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 Crystal Lakes (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 Crystal Lakes. 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 Crystal Lakes ...
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 Crystal Lakes: Crystal Lks.
You might be interested in other communities that are also named Crystal Lakes. More information can be found on our Tidbits & Trivia Page for Crystal Lakes.
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.
Crystal Lakes is located in Ray 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 Ray County: Caldwell, Carroll, Clay, Clinton, Jackson & Lafayette.
Below are the counties that are near Crystal Lakes. For each of these counties, we show a sample of those communities that are closest to Crystal Lakes:
- Ray County (The home county of Crystal Lakes)
- The following are listed by their distance from Crystal Lakes, with the one closest to Crystal Lakes listed first.
- Homestead
(Less than 2 miles to the west)
- Homestead is located in Ray County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Homestead
- Population from the 2020 Census: 184 people
- Wood Heights
(Less than 2 miles to the southeast)
- Wood Heights is located in Ray County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Wood Heights
- Population from the 2020 Census: 700 people
- Woods Heights
(Less than 2 miles to the southeast)
- Woods Heights is located in Ray County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Woods Heights
- Excelsior Estates
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the northwest)
- Excelsior Estates is located in Ray County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Excelsior Estates
- Population from the 2020 Census: 146 people
- Lawson
(5 miles [8 km] to the north)
- Rayville
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the east)
- Elmira
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the north)
- Elmira is located in Ray County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Elmira
- Population from the 2020 Census: 52 people
- Knoxville
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the northeast)
- Knoxville is located in Ray County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Knoxville
- Orrick
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the south)
- Albany
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the southeast)
- Albany is located in Ray County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Albany
- Richmond
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the southeast)
- Fleming
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the southeast)
- Fleming is located in Ray County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Fleming
- Population from the 2020 Census: 128 people
- Caldwell County
- The following are listed by their distance from Crystal Lakes, with the one closest to Crystal Lakes listed first.
- Polo
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the northeast)
- Cowgill
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the northeast)
- Cowgill is located in Caldwell County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cowgill
- Population from the 2020 Census: 182 people
- Kingston
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the north)
- Kingston is located in Caldwell County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Kingston
- Population from the 2020 Census: 332 people
- Bonanza ‑ Historic
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the northeast)
- Bonanza is located in Caldwell County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bonanza
- Gould Farm
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the northeast)
- Gould Farm is located in Caldwell County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Gould Farm
- Braymer
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the northeast)
- Hamilton
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the north)
- Kidder
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the north)
- Proctorville
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the northeast)
- Proctorville is located in Caldwell County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Proctorville
- Carroll County
- The following are listed by their distance from Crystal Lakes, with the one closest to Crystal Lakes listed first.
- Stet
(23 miles [37 km] to the east)
- Stet is located in Carroll County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Stet
- Miles Point
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the east)
- Miles Point is located in Carroll County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Miles Point
- Norborne
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the east)
- Norborne is located in Carroll County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Norborne
- Population from the 2020 Census: 638 people
- Palemon
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the east)
- Palemon is located in Carroll County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Palemon
- Clay County
- The following are listed by their distance from Crystal Lakes, with the one closest to Crystal Lakes listed first.
- Excelsior Springs
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the southwest)
- Prathersville
(5 miles [8 km] to the southwest)
- Prathersville is located in Clay County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Prathersville
- Population from the 2020 Census: 135 people
- Mosby
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the southwest)
- Mosby is located in Clay County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mosby
- Population from the 2020 Census: 199 people
- Stockdale ‑ Historic
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the southwest)
- Stockdale is located in Clay County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Stockdale
- Kearney
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the west)
- Holt
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the northwest)
- Missouri City
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the southwest)
- Chandler
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the west)
- Chandler is located in Clay County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Chandler
- Liberty
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the southwest)
- Roosterville
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the west)
- Roosterville is located in Clay County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Roosterville
- Glenaire
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the southwest)
- Glenaire is located in Clay County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Glenaire
- Population from the 2020 Census: 583 people
- Pleasant Valley
(18 miles [29 km] to the southwest)
- Pleasant Valley is located in Clay County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Pleasant Valley
- Population from the 2020 Census: 3,047 people
- Clinton County
- The following are listed by their distance from Crystal Lakes, with the one closest to Crystal Lakes listed first.
