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 Bridgeton (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 Bridgeton. 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 northwest corner of their home county. During their lives, most hospitals and doctors were in the next county to the west. 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 west 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.
Bridgeton is located in Shelby 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 Shelby County: Bibb, Chilton, Coosa, Jefferson, Saint Clair & Talladega.
Below are the counties that are near Bridgeton. For each of these counties, we show a sample of those communities that are closest to Bridgeton:
- Shelby County (The home county of Bridgeton)
- The following are listed by their distance from Bridgeton, with the one closest to Bridgeton listed first.
- Lake Purdy
(Less than 2 miles to the southwest)
- Lake Purdy is located in Shelby County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lake Purdy
- Shoal Creek
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the east)
- Shoal Creek is located in Shelby County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Shoal Creek
- Meadowbrook
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the southwest)
- Meadowbrook is located in Shelby County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Meadowbrook
- Inverness
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the southwest)
- Inverness is located in Shelby County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Inverness
- Dunavant
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the northeast)
- Dunavant is located in Shelby County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Dunavant
- Chelsea
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the south)
- Indian Springs Village
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the southwest)
- Indian Springs Village is located in Shelby County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Indian Springs Village
- Population from the 2020 Census: 2,628 people
- Vandiver
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the east)
- Dunnavant
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the northeast)
- Dunnavant is located in Shelby County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Dunnavant
- Westover
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the southeast)
- Westover is located in Shelby County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Westover
- Population from the 2020 Census: 1,769 people
- Sterrett
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the east)
- Pelham
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the southwest)
- Calcis
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the east)
- Calcis is located in Shelby County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Calcis
- Bibb County
- The following are listed by their distance from Bridgeton, with the one closest to Bridgeton listed first.
- Eddings
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the southwest)
- Eddings is located in Bibb County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Eddings
- Cane Creek ‑ Historic
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the southwest)
- Cane Creek is located in Bibb County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cane Creek
- Green Pond
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the southwest)
- Blount County
- The following are listed by their distance from Bridgeton, with the one closest to Bridgeton listed first.
- Dale ‑ Historic
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the north)
- Dale is located in Blount County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Dale
- Compton
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the north)
- Compton is located in Blount County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Compton
- Remlap
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the north)
- County Line
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the north)
- County Line is located in Blount County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for County Line
- Population from the 2020 Census: 241 people
- Selfville
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the north)
- Selfville is located in Blount County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Selfville
- Warrior
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the north)
- Dallas
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the north)
- Dallas is located in Blount County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Dallas
- Adville
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the north)
- Adville is located in Blount County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Adville
- Locust Fork
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the north)
- Coosa County
- Aucheucaula ‑ Historic
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the south)
- Aucheucaula is located in Coosa County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Aucheucaula
- Jefferson County
- The following are listed by their distance from Bridgeton, with the one closest to Bridgeton listed first.
- Cahaba Landing
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the north)
- Cahaba Landing is located in Jefferson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cahaba Landing
- Cahaba Heights
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the west)
- Mountain Brook
(5 miles [8 km] to the northwest)
- Irondale
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the north)
- Rock Ridge
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the north)
- Rock Ridge is located in Jefferson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rock Ridge
- Weems
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the north)
- Weems is located in Jefferson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Weems
- Cedar Grove ‑ Historic
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the northeast)
- Cedar Grove is located in Jefferson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cedar Grove
- English Village
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the northwest)
- English Village is located in Jefferson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for English Village
- Marks Village
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the northwest)
- Marks Village is located in Jefferson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Marks Village
- Mountain Brook Village
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the west)
- Vestavia Hills
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the west)
- Avondale
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the northwest)
- Avondale is located in Jefferson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Avondale
- Gate City
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the northwest)
- Gate City is located in Jefferson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Gate City
- Saint Clair County
- The following are listed by their distance from Bridgeton, with the one closest to Bridgeton listed first.
- Woodland Village
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the northeast)
- Woodland Village is located in Saint Clair County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Woodland Village
- Moody
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the northeast)
- Moody is located in Saint Clair County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Moody
- Population from the 2020 Census: 13,292 people
- Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Moody <1>
- Vincent
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the east)
- Brompton
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the northeast)
- Brompton is located in Saint Clair County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Brompton
- Acmar
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the northeast)
- Acmar is located in Saint Clair County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Acmar
- Parsons
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the northeast)
- Parsons is located in Saint Clair County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Parsons
- Cook's Springs
(18 miles [29 km] to the northeast)
- Cook's Springs is located in Saint Clair County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cook's Springs
- Fountainrun ‑ Historic
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the east)
- Fountainrun is located in Saint Clair County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Fountainrun
- Argo
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the northeast)
- Argo is located in Saint Clair County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Argo
- Population from the 2020 Census: 4,278 people
- Margaret
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the northeast)
- Turnbough Town
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the northeast)
- Turnbough Town is located in Saint Clair County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Turnbough Town
- Easonville ‑ Historic
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the east)
- Easonville is located in Saint Clair County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Easonville
- Odenville
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the northeast)
- Talladega County
- The following are listed by their distance from Bridgeton, with the one closest to Bridgeton listed first.
