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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 Alma (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 Alma. 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 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.

Alma is located in Buffalo County and is the County Seat.

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

The following counties adjoin and form the boundaries of Buffalo County: Wabasha (MN), Winona (MN), Eau Claire, Pepin & Trempealeau.

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

  • Buffalo County     (The home county of Alma)
    • The following are listed by their distance from Alma, with the one closest to Alma listed first.
    • Buffalo City
      (6 miles [9.7 km] to the southeast)
    • Buffalo
      (7 miles [11.3 km] to the south)
      • Buffalo is located in Buffalo County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Buffalo
    • Cochrane
      (7 miles [11.3 km] to the southeast)
    • Nelson
      (8 miles [12.9 km] to the northwest)
      • Nelson is located in Buffalo County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Nelson
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 343 people
    • Anchorage ‑ Historic
      (8 miles [12.9 km] to the southeast)
      • Anchorage is located in Buffalo County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Anchorage
    • Waumandee
      (10 miles [16.1 km] to the east)
    • Montana
      (12 miles [19.3 km] to the east)
    • Maxville
      (15 miles [24.1 km] to the north)
    • Gilmanton
      (15 miles [24.1 km] to the northeast)
    • Springdale ‑ Historic
      (15 miles [24.1 km] to the northeast)
      • Springdale is located in Buffalo County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Springdale
    • Savoy ‑ Historic
      (15 miles [24.1 km] to the northwest)
      • Savoy is located in Buffalo County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Savoy
    • Fountain City
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the southeast)
    • Lookout
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the northeast)
  • Dunn County
  • Pepin County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Alma, with the one closest to Alma listed first.
    • Pepin
      (13 miles [20.9 km] to the northwest)
    • Lakeport
      (15 miles [24.1 km] to the northwest)
    • Ella
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the northwest)
    • Barry Corner
      (18 miles [29 km] to the northwest)
    • Lund
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the northwest)
    • Stockholm
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the northwest)
      • Stockholm is located in Pepin County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Stockholm
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 64 people
    • Durand
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the north)
    • Arkansaw
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the north)
  • Pierce County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Alma, with the one closest to Alma listed first.
    • Maiden Rock
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the northwest)
    • Plum City
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the northwest)
      • Plum City is located in Pierce County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Plum City
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 603 people
  • Trempealeau County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Alma, with the one closest to Alma listed first.
    • Arcadia
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the east)
    • Russell
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the east)
    • New City ‑ Historic
      (23 miles [37 km] to the east)
      • New City is located in Trempealeau County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for New City
    • Independence
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the east)
      • Independence is located in Trempealeau County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Independence
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 1,291 people
    • Eleva
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the northeast)
    • Wrights Corners
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the southeast)
    • Whitehall
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the east)
      • Whitehall is located in Trempealeau County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Whitehall
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 1,565 people
    • Strum
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the northeast)
  • Goodhue County (MN)
    • The following are listed by their distance from Alma, with the one closest to Alma listed first.
    • Frontenac
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the northwest)
    • Bellechester
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the west)
      • Bellechester is located in Goodhue County (MN)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bellechester
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 177 people
  • Olmsted County (MN)
    • The following are listed by their distance from Alma, with the one closest to Alma listed first.
    • Potsdam
      (23 miles [37 km] to the southwest)
    • Viola
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the southwest)
    • Dover
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the southwest)
      • Dover is located in Olmsted County (MN)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Dover
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 776 people
      • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Dover <1>
    • Eyota
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the southwest)
  • Wabasha County (MN)
  • Winona County (MN)
    • The following are listed by their distance from Alma, with the one closest to Alma listed first.
    • Beaver ‑ Historic
      (12 miles [19.3 km] to the south)
    • Rollingstone
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the south)
    • Elba
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the south)
      • Elba is located in Winona County (MN)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Elba
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 156 people
    • Altura
      (18 miles [29 km] to the south)
      • Altura is located in Winona County (MN)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Altura
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 477 people
      • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Altura <1>
    • Minnesota City
      (18 miles [29 km] to the southeast)
    • Goodview
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the southeast)
      • Goodview is located in Winona County (MN)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Goodview
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 4,127 people
    • Stockton
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the south)
      • Stockton is located in Winona County (MN)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Stockton
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 773 people
    • Winona
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the southeast)
    • Lewiston
      (23 miles [37 km] to the south)
    • Utica
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the south)
      • Utica is located in Winona County (MN)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Utica
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 275 people
      • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Utica <1>
    • Saint Charles
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the south)
    • Homer
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the southeast)
      • Homer is located in Winona County (MN)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Homer
    • Wilson
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the southeast)

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

Cemeteries Near Alma ...

Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of Alma.

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

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

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

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>

The Rand McNally Atlas shows that Alma had a population of 1,428 people in 1895 with a post office and railroad service. In 2020, Alma had a population of 713 people.

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

  • Herold
    (3 miles [4.8 km] to the east)
    • Herold is located in Buffalo County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Herold
  • Kellogg
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the west)
    • Kellogg is located in Wabasha County (MN)
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Kellogg
    • Population from the 2020 Census: 460 people
    • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Kellogg <1>
  • Midland Junction
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the west)
    • Midland Junction is located in Wabasha County (MN)
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Midland Junction
  • Wabasha
    (6 miles [9.7 km] to the northwest)
    • Wabasha is located in Wabasha County (MN)
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Wabasha
    • Population from the 2020 Census: 2,467 people
    • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Wabasha <1>
  • Weaver
    (7 miles [11.3 km] to the south)
  • Buffalo
    (7 miles [11.3 km] to the south)
    • Buffalo is located in Buffalo County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Buffalo
  • Cochrane
    (7 miles [11.3 km] to the southeast)
  • Cream
    (7 miles [11.3 km] to the east)
    • Cream is located in Buffalo County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cream
  • Anchorage ‑ Historic
    (8 miles [12.9 km] to the southeast)
    • Anchorage is located in Buffalo County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Anchorage
  • Nelson
    (8 miles [12.9 km] to the northwest)
    • Nelson is located in Buffalo County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Nelson
    • Population from the 2020 Census: 343 people
  • Minneiska
    (9 miles [14.5 km] to the south)
  • Waumandee
    (10 miles [16.1 km] to the east)
  • Continue List   (16 more) ...
    • Modena
      (10 miles [16.1 km] to the northeast)
      • Modena is located in Buffalo County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Modena
    • Trevino
      (10 miles [16.1 km] to the northwest)
      • Trevino is located in Buffalo County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Trevino
    • Beaver ‑ Historic
      (12 miles [19.3 km] to the south)

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

Newspapers Published in the Vicinity of Alma ...

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 88 newspapers that have been published in the area around Alma.

We have organized these newspapers into two lists:

  • A Local Newspaper List - focusing on the papers published in the immediate area of Alma. There are actually two parts to this list - papers printed in the immediate area of Alma and those printed in the larger area surrounding Alma.
  • An Extended Newspaper List - a longer list, sorted by paper name and containing those papers published within 30 miles [48.3 km]<4> of Alma.

Websites to Help With Your Genealogy Research ...

When we do our genealogical research, we begin with 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 Alma:

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 Alma, 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 drawn from Point A (ie- Alma) to Point B. In other words: 'As the crow flies'.