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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 Melia (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 Melia. 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 southwest corner of their home county. During their lives, most hospitals and doctors were in the next county to the west. 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 west 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.

Melia is located in Sarpy County.

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

The following counties adjoin and form the boundaries of Sarpy County: Mills (IA), Pottawattamie (IA), Cass, Douglas & Saunders.

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

  • Sarpy County     (The home county of Melia)
    • The following are listed by their distance from Melia, with the one closest to Melia listed first.
    • Gretna
      (3 miles [4.8 km] to the northeast)
    • Linoma Beach
      (3 miles [4.8 km] to the southwest)
      • Linoma Beach is located in Sarpy County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Linoma Beach
    • Springfield
      (7 miles [11.3 km] to the east)
    • Chalco
      (8 miles [12.9 km] to the northeast)
    • Richfield
      (10 miles [16.1 km] to the east)
    • Portal
      (11 miles [17.7 km] to the northeast)
      • Portal is located in Sarpy County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Portal
    • Papillion
      (12 miles [19.3 km] to the east)
    • La Vista
      (13 miles [20.9 km] to the northeast)
    • Gilmore
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the east)
      • Gilmore is located in Sarpy County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Gilmore
    • Avery
      (18 miles [29 km] to the east)
      • Avery is located in Sarpy County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Avery
    • La Platte
      (18 miles [29 km] to the east)
      • La Platte is located in Sarpy County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for La Platte
    • Bellevue
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the east)
  • Cass County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Melia, with the one closest to Melia listed first.
    • South Bend
      (6 miles [9.7 km] to the south)
    • Cedar Creek
      (9 miles [14.5 km] to the east)
    • Louisville
      (9 miles [14.5 km] to the southeast)
    • Murdock
      (11 miles [17.7 km] to the south)
    • Greenwood
      (12 miles [19.3 km] to the southwest)
    • Cullom
      (13 miles [20.9 km] to the east)
      • Cullom is located in Cass County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cullom
    • Manley
      (13 miles [20.9 km] to the southeast)
    • Wabash
      (14 miles [22.5 km] to the south)
      • Wabash is located in Cass County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Wabash
    • Alvo
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the south)
    • Elmwood
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the south)
    • Weeping Water
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the southeast)
    • Mynard
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the southeast)
      • Mynard is located in Cass County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mynard
    • Eagle
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the southwest)
  • Dodge County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Melia, with the one closest to Melia listed first.
    • Fremont
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the northwest)
    • Inglewood
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the northwest)
      • Inglewood is located in Dodge County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Inglewood
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 314 people
    • Ames
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the northwest)
  • Douglas County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Melia, with the one closest to Melia listed first.
    • Millard
      (9 miles [14.5 km] to the northeast)
    • Venice
      (10 miles [16.1 km] to the northwest)
      • Venice is located in Douglas County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Venice
    • Elkhorn
      (11 miles [17.7 km] to the north)
    • Waterloo
      (13 miles [20.9 km] to the north)
    • Boys Town
      (13 miles [20.9 km] to the northeast)
    • Ralston
      (14 miles [22.5 km] to the northeast)
    • King Lake
      (15 miles [24.1 km] to the north)
      • King Lake is located in Douglas County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for King Lake
    • Valley
      (15 miles [24.1 km] to the north)
    • Omaha
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the northeast)
      • Omaha is located in Douglas County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Omaha
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 478,393 people
      • Omaha has also been known as:
      • Omaha City
      • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Omaha <1>
    • Elk City
      (18 miles [29 km] to the north)
      • Elk City is located in Douglas County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Elk City
    • Bennington
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the north)
    • Irvington
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the northeast)
      • Irvington is located in Douglas County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Irvington
    • Briggs
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the northeast)
      • Briggs is located in Douglas County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Briggs
  • Lancaster County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Melia, with the one closest to Melia listed first.
    • Waverly
      (18 miles [29 km] to the southwest)
    • Prairie Home
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the southwest)
      • Prairie Home is located in Lancaster County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Prairie Home
    • Davey
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the west)
      • Davey is located in Lancaster County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Davey
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 153 people
      • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Davey <1>
    • Havelock
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the southwest)
      • Havelock is located in Lancaster County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Havelock
    • Arbor
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the southwest)
      • Arbor is located in Lancaster County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Arbor
    • Walton
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the southwest)
    • Belmont
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the southwest)
      • Belmont is located in Lancaster County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Belmont
    • Agnew
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the west)
      • Agnew is located in Lancaster County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Agnew
    • Raymond
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the west)
    • College View
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the southwest)
      • College View is located in Lancaster County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for College View
    • Gaslight Village
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the southwest)
      • Gaslight Village is located in Lancaster County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Gaslight Village
    • Lincoln
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the southwest)
      • Lincoln is located in Lancaster County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lincoln
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 290,505 people
      • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Lincoln <1>
    • Pine Lake
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the southwest)
      • Pine Lake is located in Lancaster County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Pine Lake
  • Otoe County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Melia, with the one closest to Melia listed first.
    • Otoe
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the south)
    • Palmyra
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the south)
    • Unadilla
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the south)
    • Syracuse
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the south)
  • Saunders County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Melia, with the one closest to Melia listed first.
    • Wann
      (5 miles [8 km] to the northwest)
      • Wann is located in Saunders County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Wann
    • Ashland
      (6 miles [9.7 km] to the southwest)
    • Memphis
      (8 miles [12.9 km] to the west)
    • Yutan
      (12 miles [19.3 km] to the northwest)
      • Yutan is located in Saunders County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Yutan
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 1,352 people
      • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Yutan <1>
    • Mead
      (14 miles [22.5 km] to the northwest)
      • Mead is located in Saunders County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mead
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 571 people
      • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Mead <1>
    • Ithaca
      (14 miles [22.5 km] to the west)
    • Leshara
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the northwest)
    • Swedeburg
      (18 miles [29 km] to the west)
      • Swedeburg is located in Saunders County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Swedeburg
    • Wahoo
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the northwest)
      • Wahoo is located in Saunders County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Wahoo
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 4,603 people
      • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Wahoo <1>
    • Ceresco
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the west)
    • Colon
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the northwest)
    • Woodcliff
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the northwest)
      • Woodcliff is located in Saunders County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Woodcliff
    • Weston
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the west)
  • Washington County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Melia, with the one closest to Melia listed first.
    • Washington
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the north)
    • Arlington
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the north)
    • Kennard
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the north)
    • Fort Calhoun
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the northeast)
    • De Soto ‑ Historic
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the north)
      • De Soto is located in Washington County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for De Soto
      • De Soto has also been known as:
      • DeSoto
  • Fremont County (IA)
    • Bartlett
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the southeast)
      • Bartlett is located in Fremont County (IA)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bartlett
  • Mills County (IA)
    • The following are listed by their distance from Melia, with the one closest to Melia listed first.
    • Folsom
      (23 miles [37 km] to the east)
      • Folsom is located in Mills County (IA)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Folsom
    • Hentons ‑ Historic
      (23 miles [37 km] to the east)
      • Hentons is located in Mills County (IA)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hentons
    • Pacific City
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the east)
      • Pacific City is located in Mills County (IA)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Pacific City
    • Pacific Junction
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the east)
    • Glenwood
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the east)
    • Mills
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the east)
      • Mills is located in Mills County (IA)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mills
    • Mineola
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the east)
  • Pottawattamie County (IA)
    • The following are listed by their distance from Melia, with the one closest to Melia listed first.
    • Carter Lake
      (23 miles [37 km] to the northeast)
      • Carter Lake is located in Pottawattamie County (IA)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Carter Lake
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 3,793 people
      • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Carter Lake <1>
    • Council Bluffs
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the northeast)
    • Dumfries
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the east)
      • Dumfries is located in Pottawattamie County (IA)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Dumfries
    • Chautauqua
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the northeast)
      • Chautauqua is located in Pottawattamie County (IA)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Chautauqua
    • Crescent
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the northeast)
      • Crescent is located in Pottawattamie County (IA)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Crescent
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 618 people
      • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Crescent <1>

