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 Black River (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 Black River. 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.
Name Variations for Black River ...
When searching records, keep in mind that names and their spelling can change over time. Our sources include documents like maps, railroad schedules, Travel, Express and Shipping Guides. Many of these documents date from the 1800's and it's common to find spelling differences.
For example, a typical abbreviation for Black River: Black Riv.
You might be interested in other communities that are also named Black River. More information can be found on our Tidbits & Trivia Page for Black River.
If you have information about these names (such as the reason for the change, date of change, the origin of the name), please Contact Us.
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 and doctors 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.
Black River is located in Douglas 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 Douglas County: Carlton (MN), Pine (MN), Saint Louis (MN), Bayfield, Burnett, Sawyer & Washburn.
Below are the counties that are near Black River. For each of these counties, we show a sample of those communities that are closest to Black River:
- Douglas County (The home county of Black River)
- The following are listed by their distance from Black River, with the one closest to Black River listed first.
- Dedham
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the southwest)
- Dedham is located in Douglas County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Dedham
- Saunders
(5 miles [8 km] to the north)
- Saunders is located in Douglas County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Saunders
- Oliver
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the north)
- Oliver is located in Douglas County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Oliver
- Population from the 2020 Census: 416 people
- Superior Village
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the north)
- Superior Village is located in Douglas County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Superior Village
- Population from the 2020 Census: 713 people
- South Range
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the northeast)
- South Range is located in Douglas County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for South Range
- Superior
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the north)
- Superior is located in Douglas County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Superior
- Population from the 2020 Census: 26,213 people
- Hawthorne
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the east)
- Hawthorne is located in Douglas County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hawthorne
- Population from the 2020 Census: 1,157 people
- Poplar
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the east)
- Poplar is located in Douglas County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Poplar
- Population from the 2020 Census: 613 people
- Bennett
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the southeast)
- Bennett is located in Douglas County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bennett
- Moose Junction
(18 miles [29 km] to the south)
- Moose Junction is located in Douglas County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Moose Junction
- Sauntry
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the southeast)
- Sauntry is located in Douglas County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sauntry
- Lake Nebagamon
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the east)
- Lake Nebagamon is located in Douglas County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lake Nebagamon
- Population from the 2020 Census: 1,064 people
- Carlton County (MN)
- The following are listed by their distance from Black River, with the one closest to Black River listed first.
- Wrenshall
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the west)
- Thomson
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the northwest)
- Thomson is located in Carlton County (MN)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Thomson
- Estimated population in 2014: 158 people
- Holyoke
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the southwest)
- Holyoke is located in Carlton County (MN)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Holyoke
- Carlton
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the northwest)
- Esko
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the northwest)
- Scanlon
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the northwest)
- Scanlon is located in Carlton County (MN)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Scanlon
- Population from the 2020 Census: 945 people
- Cloquet
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the northwest)
- Otter Creek
(18 miles [29 km] to the west)
- Otter Creek is located in Carlton County (MN)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Otter Creek
- Mahtowa
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the west)
- Mahtowa is located in Carlton County (MN)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mahtowa
- Sawyer
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the west)
- Sawyer is located in Carlton County (MN)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sawyer
- Barnum
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the west)
- Moose Lake
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the west)
- Pine County (MN)
- The following are listed by their distance from Black River, with the one closest to Black River listed first.
- Kingsdale
(23 miles [37 km] to the south)
- Kingsdale is located in Pine County (MN)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Kingsdale
- Kerrick
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the southwest)
- Cloverton
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the south)
- Cloverton is located in Pine County (MN)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cloverton
- Saint Louis County (MN)
- The following are listed by their distance from Black River, with the one closest to Black River listed first.
- New Duluth
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the northwest)
- New Duluth is located in Saint Louis County (MN)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for New Duluth
- Gary
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the northwest)
- Gary is located in Saint Louis County (MN)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Gary
- Oneota
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the north)
- Oneota is located in Saint Louis County (MN)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Oneota
- Proctor
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the north)
- Proctor is located in Saint Louis County (MN)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Proctor
- Population from the 2020 Census: 3,006 people
- Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Proctor <1>
- Duluth
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the north)
- Duluth is located in Saint Louis County (MN)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Duluth
- Population from the 2020 Census: 85,773 people
- Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Duluth <1>
- Adolph
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the northwest)
- Hermantown
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the north)
- Arnold
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the north)
- Arnold is located in Saint Louis County (MN)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Arnold
- Clifton
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the northeast)
- Clifton is located in Saint Louis County (MN)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Clifton
- Saginaw
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the northwest)
- Saginaw is located in Saint Louis County (MN)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Saginaw
- Twig
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the northwest)
- Twig is located in Saint Louis County (MN)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Twig
- Brookston
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the northwest)
For an expanded list of the communities that are closest to Black River, see our County-by-County Page for Black River.
