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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 Nisqually (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 Nisqually. 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 northwest 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 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 west 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.

Nisqually is located in Thurston County.

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

The following counties adjoin and form the boundaries of Thurston County: Grays Harbor, Lewis, Mason & Pierce.

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

  • Thurston County     (The home county of Nisqually)
    • The following are listed by their distance from Nisqually, with the one closest to Nisqually listed first.
    • Nisqually Indian Community
      (3 miles [4.8 km] to the south)
    • Tanglewilde
      (3 miles [4.8 km] to the west)
      • Tanglewilde is located in Thurston County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Tanglewilde
    • Kellys Korner
      (5 miles [8 km] to the southwest)
      • Kellys Korner is located in Thurston County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Kellys Korner
    • Lacey
      (5 miles [8 km] to the west)
      • Lacey is located in Thurston County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lacey
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 54,178 people
      • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Lacey <1>
    • Puget
      (7 miles [11.3 km] to the northwest)
      • Puget is located in Thurston County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Puget
    • North Yelm
      (7 miles [11.3 km] to the southeast)
      • North Yelm is located in Thurston County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for North Yelm
    • East Olympia
      (8 miles [12.9 km] to the southwest)
    • Yelm
      (9 miles [14.5 km] to the southeast)
      • Yelm is located in Thurston County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Yelm
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 9,591 people
      • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Yelm <1>
    • Olympia
      (9 miles [14.5 km] to the west)
    • Tumwater
      (10 miles [16.1 km] to the west)
    • Rainier
      (11 miles [17.7 km] to the south)
    • McIntosh
      (13 miles [20.9 km] to the south)
      • McIntosh is located in Thurston County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for McIntosh
  • Grays Harbor County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Nisqually, with the one closest to Nisqually listed first.
    • McCleary Junction
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the west)
      • McCleary Junction is located in Grays Harbor County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for McCleary Junction
    • McCleary
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the west)
    • Sine
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the west)
      • Sine is located in Grays Harbor County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sine
    • Chehalis Village
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the southwest)
      • Chehalis Village is located in Grays Harbor County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Chehalis Village
    • Garden City
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the west)
      • Garden City is located in Grays Harbor County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Garden City
    • Oakville
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the southwest)
    • Malone - Porter
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the west)
      • Malone - Porter is located in Grays Harbor County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Malone - Porter
    • Porter
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the west)
      • Porter is located in Grays Harbor County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Porter
    • Cedarville
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the southwest)
      • Cedarville is located in Grays Harbor County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cedarville
    • Malone
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the west)
  • King County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Nisqually, with the one closest to Nisqually listed first.
    • Tahlequah
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the northeast)
      • Tahlequah is located in King County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Tahlequah
    • Milton
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the northeast)
    • Magnolia Beach
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the northeast)
      • Magnolia Beach is located in King County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Magnolia Beach
    • Buenna
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the northeast)
      • Buenna is located in King County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Buenna
    • Federal Way
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the northeast)
    • Pacific
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the northeast)
    • Algona
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the northeast)
    • Redondo
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the northeast)
      • Redondo is located in King County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Redondo
    • Woodmont Beach
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the northeast)
      • Woodmont Beach is located in King County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Woodmont Beach
    • Auburn
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the northeast)
    • Star Lake
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the northeast)
      • Star Lake is located in King County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Star Lake
    • Zenith
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the northeast)
      • Zenith is located in King County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Zenith
  • Kitsap County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Nisqually, with the one closest to Nisqually listed first.
    • Burley
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the north)
    • Olalla
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the north)
    • Bethel
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the north)
  • Lewis County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Nisqually, with the one closest to Nisqually listed first.
    • Centralia
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the southwest)
    • Fords Prairie
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the southwest)
      • Fords Prairie is located in Lewis County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Fords Prairie
    • Galvin
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the southwest)
    • Chehalis
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the southwest)
  • Mason County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Nisqually, with the one closest to Nisqually listed first.
    • New Kamilche
      (18 miles [29 km] to the west)
      • New Kamilche is located in Mason County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for New Kamilche
    • Grapeview
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the north)
    • Bayshore
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the northwest)
      • Bayshore is located in Mason County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bayshore
    • Shelton
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the northwest)
    • Allyn
      (23 miles [37 km] to the north)
    • Belfair
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the north)
    • Tahuya
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the northwest)
    • Union ‑ Historic
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the northwest)
      • Union is located in Mason County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Union
    • Skokomish
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the northwest)
      • Skokomish is located in Mason County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Skokomish
    • Mohrweis
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the northwest)
      • Mohrweis is located in Mason County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mohrweis
    • Potlatch
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the northwest)
  • Pierce County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Nisqually, with the one closest to Nisqually listed first.
    • DuPont
      (4 miles [6.4 km] to the northeast)
    • Fort Lewis
      (5 miles [8 km] to the northeast)
    • Anderson Island
      (7 miles [11.3 km] to the north)
      • Anderson Island is located in Pierce County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Anderson Island
    • Mock City
      (7 miles [11.3 km] to the southeast)
      • Mock City is located in Pierce County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mock City
    • Tillicum
      (8 miles [12.9 km] to the northeast)
      • Tillicum is located in Pierce County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Tillicum
    • Roy
      (8 miles [12.9 km] to the southeast)
      • Roy is located in Pierce County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Roy
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 823 people
      • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Roy <1>
    • Lake City
      (9 miles [14.5 km] to the northeast)
      • Lake City is located in Pierce County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lake City
    • Steilacoom
      (9 miles [14.5 km] to the northeast)
    • Gertrude
      (10 miles [16.1 km] to the north)
      • Gertrude is located in Pierce County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Gertrude
    • Longbranch
      (10 miles [16.1 km] to the north)
    • Meridian
      (10 miles [16.1 km] to the north)
      • Meridian is located in Pierce County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Meridian
    • McKenna
      (10 miles [16.1 km] to the southeast)

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

Cemeteries Near Nisqually ...

Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of Nisqually.

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

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

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

  • Ross Family Cemetery
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the southeast)
  • Woodlawn Cemetery
    (5 miles [8 km] to the southwest)
  • Ft. Lewis Cemetery
    (5 miles [8 km] to the east)
  • Anderson Island Cemetery
    (7 miles [11.3 km] to the north)
  • King Hill Pioneer Cemetery
    (7 miles [11.3 km] to the southeast)
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for King Hill Pioneer Cemetery
    • The King Hill Pioneer Cemetery has also been known as:
    • King Hill Indian Cemetery
  • Mt. Tabor Cemetery
    (7 miles [11.3 km] to the west)
  • Roy Cemetery
    (8 miles [12.9 km] to the southeast)
  • Steilacoom Masonic Cemetery
    (8 miles [12.9 km] to the northeast)
  • Old Settlers Cemetery
    (9 miles [14.5 km] to the northeast)
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Old Settlers Cemetery
    • The Old Settlers Cemetery has also been known as:
    • Gravelly Lake Cemetery
  • Rainier Cemetery
    (10 miles [16.1 km] to the south)
  • Western State Hospital Memorial Cemetery
    (10 miles [16.1 km] to the northeast)
  • Ft. Steilacoom Cemetery
    (10 miles [16.1 km] to the northeast)
  • Continue List   (71 more) ...
    • Hillcrest Cemetery
      (10 miles [16.1 km] to the north)
    • Mills & Mills Memorial Park
      (11 miles [17.7 km] to the west)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mills & Mills Memorial Park
      • To give a relative sense of its location, the Mills & Mills Memorial Park is located outside and to the southwest of Tumwater.
      • The Mills & Mills Memorial Park has also been known as:
      • Olympic Memorial Garden Cemetery
      • Jump to Find-A-Grave: FG ID #76974 <2>
    • Union Cemetery
      (11 miles [17.7 km] to the southwest)

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.<3>

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

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

  • Lacey
    (5 miles [8 km] to the west)
    • Lacey is located in Thurston County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lacey
    • Population from the 2020 Census: 54,178 people
    • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Lacey <1>
  • Puget
    (7 miles [11.3 km] to the northwest)
    • Puget is located in Thurston County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Puget
  • Roy
    (8 miles [12.9 km] to the southeast)
    • Roy is located in Pierce County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Roy
    • Population from the 2020 Census: 823 people
    • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Roy <1>
  • Yelm
    (9 miles [14.5 km] to the southeast)
    • Yelm is located in Thurston County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Yelm
    • Population from the 2020 Census: 9,591 people
    • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Yelm <1>
  • Hillhurst
    (9 miles [14.5 km] to the east)
    • Hillhurst is located in Pierce County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hillhurst
  • Lake City
    (9 miles [14.5 km] to the northeast)
    • Lake City is located in Pierce County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lake City
  • Steilacoom
    (9 miles [14.5 km] to the northeast)
  • Olympia
    (9 miles [14.5 km] to the west)
  • Tumwater
    (10 miles [16.1 km] to the west)
  • Longbranch
    (10 miles [16.1 km] to the north)
  • Meridian
    (10 miles [16.1 km] to the north)
    • Meridian is located in Pierce County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Meridian
  • Plumb
    (11 miles [17.7 km] to the southwest)
    • Plumb is located in Thurston County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Plumb
  • Continue List   (16 more) ...
    • Lakeview
      (11 miles [17.7 km] to the northeast)
      • Lakeview is located in Pierce County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lakeview
    • Belmore
      (13 miles [20.9 km] to the west)
      • Belmore is located in Thurston County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Belmore
    • McIntosh
      (13 miles [20.9 km] to the south)
      • McIntosh is located in Thurston County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for McIntosh

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

Newspapers Published in Nisqually ...

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 153 newspapers that have been published in the area around Nisqually.

Although we're unaware of any newspapers that were published in the immediate area of Nisqually, there are papers which were published within 20 miles [32.2 km]<4>. A list of those papers, sorted by paper name, can be found on the Extended Newspaper List for Nisqually.

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 helpful 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 Nisqually:

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>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 Nisqually, please let us know so that we can improve our accuracy.
<4>Our distances are not driving distances, but are calculated as a 'straight-line' distance. A straight line distance ignores obstructions like rivers, canyons, lakes, et cetera - it's truly a line from Point A (ie- Nisqually) to Point B. In other words: 'As the crow flies'.