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 Presque Isle (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 Presque Isle. 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.
Presque Isle is located in Vilas 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 Vilas County: Gogebic (MI), Iron (MI), Forest, Iron, Oneida & Price.
Below are the counties that are near Presque Isle. For each of these counties, we show a sample of those communities that are closest to Presque Isle:
- Vilas County (The home county of Presque Isle)
- The following are listed by their distance from Presque Isle, with the one closest to Presque Isle listed first.
- Katinka Village
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the southwest)
- Katinka Village is located in Vilas County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Katinka Village
- Manitowish Waters
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the southwest)
- Manitowish Waters is located in Vilas County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Manitowish Waters
- Lac du Flambeau
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the south)
- Lac du Flambeau is located in Vilas County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lac du Flambeau
- Sayner
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the southeast)
- Sayner is located in Vilas County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sayner
- Land O'Lakes
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the east)
- Land O'Lakes is located in Vilas County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Land O'Lakes
- Population from the 2020 Census: 897 people
- Conover
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the southeast)
- Conover is located in Vilas County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Conover
- Saint Germain
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the southeast)
- Saint Germain is located in Vilas County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Saint Germain
- Former names for Saint Germain:
- Farmington
- Lakewood
- Iron County
- The following are listed by their distance from Presque Isle, with the one closest to Presque Isle listed first.
- Manitowish
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the southwest)
- Manitowish is located in Iron County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Manitowish
- Hurley
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the northwest)
- Hurley is located in Iron County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hurley
- Population from the 2020 Census: 1,424 people
- Gile
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the northwest)
- Gile is located in Iron County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Gile
- Montreal
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the northwest)
- Montreal is located in Iron County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Montreal
- Population from the 2020 Census: 752 people
- Oneida County
- The following are listed by their distance from Presque Isle, with the one closest to Presque Isle listed first.
- Woodruff
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the south)
- Woodruff is located in Oneida County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Woodruff
- Hazelhurst
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the south)
- Hazelhurst is located in Oneida County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hazelhurst
- Gogebic County (MI)
- The following are listed by their distance from Presque Isle, with the one closest to Presque Isle listed first.
- Marenisco
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the north)
- Hartley
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the northwest)
- Hartley is located in Gogebic County (MI)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hartley
- Hartley has also been known as:
- Hartleys
- Gogebic
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the northeast)
- Gogebic is located in Gogebic County (MI)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Gogebic
- White City
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the northeast)
- White City is located in Gogebic County (MI)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for White City
- Wakefield
(18 miles [29 km] to the northwest)
- Ramsay
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the northwest)
- Ramsay is located in Gogebic County (MI)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ramsay
- Thomaston
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the northwest)
- Thomaston is located in Gogebic County (MI)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Thomaston
- Bessemer
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the northwest)
- Yale
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the northwest)
- Yale is located in Gogebic County (MI)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Yale
- Connorville
(23 miles [37 km] to the northwest)
- Connorville is located in Gogebic County (MI)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Connorville
- Ironwood
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the northwest)
- Hillcrest
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the northwest)
- Hillcrest is located in Gogebic County (MI)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hillcrest
- Ontonagon County (MI)
- The following are listed by their distance from Presque Isle, with the one closest to Presque Isle listed first.
- Lake Gogebic
(23 miles [37 km] to the north)
- Lake Gogebic is located in Ontonagon County (MI)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lake Gogebic
- Bergland
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the north)
- Robbins
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the east)
- Robbins is located in Ontonagon County (MI)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Robbins
- Craigsmere
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the northeast)
- Craigsmere is located in Ontonagon County (MI)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Craigsmere
- Paulding
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the northeast)
- Ewen
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the northeast)
For an expanded list of the communities that are closest to Presque Isle, see our County-by-County Page for Presque Isle.
Cemeteries Near Presque Isle ...
Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of Presque Isle.
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 Presque Isle - one of the links might be able to help.
If not found below, our Cemetery List for Presque Isle covers a larger area, with the cemeteries listed in alphabetical order.