- Converse
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the northwest)
- Converse is located in Clinton County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Converse
- Lathrop
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the northwest)
- Lilly
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the northwest)
- Lilly is located in Clinton County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lilly
- Turney
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the north)
- Plattsburg
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the northwest)
- Trimble
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the west)
- Keystone ‑ Historic
(23 miles [37 km] to the north)
- Keystone is located in Clinton County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Keystone
- Cameron
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the north)
- Starfield
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the northwest)
- Starfield is located in Clinton County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Starfield
- Gower
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the northwest)
- DeKalb County
- Osborn
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the north)
- Jackson County
- The following are listed by their distance from Crystal Lakes, with the one closest to Crystal Lakes listed first.
- Sibley
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the south)
- Atherton
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the southwest)
- Atherton is located in Jackson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Atherton
- Buckner
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the south)
- Levasy
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the south)
- Levasy is located in Jackson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Levasy
- Population from the 2020 Census: 82 people
- River Bend
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the southwest)
- River Bend is located in Jackson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for River Bend
- Population from the 2020 Census: 10 people
- Lake City
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the south)
- Lake City is located in Jackson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lake City
- Cement City
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the southwest)
- Cement City is located in Jackson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cement City
- Adams
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the southwest)
- Adams is located in Jackson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Adams
- Independence
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the southwest)
- Maywood
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the southwest)
- Maywood is located in Jackson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Maywood
- Grain Valley
(23 miles [37 km] to the south)
- Blue Springs
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the south)
- Lafayette County
- The following are listed by their distance from Crystal Lakes, with the one closest to Crystal Lakes listed first.
- Napoleon
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the south)
- Napoleon is located in Lafayette County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Napoleon
- Population from the 2020 Census: 214 people
- Waterloo
(18 miles [29 km] to the southeast)
- Waterloo is located in Lafayette County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Waterloo
- Wellington
(18 miles [29 km] to the southeast)
- Lexington
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the southeast)
- Bates City
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the south)
- Odessa
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the southeast)
- Mayview
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the southeast)
- Dover
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the southeast)
- Dover is located in Lafayette County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Dover
- Population from the 2020 Census: 102 people
- Page City
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the southeast)
- Page City is located in Lafayette County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Page City
- Lake Lafayette
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the southeast)
- Lake Lafayette is located in Lafayette County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lake Lafayette
- Population from the 2020 Census: 340 people
- Platte County
- The following are listed by their distance from Crystal Lakes, with the one closest to Crystal Lakes listed first.
- Northmoor
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the southwest)
- Northmoor is located in Platte County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Northmoor
- Population from the 2020 Census: 362 people
- Linkville ‑ Historic
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the west)
- Linkville is located in Platte County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Linkville
- Ridgely
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the west)
- Ridgely is located in Platte County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ridgely
- Population from the 2020 Census: 112 people
- Edgerton
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the northwest)
- Houston Lake
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the southwest)
- Houston Lake is located in Platte County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Houston Lake
- Population from the 2020 Census: 248 people
- Ferrelview
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the west)
- Ferrelview is located in Platte County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ferrelview
- Population from the 2020 Census: 800 people
- Lake Waukomis
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the west)
- Lake Waukomis is located in Platte County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lake Waukomis
- Population from the 2020 Census: 874 people
- Platte Woods
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the west)
- Platte Woods is located in Platte County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Platte Woods
- Population from the 2020 Census: 406 people
- Riverside
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the southwest)
- Parkville
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the southwest)
- Weatherby Lake
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the west)
- Weatherby Lake is located in Platte County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Weatherby Lake
- Population from the 2020 Census: 2,086 people
- Camden Point
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the west)
- Wyandotte County (KS)
- The following are listed by their distance from Crystal Lakes, with the one closest to Crystal Lakes listed first.
