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 Cross Key (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 Cross Key. 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 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.
Cross Key is located in Limestone 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 Limestone County: Lauderdale, Lawrence, Madison, Morgan, Giles (TN) & Lincoln (TN).
Below are the counties that are near Cross Key. For each of these counties, we show a sample of those communities that are closest to Cross Key:
- Limestone County (The home county of Cross Key)
- The following are listed by their distance from Cross Key, with the one closest to Cross Key listed first.
- Hay's Mill
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the east)
- Hay's Mill is located in Limestone County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hay's Mill
- Elkmont
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the northeast)
- Athens
(5 miles [8 km] to the southeast)
- Poplar Creek
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the southwest)
- Poplar Creek is located in Limestone County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Poplar Creek
- Cairo
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the west)
- Cairo is located in Limestone County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cairo
- Lentzville
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the west)
- Lentzville is located in Limestone County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lentzville
- Pettusville
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the northeast)
- Pettusville is located in Limestone County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Pettusville
- Country Village
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the southeast)
- Country Village is located in Limestone County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Country Village
- Clifton ‑ Historic
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the northwest)
- Clifton is located in Limestone County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Clifton
- Fairmount
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the southeast)
- Fairmount is located in Limestone County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Fairmount
- Ripley
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the southwest)
- Ripley is located in Limestone County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ripley
- Estaville ‑ Historic
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the northeast)
- Estaville is located in Limestone County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Estaville
- Colbert County
- The following are listed by their distance from Cross Key, with the one closest to Cross Key listed first.
- Garner ‑ Historic
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the southeast)
- Garner is located in Colbert County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Garner
- Ford City
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the west)
- Ford City is located in Colbert County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ford City
- Lauderdale County
- The following are listed by their distance from Cross Key, with the one closest to Cross Key listed first.
- Confluence
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the west)
- Confluence is located in Lauderdale County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Confluence
- Bethel
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the northwest)
- Bethel is located in Lauderdale County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bethel
- Estep ‑ Historic
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the west)
- Estep is located in Lauderdale County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Estep
- Anderson
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the west)
- Anderson is located in Lauderdale County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Anderson
- Population from the 2020 Census: 268 people
- Rogersville
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the west)
- Rogersville is located in Lauderdale County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rogersville
- Population from the 2020 Census: 1,293 people
- Former name for Rogersville:
- Rodgersville
- Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Rogersville <1>
- Dells Vista Shores
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the southwest)
- Dells Vista Shores is located in Lauderdale County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Dells Vista Shores
- Cedar Hill
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the west)
- Cedar Hill is located in Lauderdale County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cedar Hill
- Corum ‑ Historic
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the west)
- Corum is located in Lauderdale County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Corum
- Elgin
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the west)
- Elgin is located in Lauderdale County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Elgin
- Lexington
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the west)
- Belleview ‑ Historic
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the west)
- Belleview is located in Lauderdale County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Belleview
- Comer
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the west)
- Comer is located in Lauderdale County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Comer
- Lawrence County
- The following are listed by their distance from Cross Key, with the one closest to Cross Key listed first.
- Hillsboro
(18 miles [29 km] to the southwest)
- Red Bank
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the west)
- Red Bank is located in Lawrence County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Red Bank
- Courtland
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the southwest)
- North Courtland
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the southwest)
- North Courtland is located in Lawrence County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for North Courtland
- Population from the 2020 Census: 621 people
- Wheeler Dam Village
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the west)
- Wheeler Dam Village is located in Lawrence County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Wheeler Dam Village
- Chalybeate Springs
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the southwest)
- Chalybeate Springs is located in Lawrence County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Chalybeate Springs
- Mountain Home
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the southwest)
- Mountain Home is located in Lawrence County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mountain Home
- Town Creek
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the southwest)
- Oakville
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the south)
- Oakville is located in Lawrence County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Oakville
- Edmond
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the southwest)
- Edmond is located in Lawrence County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Edmond
- Hatton
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the southwest)
- Hatton is located in Lawrence County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hatton
- Madison County
- The following are listed by their distance from Cross Key, with the one closest to Cross Key listed first.
