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 Berlin (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 Berlin. 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 and hospitals 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.
Berlin is located in Dallas 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 Dallas County: Autauga, Chilton, Lowndes, Marengo, Perry & Wilcox.
Below are the counties that are near Berlin. For each of these counties, we show a sample of those communities that are closest to Berlin:
- Dallas County (The home county of Berlin)
- The following are listed by their distance from Berlin, with the one closest to Berlin listed first.
- Sardis
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the northeast)
- Belknap
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the south)
- Belknap is located in Dallas County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Belknap
- Kings
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the south)
- Kings is located in Dallas County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Kings
- Casey
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the northeast)
- Casey is located in Dallas County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Casey
- Cahawba ‑ Historic
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the northwest)
- Cahawba is located in Dallas County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cahawba
- Old Town
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the east)
- Old Town is located in Dallas County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Old Town
- Pleasant Hill
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the southeast)
- Pleasant Hill is located in Dallas County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Pleasant Hill
- Tyler
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the northeast)
- Selma
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the north)
- Sunset Mill Village
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the north)
- Sunset Mill Village is located in Dallas County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sunset Mill Village
- Richmond
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the south)
- Richmond is located in Dallas County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Richmond
- Carlowville
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the south)
- Carlowville is located in Dallas County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Carlowville
- Minter
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the south)
- Minter is located in Dallas County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Minter
- Autauga County
- The following are listed by their distance from Berlin, with the one closest to Berlin listed first.
- Jones Bluff Dam
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the east)
- Jones Bluff Dam is located in Autauga County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Jones Bluff Dam
- Statesville
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the northeast)
- Statesville is located in Autauga County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Statesville
- Fremont
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the north)
- Fremont is located in Autauga County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Fremont
- Jones
(23 miles [37 km] to the north)
- Jones is located in Autauga County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Jones
- Autaugaville
(23 miles [37 km] to the northeast)
- Autaugaville is located in Autauga County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Autaugaville
- Population from the 2020 Census: 882 people
- Vine Hill
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the north)
- Vine Hill is located in Autauga County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Vine Hill
- Independence
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the northeast)
- Independence is located in Autauga County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Independence
- Booth
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the northeast)
- Booth is located in Autauga County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Booth
- Gibbons ‑ Historic
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the northeast)
- Gibbons is located in Autauga County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Gibbons
- Butler County
- Forest Home
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the south)
- Chilton County
- Riderville
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the north)
- Riderville is located in Chilton County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Riderville
- Lowndes County
- The following are listed by their distance from Berlin, with the one closest to Berlin listed first.
- Benton
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the east)
- Benton is located in Lowndes County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Benton
- Population from the 2020 Census: 40 people
- Petronia
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the east)
- Petronia is located in Lowndes County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Petronia
- Collirene
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the southeast)
- Collirene is located in Lowndes County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Collirene
- White Hall
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the east)
- White Hall is located in Lowndes County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for White Hall
- Population from the 2020 Census: 737 people
- Gordonville
(18 miles [29 km] to the southeast)
- Gordonville is located in Lowndes County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Gordonville
- Population from the 2020 Census: 251 people
- Bragg's
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the southeast)
- Bragg's is located in Lowndes County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bragg's
- Mosses
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the east)
- Mosses is located in Lowndes County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mosses
- Population from the 2020 Census: 893 people
- Lowndesboro
(23 miles [37 km] to the east)
- Hayneville
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the east)
- Burkville
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the east)
- Burkville is located in Lowndes County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Burkville
- Marengo County
- Flatwood
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the west)
- Flatwood is located in Marengo County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Flatwood
- Perry County
- The following are listed by their distance from Berlin, with the one closest to Berlin listed first.
- Augustin
(18 miles [29 km] to the north)
- Augustin is located in Perry County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Augustin
- Suttle
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the northwest)
- Suttle is located in Perry County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Suttle
- Vilula
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the northwest)
- Vilula is located in Perry County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Vilula
- Freetown
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the west)
- Freetown is located in Perry County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Freetown
- Wilcox County
- The following are listed by their distance from Berlin, with the one closest to Berlin listed first.
