Our Genealogy Helper
Introduction ...
So far, we found very little information about Bluff Center. The little that we've found leads us believe that the community is historic.<1>
We've added Bluff Center to our Gazetteer with the hope that we can develop more information. If you can help us with Bluff Center, please Contact Us.
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 Bluff Center (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 Bluff Center. 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 Bluff Center ...
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 Bluff Center: Bluff Ctr. (or less commonly used: Bluff Cen., Bluff Cent. or Bluff Cntr.)
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 southwest corner of their home county. During their lives, most 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.
Although our information shows that the community of Bluff Center is historic, it would have been located within present day Clay County.
To see how the shape of South Dakota's counties may have changed over time, we recommend the Atlas of Historical County Boundaries.
The following counties adjoin and form the boundaries of Clay County: Cedar (NE), Dixon (NE), Lincoln, Turner, Union & Yankton.
Below are the counties that are near Bluff Center. For each of these counties, we show a sample of those communities that are closest to Bluff Center:
- Clay County (The home county of Bluff Center)
- The following are listed by their distance from Bluff Center, with the one closest to Bluff Center listed first.
- Westreville
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the east)
- Westreville is located in Clay County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Westreville
- Population from the 2010 Census: 208 people
- Meckling
(5 miles [8 km] to the south)
- Bloomingdale
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the east)
- Bloomingdale is located in Clay County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bloomingdale
- Wakonda
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the north)
- Lodi
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the northeast)
- Lodi is located in Clay County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lodi
- Estimated population in 2014: 82 people
- Hub City
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the east)
- Hub City is located in Clay County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hub City
- Riverside ‑ Historic
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the northeast)
- Riverside is located in Clay County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Riverside
- Greenfield
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the east)
- Greenfield is located in Clay County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Greenfield
- Estimated population in 2014: 40 people
- Komstad ‑ Historic
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the northeast)
- Komstad is located in Clay County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Komstad
- Estimated population in 2014: 12 people
- Vermillion
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the southeast)
- Alsen
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the east)
- Alsen is located in Clay County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Alsen
- Glenwood ‑ Historic
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the northeast)
- Glenwood is located in Clay County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Glenwood
- Estimated population in 2014: 103 people
- Burbank
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the southeast)
- Bon Homme County
- Tabor
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the west)
- Lincoln County
- Moe
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the northeast)
- Moe is located in Lincoln County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Moe
- Turner County
- The following are listed by their distance from Bluff Center, with the one closest to Bluff Center listed first.
- Irene
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the north)
- Centerville
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the northeast)
- Viborg
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the north)
- Hooker
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the north)
- Hooker is located in Turner County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hooker
- Spring Valley
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the northwest)
- Spring Valley is located in Turner County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Spring Valley
- Davis
(23 miles [37 km] to the north)
- Hurley
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the north)
- Union County
- The following are listed by their distance from Bluff Center, with the one closest to Bluff Center listed first.
- Emmet
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the east)
- Emmet is located in Union County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Emmet
- Estimated population in 2014: 231 people
- Spink
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the east)
- Spink is located in Union County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Spink
- Estimated population in 2014: 237 people
- Junction City
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the southeast)
- Junction City is located in Union County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Junction City
- Nora
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the east)
- Nora is located in Union County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Nora
- Estimated population in 2014: 240 people
- Beresford
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the northeast)
- Beresford is located in Union County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Beresford
- Population from the 2020 Census: 2,043 people
- Former name for Beresford:
- Paris
- Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Beresford <2>
- Alcester
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the east)
- Big Springs
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the east)
- Big Springs is located in Union County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Big Springs
- Richland
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the southeast)
- Richland is located in Union County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Richland
- Estimated population in 2014: 215 people
- Elk Point
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the southeast)
- Yankton County
- The following are listed by their distance from Bluff Center, with the one closest to Bluff Center listed first.
- Gayville
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the southwest)
- Volin
(5 miles [8 km] to the northwest)
- Mission Hill
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the west)
- Valleyview
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the west)
- Valleyview is located in Yankton County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Valleyview
- Yankton
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the west)
- Mayfield
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the northwest)
- Mayfield is located in Yankton County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mayfield
- Estimated population in 2014: 208 people
- Midway
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the northwest)
- Midway is located in Yankton County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Midway
- Utica
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the west)
- Fairview Heights
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the west)
- Fairview Heights is located in Yankton County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Fairview Heights
- Estimated population in 2014: 77 people
- Oak Hills Addition
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the west)
- Oak Hills Addition is located in Yankton County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Oak Hills Addition
- Estimated population in 2014: 23 people
- Jamesville
(23 miles [37 km] to the northwest)
- Jamesville is located in Yankton County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Jamesville
- Estimated population in 2014: 232 people
- Lesterville
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the west)
- Plymouth County (IA)
- The following are listed by their distance from Bluff Center, with the one closest to Bluff Center listed first.
