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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 Dane (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 Dane. 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 hospitals 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.

Dane is located in Dane 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 Dane County: Columbia, Dodge, Green, Iowa, Jefferson, Rock & Sauk.

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

  • Dane County     (The home county of Dane)
    • The following are listed by their distance from Dane, with the one closest to Dane listed first.
    • Waunakee
      (5 miles [8 km] to the southeast)
      • Waunakee is located in Dane County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Waunakee
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 14,188 people
    • Martinsville
      (6 miles [9.7 km] to the southwest)
      • Martinsville is located in Dane County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Martinsville
    • DeForest
      (7 miles [11.3 km] to the east)
      • DeForest is located in Dane County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for DeForest
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 10,915 people
    • Morrisonville
      (7 miles [11.3 km] to the east)
      • Morrisonville is located in Dane County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Morrisonville
    • Ashton Corners
      (7 miles [11.3 km] to the south)
      • Ashton Corners is located in Dane County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ashton Corners
    • Ashton
      (7 miles [11.3 km] to the south)
      • Ashton is located in Dane County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ashton
    • Windsor
      (8 miles [12.9 km] to the east)
      • Windsor is located in Dane County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Windsor
    • Mendota
      (9 miles [14.5 km] to the southeast)
      • Mendota is located in Dane County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mendota
    • Marxville
      (9 miles [14.5 km] to the southwest)
      • Marxville is located in Dane County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Marxville
    • Middleton
      (10 miles [16.1 km] to the south)
      • Middleton is located in Dane County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Middleton
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 20,195 people
    • Pheasant Branch
      (10 miles [16.1 km] to the south)
      • Pheasant Branch is located in Dane County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Pheasant Branch
    • Darwin ‑ Historic
      (11 miles [17.7 km] to the southeast)
      • Darwin is located in Dane County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Darwin
    • Cross Plains
      (11 miles [17.7 km] to the southwest)
      • Cross Plains is located in Dane County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cross Plains
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 4,280 people
  • Columbia County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Dane, with the one closest to Dane listed first.
    • Lodi
      (4 miles [6.4 km] to the north)
      • Lodi is located in Columbia County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lodi
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 3,109 people
    • Harmony Grove
      (8 miles [12.9 km] to the north)
      • Harmony Grove is located in Columbia County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Harmony Grove
    • Arlington
      (8 miles [12.9 km] to the northeast)
      • Arlington is located in Columbia County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Arlington
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 818 people
    • Okee
      (8 miles [12.9 km] to the northwest)
      • Okee is located in Columbia County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Okee
    • Lake Wisconsin
      (9 miles [14.5 km] to the northwest)
      • Lake Wisconsin is located in Columbia County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lake Wisconsin
    • North Leeds
      (10 miles [16.1 km] to the northeast)
      • North Leeds is located in Columbia County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for North Leeds
    • Poynette
      (10 miles [16.1 km] to the northeast)
      • Poynette is located in Columbia County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Poynette
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 2,508 people
    • Keyeser
      (12 miles [19.3 km] to the east)
      • Keyeser is located in Columbia County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Keyeser
    • Durwards Glen ‑ Historic
      (13 miles [20.9 km] to the north)
      • Durwards Glen is located in Columbia County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Durwards Glen
    • Otsego
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the northeast)
      • Otsego is located in Columbia County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Otsego
    • Rio
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the northeast)
      • Rio is located in Columbia County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rio
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 1,047 people
    • Wyocena
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the northeast)
      • Wyocena is located in Columbia County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Wyocena
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 727 people
      • Former names for Wyocena:
      • Duck Creek
      • Wiocena
    • Portage
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the north)
      • Portage is located in Columbia County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Portage
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 10,381 people
  • Dodge County
    • Astico
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the east)
      • Astico is located in Dodge County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Astico
  • Green County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Dane, with the one closest to Dane listed first.
    • Dayton
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the south)
      • Dayton is located in Green County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Dayton
    • New Glarus
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the south)
      • New Glarus is located in Green County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for New Glarus
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 2,136 people
  • Iowa County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Dane, with the one closest to Dane listed first.
    • Cassell
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the west)
      • Cassell is located in Iowa County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cassell
    • Arena
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the west)
      • Arena is located in Iowa County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Arena
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 831 people
    • Barneveld
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the southwest)
      • Barneveld is located in Iowa County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Barneveld
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 1,252 people
    • Helena
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the west)
      • Helena is located in Iowa County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Helena
    • Hyde
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the southwest)
      • Hyde is located in Iowa County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hyde
    • Ridgeway
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the southwest)
      • Ridgeway is located in Iowa County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ridgeway
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 635 people
  • Jefferson County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Dane, with the one closest to Dane listed first.
    • Waterloo
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the east)
      • Waterloo is located in Jefferson County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Waterloo
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 3,322 people
    • Lake Ripley
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the southeast)
      • Lake Ripley is located in Jefferson County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lake Ripley
  • Sauk County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Dane, with the one closest to Dane listed first.
    • Merrimac
      (10 miles [16.1 km] to the northwest)
      • Merrimac is located in Sauk County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Merrimac
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 441 people
    • Prairie du Sac village
      (11 miles [17.7 km] to the west)
      • Prairie du Sac village is located in Sauk County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Prairie du Sac village
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 4,426 people
    • Sauk City
      (11 miles [17.7 km] to the west)
      • Sauk City is located in Sauk County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sauk City
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 3,498 people
    • Moon Valley
      (12 miles [19.3 km] to the northwest)
      • Moon Valley is located in Sauk County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Moon Valley
    • Baraboo
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the northwest)
      • Baraboo is located in Sauk County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Baraboo
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 12,121 people
    • Witwen
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the west)
      • Witwen is located in Sauk County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Witwen
    • West Baraboo
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the northwest)
      • West Baraboo is located in Sauk County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for West Baraboo
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 1,416 people
    • Denzer
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the west)
      • Denzer is located in Sauk County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Denzer
    • North Freedom
      (23 miles [37 km] to the northwest)
      • North Freedom is located in Sauk County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for North Freedom
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 690 people
    • Leland
      (23 miles [37 km] to the west)
      • Leland is located in Sauk County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Leland
    • Rock Springs
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the northwest)
      • Rock Springs is located in Sauk County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rock Springs
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 361 people
    • Plain
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the west)
      • Plain is located in Sauk County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Plain
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 765 people
    • Lake Delton
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the northwest)
      • Lake Delton is located in Sauk County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lake Delton
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 2,986 people

