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 Avoca (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 Avoca. 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 southeast corner of their home county. During their lives, most hospitals and doctors were in the next county to the east. 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 east 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.
Avoca is located in Iowa County.
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 Iowa County: Dane, Grant, Green, Lafayette, Richland & Sauk.
Below are the counties that are near Avoca. For each of these counties, we show a sample of those communities that are closest to Avoca:
- Iowa County (The home county of Avoca)
- The following are listed by their distance from Avoca, with the one closest to Avoca listed first.
- Highland
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the south)
- Highland is located in Iowa County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Highland
- Population from the 2020 Census: 826 people
- Centreville ‑ Historic
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the southwest)
- Centreville is located in Iowa County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Centreville
- Former name for Centreville:
- Dry Bone
- Helena
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the east)
- Helena is located in Iowa County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Helena
- Cobb
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the south)
- Cobb is located in Iowa County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cobb
- Population from the 2020 Census: 455 people
- Edmund
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the south)
- Edmund is located in Iowa County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Edmund
- Pleasant Ridge
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the southeast)
- Pleasant Ridge is located in Iowa County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Pleasant Ridge
- Linden
(18 miles [29 km] to the south)
- Linden is located in Iowa County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Linden
- Population from the 2020 Census: 523 people
- Dodgeville
(18 miles [29 km] to the southeast)
- Dodgeville is located in Iowa County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Dodgeville
- Population from the 2020 Census: 4,677 people
- Hyde
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the southeast)
- Hyde is located in Iowa County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hyde
- Arena
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the east)
- Arena is located in Iowa County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Arena
- Population from the 2020 Census: 831 people
- Ridgeway
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the southeast)
- Ridgeway is located in Iowa County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ridgeway
- Population from the 2020 Census: 635 people
- Cassell
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the east)
- Cassell is located in Iowa County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cassell
- Crawford County
- The following are listed by their distance from Avoca, with the one closest to Avoca listed first.
- Boydtown
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the west)
- Boydtown is located in Crawford County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Boydtown
- Soldiers Grove
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the northwest)
- Soldiers Grove is located in Crawford County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Soldiers Grove
- Population from the 2020 Census: 535 people
- Bell Center
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the west)
- Bell Center is located in Crawford County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bell Center
- Population from the 2020 Census: 114 people
- Petersburg
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the west)
- Petersburg is located in Crawford County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Petersburg
- Steuben
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the west)
- Steuben is located in Crawford County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Steuben
- Population from the 2020 Census: 121 people
- Gays Mills
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the west)
- Gays Mills is located in Crawford County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Gays Mills
- Population from the 2020 Census: 504 people
- Wauzeka
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the west)
- Wauzeka is located in Crawford County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Wauzeka
- Population from the 2020 Census: 733 people
- Dane County
- The following are listed by their distance from Avoca, with the one closest to Avoca listed first.
- Mazomanie
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the east)
- Mazomanie is located in Dane County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mazomanie
- Population from the 2020 Census: 1,715 people
- Elvers
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the east)
- Elvers is located in Dane County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Elvers
- Blue Mounds
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the southeast)
- Blue Mounds is located in Dane County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Blue Mounds
- Population from the 2020 Census: 990 people
- Black Earth
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the east)
- Black Earth is located in Dane County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Black Earth
- Population from the 2020 Census: 1,422 people
- Grant County
- The following are listed by their distance from Avoca, with the one closest to Avoca listed first.