- Harvest
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the east)
- Toney
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the east)
- Jeff
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the east)
- Jeff is located in Madison County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Jeff
- Madison Crossroads
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the east)
- Madison Crossroads is located in Madison County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Madison Crossroads
- Monrovia
(18 miles [29 km] to the east)
- Monrovia is located in Madison County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Monrovia
- Elkwood
(18 miles [29 km] to the northeast)
- Elkwood is located in Madison County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Elkwood
- Madison
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the southeast)
- Rideout Village
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the east)
- Rideout Village is located in Madison County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rideout Village
- Triana
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the southeast)
- Triana is located in Madison County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Triana
- Population from the 2020 Census: 1,327 people
- Hazel Green
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the east)
- Huntsville
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the east)
- Lincoln
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the east)
- Lincoln is located in Madison County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lincoln
- Morgan County
- The following are listed by their distance from Cross Key, with the one closest to Cross Key listed first.
- Moulton Heights
(18 miles [29 km] to the south)
- Moulton Heights is located in Morgan County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Moulton Heights
- Decatur
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the south)
- Decatur is located in Morgan County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Decatur
- Population from the 2020 Census: 54,381 people
- Former names for Decatur:
- Albany
- New Decatur
- Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Decatur <1>
- Simpson
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the south)
- Simpson is located in Morgan County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Simpson
- Trinity
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the south)
- Austinville
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the south)
- Austinville is located in Morgan County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Austinville
- Russell Village
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the south)
- Russell Village is located in Morgan County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Russell Village
- Burningtree Mountain
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the south)
- Burningtree Mountain is located in Morgan County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Burningtree Mountain
- Flint City
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the south)
- Flint City is located in Morgan County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Flint City
- Priceville
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the south)
- Bluff City ‑ Historic
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the southeast)
- Bluff City is located in Morgan County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bluff City
- Hartselle
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the south)
- Winton
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the southeast)
- Winton is located in Morgan County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Winton
- Giles County (TN)
- The following are listed by their distance from Cross Key, with the one closest to Cross Key listed first.
- Prospect
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the north)
- Stella
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the north)
- Stella is located in Giles County (TN)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Stella
- Ardmore
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the northeast)
- Elkmont Springs
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the northeast)
- Elkmont Springs is located in Giles County (TN)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Elkmont Springs
- Dickson Town
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the northeast)
- Dickson Town is located in Giles County (TN)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Dickson Town
- Elkton
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the northeast)
- Elkton is located in Giles County (TN)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Elkton
- Population from the 2020 Census: 522 people
- Minor Hill
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the northwest)
- Minor Hill is located in Giles County (TN)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Minor Hill
- Population from the 2020 Census: 533 people
- Anthony Hill
(18 miles [29 km] to the north)
- Anthony Hill is located in Giles County (TN)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Anthony Hill
- Green Field
(18 miles [29 km] to the north)
- Green Field is located in Giles County (TN)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Green Field
- Wheelerton
(18 miles [29 km] to the northeast)
- Wheelerton is located in Giles County (TN)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Wheelerton
- Aymett Town
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the north)
- Aymett Town is located in Giles County (TN)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Aymett Town
- Pisgah
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the north)
- Pisgah is located in Giles County (TN)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Pisgah
- Lawrence County (TN)
- The following are listed by their distance from Cross Key, with the one closest to Cross Key listed first.
- Appleton
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the northwest)
- Appleton is located in Lawrence County (TN)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Appleton
- Fall River
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the northwest)
- Fall River is located in Lawrence County (TN)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Fall River
- Liberty Grove
(23 miles [37 km] to the northwest)
- Liberty Grove is located in Lawrence County (TN)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Liberty Grove
- Estimated population in 2014: 7,825 people
- Rascal Town
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the west)
- Rascal Town is located in Lawrence County (TN)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rascal Town
- Busby
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the northwest)
- Busby is located in Lawrence County (TN)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Busby
- Leoma
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the northwest)
- Loretto
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the northwest)
- New Prospect
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the northwest)
- New Prospect is located in Lawrence County (TN)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for New Prospect
- Estimated population in 2014: 6,880 people
- Saint Joseph
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the west)
- Lincoln County (TN)
- The following are listed by their distance from Cross Key, with the one closest to Cross Key listed first.