Cemeteries Near Black River ...
Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of Black River.
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 Black River - one of the links might be able to help.
If not found below, our Cemetery List for Black River covers a larger area, with the cemeteries listed in alphabetical order.
The following cemeteries are listed based on their distance from Black River, with the one closest to Black River listed first.
- Greenwood Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the north)
- Hebrew Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the north)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hebrew Cemetery
- To give a relative sense of its location, the Hebrew Cemetery is a large cemetery that is located 4 miles [6.4 km]<2> to the south of Superior.
- The Hebrew Cemetery has also been known as:
- Superior Hebrew Cemetery
- Jump to Find-A-Grave: FG ID #88116 <3>
- Graceland Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the north)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Graceland Cemetery
- To give a relative sense of its location, the Graceland Cemetery is a large cemetery that is located 4 miles [6.4 km]<2> to the south of Superior.
- Jump to Find-A-Grave: FG ID #1971600 <3>
- Riverside Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the north)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Riverside Cemetery
- To give a relative sense of its location, the Riverside Cemetery is a large cemetery that is located 4 miles [6.4 km]<2> to the south of Superior.
- Jump to Find-A-Grave: FG ID #88822 <3>
- Woodlawn Cemetery
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the northeast)
- Calvary Cemetery
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the north)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Calvary Cemetery
- To give a relative sense of its location, the Calvary Cemetery is a large cemetery that is located 4 miles [6.4 km]<2> to the south of Superior.
- Jump to Find-A-Grave: FG ID #87670 <3>
- Summit Cemetery
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the southwest)
- Nemadji Cemetery
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the northeast)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Nemadji Cemetery
- To give a relative sense of its location, the Nemadji Cemetery is a large cemetery that is located outside and to the southeast of Superior.
- Jump to Find-A-Grave: FG ID #88528 <3>
- St. Francis Cemetery
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the northeast)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for St. Francis Cemetery
- To give a relative sense of its location, the St. Francis Cemetery is a large cemetery that is located outside and to the southeast of Superior.
- Jump to Find-A-Grave: FG ID #88930 <3>
- MacCabee Cemetery
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the west)
- St. John's Lutheran Cemetery
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the west)
- Parkview Cemetery
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the east)
- Continue List (70 more) ...
- Finnish Apostolic Cemetery
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the northwest)
- Thomson Cemetery
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the northwest)
- Oneota Cemetery
(13 miles [20.9 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>
While we didn't find Black River in the Atlas, the following 1895 communities would have been found near the current location of Black River.
These communities are listed based on their distance from Black River, with the one closest to Black River listed first.
- Dedham
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the southwest)
- Dedham is located in Douglas County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Dedham
- Boylston
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the north)
- Boylston is located in Douglas County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Boylston
- Pokegama
(5 miles [8 km] to the north)
- Pokegama is located in Douglas County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Pokegama
- New Duluth
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the northwest)
- New Duluth is located in Saint Louis County (MN)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for New Duluth
- South Superior
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the north)
- South Superior is located in Douglas County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for South Superior
- South Range
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the northeast)
- South Range is located in Douglas County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for South Range
- Fond du Lac
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the northwest)
- Fond du Lac is located in Saint Louis County (MN)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Fond du Lac
- Smithville
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the north)
- Smithville is located in Saint Louis County (MN)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Smithville
- Cutter
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the northeast)
- Cutter is located in Douglas County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cutter
- Itasca
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the northeast)
- Itasca is located in Douglas County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Itasca
- Superior
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the north)
- Superior is located in Douglas County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Superior
- Population from the 2020 Census: 26,213 people
- Oneota
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the north)
- Oneota is located in Saint Louis County (MN)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Oneota
- Continue List (14 more) ...
- West Duluth
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the north)
- West Duluth is located in Saint Louis County (MN)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for West Duluth
- Holyoke
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the southwest)
- Holyoke is located in Carlton County (MN)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Holyoke
- Thomson
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the northwest)
- Thomson is located in Carlton County (MN)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Thomson
- Estimated population in 2014: 158 people
We've also created an expanded list of communities that existed in the 1890's and were located in the area around Black River. See our List of 1890's Communities around Black River.
Newspapers Published in Black River ...
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 114 newspapers that have been published in the area around Black River.
Although we're unaware of any newspapers that were published in the immediate area of Black River, there are papers which were published within 30 miles [48.3 km]<2>. A list of those papers, sorted by paper name, can be found on the Extended Newspaper List for Black River.
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 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 Black River:
- Websites specific to Wisconsin
- Pages specific to Douglas County
- Genealogy information for nearby counties
- Carlton County
- Pine County
- Saint Louis County
- Cemetery Information and Directories for Wisconsin
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> | 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- Black River) to Point B. In other words: 'As the crow flies'. |
| <3> | 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. |
| <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 Black River, please let us know so that we can improve our accuracy. |