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 Blue Springs (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 Blue Springs. 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.
Name Variations for Blue Springs ...
When searching records, keep in mind that names and their spelling can change over time. Our sources include documents like maps, railroad schedules, Travel, Express and Shipping Guides. Many of these documents date from the 1800's and it's common to find spelling differences.
For example, a typical abbreviation for Blue Springs: Blue Spgs. (or less commonly used: Blue Spngs. or Blue Sprngs.)
You might be interested in other communities that are also named Blue Springs. More information can be found on our Tidbits & Trivia Page for Blue Springs.
If you have information about these names (such as the reason for the change, date of change, the origin of the name), please Contact Us.
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 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.
Blue Springs is located in Coosa 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 Coosa County: Chilton, Clay, Elmore, Shelby, Talladega & Tallapoosa.
Below are the counties that are near Blue Springs. For each of these counties, we show a sample of those communities that are closest to Blue Springs:
- Coosa County (The home county of Blue Springs)
- The following are listed by their distance from Blue Springs, with the one closest to Blue Springs listed first.
- Aucheucaula ‑ Historic
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the southwest)
- Aucheucaula is located in Coosa County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Aucheucaula
- Weogufka
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the east)
- Weogufka is located in Coosa County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Weogufka
- Stewartville
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the east)
- Stewartville is located in Coosa County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Stewartville
- Dollar
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the south)
- Dollar is located in Coosa County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Dollar
- Mount Olive
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the east)
- Mount Olive is located in Coosa County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mount Olive
- Rockford
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the southeast)
- Hissop
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the southeast)
- Hissop is located in Coosa County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hissop
- Pentonville
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the southeast)
- Pentonville is located in Coosa County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Pentonville
- Goodwater
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the east)
- Cottage Grove
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the southeast)
- Cottage Grove is located in Coosa County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cottage Grove
- Kellyton
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the east)
- Kellyton is located in Coosa County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Kellyton
- Population from the 2020 Census: 208 people
- Nixburg
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the southeast)
- Nixburg is located in Coosa County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Nixburg
- Autauga County
- The following are listed by their distance from Blue Springs, with the one closest to Blue Springs listed first.
- Marbury
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the south)
- White City
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the south)
- White City is located in Autauga County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for White City
- Bibb County
- The following are listed by their distance from Blue Springs, with the one closest to Blue Springs listed first.
- Ashby
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the west)
- Ashby is located in Bibb County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ashby
- Brierfield
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the west)
- Oakley
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the west)
- Oakley is located in Bibb County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Oakley
- Randolph
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the southwest)
- Randolph is located in Bibb County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Randolph
- Tucker
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the southwest)
- Tucker is located in Bibb County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Tucker
- Eddings
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the west)
- Eddings is located in Bibb County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Eddings
- Chilton County
- The following are listed by their distance from Blue Springs, with the one closest to Blue Springs listed first.
- Jumbo
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the southwest)
- Jumbo is located in Chilton County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Jumbo
- Jemison
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the southwest)
- Thorsby
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the southwest)
- Clanton
(18 miles [29 km] to the southwest)
- Verbena
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the south)
- Verbena is located in Chilton County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Verbena
- Mountain Creek
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the south)
- Mountain Creek is located in Chilton County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mountain Creek
- Adams
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the southwest)
- Adams is located in Chilton County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Adams
- Maplesville
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the southwest)
- Clay County
- The following are listed by their distance from Blue Springs, with the one closest to Blue Springs listed first.
- Hollins
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the east)
- Hollins is located in Clay County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hollins
- Chambers Springs
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the northeast)
- Chambers Springs is located in Clay County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Chambers Springs
- Elmore County
- The following are listed by their distance from Blue Springs, with the one closest to Blue Springs listed first.
- Lightwood
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the south)
- Lightwood is located in Elmore County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lightwood
- Titus
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the south)
- Jefferson County
- The following are listed by their distance from Blue Springs, with the one closest to Blue Springs listed first.
- Hoover
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the northwest)
- Cahaba Heights
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the northwest)
- Saint Clair County
- The following are listed by their distance from Blue Springs, with the one closest to Blue Springs listed first.
- Vincent
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the north)
- Fountainrun ‑ Historic
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the north)
- Fountainrun is located in Saint Clair County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Fountainrun
- Shelby County
- The following are listed by their distance from Blue Springs, with the one closest to Blue Springs listed first.
- Merrell Beach
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the northwest)
- Merrell Beach is located in Shelby County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Merrell Beach
- Pine Grove Village
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the west)
- Pine Grove Village is located in Shelby County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Pine Grove Village
- Shelby
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the west)
- Columbiana
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the northwest)
- Wilsonville
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the north)
- Calera
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the west)
- Harpersville
(18 miles [29 km] to the north)
- Westover
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the north)
- Westover is located in Shelby County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Westover
- Population from the 2020 Census: 1,769 people
- Chelsea
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the northwest)
- Saginaw
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the northwest)
- Saginaw is located in Shelby County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Saginaw
- Siluria
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the northwest)
- Siluria is located in Shelby County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Siluria
- Montevallo
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the west)
- Talladega County
- The following are listed by their distance from Blue Springs, with the one closest to Blue Springs listed first.
