‑ Historic
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the north)
      • Spinnings is located in Macomb County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Spinnings
      • Spinnings has also been known as:
      • Spinning
    • Roseville
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the northeast)
    • Eagle Poine ‑ Historic
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the northeast)
      • Eagle Poine is located in Macomb County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Eagle Poine
    • Saint Clair Shores
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the northeast)
  • Monroe County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Woodhaven, with the one closest to Woodhaven listed first.
    • Flat Rock
      (3 miles [4.8 km] to the southwest)
    • South Rockwood
      (5 miles [8 km] to the south)
    • Newport
      (9 miles [14.5 km] to the south)
    • Carleton
      (9 miles [14.5 km] to the southwest)
    • Estral Beach
      (10 miles [16.1 km] to the south)
      • Estral Beach is located in Monroe County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Estral Beach
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 396 people
    • Grafton ‑ Historic
      (10 miles [16.1 km] to the southwest)
      • Grafton is located in Monroe County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Grafton
    • Steiner
      (12 miles [19.3 km] to the southwest)
      • Steiner is located in Monroe County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Steiner
    • Stony Point
      (13 miles [20.9 km] to the south)
      • Stony Point is located in Monroe County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Stony Point
    • Woodland Beach
      (13 miles [20.9 km] to the south)
      • Woodland Beach is located in Monroe County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Woodland Beach
    • Detroit Beach
      (14 miles [22.5 km] to the south)
      • Detroit Beach is located in Monroe County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Detroit Beach
    • Scofield
      (14 miles [22.5 km] to the southwest)
      • Scofield is located in Monroe County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Scofield
    • Maybee
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the southwest)
  • Oakland County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Woodhaven, with the one closest to Woodhaven listed first.
    • Clarenceville
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the north)
      • Clarenceville is located in Oakland County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Clarenceville
    • Farmington Acres
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the north)
      • Farmington Acres is located in Oakland County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Farmington Acres
    • Oak Park
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the north)
    • Ferndale
      (23 miles [37 km] to the north)
    • Hazel Park
      (23 miles [37 km] to the north)
    • Pleasant Ridge
      (23 miles [37 km] to the north)
    • Southfield
      (23 miles [37 km] to the north)
    • Farmington
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the north)
    • Huntington Woods
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the north)
    • Lathrup Village
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the north)
    • Northville
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the northwest)
    • Berkley
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the north)
  • Washtenaw County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Woodhaven, with the one closest to Woodhaven listed first.
    • Willis
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the west)
    • Rawsonville
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the west)
      • Rawsonville is located in Washtenaw County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rawsonville
    • Whittaker
      (18 miles [29 km] to the west)
      • Whittaker is located in Washtenaw County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Whittaker
    • Ypsilanti
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the west)
    • Stony Creek
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the west)
      • Stony Creek is located in Washtenaw County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Stony Creek
    • Dixboro
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the northwest)
      • Dixboro is located in Washtenaw County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Dixboro
    • Salem
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the northwest)
      • Salem is located in Washtenaw County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Salem
    • Pittsfield
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the west)
      • Pittsfield is located in Washtenaw County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Pittsfield
      • Pittsfield has also been known as:
      • Pittsfield Village
    • Emery
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the northwest)
      • Emery is located in Washtenaw County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Emery
    • Ann Arbor
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the west)
    • Saline
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the west)
      • Saline is located in Washtenaw County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Saline
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 9,350 people
      • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Saline <1>
    • Barton Hills
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the northwest)
      • Barton Hills is located in Washtenaw County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Barton Hills
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 303 people

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

Cemeteries Near Woodhaven ...

Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of Woodhaven.

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

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

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

  • Oak Ridge Cemetery
    (Less than 2 miles to the west)
  • The Old Burial Ground
    (2 miles [3.2 km] to the east)
  • Huron Valley Cemetery
    (3 miles [4.8 km] to the southwest)
  • Oak Forest Cemetery
    (3 miles [4.8 km] to the southwest)
  • Gibraltar Cemetery
    (3 miles [4.8 km] to the southeast)
  • Rucker Cemetery
    (3 miles [4.8 km] to the east)
  • Bloomdale Cemetery
    (3 miles [4.8 km] to the northeast)
  • Ferndale Cemetery
    (3 miles [4.8 km] to the northeast)
  • Our Lady of Hope Cemetery
    (3 miles [4.8 km] to the north)
  • Riverside Cemetery
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the west)
  • West Mound Cemetery
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the north)
  • Oakwood Cemetery
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the southwest)
  • Continue List   (294 more) ...
    • Riverside Cemetery
      (4 miles [6.4 km] to the south)
    • St. Marys Cemetery
      (4 miles [6.4 km] to the south)
    • Taylor Cemetery
      (4 miles [6.4 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.<3>

While we didn't find Woodhaven in the Atlas, the following 1895 communities would have been found near the current location of Woodhaven.

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

  • Flat Rock
    (3 miles [4.8 km] to the southwest)
  • Gibraltar
    (3 miles [4.8 km] to the southeast)
    • Gibraltar is located in Wayne County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Gibraltar
    • Population from the 2020 Census: 4,516 people
  • Trenton
    (3 miles [4.8 km] to the east)
  • Sibley
    (3 miles [4.8 km] to the northeast)
    • Sibley is located in Wayne County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sibley
  • Rockwood
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the south)
  • Grosse Ile
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the east)
  • South Rockwood
    (5 miles [8 km] to the south)
  • Taylor Center
    (6 miles [9.7 km] to the north)
    • Taylor Center is located in Wayne County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Taylor Center
  • Wyandotte
    (7 miles [11.3 km] to the northeast)
  • Ecorse
    (8 miles [12.9 km] to the northeast)
  • New Boston
    (8 miles [12.9 km] to the west)
  • Carleton
    (9 miles [14.5 km] to the southwest)
  • Continue List   (14 more) ...
    • Newport
      (9 miles [14.5 km] to the south)
    • Romulus
      (9 miles [14.5 km] to the northwest)
    • Grafton ‑ Historic
      (10 miles [16.1 km] to the southwest)
      • Grafton is located in Monroe County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Grafton

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

Newspapers Published in Woodhaven ...

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 506 newspapers that have been published in the area around Woodhaven.

Although we're unaware of any newspapers that were published in the immediate area of Woodhaven, there are papers which were published within 20 miles [32.2 km]<4>. A list of those papers, sorted by paper name, can be found on the Extended Newspaper List for Woodhaven.

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 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 Woodhaven:

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 Woodhaven, 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' (or 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- Woodhaven) to Point B. In other words: 'As the crow flies'.