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 Center West (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 Center West. 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.
Center West is located in Randolph 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 Randolph County: Chambers, Clay, Cleburne, Tallapoosa, Carroll (GA), Heard (GA) & Troup (GA).
Below are the counties that are near Center West. For each of these counties, we show a sample of those communities that are closest to Center West:
- Randolph County (The home county of Center West)
- The following are listed by their distance from Center West, with the one closest to Center West listed first.
- Christiana
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the south)
- Christiana is located in Randolph County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Christiana
- Milner
(5 miles [8 km] to the southeast)
- Milner is located in Randolph County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Milner
- Morrison Crossroad
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the east)
- Morrison Crossroad is located in Randolph County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Morrison Crossroad
- Ofelia
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the south)
- Ofelia is located in Randolph County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ofelia
- Rockdale
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the southeast)
- Rockdale is located in Randolph County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rockdale
- Cambridge
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the east)
- Cambridge is located in Randolph County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cambridge
- Newell
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the east)
- Newell is located in Randolph County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Newell
- Wedowee
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the southeast)
- Woodland
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the east)
- Corbin
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the southeast)
- Corbin is located in Randolph County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Corbin
- Malone Ferry
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the south)
- Malone Ferry is located in Randolph County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Malone Ferry
- West
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the southeast)
- West is located in Randolph County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for West
- Graham
(18 miles [29 km] to the east)
- Graham is located in Randolph County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Graham
- Calhoun County
- The following are listed by their distance from Center West, with the one closest to Center West listed first.
- Friendship
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the northwest)
- Friendship is located in Calhoun County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Friendship
- De Armanville
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the northwest)
- De Armanville is located in Calhoun County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for De Armanville
- Choccolocco
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the north)
- Choccolocco is located in Calhoun County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Choccolocco
- Iron City
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the north)
- Iron City is located in Calhoun County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Iron City
- Chinnabee ‑ Historic
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the northwest)
- Chinnabee is located in Calhoun County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Chinnabee
- Oxford
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the northwest)
- Hobson City
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the northwest)
- Hobson City is located in Calhoun County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hobson City
- Population from the 2020 Census: 749 people
- Anniston
(18 miles [29 km] to the northwest)
- Oxanna
(18 miles [29 km] to the northwest)
- Oxanna is located in Calhoun County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Oxanna
- Fort McClellan ‑ Historic
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the north)
- Fort McClellan is located in Calhoun County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Fort McClellan
- Blue Mountain
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the northwest)
- Blue Mountain is located in Calhoun County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Blue Mountain
- Cobb Town
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the northwest)
- Cobb Town is located in Calhoun County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cobb Town
- Eulaton
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the northwest)
- Eulaton is located in Calhoun County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Eulaton
- Chambers County
- The following are listed by their distance from Center West, with the one closest to Center West listed first.
- Abanda
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the south)
- Abanda is located in Chambers County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Abanda
- Red Level
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the south)
- Red Level is located in Chambers County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Red Level
- Clackville
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the southeast)
- Clackville is located in Chambers County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Clackville
- Doublehead
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the southeast)
- Doublehead is located in Chambers County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Doublehead
- Milltown
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the south)
- Milltown is located in Chambers County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Milltown
- Clay County
- The following are listed by their distance from Center West, with the one closest to Center West listed first.
- Delta
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the west)
- Haynes Crossroad
(5 miles [8 km] to the west)
- Haynes Crossroad is located in Clay County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Haynes Crossroad
- Barfield
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the southwest)
- Barfield is located in Clay County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Barfield
- Elder
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the west)
- Elder is located in Clay County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Elder
- Lineville
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the southwest)
- Cragford
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the south)
- Ashland
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the southwest)
- Ashland is located in Clay County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ashland
- Population from the 2020 Census: 1,872 people
- Erin
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the west)
- Erin is located in Clay County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Erin
- Mellow Valley
(18 miles [29 km] to the south)
- Mellow Valley is located in Clay County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mellow Valley
- Harkins Crossroads
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the southwest)
- Harkins Crossroads is located in Clay County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Harkins Crossroads
- Motley
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the south)
- Motley is located in Clay County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Motley
- Millerville
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the southwest)
- Millerville is located in Clay County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Millerville
- Chambers Springs
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the southwest)
- Chambers Springs is located in Clay County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Chambers Springs
- Cleburne County
- The following are listed by their distance from Center West, with the one closest to Center West listed first.
