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 Plain (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 Plain. 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.
Plain is located in Sauk County.
To see how the shape of Wisconsin's counties have changed over time, we recommend the Atlas of Historical County Boundaries.
The following counties adjoin and form the boundaries of Sauk County: Adams, Columbia, Dane, Iowa, Juneau, Richland & Vernon.
Below are the counties that are near Plain. For each of these counties, we show a sample of those communities that are closest to Plain:
- Sauk County (The home county of Plain)
- The following are listed by their distance from Plain, with the one closest to Plain listed first.
- Leland
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the northeast) - Witwen
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the east)- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Witwen
- Witwen is located in Sauk County
- Spring Green
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the south)- Note: The GPS coordinates that we are using for Spring Green have been provided by the GNIS.<1> The coordinates still need to be verified.
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Spring Green
- Spring Green is located in Sauk County
- Population from the 2020 Census: 1,630 people
- Denzer
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the northeast)- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Denzer
- Denzer is located in Sauk County
- Loganville
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the north)- Note: The GPS coordinates that we are using for Loganville have been provided by the GNIS.<1> The coordinates still need to be verified.
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Loganville
- Loganville is located in Sauk County
- Population from the 2020 Census: 297 people
- Lime Ridge
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the northwest)- Note: The GPS coordinates that we are using for Lime Ridge have been provided by the GNIS.<1> The coordinates still need to be verified.
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lime Ridge
- Lime Ridge is located in Sauk County
- Population from the 2020 Census: 163 people
- Prairie du Sac village
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the east)- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Prairie du Sac village
- Prairie du Sac village is located in Sauk County
- Population from the 2020 Census: 4,426 people
- Sauk City
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the east) - North Freedom
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the northeast)- Note: The GPS coordinates that we are using for North Freedom have been provided by the GNIS.<1> The coordinates still need to be verified.
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for North Freedom
- North Freedom is located in Sauk County
- Population from the 2020 Census: 690 people
- Rock Springs
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the northeast)- Note: The GPS coordinates that we are using for Rock Springs have been provided by the GNIS.<1> The coordinates still need to be verified.
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rock Springs
- Rock Springs is located in Sauk County
- Population from the 2020 Census: 361 people
- Reedsburg
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the north) - Ironton
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the north)
- Columbia County
- The following are listed by their distance from Plain, with the one closest to Plain listed first.
- Okee
(23 miles [37 km] to the east)- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Okee
- Okee is located in Columbia County
- Lake Wisconsin
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the east)- Note: The GPS coordinates that we are using for Lake Wisconsin have been provided by the GNIS.<1> The coordinates still need to be verified.
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lake Wisconsin
- Lake Wisconsin is located in Columbia County
- Durwards Glen ‑ Historic
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the northeast)- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Durwards Glen
- Durwards Glen is located in Columbia County
- Harmony Grove
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the east)- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Harmony Grove
- Harmony Grove is located in Columbia County
- Lodi
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the east)- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lodi
- Lodi is located in Columbia County
- Population from the 2020 Census: 3,109 people
- Wisconsin Dells
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the northeast)- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Wisconsin Dells
- Wisconsin Dells is located in Columbia County
- Population from the 2020 Census: 3,061 people
- Dane County
- The following are listed by their distance from Plain, with the one closest to Plain listed first.
- Mazomanie
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the southeast) - Black Earth
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the southeast)- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Black Earth
- Black Earth is located in Dane County
- Population from the 2020 Census: 1,422 people
- Elvers
(18 miles [29 km] to the southeast) - Marxville
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the east) - Blue Mounds
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the southeast)- Note: The GPS coordinates that we are using for Blue Mounds have been provided by the GNIS.<1> The coordinates still need to be verified.
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Blue Mounds
- Blue Mounds is located in Dane County
- Population from the 2020 Census: 990 people
- Cross Plains
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the southeast)- Note: The GPS coordinates that we are using for Cross Plains have been provided by the GNIS.<1> The coordinates still need to be verified.
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cross Plains
- Cross Plains is located in Dane County
- Population from the 2020 Census: 4,280 people
- Martinsville
(23 miles [37 km] to the east)- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Martinsville
- Martinsville is located in Dane County
- Mount Horeb
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the southeast)- Note: The GPS coordinates that we are using for Mount Horeb have been provided by the GNIS.<1> The coordinates still need to be verified.