- Cash Point
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the northeast)
- Cash Point is located in Lincoln County (TN)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cash Point
- Dellrose
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the northeast)
- Coldwater
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the northeast)
- Coldwater is located in Lincoln County (TN)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Coldwater
- Molino
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the northeast)
- Molino is located in Lincoln County (TN)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Molino
- Pearl City
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the northeast)
- Pearl City is located in Lincoln County (TN)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Pearl City
- Camargo
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the northeast)
- Camargo is located in Lincoln County (TN)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Camargo
- Goshen ‑ Historic
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the northeast)
- Goshen is located in Lincoln County (TN)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Goshen
- Boonshill
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the northeast)
- Boonshill is located in Lincoln County (TN)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Boonshill
- Harms
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the northeast)
- Harms is located in Lincoln County (TN)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Harms
- Hughey
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the northeast)
- Hughey is located in Lincoln County (TN)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hughey
- Park City Heights
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the northeast)
- Park City Heights is located in Lincoln County (TN)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Park City Heights
- Population from the 2010 Census: 2,442 people
- Park City
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the northeast)
- Park City is located in Lincoln County (TN)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Park City
For an expanded list of the communities that are closest to Cross Key, see our County-by-County Page for Cross Key.
Cemeteries Near Cross Key ...
Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of Cross Key.
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 Cross Key - one of the links might be able to help.
If not found below, our Cemetery List for Cross Key covers a larger area, with the cemeteries listed in alphabetical order.
The following cemeteries are listed based on their distance from Cross Key, with the one closest to Cross Key listed first.
- Myers Cemetery
(Less than 2 miles to the southwest)
- Gray Cemetery
(Less than 2 miles to the east)
- Mitchell Cemetery
(Less than 2 miles to the northeast)
- McCully Cemetery
(Less than 2 miles to the south)
- Hughey Cemetery
(Less than 2 miles to the east)
- Witty Cemetery
(Less than 2 miles to the northeast)
- Berea Cemetery
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the southwest)
- Collier Cemetery
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the southwest)
- Mt. Pisgah Cemetery
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the south)
- O'Neal Cemetery
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the south)
- Malone Cemetery
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the east)
- Nelson Cemetery
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the northwest)
- Continue List (1090 more) ...
- Johnson Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the southwest)
- Memorial Gardens
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the southeast)
- Collier Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the west)
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>
While we didn't find Cross Key in the Atlas, the following 1895 communities would have been found near the current location of Cross Key.
These communities are listed based on their distance from Cross Key, with the one closest to Cross Key listed first.
- O'Neal
(Less than 2 miles to the southwest)
- O'Neal is located in Limestone County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for O'Neal
- Hay's Mill
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the east)
- Hay's Mill is located in Limestone County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hay's Mill
- Cartwright
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the west)
- Cartwright is located in Limestone County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cartwright
- Gipsy
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the northwest)
- Gipsy is located in Limestone County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Gipsy
- Elkmont
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the northeast)
- Blackburn
(5 miles [8 km] to the south)
- Blackburn is located in Limestone County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Blackburn
- Athens
(5 miles [8 km] to the southeast)
- Lentzville
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the west)
- Lentzville is located in Limestone County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lentzville
- Poplar Creek
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the southwest)
- Poplar Creek is located in Limestone County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Poplar Creek
- Pettusville
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the northeast)
- Pettusville is located in Limestone County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Pettusville
- Veto
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the north)
- Veto is located in Limestone County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Veto
- Mount Rozell
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the northwest)
- Mount Rozell is located in Limestone County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mount Rozell
- Continue List (15 more) ...
- Bethel
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the north)
- Bethel is located in Giles County (TN)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bethel
- Ripley
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the southwest)
- Ripley is located in Limestone County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ripley
- Sand Spring ‑ Historic
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the east)
- Sand Spring is located in Limestone County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sand Spring
We've also created an expanded list of communities that existed in the 1890's and were located in the area around Cross Key. See our List of 1890's Communities around Cross Key.
Newspapers Published in Cross Key ...
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 26 newspapers that have been published in the area around Cross Key.
Although we're unaware of any newspapers that were published in the immediate area of Cross Key, there are papers which were published within 5 miles [8 km]<3>. A list of those papers, sorted by paper name, can be found on the Extended Newspaper List for Cross Key.
Websites to Help With Your Genealogy Research ...
When we do our genealogical research, we like to start with 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 Cross Key:
- Websites specific to Alabama
- Pages specific to Limestone County
- Genealogy information for nearby counties
- Colbert County
- Lauderdale County
- Lawrence County
- Madison County
- Morgan County
- Giles County
- Lawrence County
- Lincoln 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 Cross Key, please let us know so that we can improve our accuracy. |
| <3> | Our distances are not driving distances, but are calculated as a 'point-to-point' distance. A straight line distance ignores things like rivers, canyons, lakes, et cetera - it's truly a line drawn from Point A (ie- Cross Key) to Point B. In other words: 'As the crow flies'. |