- Hollis Crossroads
(5 miles [8 km] to the north)
- Hollis Crossroads is located in Cleburne County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hollis Crossroads
- Micaville
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the northeast)
- Micaville is located in Cleburne County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Micaville
- Abel
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the northwest)
- Abel is located in Cleburne County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Abel
- Heflin
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the north)
- Hightower
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the northeast)
- Hightower is located in Cleburne County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hightower
- Ranburne
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the east)
- Ai
(18 miles [29 km] to the northeast)
- Ai is located in Cleburne County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ai
- Edwardsville
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the north)
- Edwardsville is located in Cleburne County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Edwardsville
- Population from the 2020 Census: 201 people
- Hopewell
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the northeast)
- Hopewell is located in Cleburne County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hopewell
- Fruithurst
(23 miles [37 km] to the northeast)
- Fruithurst is located in Cleburne County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Fruithurst
- Population from the 2020 Census: 284 people
- Muscadine
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the northeast)
- Muscadine is located in Cleburne County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Muscadine
- Grantley
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the north)
- Grantley is located in Cleburne County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Grantley
- Oak Level
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the north)
- Oak Level is located in Cleburne County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Oak Level
- Talladega County
- The following are listed by their distance from Center West, with the one closest to Center West listed first.
- Kentuck
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the northwest)
- Kentuck is located in Talladega County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Kentuck
- Silver Run
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the northwest)
- Silver Run is located in Talladega County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Silver Run
- Coldwater
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the northwest)
- Coldwater is located in Talladega County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Coldwater
- Grant Town
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the west)
- Grant Town is located in Talladega County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Grant Town
- Ironaton
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the west)
- Ironaton is located in Talladega County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ironaton
- McElderry
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the west)
- McElderry is located in Talladega County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for McElderry
- Munford
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the west)
- Chandler Springs
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the west)
- Chandler Springs is located in Talladega County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Chandler Springs
- Waldo
(23 miles [37 km] to the west)
- Waldo is located in Talladega County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Waldo
- Population from the 2020 Census: 272 people
- Talladega
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the west)
- Lincoln
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the west)
- Tallapoosa County
- The following are listed by their distance from Center West, with the one closest to Center West listed first.
- Truett
(23 miles [37 km] to the south)
- Truett is located in Tallapoosa County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Truett
- Emuckfaw
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the south)
- Emuckfaw is located in Tallapoosa County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Emuckfaw
- Daviston
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the south)
- Goldville
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the south)
- Goldville is located in Tallapoosa County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Goldville
- Population from the 2020 Census: 54 people
- Frog Eye
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the south)
- Frog Eye is located in Tallapoosa County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Frog Eye
- New Site
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the south)
- New Site is located in Tallapoosa County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for New Site
- Population from the 2020 Census: 755 people
- Cowpens
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the south)
- Cowpens is located in Tallapoosa County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cowpens
- Carroll County (GA)
- The following are listed by their distance from Center West, with the one closest to Center West listed first.
- Bowdon
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the east)
- Jonesville
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the east)
- Jonesville is located in Carroll County (GA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Jonesville
- Tyus
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the east)
- Tyus is located in Carroll County (GA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Tyus
- Estimated population in 2019: 3,525 people
- Jake
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the northeast)
- Jake is located in Carroll County (GA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Jake
- Estimated population in 2019: 146 people
- Roopville
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the east)
- Mount Zion
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the northeast)
- Fairlawn Estates
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the east)
- Fairlawn Estates is located in Carroll County (GA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Fairlawn Estates
- Estimated population in 2019: 736 people
- Haralson County (GA)
- The following are listed by their distance from Center West, with the one closest to Center West listed first.
- Tallapoosa
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the northeast)
- Budapest
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the northeast)
- Budapest is located in Haralson County (GA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Budapest
- Heard County (GA)
- The following are listed by their distance from Center West, with the one closest to Center West listed first.
