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 East Lake (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 East Lake. 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 East Lake ...
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 East Lake: E. Lake
You might be interested in other communities that are also named East Lake. More information can be found on our Tidbits & Trivia Page for East Lake.
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 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.
East Lake is located in Tuscaloosa 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 Tuscaloosa County: Bibb, Fayette, Greene, Hale, Jefferson & Pickens.
Below are the counties that are near East Lake. For each of these counties, we show a sample of those communities that are closest to East Lake:
- Tuscaloosa County (The home county of East Lake)
- The following are listed by their distance from East Lake, with the one closest to East Lake listed first.
- Cottondale
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the northeast)
- Alberta City
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the northwest)
- Alberta City is located in Tuscaloosa County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Alberta City
- University
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the northwest)
- University is located in Tuscaloosa County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for University
- Holt
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the north)
- Holt is located in Tuscaloosa County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Holt
- Tuscaloosa
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the northwest)
- Sahama Village
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the west)
- Sahama Village is located in Tuscaloosa County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sahama Village
- Peterson
(5 miles [8 km] to the northeast)
- Peterson is located in Tuscaloosa County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Peterson
- Ingleside Village
(5 miles [8 km] to the west)
- Ingleside Village is located in Tuscaloosa County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ingleside Village
- Wood Village
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the north)
- Wood Village is located in Tuscaloosa County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Wood Village
- Coaling
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the east)
- Coaling is located in Tuscaloosa County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Coaling
- Population from the 2020 Census: 1,633 people
- Northport
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the northwest)
- Duncanville
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the south)
- Duncanville is located in Tuscaloosa County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Duncanville
- Brookwood
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the northeast)
- Bibb County
- The following are listed by their distance from East Lake, with the one closest to East Lake listed first.
- Egypt ‑ Historic
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the southeast)
- Egypt is located in Bibb County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Egypt
- Scottsville
(18 miles [29 km] to the southeast)
- Scottsville is located in Bibb County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Scottsville
- Blocton Junction
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the east)
- Blocton Junction is located in Bibb County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Blocton Junction
- Blocton Junction has also been known as:
- Blockton Junc
- Fikestown ‑ Historic
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the east)
- Fikestown is located in Bibb County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Fikestown
- North Bibb
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the east)
- North Bibb is located in Bibb County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for North Bibb
- Burmah ‑ Historic
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the east)
- Burmah is located in Bibb County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Burmah
- Green Pond
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the east)
- West Blocton
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the east)
- Woodstock
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the east)
- Pondville
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the southeast)
- Pondville is located in Bibb County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Pondville
- Bucktown ‑ Historic
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the east)
- Bucktown is located in Bibb County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bucktown
- Corinne ‑ Historic
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the east)
- Corinne is located in Bibb County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Corinne
- Blocton ‑ Historic
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the east)
- Blocton is located in Bibb County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Blocton
- Greene County
- The following are listed by their distance from East Lake, with the one closest to East Lake listed first.
- Knoxville
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the southwest)
- Knoxville is located in Greene County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Knoxville
- Mantua
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the west)
- Mantua is located in Greene County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mantua
- Union
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the southwest)
- Union is located in Greene County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Union
- Population from the 2020 Census: 207 people
- Hale County
- The following are listed by their distance from East Lake, with the one closest to East Lake listed first.
- Moundville
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the southwest)
- Phipps ‑ Historic
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the south)
- Phipps is located in Hale County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Phipps
- Powers
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the southwest)
- Powers is located in Hale County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Powers
- Akron
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the southwest)
- Oak Village
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the southwest)
- Oak Village is located in Hale County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Oak Village
- Jefferson County
- The following are listed by their distance from East Lake, with the one closest to East Lake listed first.
- Kimbrell
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the east)
- Kimbrell is located in Jefferson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Kimbrell
- Adger
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the northeast)
- North Johns
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the northeast)
- North Johns is located in Jefferson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for North Johns
- Population from the 2020 Census: 143 people
- Ezra
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the northeast)
- Ezra is located in Jefferson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ezra
- Oak Grove
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the northeast)
- Oak Grove is located in Jefferson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Oak Grove
- McCalla
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the northeast)
- Toadvine
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the northeast)
- Toadvine is located in Jefferson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Toadvine
- Bullard Shoals ‑ Historic
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the northeast)
- Bullard Shoals is located in Jefferson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bullard Shoals
- Perry County
- The following are listed by their distance from East Lake, with the one closest to East Lake listed first.
