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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 Bridgewater (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 Bridgewater. 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 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.

Bridgewater is located in Grafton County.

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

The following counties adjoin and form the boundaries of Grafton County: Belknap, Carroll, Coos, Merrimack, Sullivan, Caledonia (VT), Essex (VT), Orange (VT) & Windsor (VT).

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

  • Grafton County     (The home county of Bridgewater)
    • The following are listed by their distance from Bridgewater, with the one closest to Bridgewater listed first.
    • Bristol
      (3 miles [4.8 km] to the south)
    • Alexandria
      (3 miles [4.8 km] to the southwest)
    • Hebron
      (5 miles [8 km] to the northwest)
    • Ashland
      (6 miles [9.7 km] to the northeast)
    • Groton
      (6 miles [9.7 km] to the northwest)
    • South Alexandria
      (6 miles [9.7 km] to the southwest)
      • South Alexandria is located in Grafton County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for South Alexandria
    • Plymouth
      (8 miles [12.9 km] to the north)
    • Holderness
      (9 miles [14.5 km] to the northeast)
    • Quincy
      (10 miles [16.1 km] to the north)
      • Quincy is located in Grafton County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Quincy
    • North Groton
      (10 miles [16.1 km] to the northwest)
      • North Groton is located in Grafton County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for North Groton
    • East Grafton
      (10 miles [16.1 km] to the southwest)
      • East Grafton is located in Grafton County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for East Grafton
    • Grafton
      (11 miles [17.7 km] to the southwest)
  • Belknap County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Bridgewater, with the one closest to Bridgewater listed first.
    • New Hampton
      (4 miles [6.4 km] to the southeast)
    • Winona
      (9 miles [14.5 km] to the east)
      • Winona is located in Belknap County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Winona
    • Gaza
      (10 miles [16.1 km] to the southeast)
      • Gaza is located in Belknap County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Gaza
    • Meredith
      (11 miles [17.7 km] to the east)
    • Sanbornton
      (12 miles [19.3 km] to the southeast)
    • Wildwood Village
      (13 miles [20.9 km] to the southeast)
      • Wildwood Village is located in Belknap County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Wildwood Village
    • Center Harbor
      (14 miles [22.5 km] to the east)
    • Interlaken Park
      (14 miles [22.5 km] to the east)
      • Interlaken Park is located in Belknap County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Interlaken Park
    • Tilton
      (14 miles [22.5 km] to the southeast)
    • Winnisquam
      (14 miles [22.5 km] to the southeast)
    • Laconia
      (15 miles [24.1 km] to the southeast)
    • Gardners Grove
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the southeast)
      • Gardners Grove is located in Belknap County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Gardners Grove
  • Carroll County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Bridgewater, with the one closest to Bridgewater listed first.
    • Big Rock Corner
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the northeast)
      • Big Rock Corner is located in Carroll County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Big Rock Corner
    • Chicks Corner
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the northeast)
      • Chicks Corner is located in Carroll County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Chicks Corner
    • Moultonborough
      (18 miles [29 km] to the northeast)
    • Sandwich
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the northeast)
      • Sandwich is located in Carroll County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sandwich
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 1,367 people
    • Melvin Village
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the east)
    • North Sandwich
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the northeast)
    • Tuftonboro
      (23 miles [37 km] to the east)
    • Whiteface
      (23 miles [37 km] to the northeast)
      • Whiteface is located in Carroll County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Whiteface
    • Federal Corner
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the east)
      • Federal Corner is located in Carroll County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Federal Corner
    • South Tamworth
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the northeast)
      • South Tamworth is located in Carroll County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for South Tamworth
    • Stockbridge Corner
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the east)
      • Stockbridge Corner is located in Carroll County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Stockbridge Corner
    • Ferncroft
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the northeast)
      • Ferncroft is located in Carroll County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ferncroft
  • Merrimack County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Bridgewater, with the one closest to Bridgewater listed first.
    • Hill Center
      (7 miles [11.3 km] to the south)
      • Hill Center is located in Merrimack County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hill Center
    • Hill
      (8 miles [12.9 km] to the south)
      • Hill is located in Merrimack County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hill
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 1,115 people
    • Danbury
      (10 miles [16.1 km] to the southwest)
    • East Andover
      (12 miles [19.3 km] to the south)
      • East Andover is located in Merrimack County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for East Andover
    • Andover
      (14 miles [22.5 km] to the south)
    • Franklin
      (14 miles [22.5 km] to the south)
    • Northfield
      (15 miles [24.1 km] to the southeast)
    • Potter Place
      (15 miles [24.1 km] to the southwest)
      • Potter Place is located in Merrimack County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Potter Place
    • West Andover
      (15 miles [24.1 km] to the southwest)
      • West Andover is located in Merrimack County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for West Andover
    • Wilmot
      (15 miles [24.1 km] to the southwest)
      • Wilmot is located in Merrimack County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Wilmot
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 1,406 people
      • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Wilmot <1>
    • Salisbury
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the south)
    • Wilmot Flat
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the southwest)
      • Wilmot Flat is located in Merrimack County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Wilmot Flat
  • Sullivan County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Bridgewater, with the one closest to Bridgewater listed first.
    • Springfield
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the southwest)
      • Springfield is located in Sullivan County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Springfield
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 1,348 people
    • Twin Lakes Village
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the southwest)
      • Twin Lakes Village is located in Sullivan County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Twin Lakes Village
    • Georges Mills
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the southwest)
    • North Grantham
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the west)
      • North Grantham is located in Sullivan County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for North Grantham
    • Fernwood
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the southwest)
      • Fernwood is located in Sullivan County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Fernwood
    • Grantham
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the southwest)
    • Lower Village
      (23 miles [37 km] to the southwest)
      • Lower Village is located in Sullivan County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lower Village
    • Croydon
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the southwest)
      • Croydon is located in Sullivan County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Croydon
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 774 people
    • Sunapee
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the southwest)
    • Meriden
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the west)
      • Meriden is located in Sullivan County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Meriden
    • Croydon Flat
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the southwest)
      • Croydon Flat is located in Sullivan County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Croydon Flat
    • Newport
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the southwest)
  • Orange County (VT)
    • The following are listed by their distance from Bridgewater, with the one closest to Bridgewater listed first.
    • Ely
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the northwest)
      • Ely is located in Orange County (VT)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ely
    • Fairlee
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the northwest)
    • Union Village
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the west)
      • Union Village is located in Orange County (VT)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Union Village
    • Thetford Center
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the northwest)
    • Thetford
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the northwest)
      • Thetford is located in Orange County (VT)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Thetford
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 2,525 people
    • Fairlee
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the northwest)
      • Fairlee is located in Orange County (VT)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Fairlee
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 976 people
  • Windsor County (VT)
    • The following are listed by their distance from Bridgewater, with the one closest to Bridgewater listed first.
    • Pompanoosuc
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the west)
      • Pompanoosuc is located in Windsor County (VT)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Pompanoosuc
    • Lewiston ‑ Historic
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the west)
      • Lewiston is located in Windsor County (VT)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lewiston
    • Wilder
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the west)
    • Norwich
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the west)
      • Norwich is located in Windsor County (VT)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Norwich
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 3,401 people
    • Norwich
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the west)
    • White River Junction
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the west)
      • White River Junction is located in Windsor County (VT)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for White River Junction
    • Hartford
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the west)