- East Bend
(18 miles [29 km] to the east)
- East Bend is located in Talladega County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for East Bend
- Logan Martin Dam
(18 miles [29 km] to the east)
- Logan Martin Dam is located in Talladega County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Logan Martin Dam
- Childersburg
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the southeast)
- Bon Air
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the southeast)
- Bon Air is located in Talladega County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bon Air
- Population from the 2020 Census: 109 people
- Alpine
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the east)
- Nottingham ‑ Historic
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the east)
- Nottingham is located in Talladega County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Nottingham
- Former name for Nottingham:
- Jones Camp Ground
- Fayetteville
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the southeast)
- Fayetteville is located in Talladega County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Fayetteville
- Talladega Springs
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the southeast)
- Talladega Springs is located in Talladega County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Talladega Springs
- Population from the 2020 Census: 156 people
- Zubers
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the southeast)
- Zubers is located in Talladega County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Zubers
- Comerdale
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the southeast)
- Comerdale is located in Talladega County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Comerdale
- Colony
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the east)
- Colony is located in Talladega County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Colony
- Windsong Island
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the east)
- Windsong Island is located in Talladega County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Windsong Island
- Oak Grove
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the southeast)
- Oak Grove is located in Talladega County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Oak Grove
- Population from the 2020 Census: 513 people
- Tuscaloosa County
- The following are listed by their distance from Bridgeton, with the one closest to Bridgeton listed first.
- Tannehill
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the southwest)
- Tannehill is located in Tuscaloosa County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Tannehill
- Lake View
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the southwest)
- Lake View is located in Tuscaloosa County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lake View
- Population from the 2020 Census: 2,732 people
- Walker County
- The following are listed by their distance from Bridgeton, with the one closest to Bridgeton listed first.
- Quinton
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the northwest)
- Twilley Town
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the northwest)
- Twilley Town is located in Walker County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Twilley Town
- Yerkwood
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the northwest)
- Yerkwood is located in Walker County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Yerkwood
- Burnwell
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the northwest)
- Burnwell is located in Walker County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Burnwell
- Oakahalla
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the northwest)
- Oakahalla is located in Walker County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Oakahalla
- Reeds Ferry
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the northwest)
- Reeds Ferry is located in Walker County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Reeds Ferry
- Wyatt
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the northwest)
- Wyatt is located in Walker County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Wyatt
For an expanded list of the communities that are closest to Bridgeton, see our County-by-County Page for Bridgeton.
Cemeteries Near Bridgeton ...
Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of Bridgeton.
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 Bridgeton - one of the links might be able to help.
If not found below, our Cemetery List for Bridgeton covers a larger area, with the cemeteries listed in alphabetical order.
The following cemeteries are listed based on their distance from Bridgeton, with the one closest to Bridgeton listed first.
- Harris Cemetery
(Less than 2 miles to the southwest)
- Bold Springs Cemetery
(Less than 2 miles to the north)
- Oak Grove Cemetery
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the southwest)
- McDaniel Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the southwest)
- Brashers Chapel Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the southeast)
- Brasher Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the southeast)
- Mt. Hebron Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the northeast)
- Cahaba Heights Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the west)
- Wise Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the west)
- Allen Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the southwest)
- Shady Grove Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the south)
- Overton Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the southeast)
- Continue List (334 more) ...
- Bass Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the northwest)
- Kendrix Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the east)
- Pleasant Ridge Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the northeast)
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.<2>
The Rand McNally Atlas shows that Bridgeton had a population of 110 people in 1895 with a post office and no railroad service.
These communities are listed based on their distance from Bridgeton, with the one closest to Bridgeton listed first.
- Irondale
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the north)
- Ruffner
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the north)
- Ruffner is located in Jefferson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ruffner
- Weems
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the north)
- Weems is located in Jefferson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Weems
- Rock Ridge
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the north)
- Rock Ridge is located in Jefferson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rock Ridge
- Vandiver
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the east)
- Gate City
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the northwest)
- Gate City is located in Jefferson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Gate City
- Dunnavant
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the northeast)
- Dunnavant is located in Shelby County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Dunnavant
- McCombs
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the north)
- McCombs is located in Jefferson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for McCombs
- Woodlawn
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the northwest)
- Woodlawn is located in Jefferson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Woodlawn
- Avondale
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the northwest)
- Avondale is located in Jefferson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Avondale
- East Lake
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the northwest)
- East Lake is located in Jefferson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for East Lake
- Leeds
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the northeast)
- Continue List (16 more) ...
- East Birmingham
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the northwest)
- East Birmingham is located in Jefferson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for East Birmingham
- Huffman
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the north)
- Huffman is located in Jefferson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Huffman
- Pelham
(10 miles [16.1 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 Bridgeton. See our List of 1890's Communities around Bridgeton.
Newspapers Published in Bridgeton ...
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 3 newspapers that have been published in the area around Bridgeton.
Although we're unaware of any newspapers that were published in the immediate area of Bridgeton, there are papers which were published within 8 miles [12.9 km]<3>. A list of those papers, sorted by paper name, can be found on the Extended Newspaper List for Bridgeton.
Websites to Help With Your Genealogy Research ...
When we do our genealogical research, we begin with the websites from Cyndi's List, FamilySearch and Genealogy Trails. These professional and volunteer 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 Bridgeton:
- Websites specific to Alabama
- Pages specific to Shelby County
- Genealogy information for nearby counties
- Bibb County
- Blount County
- Coosa County
- Jefferson County
- Saint Clair County
- Talladega County
- Tuscaloosa County
- Walker 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> | 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 Bridgeton, please let us know so that we can improve our accuracy. |
| <3> | 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 from Point A (ie- Bridgeton) to Point B. In other words: 'As the crow flies'. |