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mount Horeb
- Mount Horeb is located in Dane County
- Population from the 2020 Census: 7,563 people
- Klevenville
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the southeast)- Note: The GPS coordinates that we are using for Klevenville have been provided by the GNIS.<1> The coordinates still need to be verified.
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Klevenville
- Klevenville is located in Dane County
- Ashton
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the east)- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ashton
- Ashton is located in Dane County
- Ashton Corners
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the east)- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ashton Corners
- Ashton Corners is located in Dane County
- Dane
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the east)
- Grant County
- The following are listed by their distance from Plain, with the one closest to Plain listed first.
- Muscoda
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the west) - Blue River
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the west)- Note: The GPS coordinates that we are using for Blue River have been provided by the GNIS.<1> The coordinates still need to be verified.
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Blue River
- Blue River is located in Grant County
- Population from the 2020 Census: 418 people
- Montfort
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the southwest)- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Montfort
- Montfort is located in Grant County
- Population from the 2020 Census: 675 people
- Iowa County
- The following are listed by their distance from Plain, with the one closest to Plain listed first.
- Helena
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the south)- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Helena
- Helena is located in Iowa County
- Cassell
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the southeast) - Arena
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the southeast)- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Arena
- Arena is located in Iowa County
- Population from the 2020 Census: 831 people
- Hyde
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the south)- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hyde
- Hyde is located in Iowa County
- Pleasant Ridge
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the south)- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Pleasant Ridge
- Pleasant Ridge is located in Iowa County
- Avoca
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the southwest) - Ridgeway
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the south) - Barneveld
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the southeast) - Dodgeville
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the south)- Note: The GPS coordinates that we are using for Dodgeville have been provided by the GNIS.<1> The coordinates still need to be verified.
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Dodgeville
- Dodgeville is located in Iowa County
- Population from the 2020 Census: 4,677 people
- Highland
(23 miles [37 km] to the southwest) - Edmund
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the southwest)- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Edmund
- Edmund is located in Iowa County
- Centreville ‑ Historic
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the southwest)- Note: The GPS coordinates that we are using for Centreville have been provided by the GNIS.<1> The coordinates still need to be verified.
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Centreville
- Centreville is located in Iowa County
- Former names for Centreville:
- Dry Bone Post Office
- Dry Bone
- Juneau County
- The following are listed by their distance from Plain, with the one closest to Plain listed first.
- Wonewoc
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the north) - Lyndon Station
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the north)- Note: The GPS coordinates that we are using for Lyndon Station have been provided by the GNIS.<1> The coordinates still need to be verified.
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lyndon Station
- Lyndon Station is located in Juneau County
- Population from the 2020 Census: 485 people
- Union Center
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the north)- Note: The GPS coordinates that we are using for Union Center have been provided by the GNIS.<1> The coordinates still need to be verified.
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Union Center
- Union Center is located in Juneau County
- Population from the 2020 Census: 193 people
- Richland County
- The following are listed by their distance from Plain, with the one closest to Plain listed first.
- Lone Rock
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the southwest) - Aubrey
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the west)- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Aubrey
- Aubrey is located in Richland County
- Neptune
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the northwest)- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Neptune
- Neptune is located in Richland County
- Richland Center
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the west)- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Richland Center
- Richland Center is located in Richland County
- Population from the 2020 Census: 4,949 people
- Cazenovia
(18 miles [29 km] to the northwest) - Hub City
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the northwest) - Balmoral
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the west) - Gillingham
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the northwest)- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Gillingham
- Gillingham is located in Richland County
- Boaz
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the west) - Bloom City
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the northwest)- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bloom City
- Bloom City is located in Richland County
- Yuba
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the northwest) - Sabin
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the west)
- Vernon County
- Hillsboro
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the northwest)- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hillsboro
- Hillsboro is located in Vernon County
- Population from the 2020 Census: 1,387 people
- Hillsboro
For an expanded list of the communities that are closest to Plain, see our County-by-County Page for Plain.
Newspapers Published in the Vicinity of Plain ...
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 152 newspapers that have been published in the area around Plain.
We have organized these newspapers into two lists:
- A Local Newspaper List - focusing on the papers published in the immediate area of Plain. There are actually two parts to this list - papers printed in the immediate area of Plain and those printed in the larger area surrounding Plain.