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

Cemeteries Near Melia ...

Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of Melia.

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

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

The following cemeteries are listed based on their distance from Melia, with the one closest to Melia 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>

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

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

  • Gretna
    (3 miles [4.8 km] to the northeast)
  • Ashland
    (6 miles [9.7 km] to the southwest)
  • South Bend
    (6 miles [9.7 km] to the south)
  • Springfield
    (7 miles [11.3 km] to the east)
  • Chalco
    (8 miles [12.9 km] to the northeast)
  • Memphis
    (8 miles [12.9 km] to the west)
  • Cedar Creek
    (9 miles [14.5 km] to the east)
  • Millard
    (9 miles [14.5 km] to the northeast)
  • Richfield
    (10 miles [16.1 km] to the east)
  • Murdock
    (11 miles [17.7 km] to the south)
  • Portal
    (11 miles [17.7 km] to the northeast)
    • Portal is located in Sarpy County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Portal
  • Elkhorn
    (11 miles [17.7 km] to the north)
  • Continue List   (15 more) ...
    • Greenwood
      (12 miles [19.3 km] to the southwest)
    • Papillion
      (12 miles [19.3 km] to the east)
    • Yutan
      (12 miles [19.3 km] to the northwest)
      • Yutan is located in Saunders County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Yutan
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 1,352 people
      • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Yutan <1>

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

Newspapers Published in Melia ...

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 244 newspapers that have been published in the area around Melia.

Although we're unaware of any newspapers that were published in the immediate area of Melia, there are papers which were published within 30 miles [48.3 km]<4>. A list of those papers, sorted by paper name, can be found on the Extended Newspaper List for Melia.

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 Melia:

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 Melia, 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' distance. A straight line distance ignores things like rivers, canyons, lakes, et cetera - it's truly a line from Point A (ie- Melia) to Point B. In other words: 'As the crow flies'.