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 Prairie Lea (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 Prairie Lea. 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 northeast corner of their home county. During their lives, most hospitals 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.
Prairie Lea is located in Caldwell County.
To see how the shape of Texas' counties may have changed over time, we recommend the Atlas of Historical County Boundaries.
The following counties adjoin and form the boundaries of Caldwell County: Bastrop, Fayette, Gonzales, Guadalupe, Hays & Travis.
Below are the counties that are near Prairie Lea. For each of these counties, we show a sample of those communities that are closest to Prairie Lea:
- Caldwell County (The home county of Prairie Lea)
- The following are listed by their distance from Prairie Lea, with the one closest to Prairie Lea listed first.
- Stairtown
(Less than 2 miles to the southeast)
- Stairtown is located in Caldwell County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Stairtown
- Fentress
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the northwest)
- Joliet
(5 miles [8 km] to the northeast)
- Joliet is located in Caldwell County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Joliet
- Mineral Springs ‑ Historic
(5 miles [8 km] to the northeast)
- Mineral Springs is located in Caldwell County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mineral Springs
- Luling
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the southeast)
- Soda Springs
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the east)
- Soda Springs is located in Caldwell County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Soda Springs
- Brownsboro
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the northeast)
- Brownsboro is located in Caldwell County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Brownsboro
- Martindale
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the northwest)
- McNeil
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the east)
- McNeil is located in Caldwell County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for McNeil
- Maxwell
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the north)
- Seawillow
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the northeast)
- Seawillow is located in Caldwell County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Seawillow
- Lockhart
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the northeast)
- Reedville
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the northwest)
- Reedville is located in Caldwell County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Reedville
- Bastrop County
- The following are listed by their distance from Prairie Lea, with the one closest to Prairie Lea listed first.
- Mustang Ridge
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the north)
- Mustang Ridge is located in Bastrop County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mustang Ridge
- Population from the 2020 Census: 1,001 people
- Bateman
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the northeast)
- Bateman is located in Bastrop County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bateman
- Red Rock
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the northeast)
- Jeddo
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the east)
- Jeddo is located in Bastrop County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Jeddo
- Cedar Creek
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the northeast)
- Rosanky
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the northeast)
- Bexar County
- Cibolo
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the west)
- Comal County
- The following are listed by their distance from Prairie Lea, with the one closest to Prairie Lea listed first.
- Hunter
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the west)
- Hunter is located in Comal County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hunter
- Freiheit
(18 miles [29 km] to the west)
- Freiheit is located in Comal County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Freiheit
- Thorn Hill
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the west)
- Thorn Hill is located in Comal County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Thorn Hill
- Gruene
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the west)
- Preiss Heights
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the west)
- Preiss Heights is located in Comal County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Preiss Heights
- Royal Forest
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the west)
- Royal Forest is located in Comal County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Royal Forest
- New Braunfels
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the west)
- First Crossing
(23 miles [37 km] to the west)
- First Crossing is located in Comal County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for First Crossing
- Landa Park Highlands
(23 miles [37 km] to the west)
- Jentsch Acres
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the west)
- Jentsch Acres is located in Comal County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Jentsch Acres
- Second Crossing
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the west)
- Second Crossing is located in Comal County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Second Crossing
- Dittlinger
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the west)
- Dittlinger is located in Comal County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Dittlinger
- Solms
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the west)
- Solms is located in Comal County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Solms
- Gonzales County
- The following are listed by their distance from Prairie Lea, with the one closest to Prairie Lea listed first.
- Ottine
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the southeast)
- Harwood
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the east)
- Belmont
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the south)
- Oak Forest
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the southeast)
- Oak Forest is located in Gonzales County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Oak Forest
- Sandy Fork
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the east)
- Sandy Fork is located in Gonzales County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sandy Fork
- Monthalia ‑ Historic
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the southeast)
- Monthalia is located in Gonzales County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Monthalia
- Bebe
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the south)
- Leesville
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the south)
- Gonzales
(23 miles [37 km] to the southeast)
- Dewville
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the south)
- Dewville is located in Gonzales County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Dewville
- Cost
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the southeast)
- Cost is located in Gonzales County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cost
- Summerville
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the southeast)
- Summerville is located in Gonzales County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Summerville
- Waelder
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the east)
- Guadalupe County
- The following are listed by their distance from Prairie Lea, with the one closest to Prairie Lea listed first.
- Staples
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the northwest)
- Weinert
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the west)
- Weinert is located in Guadalupe County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Weinert
- Kingsbury
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the southwest)
- Galle
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the west)
- Galle is located in Guadalupe County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Galle
- Redwood
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the northwest)
- Redwood is located in Guadalupe County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Redwood
- Zorn
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the west)
- Zorn is located in Guadalupe County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Zorn
- Lauback
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the southwest)
- Lauback is located in Guadalupe County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lauback
- Geronimo
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the west)
- Barbarosa
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the west)
- Barbarosa is located in Guadalupe County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Barbarosa
- Seguin
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the southwest)
- Clear Springs
(18 miles [29 km] to the west)
- Clear Springs is located in Guadalupe County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Clear Springs
- Dugger
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the southwest)
- Dugger is located in Guadalupe County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Dugger
- Camp Willow
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the west)
- Camp Willow is located in Guadalupe County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Camp Willow
- Hays County
- The following are listed by their distance from Prairie Lea, with the one closest to Prairie Lea listed first.