- An Extended Newspaper List - a longer list, sorted by paper name and containing those papers published within 30 miles [48.3 km]<2> of Plain.
Websites to Help With Your Genealogy Research ...
When we do our genealogical research, we like to 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 Plain:
- Websites specific to Wisconsin
- Jump to Cyndi's List
- Jump to Family Search
- Jump to Genealogy Trails
- Website for the //www.wisconsinhistory.org/
- Pages specific to Sauk County
- Jump to Cyndi's List
- Jump to Family Search
- Jump to Genealogy Trails
- Genealogy information for nearby counties
- Columbia County
- Jump to Cyndi's List
- Jump to Family Search
- Jump to Genealogy Trails
- Dane County
- Jump to Cyndi's List
- Jump to Family Search
- Jump to Genealogy Trails
- Grant County
- Jump to Cyndi's List
- Jump to Family Search
- Jump to Genealogy Trails
- Iowa County
- Jump to Cyndi's List
- Jump to Family Search
- Jump to Genealogy Trails
- Juneau County
- Jump to Cyndi's List
- Jump to Family Search
- Jump to Genealogy Trails
- Richland County
- Jump to Cyndi's List
- Jump to Family Search
- Jump to Genealogy Trails
- Vernon County
- Jump to Cyndi's List
- Jump to Family Search
- Jump to Genealogy Trails
- Columbia County
- Cemetery Information and Directories for Wisconsin
- Cemetery Junction: Cemeteries of Wisconsin
- Cyndi's List
- Cemeteries of Wisconsin
- Cemeteries of Sauk County
- FamilySearch.org: Cemeteries of Wisconsin
- Find-A-Grave: Home Page
- Interment.net
- Cemeteries of Wisconsin
- Cemeteries of Sauk County
Cemeteries Near Plain ...
Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of Plain.
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.
If you need information about a burial or interment, photos, transcripts, how to contact the cemetery or local authorities, please visit our selection of Genealogy Websites (see below).
If not found below, our Cemetery List for Plain covers a larger area, with the cemeteries listed in alphabetical order.
The following cemeteries are listed based on their distance from Plain, with the one closest to Plain listed first.
- St. Lukes Cemetery
(Less than 2 miles to the southwest)- Note: The GPS coordinates that we are using for the St. Lukes Cemetery have been provided by the GNIS.<1> The coordinates still need to be verified.
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for the St. Lukes Cemetery
- Pleasant Hill Cemetery
(Less than 2 miles to the west)- Note: The GPS coordinates that we are using for the Pleasant Hill Cemetery have been provided by the GNIS.<1> The coordinates still need to be verified.
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for the Pleasant Hill Cemetery
- Whitemound Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the north)- Note: The GPS coordinates that we are using for the Whitemound Cemetery have been provided by the GNIS.<1> The coordinates still need to be verified.
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for the Whitemound Cemetery
- Big Hollow Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the southwest)- Note: The GPS coordinates that we are using for the Big Hollow Cemetery have been provided by the GNIS.<1> The coordinates still need to be verified.
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for the Big Hollow Cemetery
- Union Grove Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the east)- Note: The GPS coordinates that we are using for the Union Grove Cemetery have been provided by the GNIS.<1> The coordinates still need to be verified.
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for the Union Grove Cemetery
- St. Pauls Cemetery
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the northwest)- Note: The GPS coordinates that we are using for the St. Pauls Cemetery have been provided by the GNIS.<1> The coordinates still need to be verified.
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for the St. Pauls Cemetery
- Free Thinkers Cemetery
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the northeast)- Note: The GPS coordinates that we are using for the Free Thinkers Cemetery have been provided by the GNIS.<1> The coordinates still need to be verified.
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for the Free Thinkers Cemetery
- Blakeslee Cemetery
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the northwest)- Note: The GPS coordinates that we are using for the Blakeslee Cemetery have been provided by the GNIS.<1> The coordinates still need to be verified.
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for the Blakeslee Cemetery
- St. Killian Cemetery
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the west)- Note: The GPS coordinates that we are using for the St. Killian Cemetery have been provided by the GNIS.<1> The coordinates still need to be verified.
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for the St. Killian Cemetery
- Old Helena Cemetery
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the south)- Note: The GPS coordinates that we are using for the Old Helena Cemetery have been provided by the GNIS.<1> The coordinates still need to be verified.
