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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 Appalachian (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 Appalachian. 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.

Appalachian is located in Blount County.

To see how the shape of Alabama's counties may have changed over time, we recommend the Atlas of Historical County Boundaries.

The following counties adjoin and form the boundaries of Blount County: Cullman, Etowah, Jefferson, Marshall, Saint Clair, Walker & Winston.

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

  • Blount County     (The home county of Appalachian)
    • The following are listed by their distance from Appalachian, with the one closest to Appalachian listed first.
    • Straight Mountain
      (Less than 2 miles to the southeast)
      • Straight Mountain is also located in Blount County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Straight Mountain
    • Highland Lake
      (Less than 2 miles to the west)
      • Highland Lake is also located in Blount County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Highland Lake
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 410 people
    • Taits Gap
      (5 miles [8 km] to the north)
    • Oneonta
      (5 miles [8 km] to the northwest)
    • Allgood
      (6 miles [9.7 km] to the west)
      • Allgood is also located in Blount County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Allgood
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 638 people
    • Hoods Crossroads
      (7 miles [11.3 km] to the north)
      • Hoods Crossroads is also located in Blount County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hoods Crossroads
    • Bird ‑ Historic
      (9 miles [14.5 km] to the north)
      • Bird was located in Blount County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bird
    • Rosa
      (9 miles [14.5 km] to the northwest)
      • Rosa is also located in Blount County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rosa
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 324 people
    • Deavers
      (10 miles [16.1 km] to the west)
      • Deavers is also located in Blount County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Deavers
    • Little Warrior
      (11 miles [17.7 km] to the west)
    • Fridays Crossing
      (12 miles [19.3 km] to the north)
    • Cleveland
      (12 miles [19.3 km] to the northwest)
  • Calhoun County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Appalachian, with the one closest to Appalachian listed first.
    • Southside
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the east)
    • Macon
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the southeast)
    • Cochran Springs
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the east)
    • Ohatchee
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the east)
    • Bruner ‑ Historic
      (23 miles [37 km] to the southeast)
      • Bruner was located in Calhoun County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bruner
    • Boozer ‑ Historic
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the southeast)
      • Boozer was located in Calhoun County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Boozer
    • Beasley ‑ Historic
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the east)
      • Beasley was located in Calhoun County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Beasley
    • Grayton
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the east)
    • Oak Level
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the east)
    • Cane Creek ‑ Historic
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the southeast)
      • Cane Creek was located in Calhoun County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cane Creek
    • Chigger Ridge ‑ Historic
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the east)
      • Chigger Ridge was located in Calhoun County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Chigger Ridge
    • Douthrittville ‑ Historic
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the east)
      • Douthrittville was located in Calhoun County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Douthrittville
  • Cullman County
  • DeKalb County
  • Etowah County
  • Jefferson County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Appalachian, with the one closest to Appalachian listed first.
    • Ayres
      (14 miles [22.5 km] to the southwest)
    • Village Springs
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the southwest)
      • Village Springs is located in Jefferson County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Village Springs
    • Clay
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the southwest)
    • Palmerdale
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the southwest)
    • Masseyline
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the west)
      • Masseyline is located in Jefferson County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Masseyline
    • Bradford
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the southwest)
    • Breakstone Village
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the southwest)
      • Breakstone Village is located in Jefferson County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Breakstone Village
    • East Trussville ‑ Historic
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the southwest)
      • East Trussville was located in Jefferson County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for East Trussville
    • Pinson
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the southwest)
    • Trafford
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the west)
    • Cahaba Village
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the southwest)
      • Cahaba Village is located in Jefferson County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cahaba Village
    • Chalkville
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the southwest)
  • Marshall County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Appalachian, with the one closest to Appalachian listed first.
    • Reedbrake ‑ Historic
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the north)
      • Reedbrake was located in Marshall County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Reedbrake
    • Douglas
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the north)
      • Douglas is located in Marshall County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Douglas
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 780 people
    • Whitesville
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the northeast)
    • Bartlett ‑ Historic
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the north)
      • Bartlett was located in Marshall County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bartlett
    • Horton
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the north)
    • Big Spring ‑ Historic
      (23 miles [37 km] to the north)
      • Big Spring was located in Marshall County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Big Spring
    • Bowen ‑ Historic
      (23 miles [37 km] to the north)
      • Bowen was located in Marshall County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bowen
    • Hyatt
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the north)
    • Boaz
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the northeast)
    • Askea Grove
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the north)
    • Street ‑ Historic
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the north)
      • Street was located in Marshall County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Street
    • Albertville
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the north)
  • Saint Clair County
  • Shelby County
  • Talladega County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Appalachian, with the one closest to Appalachian listed first.
    • Colony
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the southeast)
      • Colony is located in Talladega County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Colony
    • Lincoln
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the southeast)
    • Windsong Island
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the southeast)

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

Cemeteries Near Appalachian ...

Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of Appalachian.

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

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

The following cemeteries are listed based on their distance from Appalachian, with the one closest to Appalachian 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.<4>

While we didn't find Appalachian in the Atlas, the following 1895 communities would have been found near the current location of Appalachian.

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

  • Champion
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the northwest)
    • Champion is also located in Blount County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Champion
  • Caldwell
    (5 miles [8 km] to the southeast)
    • Caldwell is located in Saint Clair County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Caldwell
  • Oneonta
    (5 miles [8 km] to the northwest)
  • Chepultepec
    (5 miles [8 km] to the west)
    • Chepultepec is also located in Blount County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Chepultepec
  • Whitney
    (6 miles [9.7 km] to the east)
    • Whitney is located in Saint Clair County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Whitney
  • Springville
    (8 miles [12.9 km] to the southwest)
  • Ashville
    (8 miles [12.9 km] to the southeast)
  • Viola ‑ Historic
    (9 miles [14.5 km] to the west)
    • Viola was located in Blount County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Viola
  • Nix ‑ Historic
    (9 miles [14.5 km] to the northeast)
    • Nix was located in Etowah County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Nix
  • Bird ‑ Historic
    (9 miles [14.5 km] to the north)
    • Bird was located in Blount County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bird
  • Clear Springs ‑ Historic
    (10 miles [16.1 km] to the northeast)
    • Clear Springs was located in Etowah County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Clear Springs
  • Gallant
    (11 miles [17.7 km] to the northeast)
  • Continue List   (18 more) ...

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

Newspapers Published in Appalachian ...

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 25 newspapers that have been published in the area around Appalachian.

Although we're unaware of any newspapers that were published in the immediate area of Appalachian, there are papers which were published within 17 miles [27.4 km]<2>. A list of those papers, sorted by paper name, can be found on the Extended Newspaper List for Appalachian.

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 Appalachian:

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' (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- Appalachian) 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 Appalachian, please let us know so that we can improve our accuracy.