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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 Whitewater (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 Whitewater. 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 northeast corner of their home county. During their lives, most 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.

Whitewater is primarily located in Walworth County. A portion of Whitewater extends into Jefferson 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 Walworth County: Boone (IL), McHenry (IL), Jefferson, Kenosha, Racine, Rock & Waukesha.

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

  • Walworth County     (The home county of Whitewater)
  • Dane County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Whitewater, with the one closest to Whitewater listed first.
    • Rockdale
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the northwest)
      • Note: The GPS coordinates that we are using for Rockdale have been provided by the GNIS.<2> The coordinates still need to be verified.
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rockdale
      • Rockdale is located in Dane County
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 216 people
    • Albion
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the west)
    • Cambridge
      (18 miles [29 km] to the northwest)
      • Note: The GPS coordinates that we are using for Cambridge have been provided by the GNIS.<2> The coordinates still need to be verified.
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cambridge
      • Cambridge is located in Dane County
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 1,538 people
    • Hanerville
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the west)
    • Deerfield
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the northwest)
    • Dunkirk
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the west)
    • Stoughton
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the west)
      • Note: The GPS coordinates that we are using for Stoughton have been provided by the GNIS.<2> The coordinates still need to be verified.
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Stoughton
      • Stoughton is located in Dane County
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 13,218 people
    • Door Creek
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the northwest)
    • Marshall
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the northwest)
    • Cottage Grove
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the northwest)
    • Pierceville
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the northwest)
    • Stone
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the west)
  • Dodge County
  • Jefferson County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Whitewater, with the one closest to Whitewater listed first.
    • Cold Spring
      (4 miles [6.4 km] to the northwest)
    • Hebron
      (6 miles [9.7 km] to the north)
      • Note: The GPS coordinates that we are using for Hebron have been provided by the GNIS.<2> The coordinates still need to be verified.
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hebron
      • Hebron is located in Jefferson County
    • Palmyra
      (7 miles [11.3 km] to the northeast)
      • Note: The GPS coordinates that we are using for Palmyra have been provided by the GNIS.<2> The coordinates still need to be verified.
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Palmyra
      • Palmyra is located in Jefferson County
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 1,746 people
    • Fort Atkinson
      (8 miles [12.9 km] to the northwest)
      • Note: The GPS coordinates that we are using for Fort Atkinson have been provided by the GNIS.<2> The coordinates still need to be verified.
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Fort Atkinson
      • Fort Atkinson is located in Jefferson County
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 12,372 people
    • Lake Koshkonong
      (10 miles [16.1 km] to the northwest)
      • Note: The GPS coordinates that we are using for Lake Koshkonong have been provided by the GNIS.<2> The coordinates still need to be verified.
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lake Koshkonong
      • Lake Koshkonong is located in Jefferson County
    • Rome
      (11 miles [17.7 km] to the northeast)
      • Note: The GPS coordinates that we are using for Rome have been provided by the GNIS.<2> The coordinates still need to be verified.
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rome
      • Rome is located in Jefferson County
    • Helenville
      (12 miles [19.3 km] to the north)
    • Jefferson
      (12 miles [19.3 km] to the north)
      • Note: The GPS coordinates that we are using for Jefferson have been provided by the GNIS.<2> The coordinates still need to be verified.
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Jefferson
      • Jefferson is located in Jefferson County
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 8,037 people
    • Carcajou
      (12 miles [19.3 km] to the west)
    • Sullivan
      (14 miles [22.5 km] to the northeast)
      • Note: The GPS coordinates that we are using for Sullivan have been provided by the GNIS.<2> The coordinates still need to be verified.
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sullivan
      • Sullivan is located in Jefferson County
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 666 people
    • Farmington
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the north)
      • Note: We haven't been able to verify our GPS coordinates for Farmington. Although the coordinates have been estimated, they should be in the vicinity.<1>
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Farmington
      • Farmington is located in Jefferson County
      • Google driving directions:
      • From your current location to Farmington
      • From Whitewater to Farmington
    • Johnson Creek
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the north)
  • Kenosha County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Whitewater, with the one closest to Whitewater listed first.
    • Slades Corners
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the southeast)
    • Powers Lake
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the southeast)
      • Note: The GPS coordinates that we are using for Powers Lake have been provided by the GNIS.<2> The coordinates still need to be verified.
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Powers Lake
      • Powers Lake is located in Kenosha County
  • Racine County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Whitewater, with the one closest to Whitewater listed first.
    • Honey Creek
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the east)
    • Caldwell
      (23 miles [37 km] to the east)
    • Burlington
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the southeast)
      • Note: The GPS coordinates that we are using for Burlington have been provided by the GNIS.<2> The coordinates still need to be verified.
