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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 Silver City (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 Silver City. 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 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.

Silver City is located in Pennington 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 Pennington County: Custer, Haakon, Jackson, Lawrence, Meade, Oglala Lakota & Weston (WY).

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

  • Pennington County     (The home county of Silver City)
    • The following are listed by their distance from Silver City, with the one closest to Silver City listed first.
    • Canyon City ‑ Historic
      (2 miles [3.2 km] to the west)
      • Canyon City is located in Pennington County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Canyon City
    • Pactola ‑ Historic
      (3 miles [4.8 km] to the east)
      • Pactola is located in Pennington County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Pactola
    • Mystic
      (3 miles [4.8 km] to the west)
      • Mystic is located in Pennington County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mystic
    • Fairview ‑ Historic
      (4 miles [6.4 km] to the west)
      • Fairview is located in Pennington County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Fairview
      • Estimated population in 2014: 65 people
    • Johnson Siding
      (6 miles [9.7 km] to the east)
      • Johnson Siding is located in Pennington County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Johnson Siding
      • Population from the 2010 Census: 659 people
    • Redfern
      (6 miles [9.7 km] to the southwest)
      • Redfern is located in Pennington County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Redfern
    • Sheridan ‑ Historic
      (8 miles [12.9 km] to the southeast)
      • Sheridan is located in Pennington County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sheridan
      • Estimated population in 2014: 447 people
    • Myersville
      (8 miles [12.9 km] to the west)
      • Myersville is located in Pennington County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Myersville
      • Estimated population in 2014: 10 people
    • Rochford
      (8 miles [12.9 km] to the west)
    • Ridgeland Heights
      (9 miles [14.5 km] to the east)
      • Ridgeland Heights is located in Pennington County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ridgeland Heights
      • Estimated population in 2014: 11 people
    • South Canyon Country Estates
      (10 miles [16.1 km] to the east)
      • South Canyon Country Estates is located in Pennington County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for South Canyon Country Estates
      • Population from the 2010 Census: 364 people
    • Hill City
      (10 miles [16.1 km] to the south)
    • Colonial Pine Hills
      (13 miles [20.9 km] to the southeast)
      • Colonial Pine Hills is located in Pennington County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Colonial Pine Hills
  • Custer County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Silver City, with the one closest to Silver City listed first.
    • Berne
      (18 miles [29 km] to the south)
      • Berne is located in Custer County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Berne
    • Spokane ‑ Historic
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the southeast)
      • Spokane is located in Custer County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Spokane
      • Estimated population in 2014: 3,237 people
    • Custer
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the south)
    • State Game Lodge
      (23 miles [37 km] to the southeast)
      • State Game Lodge is located in Custer County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for State Game Lodge
      • Estimated population in 2014: 29 people
    • Fourmile
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the south)
      • Fourmile is located in Custer County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Fourmile
      • Estimated population in 2014: 70 people
    • Hermosa
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the southeast)
    • Sanator
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the south)
      • Sanator is located in Custer County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sanator
      • Estimated population in 2014: 1,350 people
  • Lawrence County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Silver City, with the one closest to Silver City listed first.
    • Merritt
      (3 miles [4.8 km] to the north)
      • Merritt is located in Lawrence County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Merritt
      • Estimated population in 2014: 175 people
    • Nemo
      (8 miles [12.9 km] to the north)
    • Tomahawk
      (8 miles [12.9 km] to the north)
      • Tomahawk is located in Lawrence County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Tomahawk
      • Estimated population in 2014: 36 people
    • Diamond City ‑ Historic
      (8 miles [12.9 km] to the northwest)
      • Diamond City is located in Lawrence County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Diamond City
    • Greenwood
      (9 miles [14.5 km] to the north)
      • Greenwood is located in Lawrence County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Greenwood
      • Greenwood has also been known as:
      • Laflin
    • Gregory ‑ Historic
      (10 miles [16.1 km] to the northwest)
      • Gregory is located in Lawrence County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Gregory
      • Estimated population in 2014: 1,264 people
    • Nahant
      (11 miles [17.7 km] to the northwest)
      • Nahant is located in Lawrence County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Nahant
    • Roubaix
      (14 miles [22.5 km] to the north)
      • Roubaix is located in Lawrence County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Roubaix
      • Estimated population in 2013: 14 people
    • Dumont
      (15 miles [24.1 km] to the northwest)
      • Dumont is located in Lawrence County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Dumont
      • Estimated population in 2014: 45 people
    • Galena
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the north)
      • Galena is located in Lawrence County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Galena
    • Woodville
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the northwest)
      • Woodville is located in Lawrence County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Woodville
    • Englewood
      (18 miles [29 km] to the northwest)
      • Englewood is located in Lawrence County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Englewood
      • Estimated population in 2014: 25 people
    • Flatiron ‑ Historic
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the northwest)
      • Flatiron is located in Lawrence County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Flatiron
      • Estimated population in 2014: 15 people
  • Meade County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Silver City, with the one closest to Silver City listed first.
    • Blackhawk
      (13 miles [20.9 km] to the east)
    • Piedmont
      (13 miles [20.9 km] to the northeast)
    • Summerset
      (13 miles [20.9 km] to the northeast)
    • Tilford
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the northeast)
      • Tilford is located in Meade County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Tilford
    • Sturgis
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the north)
    • Bend
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the east)
      • Bend is located in Meade County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bend
  • Weston County (WY)