- Brush Creek
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the south)
- Brush Creek is located in Perry County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Brush Creek
- Morgan Springs
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the south)
- Morgan Springs is located in Perry County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Morgan Springs
- Jericho
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the southeast)
- Jericho is located in Perry County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Jericho
- Pickens County
- The following are listed by their distance from East Lake, with the one closest to East Lake listed first.
- Gordo
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the northwest)
- Benevola
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the west)
- Benevola is located in Pickens County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Benevola
- Lubbub
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the northwest)
- Lubbub is located in Pickens County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lubbub
- Bell
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the northwest)
- Bell is located in Pickens County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bell
- Shelby County
- The following are listed by their distance from East Lake, with the one closest to East Lake listed first.
- Aden
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the east)
- Aden is located in Shelby County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Aden
- Sawmill Town
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the east)
- Sawmill Town is located in Shelby County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sawmill Town
For an expanded list of the communities that are closest to East Lake, see our County-by-County Page for East Lake.
Cemeteries Near East Lake ...
Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of East Lake.
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 East Lake - one of the links might be able to help.
If not found below, our Cemetery List for East Lake covers a larger area, with the cemeteries listed in alphabetical order.
The following cemeteries are listed based on their distance from East Lake, with the one closest to East Lake listed first.
- Shake Rag Cemetery
(Less than 2 miles to the west)
- Darden Cemetery
(Less than 2 miles to the northwest)
- Memory Hill Gardens
(Less than 2 miles to the west)
- Jerusalem Cemetery
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the west)
- Cottondale Nature Garden Cemetery
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the northeast)
- Tuscaloosa Memorial Park
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the northeast)
- Hopewell Cemetery
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the north)
- Gilgal Baptist Church Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the south)
- Old Salem Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the east)
- Alberta Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the northwest)
- Cedar Oak Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the west)
- Taylorville Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the southwest)
- Continue List (422 more) ...
- Mt. Zion Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the southeast)
- Garners Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the northeast)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Garners Cemetery
- To give a relative sense of its location, the Garners Cemetery is located less than 2 miles<3> to the southwest of Peterson.
- The Garners Cemetery has also been known as:
- Riley Family Cemetery
- Jump to Find-A-Grave: FG ID #22966 <2>
- Chambers Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the north)
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 East Lake in the Atlas, the following 1895 communities would have been found near the current location of East Lake.
These communities are listed based on their distance from East Lake, with the one closest to East Lake listed first.
- Cottondale
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the northeast)
- University
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the northwest)
- University is located in Tuscaloosa County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for University
- Tuscaloosa
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the northwest)
- Englewood
(5 miles [8 km] to the southwest)
- Englewood is located in Tuscaloosa County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Englewood
- Coaling
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the east)
- Coaling is located in Tuscaloosa County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Coaling
- Population from the 2020 Census: 1,633 people
- Northport
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the northwest)
- Hull
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the southwest)
- Hull is located in Tuscaloosa County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hull
- Dudley
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the east)
- Dudley is located in Tuscaloosa County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Dudley
- Brookwood
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the northeast)
- Foster's
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the southwest)
- Hagler
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the southeast)
- Hagler is located in Tuscaloosa County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hagler
- Coker
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the northwest)
- Continue List (16 more) ...
- Sylvan
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the southwest)
- Sylvan is located in Tuscaloosa County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sylvan
- Vance
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the east)
- Romulus
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the west)
- Romulus is located in Tuscaloosa County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Romulus
We've also created an expanded list of communities that existed in the 1890's and were located in the area around East Lake. See our List of 1890's Communities around East Lake.
Newspapers Published in East Lake ...
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 48 newspapers that have been published in the area around East Lake.
Although we're unaware of any newspapers that were published in the immediate area of East Lake, there are papers which were published within 4 miles [6.4 km]<3>. A list of those papers, sorted by paper name, can be found on the Extended Newspaper List for East Lake.
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 helpful 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 East Lake:
- Websites specific to Alabama
- Pages specific to Tuscaloosa County
- Genealogy information for nearby counties
- Bibb County
- Greene County
- Hale County
- Jefferson County
- Perry County
- Pickens County
- Shelby 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> | 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 drawn from Point A (ie- East Lake) to Point B. In other words: 'As the crow flies'. |
| <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 East Lake, please let us know so that we can improve our accuracy. |