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Burlington
      • Burlington is located in Racine County
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 10,898 people
    • Rochester
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the east)
    • Waterford
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the east)
      • Note: The GPS coordinates that we are using for Waterford have been provided by the GNIS.<2> The coordinates still need to be verified.
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Waterford
      • Waterford is located in Racine County
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 5,618 people
    • Browns Lake
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the east)
      • Note: The GPS coordinates that we are using for Browns Lake have been provided by the GNIS.<2> The coordinates still need to be verified.
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Browns Lake
      • Browns Lake is located in Racine County
    • Bohners Lake
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the southeast)
      • Note: The GPS coordinates that we are using for Bohners Lake have been provided by the GNIS.<2> The coordinates still need to be verified.
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bohners Lake
      • Bohners Lake is located in Racine County
    • Wind Lake
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the east)
  • Rock County
  • Waukesha County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Whitewater, with the one closest to Whitewater listed first.
    • Eagle
      (13 miles [20.9 km] to the east)
    • Eagleville
      (15 miles [24.1 km] to the east)
    • Ottawa
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the northeast)
      • Note: We haven't been able to verify our GPS coordinates for Ottawa. Although the coordinates have been estimated, they should be in the vicinity.<1>
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ottawa
      • Ottawa is located in Waukesha County
      • Google driving directions:
      • From your current location to Ottawa
      • From Whitewater to Ottawa
    • Dousman
      (18 miles [29 km] to the northeast)
      • Note: The GPS coordinates that we are using for Dousman have been provided by the GNIS.<2> The coordinates still need to be verified.
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Dousman
      • Dousman is located in Waukesha County
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 2,317 people
    • North Prairie
      (18 miles [29 km] to the northeast)
      • Note: The GPS coordinates that we are using for North Prairie have been provided by the GNIS.<2> The coordinates still need to be verified.
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for North Prairie
      • North Prairie is located in Waukesha County
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 2,236 people
    • Summit
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the northeast)
    • Waterville
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the northeast)
      • Note: We haven't been able to verify our GPS coordinates for Waterville. Although the coordinates have been estimated, they should be in the vicinity.<1>
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Waterville
      • Waterville is located in Waukesha County
      • Google driving directions:
      • From your current location to Waterville
      • From Whitewater to Waterville
    • Mukwonago
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the east)
      • Note: The GPS coordinates that we are using for Mukwonago have been provided by the GNIS.<2> The coordinates still need to be verified.
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mukwonago
      • Mukwonago is located in Waukesha County
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 8,107 people
    • Genesee Depot
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the northeast)
    • Genesee
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the northeast)
      • Note: The GPS coordinates that we are using for Genesee have been provided by the GNIS.<2> The coordinates still need to be verified.
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Genesee
      • Genesee is located in Waukesha County
    • Summit Center
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the northeast)
    • Wales
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the northeast)
      • Note: The GPS coordinates that we are using for Wales have been provided by the GNIS.<2> The coordinates still need to be verified.
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Wales
      • Wales is located in Waukesha County
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 2,651 people
  • Boone County (IL)
    • Capron
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the south)
      • Note: The GPS coordinates that we are using for Capron have been provided by the GNIS.<2> The coordinates still need to be verified.
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Capron
      • Capron is located in Boone County (IL)
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 1,343 people
      • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Capron <3>
  • McHenry County (IL)
    • The following are listed by their distance from Whitewater, with the one closest to Whitewater listed first.
    • Big Foot Prairie
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the south)
    • Harvard
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the south)
      • Note: The GPS coordinates that we are using for Harvard have been provided by the GNIS.<2> The coordinates still need to be verified.
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Harvard
      • Harvard is located in McHenry County (IL)
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 8,979 people
      • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Harvard <3>
    • Alden
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the southeast)
    • Hebron
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the southeast)
      • Note: The GPS coordinates that we are using for Hebron have been provided by the GNIS.<2> The coordinates still need to be verified.
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hebron
      • Hebron is located in McHenry County (IL)
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 1,175 people
      • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Hebron <3>
  • Winnebago County (IL)
    • South Beloit
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the southwest)
      • Note: The GPS coordinates that we are using for South Beloit have been provided by the GNIS.<2> The coordinates still need to be verified.
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for South Beloit
      • South Beloit is located in Winnebago County (IL)
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 7,540 people
      • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for South Beloit <3>

