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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 Bankhead (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 Bankhead. 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.

Bankhead is located in DeKalb 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 DeKalb County: Cherokee, Etowah, Jackson, Marshall, Chattooga (GA), Dade (GA) & Walker (GA).

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

  • DeKalb County     (The home county of Bankhead)
  • Cherokee County
  • Jackson County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Bankhead, with the one closest to Bankhead listed first.
    • Central
      (15 miles [24.1 km] to the northwest)
    • Flat Rock
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the northwest)
    • Pisgah
      (18 miles [29 km] to the northwest)
    • Higdon
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the north)
    • Dutton
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the west)
    • Gray ‑ Historic
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the west)
      • Gray is located in Jackson County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Gray
    • Eliza
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the north)
    • Rock City
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the west)
      • Rock City is located in Jackson County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rock City
    • Ferncliff ‑ Historic
      (23 miles [37 km] to the west)
      • Ferncliff is located in Jackson County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ferncliff
    • Bellefonte ‑ Historic
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the northwest)
    • Section
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the west)
    • Fackler
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the northwest)
      • Fackler is located in Jackson County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Fackler
  • Catoosa County (GA)
  • Chattooga County (GA)
    • The following are listed by their distance from Bankhead, with the one closest to Bankhead listed first.
    • Cloudland
      (4 miles [6.4 km] to the southeast)
    • Menlo
      (6 miles [9.7 km] to the southeast)
      • Menlo is located in Chattooga County (GA)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Menlo
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 454 people
      • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Menlo <1>
    • Euthtilloga ‑ Historic
      (10 miles [16.1 km] to the east)
      • Euthtilloga is located in Chattooga County (GA)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Euthtilloga
      • Population from the 2010 Census: 29,011 people
    • Berryton
      (12 miles [19.3 km] to the southeast)
    • Summerville
      (12 miles [19.3 km] to the southeast)
    • Pennville
      (13 miles [20.9 km] to the east)
    • Trion
      (13 miles [20.9 km] to the east)
    • Lyerly
      (13 miles [20.9 km] to the southeast)
      • Lyerly is located in Chattooga County (GA)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lyerly
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 519 people
      • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Lyerly <1>
    • Taliaferro ‑ Historic
      (15 miles [24.1 km] to the southeast)
      • Taliaferro is located in Chattooga County (GA)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Taliaferro
      • Estimated population in 2019: 71 people
    • Chattoogaville
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the southeast)
    • Zula ‑ Historic
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the east)
      • Zula is located in Chattooga County (GA)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Zula
  • Dade County (GA)
    • The following are listed by their distance from Bankhead, with the one closest to Bankhead listed first.
    • Rising Fawn
      (13 miles [20.9 km] to the north)
    • Stewart Town
      (18 miles [29 km] to the north)
      • Stewart Town is located in Dade County (GA)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Stewart Town
    • Trenton
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the north)
    • Morganville
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the north)
      • Morganville is located in Dade County (GA)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Morganville
      • Estimated population in 2019: 1,835 people
    • Cole City
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the north)
      • Cole City is located in Dade County (GA)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cole City
      • Population from the 2010 Census: 127 people
    • Wildwood
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the north)
  • Floyd County (GA)
  • Gordon County (GA)
  • Walker County (GA)
    • The following are listed by their distance from Bankhead, with the one closest to Bankhead listed first.
    • Bronco
      (13 miles [20.9 km] to the northeast)
      • Bronco is located in Walker County (GA)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bronco
      • Estimated population in 2019: 367 people
    • Martindale
      (14 miles [22.5 km] to the east)
      • Martindale is located in Walker County (GA)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Martindale
      • Population from the 2010 Census: 35,795 people
    • Cassandra
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the northeast)
    • Kensington
      (18 miles [29 km] to the northeast)
    • LaFayette
      (18 miles [29 km] to the northeast)
    • Linwood
      (18 miles [29 km] to the northeast)
      • Linwood is located in Walker County (GA)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Linwood
    • Durham
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the north)
      • Durham is located in Walker County (GA)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Durham
      • Population from the 2010 Census: 1,257 people
    • Thompsonville
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the north)
      • Thompsonville is located in Walker County (GA)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Thompsonville
      • Estimated population in 2019: 6,528 people
    • Rock Spring
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the northeast)
    • Furnace ‑ Historic
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the east)
    • Villanow
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the east)
    • Chickamauga
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the northeast)
  • Whitfield County (GA)
    • Gordon Springs ‑ Historic
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the northeast)
      • Gordon Springs is located in Whitfield County (GA)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Gordon Springs
  • Marion County (TN)
    • The following are listed by their distance from Bankhead, with the one closest to Bankhead listed first.
    • Whiteside
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the north)
    • Vulcan
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the north)
      • Vulcan is located in Marion County (TN)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Vulcan

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

Cemeteries Near Bankhead ...

Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of Bankhead.

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

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

The following cemeteries are listed based on their distance from Bankhead, with the one closest to Bankhead 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>

The Rand McNally Atlas shows that in 1895, Bankhead had a post office and no railroad service.

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

  • Mentone
    (2 miles [3.2 km] to the northwest)
  • Valley Head
    (3 miles [4.8 km] to the west)
  • Cordell ‑ Historic
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the southwest)
    • Cordell is located in DeKalb County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cordell
  • Kaolin
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the north)
  • Menlo
    (6 miles [9.7 km] to the southeast)
    • Menlo is located in Chattooga County (GA)
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Menlo
    • Population from the 2020 Census: 454 people
    • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Menlo <1>
  • Chelsea
    (6 miles [9.7 km] to the east)
    • Chelsea is located in Chattooga County (GA)
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Chelsea
  • Chesterfield
    (8 miles [12.9 km] to the south)
    • Chesterfield is located in Cherokee County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Chesterfield
  • Alpine
    (8 miles [12.9 km] to the southeast)
    • Alpine is located in Chattooga County (GA)
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Alpine
  • Fairview ‑ Historic
    (8 miles [12.9 km] to the southeast)
    • Fairview is located in Chattooga County (GA)
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Fairview
  • Sulphur Springs
    (9 miles [14.5 km] to the north)
    • Sulphur Springs is located in DeKalb County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sulphur Springs
  • Grover
    (10 miles [16.1 km] to the south)
  • Snake Creek ‑ Historic
    (10 miles [16.1 km] to the west)
    • Snake Creek is located in DeKalb County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Snake Creek
  • Continue List   (14 more) ...
    • Jamestown
      (11 miles [17.7 km] to the south)
      • Jamestown is located in Cherokee County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Jamestown
    • New Moon
      (11 miles [17.7 km] to the south)
    • Ider
      (11 miles [17.7 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 Bankhead. See our List of 1890's Communities around Bankhead.

Newspapers Published in Bankhead ...

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 22 newspapers that have been published in the area around Bankhead.

Although we're unaware of any newspapers that were published in the immediate area of Bankhead, there are papers which were published within 18 miles [29 km]<2>. A list of those papers, sorted by paper name, can be found on the Extended Newspaper List for Bankhead.

Websites to Help With Your Genealogy Research ...

When we do our genealogical research, we first turn to 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 Bankhead:

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 'point-to-point' distance. A straight line distance ignores obstructions like rivers, canyons, lakes, et cetera - it's truly a line from Point A (ie- Bankhead) 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 Bankhead, please let us know so that we can improve our accuracy.