- Muscoda
(5 miles [8 km] to the west)
- Muscoda is located in Grant County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Muscoda
- Population from the 2020 Census: 1,236 people
- Blue River
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the west)
- Blue River is located in Grant County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Blue River
- Population from the 2020 Census: 418 people
- Montfort
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the south)
- Montfort is located in Grant County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Montfort
- Population from the 2020 Census: 675 people
- Preston
(18 miles [29 km] to the southwest)
- Preston is located in Grant County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Preston
- Boscobel
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the west)
- Boscobel is located in Grant County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Boscobel
- Population from the 2020 Census: 3,134 people
- Livingston
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the south)
- Livingston is located in Grant County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Livingston
- Population from the 2020 Census: 632 people
- Annaton
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the southwest)
- Annaton is located in Grant County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Annaton
- Fennimore
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the southwest)
- Fennimore is located in Grant County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Fennimore
- Population from the 2020 Census: 2,469 people
- Stitzer
(23 miles [37 km] to the southwest)
- Stitzer is located in Grant County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Stitzer
- Woodman
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the west)
- Woodman is located in Grant County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Woodman
- Population from the 2020 Census: 129 people
- Werley
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the southwest)
- Werley is located in Grant County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Werley
- Mount Ida
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the southwest)
- Mount Ida is located in Grant County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mount Ida
- Richland County
- The following are listed by their distance from Avoca, with the one closest to Avoca listed first.
- Lone Rock
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the east)
- Lone Rock is located in Richland County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lone Rock
- Population from the 2020 Census: 835 people
- Sextonville
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the north)
- Sextonville is located in Richland County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sextonville
- Balmoral
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the west)
- Balmoral is located in Richland County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Balmoral
- Aubrey
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the north)
- Aubrey is located in Richland County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Aubrey
- Ithaca
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the north)
- Ithaca is located in Richland County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ithaca
- Richland Center
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the north)
- Richland Center is located in Richland County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Richland Center
- Population from the 2020 Census: 4,949 people
- Bear Valley
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the northeast)
- Bear Valley is located in Richland County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bear Valley
- Neptune
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the north)
- Neptune is located in Richland County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Neptune
- Boaz
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the northwest)
- Boaz is located in Richland County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Boaz
- Population from the 2020 Census: 148 people
- Westport
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the west)
- Westport is located in Richland County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Westport
- Gillingham
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the north)
- Gillingham is located in Richland County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Gillingham
- Hub City
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the north)
- Hub City is located in Richland County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hub City
- Sauk County
- The following are listed by their distance from Avoca, with the one closest to Avoca listed first.
- Spring Green
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the east)
- Spring Green is located in Sauk County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Spring Green
- Population from the 2020 Census: 1,630 people
- Plain
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the northeast)
- Plain is located in Sauk County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Plain
- Population from the 2020 Census: 765 people
- Sandusky
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the northeast)
- Sandusky is located in Sauk County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sandusky
- Leland
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the northeast)
- Leland is located in Sauk County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Leland
- Lime Ridge
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the northeast)
- Lime Ridge is located in Sauk County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lime Ridge
- Population from the 2020 Census: 163 people
- Loganville
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the northeast)
- Loganville is located in Sauk County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Loganville
- Population from the 2020 Census: 297 people
- Witwen
(23 miles [37 km] to the east)
- Witwen is located in Sauk County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Witwen
- Denzer
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the northeast)
- Denzer is located in Sauk County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Denzer
- Ironton
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the north)
- Ironton is located in Sauk County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ironton
- Population from the 2020 Census: 251 people
- La Valle
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the north)
- La Valle is located in Sauk County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for La Valle
- Population from the 2020 Census: 360 people
- Rock Springs
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the northeast)
- Rock Springs is located in Sauk County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rock Springs
- Population from the 2020 Census: 361 people
- North Freedom
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the northeast)
- North Freedom is located in Sauk County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for North Freedom
- Population from the 2020 Census: 690 people
- Vernon County
- The following are listed by their distance from Avoca, with the one closest to Avoca listed first.
- Readstown
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the northwest)
- Readstown is located in Vernon County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Readstown
- Population from the 2020 Census: 414 people
- White City
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the north)
- White City is located in Vernon County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for White City
- Liberty
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the northwest)
- Liberty is located in Vernon County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Liberty
For an expanded list of the communities that are closest to Avoca, see our County-by-County Page for Avoca.