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for the Old Helena Cemetery
- Davis Cemetery
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the southeast)- Note: The GPS coordinates that we are using for the Davis Cemetery have been provided by the GNIS.<1> The coordinates still need to be verified.
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for the Davis Cemetery
- St. Pauls Cemetery
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the northwest)- Note: The GPS coordinates that we are using for the St. Pauls Cemetery have been provided by the GNIS.<1> The coordinates still need to be verified.
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for the St. Pauls Cemetery
- Continue List (224 more) ...
- Eiffmeyer Cemetery
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the northwest)- Note: The GPS coordinates that we are using for the Eiffmeyer Cemetery have been provided by the GNIS.<1> The coordinates still need to be verified.
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for the Eiffmeyer Cemetery
- St. Paul Cemetery
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the north)- Note: The GPS coordinates that we are using for the St. Paul Cemetery have been provided by the GNIS.<1> The coordinates still need to be verified.
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for the St. Paul Cemetery
- Ward Cemetery
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the northwest)- Note: The GPS coordinates that we are using for the Ward Cemetery have been provided by the GNIS.<1> The coordinates still need to be verified.
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for the Ward Cemetery
- Eiffmeyer Cemetery
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 Plain had a population of 118 people in 1895 with a post office and no railroad service. In 2020, Plain had a population of 765 people.
These communities are listed based on their distance from Plain, with the one closest to Plain listed first.
- Black Hawk
(5 miles [8 km] to the east)- Note: The GPS coordinates that we are using for Black Hawk have been provided by the GNIS.<1> The coordinates still need to be verified.
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Black Hawk
- Black Hawk is located in Sauk County
- Leland
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the northeast) - Spring Green
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the south)- Note: The GPS coordinates that we are using for Spring Green have been provided by the GNIS.<1> The coordinates still need to be verified.
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Spring Green
- Spring Green is located in Sauk County
- Population from the 2020 Census: 1,630 people
- Helena
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the south)- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Helena
- Helena is located in Iowa County
- Bear Valley
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the west)- Note: The GPS coordinates that we are using for Bear Valley have been provided by the GNIS.<1> The coordinates still need to be verified.
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bear Valley
- Bear Valley is located in Richland County
- Cassell
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the southeast) - Denzer
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the northeast)- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Denzer
- Denzer is located in Sauk County
- Sandusky
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the northwest) - Keyesville
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the northwest)- Note: The GPS coordinates that we are using for Keyesville have been provided by the GNIS.<1> The coordinates still need to be verified.
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Keyesville
- Keyesville is located in Richland County
- Arena
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the southeast)- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Arena
- Arena is located in Iowa County
- Population from the 2020 Census: 831 people
- Wyoming
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the south) - Loganville
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the north)- Note: The GPS coordinates that we are using for Loganville have been provided by the GNIS.<1> The coordinates still need to be verified.
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Loganville
- Loganville is located in Sauk County
- Population from the 2020 Census: 297 people
- Continue List (16 more) ...
- Ithaca
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the west) - Sextonville
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the west)- Note: The GPS coordinates that we are using for Sextonville have been provided by the GNIS.<1> The coordinates still need to be verified.
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sextonville
- Sextonville is located in Richland County
- Gotham
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the west)
- Ithaca
We've also created an expanded list of communities that existed in the 1890's and were located in the area around Plain. See our List of 1890's Communities around Plain.
Off-the-Road Links ...
Unfortunately, we don't know of a website for Plain. If you can help, please contact us through our Feedback Page.
The official website for Sauk County: www.co.sauk.wi.us/
The official website for State of Wisconsin: https://www.wisconsin.gov/
Footnotes ...
| <1> | The location has been supplied by the Geographic Names Information System - which is maintained by the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS). While these values should be definitive, we found that accuracy can vary and you should double-check the location if accuracy is required. |
| <2> | Our distances are not driving distances, but are calculated as a 'point-to-point' distance. A straight line distance ignores things like rivers, canyons, lakes, et cetera - it's truly a line from Point A (ie- Plain) to Point B.Our distance measurements begin at a specific point in Plain. The point we use is located at these GPS coordinates - Latitude: 43.2783, Longitude: -90.0423 In this case, the coordinates for Plain have been provided by the Geographic Names Information System (GNIS). |
| <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 Plain, please let us know so that we can improve our accuracy. |