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

Cemeteries Near Dane ...

Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of Dane.

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

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

The following cemeteries are listed based on their distance from Dane, with the one closest to Dane 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.<2>

The Rand McNally Atlas shows that Dane had a population of 152 people in 1895 with a post office and railroad service. In 2020, Dane had a population of 1,134 people.

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

  • Lodi
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the north)
    • Lodi is located in Columbia County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lodi
    • Population from the 2020 Census: 3,109 people
  • Norway Grove
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the east)
    • Norway Grove is located in Dane County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Norway Grove
  • Springfield Corners
    (5 miles [8 km] to the southwest)
    • Springfield Corners is located in Dane County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Springfield Corners
  • Waunakee
    (5 miles [8 km] to the southeast)
    • Waunakee is located in Dane County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Waunakee
    • Population from the 2020 Census: 14,188 people
  • Ashton
    (7 miles [11.3 km] to the south)
    • Ashton is located in Dane County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ashton
  • DeForest
    (7 miles [11.3 km] to the east)
    • DeForest is located in Dane County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for DeForest
    • Population from the 2020 Census: 10,915 people
  • Morrisonville
    (7 miles [11.3 km] to the east)
    • Morrisonville is located in Dane County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Morrisonville
  • Windsor
    (8 miles [12.9 km] to the east)
    • Windsor is located in Dane County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Windsor
  • Okee
    (8 miles [12.9 km] to the northwest)
    • Okee is located in Columbia County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Okee
  • Arlington
    (8 miles [12.9 km] to the northeast)
    • Arlington is located in Columbia County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Arlington
    • Population from the 2020 Census: 818 people
  • Roxbury
    (8 miles [12.9 km] to the west)
    • Roxbury is located in Dane County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Roxbury
  • Marxville
    (9 miles [14.5 km] to the southwest)
    • Marxville is located in Dane County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Marxville
  • Continue List   (16 more) ...
    • Mendota
      (9 miles [14.5 km] to the southeast)
      • Mendota is located in Dane County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mendota
    • Leeds
      (9 miles [14.5 km] to the northeast)
      • Leeds is located in Columbia County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Leeds
    • Middleton
      (10 miles [16.1 km] to the south)
      • Middleton is located in Dane County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Middleton
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 20,195 people

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

Newspapers Published in Dane ...

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 268 newspapers that have been published in the area around Dane.

Although we're unaware of any newspapers that were published in the immediate area of Dane, there are papers which were published within 26 miles [41.8 km]<3>. A list of those papers, sorted by paper name, can be found on the Extended Newspaper List for Dane.

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 Dane:

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