Cemeteries Near Avoca ...
Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of Avoca.
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 Avoca - one of the links might be able to help.
If not found below, our Cemetery List for Avoca covers a larger area, with the cemeteries listed in alphabetical order.
The following cemeteries are listed based on their distance from Avoca, with the one closest to Avoca listed first.
- St. Josephs Cemetery
(Less than 2 miles to the southeast)
- Avoca Cemetery
(Less than 2 miles to the southeast)
- Button Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the northeast)
- Indian Creek Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the west)
- North Otter Creek Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the southeast)
- Lone Rock Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the east)
- Ash Creek Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the north)
- St. Malachy Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the southeast)
- Mayfield Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the northwest)
- Sextonville Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the north)
- Oak Ridge Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the northwest)
- Dawson Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the northwest)
- Continue List (213 more) ...
- Blabaum Cemetery
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the south)
- Bear Valley Cemetery
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the northeast)
- Pleasant Hill Cemetery
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the northwest)
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 Avoca had a population of 278 people in 1895 with a post office and railroad service. In 2020, Avoca had a population of 620 people.
These communities are listed based on their distance from Avoca, with the one closest to Avoca listed first.
- Gotham
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the northeast)
- Gotham is located in Richland County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Gotham
- Twin Bluffs
(5 miles [8 km] to the north)
- Twin Bluffs is located in Richland County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Twin Bluffs
- Orion
(5 miles [8 km] to the west)
- Orion is located in Richland County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Orion
- Muscoda
(5 miles [8 km] to the west)
- Muscoda is located in Grant County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Muscoda
- Population from the 2020 Census: 1,236 people
- Sextonville
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the north)
- Sextonville is located in Richland County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sextonville
- Balmoral
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the west)
- Balmoral is located in Richland County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Balmoral
- Highland
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the south)
- Highland is located in Iowa County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Highland
- Population from the 2020 Census: 826 people
- Richland Center
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the north)
- Richland Center is located in Richland County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Richland Center
- Population from the 2020 Census: 4,949 people
- Bear Valley
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the northeast)
- Bear Valley is located in Richland County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bear Valley
- Ithaca
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the north)
- Ithaca is located in Richland County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ithaca
- Basswood
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the northwest)
- Basswood is located in Richland County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Basswood
- Wyoming
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the east)
- Wyoming is located in Iowa County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Wyoming
- Continue List (15 more) ...
- Keyesville
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the northeast)
- Keyesville is located in Richland County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Keyesville
- Byrds Creek
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the west)
- Byrds Creek is located in Richland County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Byrds Creek
- Centreville ‑ Historic
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the southwest)
- Centreville is located in Iowa County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Centreville
- Former name for Centreville:
- Dry Bone
We've also created an expanded list of communities that existed in the 1890's and were located in the area around Avoca. See our List of 1890's Communities around Avoca.
Newspapers Published in the Vicinity of Avoca ...
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 149 newspapers that have been published in the area around Avoca.
We have organized these newspapers into two lists:
- A Local Newspaper List - focusing on the papers published in the immediate area of Avoca. There are actually two parts to this list - papers printed in the immediate area of Avoca and those printed in the larger area surrounding Avoca.
- An Extended Newspaper List - a longer list, sorted by paper name and containing those papers published within 30 miles [48.3 km]<3> of Avoca.
Websites to Help With Your Genealogy Research ...
When we do our genealogical research, we first visit 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 Avoca:
- Websites specific to Wisconsin
- Pages specific to Iowa County
- Genealogy information for nearby counties
- Crawford County
- Dane County
- Grant County
- Richland County
- Sauk County
- Vernon County
- Cemetery Information and Directories for Wisconsin
Footnotes ...
| <1> | 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. |
| <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 Avoca, please let us know so that we can improve our accuracy. |
| <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 drawn from Point A (ie- Avoca) to Point B. In other words: 'As the crow flies'. |