- Kansas City
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the southwest)
- Quindaro ‑ Historic
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the southwest)
- Quindaro is located in Wyandotte County (KS)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Quindaro
For an expanded list of the communities that are closest to Crystal Lakes, see our County-by-County Page for Crystal Lakes.
Cemeteries Near Crystal Lakes ...
Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of Crystal Lakes.
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 Crystal Lakes - one of the links might be able to help.
If not found below, our Cemetery List for Crystal Lakes covers a larger area, with the cemeteries listed in alphabetical order.
The following cemeteries are listed based on their distance from Crystal Lakes, with the one closest to Crystal Lakes listed first.
- Cox Cemetery
(Less than 2 miles to the south)
- Clevenger Cemetery
(Less than 2 miles to the east)
- Crown Hill Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the west)
- Elmwood Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the southwest)
- Hillcrest Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the southwest)
- Enon Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the south)
- Turner Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the south)
- Hamilton Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the southeast)
- McGaugh Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the east)
- Watkins Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the northwest)
- Bethel Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the west)
- Rowland Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the southeast)
- Continue List (292 more) ...
- Pettus Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the southeast)
- Sanderson Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the east)
- Wilson Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 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.<2>
While we didn't find Crystal Lakes in the Atlas, the following 1895 communities would have been found near the current location of Crystal Lakes.
These communities are listed based on their distance from Crystal Lakes, with the one closest to Crystal Lakes listed first.
- Excelsior Springs
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the southwest)
- Vibbard
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the northeast)
- Vibbard is located in Ray County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Vibbard
- Prathersville
(5 miles [8 km] to the southwest)
- Prathersville is located in Clay County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Prathersville
- Population from the 2020 Census: 135 people
- Lawson
(5 miles [8 km] to the north)
- Rayville
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the east)
- Sandals
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the northeast)
- Sandals is located in Ray County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sandals
- Kearney
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the west)
- Missouri City
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the southwest)
- Orrick
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the south)
- Converse
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the northwest)
- Converse is located in Clinton County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Converse
- Dockery
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the east)
- Dockery is located in Ray County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Dockery
- Knoxville
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the northeast)
- Knoxville is located in Ray County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Knoxville
- Continue List (18 more) ...
- Elmira
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the north)
- Elmira is located in Ray County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Elmira
- Population from the 2020 Census: 52 people
- Holt
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the northwest)
- Chandler
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the west)
- Chandler is located in Clay County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Chandler
We've also created an expanded list of communities that existed in the 1890's and were located in the area around Crystal Lakes. See our List of 1890's Communities around Crystal Lakes.
Newspapers Published in Crystal Lakes ...
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 45 newspapers that have been published in the area around Crystal Lakes.
Although we're unaware of any newspapers that were published in the immediate area of Crystal Lakes, there are papers which were published within 22 miles [35.4 km]<3>. A list of those papers, sorted by paper name, can be found on the Extended Newspaper List for Crystal Lakes.
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 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 Crystal Lakes:
- Websites specific to Missouri
- Pages specific to Ray County
- Genealogy information for nearby counties
- Caldwell County
- Carroll County
- Clay County
- Clinton County
- DeKalb County
- Jackson County
- Lafayette County
- Platte County
- Wyandotte County
- Cemetery Information and Directories for Missouri
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> | 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 Crystal Lakes, please let us know so that we can improve our accuracy. |
| <3> | Our distances are not driving distances, but are calculated as a 'straight-line' distance. A straight line distance ignores things like rivers, canyons, lakes, et cetera - it's truly a line from Point A (ie- Crystal Lakes) to Point B. In other words: 'As the crow flies'. |