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

Cemeteries Near Whitewater ...

Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of Whitewater.

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 Whitewater covers a larger area, with the cemeteries listed in alphabetical order.

The following cemeteries are listed based on their distance from Whitewater, with the one closest to Whitewater listed first.

  • Hillside Cemetery
    (Less than 2 miles to the southeast)
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for the Hillside Cemetery
    • Note: The GPS coordinates that we are using for the Hillside Cemetery have been provided by the GNIS.<2> The coordinates still need to be verified.
  • Oak Grove Cemetery
    (Less than 2 miles to the east)
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for the Oak Grove Cemetery
    • Note: The GPS coordinates that we are using for the Oak Grove Cemetery have been provided by the GNIS.<2> The coordinates still need to be verified.
  • Calvary Cemetery
    (Less than 2 miles to the northwest)
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for the Calvary Cemetery
    • Note: The GPS coordinates that we are using for the Calvary Cemetery have been provided by the GNIS.<2> The coordinates still need to be verified.
  • Calvary Cemetery
    (Less than 2 miles to the northwest)
  • Norwegian Evangelical Lutheran Heart Prairie Church Cemetery
    (5 miles [8 km] to the south)
  • South Koshkonong Union Cemetery
    (5 miles [8 km] to the west)
  • Union Cemetery
    (5 miles [8 km] to the west)
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for the Union Cemetery
    • Note: The GPS coordinates that we are using for the Union Cemetery have been provided by the GNIS.<2> The coordinates still need to be verified.
  • Lima Center Cemetery
    (6 miles [9.7 km] to the southwest)
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for the Lima Center Cemetery
    • Note: The GPS coordinates that we are using for the Lima Center Cemetery have been provided by the GNIS.<2> The coordinates still need to be verified.
  • Utters Corners Cemetery
    (6 miles [9.7 km] to the southwest)
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for the Utters Corners Cemetery
    • Note: The GPS coordinates that we are using for the Utters Corners Cemetery have been provided by the GNIS.<2> The coordinates still need to be verified.
  • Lyons Cemetery
    (6 miles [9.7 km] to the southeast)
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for the Lyons Cemetery
    • Note: The GPS coordinates that we are using for the Lyons Cemetery have been provided by the GNIS.<2> The coordinates still need to be verified.
  • Heart Prairie Cemetery
    (6 miles [9.7 km] to the southeast)
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for the Heart Prairie Cemetery
    • Note: The GPS coordinates that we are using for the Heart Prairie Cemetery have been provided by the GNIS.<2> The coordinates still need to be verified.
  • Skoponong Cemetery
    (6 miles [9.7 km] to the east)
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for the Skoponong Cemetery
    • Note: The GPS coordinates that we are using for the Skoponong Cemetery have been provided by the GNIS.<2> The coordinates still need to be verified.
  • Continue List   (253 more) ...
    • Hebron Cemetery
      (6 miles [9.7 km] to the north)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for the Hebron Cemetery
      • Note: The GPS coordinates that we are using for the Hebron Cemetery have been provided by the GNIS.<2> The coordinates still need to be verified.
    • Munroe Cemetery
      (6 miles [9.7 km] to the north)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for the Munroe Cemetery
      • Note: The GPS coordinates that we are using for the Munroe Cemetery have been provided by the GNIS.<2> The coordinates still need to be verified.
    • Richmond Cemetery
      (7 miles [11.3 km] to the south)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for the Richmond Cemetery
      • Note: The GPS coordinates that we are using for the Richmond Cemetery have been provided by the GNIS.<2> The coordinates still need to be verified.