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

Cemeteries Near Bridgewater ...

Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of Bridgewater.

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

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

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

  • Whittemores Cemetery
    (Less than 2 miles to the north)
  • Crawford Cemetery
    (3 miles [4.8 km] to the southwest)
  • Burns Hill Cemetery
    (3 miles [4.8 km] to the southwest)
  • Homeland Cemetery
    (3 miles [4.8 km] to the south)
  • Homeland Cemetery
    (3 miles [4.8 km] to the south)
  • Riverside Cemetery
    (3 miles [4.8 km] to the west)
  • Webster Cemetery
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the northeast)
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Webster Cemetery
    • To give a relative sense of its location, the Webster Cemetery is located less than 2 miles<3> to the southwest of Ashland.
  • Rhoades Cemetery
    (5 miles [8 km] to the southwest)
  • Hebron Village Cemetery
    (5 miles [8 km] to the northwest)
  • Pitman Cemetery
    (5 miles [8 km] to the west)
  • Linfield Cemetery
    (5 miles [8 km] to the west)
  • Green Grove Cemetery
    (6 miles [9.7 km] to the northeast)
  • Continue List   (216 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>

The Rand McNally Atlas shows that in 1895, Bridgewater had a post office and no railroad service. In 2020, Bridgewater had a population of 1,082 people.

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

  • Alexandria
    (3 miles [4.8 km] to the southwest)
  • Bristol
    (3 miles [4.8 km] to the south)
  • East Hebron
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the northwest)
    • East Hebron is located in Grafton County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for East Hebron
  • New Hampton
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the southeast)
  • Hebron
    (5 miles [8 km] to the northwest)
  • South Alexandria
    (6 miles [9.7 km] to the southwest)
    • South Alexandria is located in Grafton County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for South Alexandria
  • Ashland
    (6 miles [9.7 km] to the northeast)
  • Groton
    (6 miles [9.7 km] to the northwest)
  • Hill
    (8 miles [12.9 km] to the south)
    • Hill is located in Merrimack County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hill
    • Population from the 2020 Census: 1,115 people
  • North Sanbornton
    (8 miles [12.9 km] to the southeast)
    • North Sanbornton is located in Belknap County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for North Sanbornton
  • Plymouth
    (8 miles [12.9 km] to the north)
  • Holderness
    (9 miles [14.5 km] to the northeast)
  • Continue List   (15 more) ...
    • West Plymouth
      (9 miles [14.5 km] to the north)
      • West Plymouth is located in Grafton County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for West Plymouth
    • Quincy
      (10 miles [16.1 km] to the north)
      • Quincy is located in Grafton County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Quincy
    • East Grafton
      (10 miles [16.1 km] to the southwest)
      • East Grafton is located in Grafton County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for East Grafton

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

Newspapers Published in Bridgewater ...

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 80 newspapers that have been published in the area around Bridgewater.

Although we're unaware of any newspapers that were published in the immediate area of Bridgewater, there are papers which were published within 21 miles [33.8 km]<3>. A list of those papers, sorted by paper name, can be found on the Extended Newspaper List for Bridgewater.

Websites to Help With Your Genealogy Research ...

When we do our genealogical research, we like to start 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 Bridgewater:

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>Our distances are not driving distances, but are calculated as a 'straight-line' (or point-to-point) distance. A straight line distance ignores obstructions like rivers, canyons, lakes, et cetera - it's truly a line drawn from Point A (ie- Bridgewater) to Point B. In other words: 'As the crow flies'.
<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 Bridgewater, please let us know so that we can improve our accuracy.