- Talladega Springs
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the northeast)
- Talladega Springs is located in Talladega County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Talladega Springs
- Population from the 2020 Census: 156 people
- Fayetteville
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the northeast)
- Fayetteville is located in Talladega County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Fayetteville
- Gantts Quarry
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the northeast)
- Gantts Quarry is located in Talladega County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Gantts Quarry
- Oak Grove
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the northeast)
- Oak Grove is located in Talladega County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Oak Grove
- Population from the 2020 Census: 513 people
- Comerdale
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the northeast)
- Comerdale is located in Talladega County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Comerdale
- Mignon
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the northeast)
- Mignon is located in Talladega County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mignon
- Sylacauga
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the northeast)
- Zubers
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the northeast)
- Zubers is located in Talladega County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Zubers
- Bon Air
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the northeast)
- Bon Air is located in Talladega County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bon Air
- Population from the 2020 Census: 109 people
- Childersburg
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the northeast)
- Oldfield
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the northeast)
- Oldfield is located in Talladega County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Oldfield
- Sycamore
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the northeast)
- Sycamore is located in Talladega County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sycamore
For an expanded list of the communities that are closest to Blue Springs, see our County-by-County Page for Blue Springs.
Cemeteries Near Blue Springs ...
Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of Blue Springs.
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 Blue Springs - one of the links might be able to help.
If not found below, our Cemetery List for Blue Springs covers a larger area, with the cemeteries listed in alphabetical order.
The following cemeteries are listed based on their distance from Blue Springs, with the one closest to Blue Springs listed first.
- Blue Springs Cemetery
(Less than 2 miles to the northeast)
- Marble Valley Memorial Cemetery
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the southeast)
- Talladega Springs Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the northeast)
- Ft. Williams Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the north)
- Old Good Hope Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the northwest)
- Williams Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the northwest)
- Old Shelby Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the northwest)
- Gardens of Rest
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the west)
- Duke Cemetery
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the southeast)
- Crumpton Cemetery
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the northwest)
- Brasher Cemetery
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the west)
- Jennings Cemetery
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the southeast)
- Continue List (435 more) ...
- Unity Cemetery
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the southeast)
- Heaslet Cemetery
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the north)
- Beaver Creek Cemetery
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the northwest)
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 Blue Springs in the Atlas, the following 1895 communities would have been found near the current location of Blue Springs.
These communities are listed based on their distance from Blue Springs, with the one closest to Blue Springs listed first.
- Marble Valley
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the southeast)
- Marble Valley is located in Coosa County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Marble Valley
- Talladega Springs
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the northeast)
- Talladega Springs is located in Talladega County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Talladega Springs
- Population from the 2020 Census: 156 people
- Fayetteville
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the northeast)
- Fayetteville is located in Talladega County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Fayetteville
- Shelby
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the west)
- Gold Branch
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the southeast)
- Gold Branch is located in Coosa County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Gold Branch
- Quinsey
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the south)
- Quinsey is located in Coosa County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Quinsey
- Jumbo
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the southwest)
- Jumbo is located in Chilton County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Jumbo
- Weogufka
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the east)
- Weogufka is located in Coosa County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Weogufka
- Columbiana
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the northwest)
- Wilsonville
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the north)
- Moriah
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the southeast)
- Moriah is located in Coosa County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Moriah
- Shelby Springs
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the west)
- Shelby Springs is located in Shelby County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Shelby Springs
- Continue List (14 more) ...
- Dollar
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the south)
- Dollar is located in Coosa County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Dollar
- Stewartville
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the east)
- Stewartville is located in Coosa County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Stewartville
- Bentleyville
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the southeast)
- Bentleyville is located in Coosa County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bentleyville
We've also created an expanded list of communities that existed in the 1890's and were located in the area around Blue Springs. See our List of 1890's Communities around Blue Springs.
Newspapers Published in Blue Springs ...
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 69 newspapers that have been published in the area around Blue Springs.
Although we're unaware of any newspapers that were published in the immediate area of Blue Springs, there are papers which were published within 19 miles [30.6 km]<4>. A list of those papers, sorted by paper name, can be found on the Extended Newspaper List for Blue Springs.
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 Blue Springs:
- Websites specific to Alabama
- Pages specific to Coosa County
- Genealogy information for nearby counties
- Autauga County
- Bibb County
- Chilton County
- Clay County
- Elmore County
- Jefferson County
- Saint Clair County
- Shelby County
- Talladega 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> | 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 Blue Springs, 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' distance. A straight line distance ignores obstructions like rivers, canyons, lakes, et cetera - it's truly a line drawn from Point A (ie- Blue Springs) to Point B. In other words: 'As the crow flies'. |