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.<5>

The Rand McNally Atlas shows that Whitewater had a population of 4,359 people in 1895 with a post office and railroad service. In 2020, Whitewater had a population of 14,993 people.

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

  • Cold Spring
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the northwest)
  • Lima Center
    (5 miles [8 km] to the southwest)
  • Heart Prairie
    (6 miles [9.7 km] to the southeast)
  • Hebron
    (6 miles [9.7 km] to the north)
    • Note: The GPS coordinates that we are using for Hebron have been provided by the GNIS.<2> The coordinates still need to be verified.
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hebron
    • Hebron is located in Jefferson County
  • Palmyra
    (7 miles [11.3 km] to the northeast)
    • Note: The GPS coordinates that we are using for Palmyra have been provided by the GNIS.<2> The coordinates still need to be verified.
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Palmyra
    • Palmyra is located in Jefferson County
    • Population from the 2020 Census: 1,746 people
  • Millard
    (8 miles [12.9 km] to the southeast)
    • Note: The GPS coordinates that we are using for Millard have been provided by the GNIS.<2> The coordinates still need to be verified.
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Millard
    • Millard is located in Walworth County
  • Fort Atkinson
    (8 miles [12.9 km] to the northwest)
    • Note: The GPS coordinates that we are using for Fort Atkinson have been provided by the GNIS.<2> The coordinates still need to be verified.
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Fort Atkinson
    • Fort Atkinson is located in Jefferson County
    • Population from the 2020 Census: 12,372 people
  • Little Prairie
    (9 miles [14.5 km] to the east)
  • Koshkonong
    (9 miles [14.5 km] to the west)
    • Note: The GPS coordinates that we are using for Koshkonong have been provided by the GNIS.<2> The coordinates still need to be verified.
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Koshkonong
    • Koshkonong is located in Jefferson County
  • Johnstown
    (10 miles [16.1 km] to the south)
  • Lauderdale
    (10 miles [16.1 km] to the southeast)
    • Note: We haven't been able to verify our GPS coordinates for Lauderdale. Although the coordinates have been estimated, they should be in the vicinity.<1>
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lauderdale
    • Lauderdale is located in Walworth County
    • Google driving directions:
    • From your current location to Lauderdale
    • From Whitewater to Lauderdale
  • Adams
    (10 miles [16.1 km] to the east)
  • Continue List   (16 more) ...
    • Oak Hill
      (10 miles [16.1 km] to the northeast)
      • Note: The GPS coordinates that we are using for Oak Hill have been provided by the GNIS.<2> The coordinates still need to be verified.
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Oak Hill
      • Oak Hill is located in Jefferson County
    • Milton
      (11 miles [17.7 km] to the west)
    • Johnstown Center
      (11 miles [17.7 km] to the southwest)

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

Newspapers Published in the Vicinity of Whitewater ...

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 121 newspapers that have been published in the area around Whitewater.

We have organized these newspapers into two lists:

  • A Local Newspaper List - focusing on the papers published in the immediate area of Whitewater. There are actually two parts to this list - papers printed in the immediate area of Whitewater and those printed in the larger area surrounding Whitewater.
  • An Extended Newspaper List - a longer list, sorted by paper name and containing those papers published within 24 miles [38.6 km]<6> of Whitewater.

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 Whitewater:

The official website for Whitewater: www.ci.whitewater.wi.us/

The official website for Walworth County: www.co.walworth.wi.us/

The official website for State of Wisconsin: https://www.wisconsin.gov/

Footnotes ...

<1>An 'estimated' location is one where we have been given GPS coordinates, but are unable to verify the accuracy of those coordinates. That said, we have some confidence that we have placed the marker near the actual location. A typical reason for being unable to verify a location is that it might be on private property or maybe historic and gone without an obvious trace.
<2>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.
<3>While we're fans and frequent users of TripAdvisor, you should know that we're also members of the TripAdvisor affiliate program.
<4>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.
<5>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 Whitewater, please let us know so that we can improve our accuracy.
<6>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 from Point A (ie- Whitewater) to Point B.Our distance measurements begin at a specific point in Whitewater. The point we use is located at these GPS coordinates - Latitude: 42.8344, Longitude: -88.7336    









 

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This page was last modified/updated: 29 Apr 2025