The following cemeteries are listed based on their distance from Presque Isle, with the one closest to Presque Isle listed first.
- Presque Isle Cemetery
(Less than 2 miles to the west)
- Winchester Memorial Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the west)
- Pines Cemetery
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the south)
- Marenisco Twp. Cemetery
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the north)
- Mercer Cemetery
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the west)
- Lakeside Cemetery
(18 miles [29 km] to the northwest)
- Plum Lake Cemetery
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the southeast)
- Presbyterian Church Cemetery
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the south)
- Hillcrest Cemetery
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the northwest)
- Land O' Lakes Cemetery
(23 miles [37 km] to the east)
- Oak Hill Cemetery
(23 miles [37 km] to the east)
- Evergreen Cemetery
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the south)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Evergreen Cemetery
- To give a relative sense of its location, the Evergreen Cemetery is a large cemetery that is located outside and to the south of Woodruff.
- Jump to Find-A-Grave: FG ID #2145393 <2>
- Continue List (14 more) ...
- St. Patricks Catholic Cemetery
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the south)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for St. Patricks Catholic Cemetery
- To give a relative sense of its location, the St. Patricks Catholic Cemetery is a large cemetery that is located outside and to the south of Woodruff.
- The St. Patricks Catholic Cemetery has also been known as:
- St. Patricks Cemetery
- Jump to Find-A-Grave: FG ID #2236117 <2>
- Forest Garden Cemetery
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the south)
- St. Germain Cemetery
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the southeast)
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>
While we didn't find Presque Isle in the Atlas, the following 1895 communities would have been found near the current location of Presque Isle.
These communities are listed based on their distance from Presque Isle, with the one closest to Presque Isle listed first.
- Wellington
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the northeast)
- Wellington is located in Gogebic County (MI)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Wellington
- Hartley
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the northwest)
- Hartley is located in Gogebic County (MI)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hartley
- Hartley has also been known as:
- Hartleys
- Thayer
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the northeast)
- Thayer is located in Gogebic County (MI)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Thayer
- Mercer
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the west)
- Mercer is located in Iron County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mercer
- Wakefield
(18 miles [29 km] to the northwest)
- Ramsay
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the northwest)
- Ramsay is located in Gogebic County (MI)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ramsay
- Thomaston
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the northwest)
- Thomaston is located in Gogebic County (MI)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Thomaston
- Bessemer
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the northwest)
- Lake Gogebic
(23 miles [37 km] to the north)
- Lake Gogebic is located in Ontonagon County (MI)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lake Gogebic
- Siemens
(23 miles [37 km] to the northwest)
- Siemens is located in Gogebic County (MI)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Siemens
- Jessieville
(23 miles [37 km] to the northwest)
- Jessieville is located in Gogebic County (MI)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Jessieville
- Woodruff
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the south)
- Woodruff is located in Oneida County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Woodruff
- Continue List (7 more) ...
- Minocqua
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the south)
- Minocqua is located in Oneida County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Minocqua
- Robbins
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the east)
- Robbins is located in Ontonagon County (MI)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Robbins
- Ironwood
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the northwest)
We've also created an expanded list of communities that existed in the 1890's and were located in the area around Presque Isle. See our List of 1890's Communities around Presque Isle.
Newspapers Published in the Vicinity of Presque Isle ...
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 48 newspapers that have been published in the area around Presque Isle.
We have organized these newspapers into two lists:
- A Local Newspaper List - focusing on the papers published in the immediate area of Presque Isle. There are actually two parts to this list - papers printed in the immediate area of Presque Isle and those printed in the larger area surrounding Presque Isle.
- An Extended Newspaper List - a longer list, sorted by paper name and containing those papers published within 29 miles [46.7 km]<4> of Presque Isle.
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 websites either 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 Presque Isle:
- Websites specific to Wisconsin
- Pages specific to Vilas County
- Genealogy information for nearby counties
- Iron County
- Oneida County
- Gogebic County
- Ontonagon 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> | 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 Presque Isle, 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' (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- Presque Isle) to Point B. In other words: 'As the crow flies'. |