- San Marcos
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the northwest)
- Kyle
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the north)
- Goforth
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the north)
- Goforth is located in Hays County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Goforth
- Mountain City
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the north)
- Mountain City is located in Hays County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mountain City
- Population from the 2020 Census: 858 people
- Buda
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the north)
- Flatrock Ford
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the north)
- Flatrock Ford is located in Hays County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Flatrock Ford
- Hays
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the north)
- Hays is located in Hays County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hays
- Population from the 2020 Census: 283 people
- Cloptins Crossing
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the northwest)
- Cloptins Crossing is located in Hays County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cloptins Crossing
- Pioneer Town
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the northwest)
- Pioneer Town is located in Hays County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Pioneer Town
- Wimberley
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the northwest)
- Woodcreek
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the northwest)
- Woodcreek is located in Hays County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Woodcreek
- Population from the 2020 Census: 1,758 people
- Travis County
- The following are listed by their distance from Prairie Lea, with the one closest to Prairie Lea listed first.
- Creedmoor
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the north)
- Carl
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the north)
- Carl is located in Travis County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Carl
- Elroy
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the north)
- Elroy is located in Travis County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Elroy
- Onion Creek
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the north)
- Onion Creek is located in Travis County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Onion Creek
- Manchaca
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the north)
- San Leanna
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the north)
- San Leanna is located in Travis County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for San Leanna
- Population from the 2020 Census: 507 people
- Pilot Knob
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the north)
- Pilot Knob is located in Travis County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Pilot Knob
- Shady Hollow
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the north)
- Shady Hollow is located in Travis County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Shady Hollow
- Tanglewood Forest
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the north)
- Tanglewood Forest is located in Travis County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Tanglewood Forest
- Wilson County
- The following are listed by their distance from Prairie Lea, with the one closest to Prairie Lea listed first.
- Nockenut
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the south)
- Nockenut is located in Wilson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Nockenut
- Union
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the south)
- Union is located in Wilson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Union
For an expanded list of the communities that are closest to Prairie Lea, see our County-by-County Page for Prairie Lea.
Cemeteries Near Prairie Lea ...
Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of Prairie Lea.
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 Prairie Lea - one of the links might be able to help.
If not found below, our Cemetery List for Prairie Lea covers a larger area, with the cemeteries listed in alphabetical order.
The following cemeteries are listed based on their distance from Prairie Lea, with the one closest to Prairie Lea listed first.
- San Juan #2 Cemetery
(Less than 2 miles to the north)
- Prairie Lea Cemetery
(Less than 2 miles to the north)
- Pentress Cemetery
(Less than 2 miles to the northwest)
- Happle Cemetery
(Less than 2 miles to the west)
- Kelly Cemetery
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the east)
- Marines Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the south)
- Appling Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the southeast)
- Ussery Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the southeast)
- Vogel Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the northeast)
- Koonsen Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the northeast)
- Isidora Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the northwest)
- Appling Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the south)
- Continue List (191 more) ...
- Highsmith Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the southeast)
- Union Hill Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the east)
- Loehmann Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the northeast)
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.<2>
The Rand McNally Atlas shows that Prairie Lea had a population of 167 people in 1895 with a post office and no railroad service.
These communities are listed based on their distance from Prairie Lea, with the one closest to Prairie Lea listed first.
- Staples
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the northwest)
- Kingsbury
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the southwest)
- Luling
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the southeast)
- Martindale
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the northwest)
- Maxwell
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the north)
- Reedville
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the northwest)
- Reedville is located in Caldwell County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Reedville
- Lockhart
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the northeast)
- Zorn
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the west)
- Zorn is located in Guadalupe County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Zorn
- Tilmon
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the east)
- Tilmon is located in Caldwell County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Tilmon
- Geronimo
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the west)
- Belmont
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the south)
- Harwood
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the east)
- Continue List (16 more) ...
- San Marcos
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the northwest)
- Seguin
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the southwest)
- Slayden
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the southeast)
- Slayden is located in Gonzales County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Slayden
We've also created an expanded list of communities that existed in the 1890's and were located in the area around Prairie Lea. See our List of 1890's Communities around Prairie Lea.
Newspapers Published in Prairie Lea ...
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 97 newspapers that have been published in the area around Prairie Lea.
Although we're unaware of any newspapers that were published in the immediate area of Prairie Lea, there are papers which were published within 27 miles [43.5 km]<3>. A list of those papers, sorted by paper name, can be found on the Extended Newspaper List for Prairie Lea.
Websites to Help With Your Genealogy Research ...
When we do our genealogical research, we start with the websites from Cyndi's List, FamilySearch and Genealogy Trails. These professional and volunteer 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 Prairie Lea:
- Websites specific to Texas
- Pages specific to Caldwell County
- Genealogy information for nearby counties
- Bastrop County
- Bexar County
- Comal County
- Gonzales County
- Guadalupe County
- Hays County
- Travis County
- Wilson County
- Cemetery Information and Directories for Texas
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> | 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 Prairie Lea, please let us know so that we can improve our accuracy. |
| <3> | 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- Prairie Lea) to Point B. In other words: 'As the crow flies'. |