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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 West Center Harbor (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 West Center Harbor. 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 West Center Harbor ...

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 West Center Harbor: W. Center Hbr. (or less commonly used: W. Center Harb. or W. Center Hrbr.)

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 northeast corner of their home county. During their lives, most 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.

West Center Harbor is located in Belknap 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 Belknap County: Carroll, Grafton, Merrimack & Strafford.

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

  • Belknap County     (The home county of West Center Harbor)
    • The following are listed by their distance from West Center Harbor, with the one closest to West Center Harbor listed first.
    • Winona
      (Less than 2 miles to the southeast)
      • Winona is located in Belknap County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Winona
    • Meredith
      (3 miles [4.8 km] to the southeast)
    • Center Harbor
      (5 miles [8 km] to the east)
    • New Hampton
      (6 miles [9.7 km] to the southwest)
    • Interlaken Park
      (7 miles [11.3 km] to the southeast)
      • Interlaken Park is located in Belknap County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Interlaken Park
    • Wildwood Village
      (10 miles [16.1 km] to the south)
      • Wildwood Village is located in Belknap County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Wildwood Village
    • Gaza
      (11 miles [17.7 km] to the south)
      • Gaza is located in Belknap County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Gaza
    • Glendale
      (11 miles [17.7 km] to the southeast)
      • Glendale is located in Belknap County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Glendale
    • Laconia
      (11 miles [17.7 km] to the southeast)
    • Winnisquam
      (12 miles [19.3 km] to the south)
    • Gilford
      (12 miles [19.3 km] to the southeast)
    • Sanbornton
      (13 miles [20.9 km] to the south)
    • Samoset
      (13 miles [20.9 km] to the southeast)
      • Samoset is located in Belknap County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Samoset
  • Carroll County
    • The following are listed by their distance from West Center Harbor, with the one closest to West Center Harbor listed first.
    • Big Rock Corner
      (9 miles [14.5 km] to the northeast)
      • Big Rock Corner is located in Carroll County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Big Rock Corner
    • Chicks Corner
      (9 miles [14.5 km] to the northeast)
      • Chicks Corner is located in Carroll County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Chicks Corner
    • Moultonborough
      (9 miles [14.5 km] to the northeast)
    • Sandwich
      (10 miles [16.1 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
      (13 miles [20.9 km] to the east)
    • North Sandwich
      (13 miles [20.9 km] to the northeast)
    • Tuftonboro
      (15 miles [24.1 km] to the east)
    • Whiteface
      (15 miles [24.1 km] to the northeast)
      • Whiteface is located in Carroll County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Whiteface
    • Federal Corner
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the east)
      • Federal Corner is located in Carroll County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Federal Corner
    • South Tamworth
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the northeast)
      • South Tamworth is located in Carroll County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for South Tamworth
    • Stockbridge Corner
      (18 miles [29 km] to the east)
      • Stockbridge Corner is located in Carroll County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Stockbridge Corner
    • Whittier
      (18 miles [29 km] to the northeast)
      • Whittier is located in Carroll County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Whittier
    • Ferncroft
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the northeast)
      • Ferncroft is located in Carroll County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ferncroft
  • Grafton County
    • The following are listed by their distance from West Center Harbor, with the one closest to West Center Harbor listed first.
    • Holderness
      (3 miles [4.8 km] to the north)
    • Ashland
      (3 miles [4.8 km] to the west)
    • Plymouth
      (8 miles [12.9 km] to the northwest)
    • Bridgewater
      (8 miles [12.9 km] to the west)
    • Campton
      (10 miles [16.1 km] to the north)
    • Bristol
      (10 miles [16.1 km] to the southwest)
    • Hebron
      (11 miles [17.7 km] to the west)
    • Campton Lower Village
      (12 miles [19.3 km] to the north)
    • Quincy
      (12 miles [19.3 km] to the northwest)
      • Quincy is located in Grafton County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Quincy
    • Alexandria
      (12 miles [19.3 km] to the southwest)
    • Campton Upper Village
      (13 miles [20.9 km] to the north)
    • Groton
      (13 miles [20.9 km] to the west)
    • Rumney
      (14 miles [22.5 km] to the northwest)
  • Merrimack County
    • The following are listed by their distance from West Center Harbor, with the one closest to West Center Harbor listed first.
    • Hill
      (12 miles [19.3 km] to the southwest)
      • Hill is located in Merrimack County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hill
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 1,115 people
    • Hill Center
      (13 miles [20.9 km] to the southwest)
      • Hill Center is located in Merrimack County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hill Center
    • Franklin
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the south)
    • Northfield
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the south)
    • East Andover
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the southwest)
      • East Andover is located in Merrimack County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for East Andover
    • Danbury
      (18 miles [29 km] to the southwest)
    • Andover
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the southwest)
    • Salisbury
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the south)
    • Shaker Village
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the south)
      • Shaker Village is located in Merrimack County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Shaker Village
    • Potter Place
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the southwest)
      • Potter Place is located in Merrimack County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Potter Place
    • West Andover
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the southwest)
      • West Andover is located in Merrimack County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for West Andover
    • Canterbury
      (23 miles [37 km] to the south)
    • Wilmot
      (23 miles [37 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>
  • Strafford County
    • The following are listed by their distance from West Center Harbor, with the one closest to West Center Harbor listed first.
    • New Durham
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the southeast)
    • Davis
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the southeast)
      • Davis is located in Strafford County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Davis
    • Middleton
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the southeast)
      • Middleton is located in Strafford County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Middleton
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 1,832 people
    • Dexter Corner
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the southeast)
      • Dexter Corner is located in Strafford County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Dexter Corner
  • Sullivan County
    • The following are listed by their distance from West Center Harbor, with the one closest to West Center Harbor listed first.
    • Springfield
      (26 miles [41.8 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
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the southwest)
      • Twin Lakes Village is located in Sullivan County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Twin Lakes Village
    • Georges Mills
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the southwest)
    • North Grantham
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the west)
      • North Grantham is located in Sullivan County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for North Grantham
  • York County (ME)
    • The following are listed by their distance from West Center Harbor, with the one closest to West Center Harbor listed first.
    • South Effingham
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the east)
      • South Effingham is located in York County (ME)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for South Effingham
    • Stevens Corner
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the east)
      • Stevens Corner is located in York County (ME)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Stevens Corner