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

Cemeteries Near Silver City ...

Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of Silver City.

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 Silver City - one of the links might be able to help.

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

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

  • Mountain Meadow Cemetery
    (9 miles [14.5 km] to the northwest)
  • Rochford Cemetery
    (9 miles [14.5 km] to the west)
  • Rockerville Cemetery
    (13 miles [20.9 km] to the southeast)
  • Blackhawk Cemetery
    (13 miles [20.9 km] to the east)
  • Piedmont Cemetery
    (13 miles [20.9 km] to the northeast)
  • Mountain View Cemetery
    (15 miles [24.1 km] to the southeast)
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mountain View Cemetery
    • To give a relative sense of its location, the Mountain View Cemetery is a large cemetery that is located outside and to the south of Keystone.
    • The Mountain View Cemetery has also been known as:
    • Keystone Cemetery
    • Jump to Find-A-Grave: FG ID #97167 <2>
  • Pine Lawn Memorial Park
    (15 miles [24.1 km] to the east)
  • Mt. Calvary Cemetery
    (15 miles [24.1 km] to the east)
  • Mountain View Cemetery
    (15 miles [24.1 km] to the east)
  • Galena Cemetery
    (17 miles [27.4 km] to the north)
  • Englewood Cemetery
    (18 miles [29 km] to the northwest)
  • Ward Cemetery
    (18 miles [29 km] to the northwest)
  • Continue List   (22 more) ...
    • South Lead Cemetery
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the northwest)
    • Black Hills National Cemetery
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the north)
    • Oak Ridge Cemetery
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the north)

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, Silver City had a post office and no railroad service. In 2014, Silver City had a population of 60 people.

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

  • Pactola ‑ Historic
    (3 miles [4.8 km] to the east)
    • Pactola is located in Pennington County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Pactola
  • Merritt
    (3 miles [4.8 km] to the north)
    • Merritt is located in Lawrence County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Merritt
    • Estimated population in 2014: 175 people
  • Mystic
    (3 miles [4.8 km] to the west)
    • Mystic is located in Pennington County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mystic
  • Redfern
    (6 miles [9.7 km] to the southwest)
    • Redfern is located in Pennington County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Redfern
  • Sheridan ‑ Historic
    (8 miles [12.9 km] to the southeast)
    • Sheridan is located in Pennington County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sheridan
    • Estimated population in 2014: 447 people
  • Nemo
    (8 miles [12.9 km] to the north)
  • Rochford
    (8 miles [12.9 km] to the west)
  • Hill City
    (10 miles [16.1 km] to the south)
  • Gregory ‑ Historic
    (10 miles [16.1 km] to the northwest)
    • Gregory is located in Lawrence County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Gregory
    • Estimated population in 2014: 1,264 people
  • Nahant
    (11 miles [17.7 km] to the northwest)
    • Nahant is located in Lawrence County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Nahant
  • Rockerville
    (13 miles [20.9 km] to the southeast)
  • Blackhawk
    (13 miles [20.9 km] to the east)
  • Continue List   (14 more) ...
    • Piedmont
      (13 miles [20.9 km] to the northeast)
    • Brownsville ‑ Historic
      (14 miles [22.5 km] to the northwest)
      • Brownsville is located in Lawrence County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Brownsville
    • Oreville
      (15 miles [24.1 km] to the south)
      • Oreville is located in Pennington County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Oreville

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

Newspapers Published in Silver City ...

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 57 newspapers that have been published in the area around Silver City.

Although we're unaware of any newspapers that were published in the immediate area of Silver City, there are papers which were published within 29 miles [46.7 km]<3>. A list of those papers, sorted by paper name, can be found on the Extended Newspaper List for Silver City.

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 Silver City:

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 things like rivers, canyons, lakes, et cetera - it's truly a line from Point A (ie- Silver City) 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 Silver City, please let us know so that we can improve our accuracy.