- Ephesus
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the east)
- Ephesus is located in Heard County (GA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ephesus
- Population from the 2020 Census: 459 people
- Yates Crossroads
(23 miles [37 km] to the east)
- Yates Crossroads is located in Heard County (GA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Yates Crossroads
- Estimated population in 2019: 360 people
- Frolona
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the east)
- Frolona is located in Heard County (GA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Frolona
- Roosterville
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the east)
- Roosterville is located in Heard County (GA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Roosterville
- O'Neals Crossroad
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the southeast)
- O'Neals Crossroad is located in Heard County (GA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for O'Neals Crossroad
- Centralhatchee
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the east)
- Centralhatchee is located in Heard County (GA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Centralhatchee
- Population from the 2020 Census: 377 people
For an expanded list of the communities that are closest to Center West, see our County-by-County Page for Center West.
Cemeteries Near Center West ...
Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of Center West.
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 Center West - one of the links might be able to help.
If not found below, our Cemetery List for Center West covers a larger area, with the cemeteries listed in alphabetical order.
The following cemeteries are listed based on their distance from Center West, with the one closest to Center West listed first.
- Shiloh Cemetery
(Less than 2 miles to the west)
- Mt. Moriah Cemetery
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the southwest)
- Corinth Cemetery
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the northeast)
- Fowler Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the southeast)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Fowler Cemetery
- To give a relative sense of its location, the Fowler Cemetery is located 9 miles [14.5 km]<2> to the northwest of Wedowee.
- Jump to Find-A-Grave: FG ID #22867 <3>
- Delta Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the west)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Delta Cemetery
- To give a relative sense of its location, the Delta Cemetery is located outside and to the southeast of Delta.
- Valley Grove Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the east)
- Hepsabah Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the north)
- Ragan Chapel Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the northwest)
- Bethel Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the northwest)
- Black Chapel Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the southwest)
- Pleasant Hill Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the south)
- Good Hope Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the west)
- Continue List (366 more) ...
- Mt. Olive Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the west)
- Providence Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the west)
- McCollum Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the south)
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 Center West in the Atlas, the following 1895 communities would have been found near the current location of Center West.
These communities are listed based on their distance from Center West, with the one closest to Center West listed first.
- Delta
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the west)
- Christiana
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the south)
- Christiana is located in Randolph County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Christiana
- Milner
(5 miles [8 km] to the southeast)
- Milner is located in Randolph County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Milner
- Micaville
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the northeast)
- Micaville is located in Cleburne County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Micaville
- Dingler
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the south)
- Dingler is located in Randolph County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Dingler
- Chulafinnee
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the north)
- Chulafinnee is located in Cleburne County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Chulafinnee
- Ofelia
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the south)
- Ofelia is located in Randolph County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ofelia
- Abel
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the northwest)
- Abel is located in Cleburne County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Abel
- Rockdale
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the southeast)
- Rockdale is located in Randolph County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rockdale
- Cambridge
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the east)
- Cambridge is located in Randolph County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cambridge
- Lineville
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the southwest)
- Newell
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the east)
- Newell is located in Randolph County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Newell
- Continue List (14 more) ...
- Belltown
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the north)
- Belltown is located in Cleburne County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Belltown
- Wedowee
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the southeast)
- Kentuck
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the northwest)
- Kentuck is located in Talladega County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Kentuck
We've also created an expanded list of communities that existed in the 1890's and were located in the area around Center West. See our List of 1890's Communities around Center West.
Newspapers Published in Center West ...
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 52 newspapers that have been published in the area around Center West.
Although we're unaware of any newspapers that were published in the immediate area of Center West, there are papers which were published within 19 miles [30.6 km]<2>. A list of those papers, sorted by paper name, can be found on the Extended Newspaper List for Center West.
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 Center West:
- Websites specific to Alabama
- Pages specific to Randolph County
- Genealogy information for nearby counties
- Calhoun County
- Chambers County
- Clay County
- Cleburne County
- Talladega County
- Tallapoosa County
- Carroll County
- Haralson County
- Heard 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' distance. A straight line distance ignores things like rivers, canyons, lakes, et cetera - it's truly a line from Point A (ie- Center West) 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 Center West, please let us know so that we can improve our accuracy. |