- Ackerville
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the south)
- Ackerville is located in Wilcox County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ackerville
- Furman
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the south)
- Furman is located in Wilcox County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Furman
- Snow Hill
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the south)
- Snow Hill is located in Wilcox County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Snow Hill
- McBrydes
(18 miles [29 km] to the south)
- McBrydes is located in Wilcox County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for McBrydes
- Boykin
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the southwest)
- Boykin is located in Wilcox County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Boykin
- Estelle
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the southwest)
- Estelle is located in Wilcox County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Estelle
- Rehoboth
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the west)
- Rehoboth is located in Wilcox County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rehoboth
- Oak Hill
(23 miles [37 km] to the south)
- Oak Hill is located in Wilcox County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Oak Hill
- Population from the 2020 Census: 23 people
- Alberta
(23 miles [37 km] to the west)
- Alberta is located in Wilcox County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Alberta
- Camden
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the southwest)
- Millers Ferry
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the southwest)
- Millers Ferry is located in Wilcox County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Millers Ferry
- Prairie Bluff ‑ Historic
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the west)
- Prairie Bluff is located in Wilcox County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Prairie Bluff
- Prairie Bluff has also been known as:
- Dale
- Daletown
- Caledonia
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the south)
- Caledonia is located in Wilcox County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Caledonia
For an expanded list of the communities that are closest to Berlin, see our County-by-County Page for Berlin.
Cemeteries Near Berlin ...
Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of Berlin.
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 Berlin - one of the links might be able to help.
If not found below, our Cemetery List for Berlin covers a larger area, with the cemeteries listed in alphabetical order.
The following cemeteries are listed based on their distance from Berlin, with the one closest to Berlin listed first.
- Adams Grove Cemetery
(Less than 2 miles to the northwest)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Adams Grove Cemetery
- To give a relative sense of its location, the Adams Grove Cemetery is located 2 miles [3.2 km]<2> to the southwest of Sardis.
- The Adams Grove Cemetery has also been known as:
- Adams Grove Presbyterian Church Cemetery
- Jump to Find-A-Grave: FG ID #21195 <3>
- Shiloh Cemetery
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the northeast)
- King Cemetery
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the west)
- Mt. Olive Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the east)
- Matthew Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the northwest)
- Mt. Leveton Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the west)
- Cahaba Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the northwest)
- New Cahaba Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the northwest)
- Underwood Cemetery
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the southeast)
- Town Creek Cemetery
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the east)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Town Creek Cemetery
- The Town Creek Cemetery has also been known as:
- Hardy Family Cemetery
- Old Town Creek Baptist Church Cemetery
- Jump to Find-A-Grave: FG ID #26710 <3>
- Moore Cemetery
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the northeast)
- Moore Cemetery
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the northeast)
- Continue List (258 more) ...
- Center Ridge Cemetery
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the southwest)
- Kings Bend Cemetery
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the north)
- Mt. Lebanon Cemetery
(8 miles [12.9 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.<4>
The Rand McNally Atlas shows that Berlin had a population of 29 people in 1895 with a post office and railroad service.
These communities are listed based on their distance from Berlin, with the one closest to Berlin listed first.
- Belknap
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the south)
- Belknap is located in Dallas County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Belknap
- Kings
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the south)
- Kings is located in Dallas County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Kings
- King's Landing
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the west)
- King's Landing is located in Dallas County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for King's Landing
- Pleasant Hill Station
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the south)
- Cahawba ‑ Historic
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the northwest)
- Cahawba is located in Dallas County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cahawba
- Polk
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the east)
- Polk is located in Dallas County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Polk
- Pleasant Hill
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the southeast)
- Pleasant Hill is located in Dallas County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Pleasant Hill
- Tyler
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the northeast)
- Richmond
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the south)
- Richmond is located in Dallas County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Richmond
- Dawson's
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the south)
- Dawson's is located in Dallas County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Dawson's
- Selma
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the north)
- Tasso
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the west)
- Tasso is located in Dallas County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Tasso
- Continue List (17 more) ...
- Portland ‑ Historic
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the southwest)
- Portland is located in Dallas County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Portland
- Carlowville
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the south)
- Carlowville is located in Dallas County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Carlowville
- Benton
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the east)
- Benton is located in Lowndes County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Benton
- Population from the 2020 Census: 40 people
We've also created an expanded list of communities that existed in the 1890's and were located in the area around Berlin. See our List of 1890's Communities around Berlin.
Newspapers Published in Berlin ...
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 36 newspapers that have been published in the area around Berlin.
Although we're unaware of any newspapers that were published in the immediate area of Berlin, there are papers which were published within 26 miles [41.8 km]<2>. A list of those papers, sorted by paper name, can be found on the Extended Newspaper List for Berlin.
Websites to Help With Your Genealogy Research ...
When we do our genealogical research, we first visit 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 Berlin:
- Websites specific to Alabama
- Pages specific to Dallas County
- Genealogy information for nearby counties
- Autauga County
- Butler County
- Chilton County
- Lowndes County
- Marengo County
- Perry County
- Wilcox County
- Cemetery Information and Directories for Alabama
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 obstructions like rivers, canyons, lakes, et cetera - it's truly a line from Point A (ie- Berlin) 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 Berlin, please let us know so that we can improve our accuracy. |