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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 Blue Springs (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 Blue Springs. 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 Blue Springs ...

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 Blue Springs: Blue Spgs. (or less commonly used: Blue Spngs. or Blue Sprngs.)

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

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 southeast 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 south.

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 south 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.

Blue Springs is located in Jackson County.

To see how the shape of Missouri's counties may have changed over time, we recommend the Atlas of Historical County Boundaries.

The following counties adjoin and form the boundaries of Jackson County: Johnson (KS), Wyandotte (KS), Cass, Clay, Johnson, Lafayette & Ray.

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

  • Jackson County     (The home county of Blue Springs)
  • Cass County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Blue Springs, with the one closest to Blue Springs listed first.
    • Lee's Summit
      (9 miles [14.5 km] to the southwest)
    • Lake Winnebago
      (14 miles [22.5 km] to the south)
      • Lake Winnebago is located in Cass County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lake Winnebago
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 1,370 people
    • Baldwin Park
      (15 miles [24.1 km] to the south)
      • Baldwin Park is located in Cass County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Baldwin Park
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 96 people
    • Pleasant Hill
      (15 miles [24.1 km] to the south)
    • Raymore
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the southwest)
    • Strasburg
      (18 miles [29 km] to the south)
    • Coleman
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the south)
    • Belton
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the southwest)
    • Harrelson
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the southwest)
      • Harrelson is located in Cass County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Harrelson
    • Loch Lloyd
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the southwest)
      • Loch Lloyd is located in Cass County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Loch Lloyd
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 835 people
      • Loch Lloyd has also been known as:
      • Loch Lloyd village
    • Peculiar
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the southwest)
    • Riverview Estates
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the southwest)
      • Riverview Estates is located in Cass County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Riverview Estates
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 84 people
      • Riverview Estates has also been known as:
      • Riverview Estates village
  • Clay County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Blue Springs, with the one closest to Blue Springs listed first.
    • Sugar Creek
      (11 miles [17.7 km] to the northwest)
    • Birmingham
      (14 miles [22.5 km] to the northwest)
    • Minaville
      (14 miles [22.5 km] to the northwest)
    • Missouri City
      (15 miles [24.1 km] to the north)
    • East Kansas City
      (15 miles [24.1 km] to the northwest)
      • East Kansas City is located in Clay County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for East Kansas City
    • Randolph
      (15 miles [24.1 km] to the northwest)
    • Claycomo
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the northwest)
      • Claycomo is located in Clay County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Claycomo
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 1,526 people
    • Glenaire
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the northwest)
      • Glenaire is located in Clay County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Glenaire
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 583 people
    • Avondale
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the northwest)
      • Avondale is located in Clay County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Avondale
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 456 people
    • Liberty
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the northwest)
    • Pleasant Valley
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the northwest)
      • Pleasant Valley is located in Clay County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Pleasant Valley
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 3,047 people
    • North Kansas City
      (18 miles [29 km] to the northwest)
  • Johnson County
  • Lafayette County
  • Platte County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Blue Springs, with the one closest to Blue Springs listed first.
    • Northmoor
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the northwest)
      • Northmoor is located in Platte County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Northmoor
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 362 people
    • Riverside
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the northwest)
    • Houston Lake
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the northwest)
      • Houston Lake is located in Platte County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Houston Lake
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 248 people
    • Lake Waukomis
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the northwest)
      • Lake Waukomis is located in Platte County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lake Waukomis
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 874 people
    • Parkville
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the northwest)
    • Platte Woods
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the northwest)
      • Platte Woods is located in Platte County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Platte Woods
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 406 people
    • Weatherby Lake
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the northwest)
      • Weatherby Lake is located in Platte County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Weatherby Lake
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 2,086 people
    • Linkville ‑ Historic
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the northwest)
    • Ferrelview
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the northwest)
      • Ferrelview is located in Platte County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ferrelview
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 800 people
  • Ray County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Blue Springs, with the one closest to Blue Springs listed first.
    • Orrick
      (15 miles [24.1 km] to the northeast)
    • Albany
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the northeast)
      • Albany is located in Ray County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Albany
    • Fleming
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the northeast)
      • Fleming is located in Ray County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Fleming
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 128 people
    • Camden
      (18 miles [29 km] to the northeast)
    • Wood Heights
      (23 miles [37 km] to the north)
      • Wood Heights is located in Ray County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Wood Heights
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 700 people
    • Woods Heights
      (23 miles [37 km] to the north)
    • Henrietta
      (23 miles [37 km] to the northeast)
      • Henrietta is located in Ray County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Henrietta
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 355 people
    • Crystal Lakes
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the north)
      • Crystal Lakes is located in Ray County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Crystal Lakes
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 352 people
    • Homestead
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the north)
      • Homestead is located in Ray County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Homestead
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 184 people
    • Richmond
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the northeast)
    • Rayville
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the northeast)
    • Excelsior Estates
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the north)
      • Excelsior Estates is located in Ray County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Excelsior Estates
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 146 people
  • Johnson County (KS)
    • The following are listed by their distance from Blue Springs, with the one closest to Blue Springs listed first.
    • Leawood
      (18 miles [29 km] to the west)
    • Mission Hills
      (18 miles [29 km] to the west)
      • Mission Hills is located in Johnson County (KS)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mission Hills
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 3,533 people
    • Mission Woods
      (18 miles [29 km] to the west)
      • Mission Woods is located in Johnson County (KS)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mission Woods
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 195 people
    • Westwood Hills
      (18 miles [29 km] to the west)
      • Westwood Hills is located in Johnson County (KS)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Westwood Hills
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 390 people
    • Westwood
      (18 miles [29 km] to the west)
      • Westwood is located in Johnson County (KS)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Westwood
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 1,642 people
    • Fairway
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the west)
      • Fairway is located in Johnson County (KS)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Fairway
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 3,963 people
      • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Fairway <1>
    • Prairie Village
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the west)
    • Roeland Park
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the west)
    • Countryside
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the west)
      • Countryside is located in Johnson County (KS)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Countryside
    • Mission
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the west)
      • Mission is located in Johnson County (KS)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mission
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 9,873 people
      • Former name for Mission:
      • Mission Hill Acres
      • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Mission <1>
    • Merriam
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the west)
    • Overland Park
      (23 miles [37 km] to the west)
  • Miami County (KS)
  • Wyandotte County (KS)

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

Cemeteries Near Blue Springs ...

Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of Blue Springs.

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 Blue Springs - one of the links might be able to help.

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

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

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 Blue Springs had a population of 506 people in 1895 with a post office and railroad service. In 2020, Blue Springs had a population of 56,547 people.

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

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

Newspapers Published in the Vicinity of Blue Springs ...

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 260 newspapers that have been published in the area around Blue Springs.

We have organized these newspapers into two lists:

  • A Local Newspaper List - focusing on the papers published in the immediate area of Blue Springs. There are actually two parts to this list - papers printed in the immediate area of Blue Springs and those printed in the larger area surrounding Blue Springs.
  • An Extended Newspaper List - a longer list, sorted by paper name and containing those papers published within 20 miles [32.2 km]<4> of Blue Springs.

Websites to Help With Your Genealogy Research ...

When we do our genealogical research, we begin with 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 Blue Springs:

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 Blue Springs, 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 drawn from Point A (ie- Blue Springs) to Point B. In other words: 'As the crow flies'.