- Westfield
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the southeast)
- Akron
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the east)
- Akron is located in Plymouth County (IA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Akron
- Population from the 2020 Census: 1,454 people
- Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Akron <2>
- Sioux County (IA)
- Chatsworth
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the east)
- Chatsworth is located in Sioux County (IA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Chatsworth
- Population from the 2020 Census: 81 people
- Cedar County (NE)
- The following are listed by their distance from Bluff Center, with the one closest to Bluff Center listed first.
- Saint Helena
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the southwest)
- Wynot
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the south)
- Obert
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the south)
- Obert is located in Cedar County (NE)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Obert
- Population from the 2020 Census: 22 people
- Bow Valley
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the southwest)
- Bow Valley is located in Cedar County (NE)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bow Valley
- Aten
(18 miles [29 km] to the west)
- Aten is located in Cedar County (NE)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Aten
- Fordyce
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the southwest)
- Constance
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the southwest)
- Constance is located in Cedar County (NE)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Constance
- Hartington
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the southwest)
- Coleridge
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the south)
- Dixon County (NE)
- The following are listed by their distance from Bluff Center, with the one closest to Bluff Center listed first.
- Maskell
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the south)
- Maskell is located in Dixon County (NE)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Maskell
- Population from the 2020 Census: 68 people
- Newcastle
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the southeast)
- Knox County (NE)
- Crofton
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the southwest)
For an expanded list of the communities that are closest to Bluff Center, see our County-by-County Page for Bluff Center.
Cemeteries Near Bluff Center ...
Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of Bluff Center.
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 Bluff Center - one of the links might be able to help.
If not found below, our Cemetery List for Bluff Center covers a larger area, with the cemeteries listed in alphabetical order.
The following cemeteries are listed based on their distance from Bluff Center, with the one closest to Bluff Center listed first.
- Bluff Center Cemetery
(Less than 2 miles to the northeast)
- Pleasant Valley Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the east)
- South Lodi Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the northeast)
- St. Patricks Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the northeast)
- Gayville Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the west)
- Union Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the north)
- Mortvedt Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the east)
- Taylor Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the south)
- Volin Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the northwest)
- Meckling Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the south)
- Lodi Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the northeast)
- Danisi Cemetery
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the southwest)
- Continue List (130 more) ...
- Clay Creek Cemetery
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the southeast)
- Spirit Mound Cemetery
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the east)
- Rosenberg Cemetery
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the west)
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.
While we didn't find Bluff Center in the Atlas, the following 1895 communities would have been found near the current location of Bluff Center.
These communities are listed based on their distance from Bluff Center, with the one closest to Bluff Center listed first.
- Gayville
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the southwest)
- Meckling
(5 miles [8 km] to the south)
- Volin
(5 miles [8 km] to the northwest)
- Bloomingdale
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the east)
- Bloomingdale is located in Clay County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bloomingdale
- Lodi
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the northeast)
- Lodi is located in Clay County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lodi
- Estimated population in 2014: 82 people
- Wakonda
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the north)
- Clay Point
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the east)
- Clay Point is located in Clay County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Clay Point
- Marshalltown ‑ Historic
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the east)
- Marshalltown is located in Clay County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Marshalltown
- Dalesburg
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the northeast)
- Dalesburg is located in Clay County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Dalesburg
- Riverside ‑ Historic
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the northeast)
- Riverside is located in Clay County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Riverside
- Saint Helena
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the southwest)
- Vermillion
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the southeast)
- Continue List (13 more) ...
- Greenfield
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the east)
- Greenfield is located in Clay County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Greenfield
- Estimated population in 2014: 40 people
- Komstad ‑ Historic
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the northeast)
- Komstad is located in Clay County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Komstad
- Estimated population in 2014: 12 people
- Saint James
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the south)
- Saint James is located in Cedar County (NE)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Saint James
We've also created an expanded list of communities that existed in the 1890's and were located in the area around Bluff Center. See our List of 1890's Communities around Bluff Center.
Newspapers Published in Bluff Center ...
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 74 newspapers that have been published in the area around Bluff Center.
Although we're unaware of any newspapers that were published in the immediate area of Bluff Center, there are papers which were published within 29 miles [46.7 km]<4>. A list of those papers, sorted by paper name, can be found on the Extended Newspaper List for Bluff Center.
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 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 Bluff Center:
- Websites specific to South Dakota
- Pages specific to Clay County
- Genealogy information for nearby counties
- Bon Homme County
- Lincoln County
- Turner County
- Union County
- Yankton County
- Plymouth County
- Sioux County
- Cedar County
- Dixon County
- Knox County
- Cemetery Information and Directories for South Dakota
Footnotes ...
| <1> | 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 Bluff Center, please let us know so that we can improve our accuracy. |
| <2> | While we're fans and frequent users of TripAdvisor, you should know that we're also members of the TripAdvisor affiliate program. |
| <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> | 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- Bluff Center) to Point B. In other words: 'As the crow flies'. |