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

Cemeteries Near West Center Harbor ...

Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of West Center Harbor.

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 West Center Harbor - one of the links might be able to help.

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

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

  • Squam Bridge Cemetery
    (3 miles [4.8 km] to the north)
  • Green Grove Cemetery
    (3 miles [4.8 km] to the west)
  • Oakland Cemetery
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the south)
  • Robinson Cemetery
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the south)
  • Webster Cemetery
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the west)
    • 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<2> to the southwest of Ashland.
  • Prescott Cemetery
    (5 miles [8 km] to the north)
  • Bean Cemetery
    (5 miles [8 km] to the northeast)
  • Red Hill Cemetery
    (5 miles [8 km] to the northeast)
  • Old Town Cemetery
    (6 miles [9.7 km] to the southeast)
  • Dow Cemetery
    (6 miles [9.7 km] to the southeast)
  • Doe Cemetery
    (7 miles [11.3 km] to the southeast)
  • Trinity Churchyard Cemetery
    (7 miles [11.3 km] to the northwest)
  • Continue List   (156 more) ...
    • Eastman Cemetery
      (8 miles [12.9 km] to the south)
    • Mead Cemetery
      (8 miles [12.9 km] to the southeast)
    • Riverside Cemetery
      (8 miles [12.9 km] to the northwest)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Riverside Cemetery
      • To give a relative sense of its location, the Riverside Cemetery is a large cemetery that is located outside and to the north of Plymouth.
      • Jump to Find-A-Grave: FG ID #103087 <3>

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>

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

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

  • Holderness
    (3 miles [4.8 km] to the north)
  • Meredith
    (3 miles [4.8 km] to the southeast)
  • Ashland
    (3 miles [4.8 km] to the west)
  • Center Harbor
    (5 miles [8 km] to the east)
  • New Hampton
    (6 miles [9.7 km] to the southwest)
  • Bridgewater
    (8 miles [12.9 km] to the west)
  • Plymouth
    (8 miles [12.9 km] to the northwest)
  • North Sanbornton
    (9 miles [14.5 km] to the south)
    • North Sanbornton is located in Belknap County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for North Sanbornton
  • Moultonborough
    (9 miles [14.5 km] to the northeast)
  • Bristol
    (10 miles [16.1 km] to the southwest)
  • Campton
    (10 miles [16.1 km] to the north)
  • Blair
    (10 miles [16.1 km] to the northwest)
    • Blair is located in Grafton County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Blair
  • Continue List   (18 more) ...
    • Sandwich
      (10 miles [16.1 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
    • Center Sandwich
      (10 miles [16.1 km] to the northeast)
    • East Hebron
      (10 miles [16.1 km] to the west)
      • East Hebron is located in Grafton County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for East Hebron

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

Newspapers Published in West Center Harbor ...

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 73 newspapers that have been published in the area around West Center Harbor.

Although we're unaware of any newspapers that were published in the immediate area of West Center Harbor, there are papers which were published within 21 miles [33.8 km]<2>. A list of those papers, sorted by paper name, can be found on the Extended Newspaper List for West Center Harbor.

Websites to Help With Your Genealogy Research ...

When we do our genealogical research, we first turn to 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 West Center Harbor:

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>Our distances are not driving distances, but are calculated as a 'point-to-point' distance. A straight line distance ignores obstructions like rivers, canyons, lakes, et cetera - it's truly a line from Point A (ie- West Center Harbor) to Point B. In other words: 'As the crow flies'.
<3>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.
<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 West Center Harbor, please let us know so that we can improve our accuracy.