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 Echola (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 Echola. 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 southeast corner of their home county. During their lives, most doctors and hospitals were in the next county to the east. 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 east 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.
Echola 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 Echola. For each of these counties, we show a sample of those communities that are closest to Echola:
- Tuscaloosa County (The home county of Echola)
- The following are listed by their distance from Echola, with the one closest to Echola listed first.
- Buhl
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the south)
- Buhl is located in Tuscaloosa County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Buhl
- Elrod
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the south)
- Elrod is located in Tuscaloosa County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Elrod
- Coker
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the southeast)
- Samantha
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the northeast)
- Samantha is located in Tuscaloosa County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Samantha
- Lake Front Village
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the east)
- Lake Front Village is located in Tuscaloosa County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lake Front Village
- Northport
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the southeast)
- New Lexington
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the northeast)
- New Lexington is located in Tuscaloosa County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for New Lexington
- Ingleside Village
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the southeast)
- Ingleside Village is located in Tuscaloosa County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ingleside Village
- Wood Village
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the east)
- Wood Village is located in Tuscaloosa County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Wood Village
- Sahama Village
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the southeast)
- Sahama Village is located in Tuscaloosa County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sahama Village
- Tuscaloosa
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the southeast)
- Foster's
(18 miles [29 km] to the south)
- Alberta City
(18 miles [29 km] to the southeast)
- Alberta City is located in Tuscaloosa County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Alberta City
- Fayette County
- The following are listed by their distance from Echola, with the one closest to Echola listed first.
- Ashcraft Corner
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the northwest)
- Ashcraft Corner is located in Fayette County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ashcraft Corner
- Belk
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the north)
- Belk is located in Fayette County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Belk
- Population from the 2020 Census: 206 people
- Bankston
(23 miles [37 km] to the north)
- Bankston is located in Fayette County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bankston
- Fayette
(23 miles [37 km] to the north)
- Rossland City
(23 miles [37 km] to the north)
- Rossland City is located in Fayette County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rossland City
- Old Town
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the north)
- Old Town is located in Fayette County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Old Town
- Berry
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the northeast)
- Alta
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the northeast)
- Alta is located in Fayette County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Alta
- Greene County
- The following are listed by their distance from Echola, with the one closest to Echola listed first.
- Mantua
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the south)
- Mantua is located in Greene County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mantua
- Knoxville
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the south)
- Knoxville is located in Greene County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Knoxville
- Lewiston
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the southwest)
- Lewiston is located in Greene County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lewiston
- Union
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the south)
- 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 Echola, with the one closest to Echola listed first.
- Moundville
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the south)
- Powers
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the south)
- Powers is located in Hale County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Powers
- Oak Village
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the south)
- Oak Village is located in Hale County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Oak Village
- Lamar County
- The following are listed by their distance from Echola, with the one closest to Echola listed first.
- Kennedy
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the northwest)
- Kennedy is located in Lamar County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Kennedy
- Population from the 2020 Census: 421 people
- Millport
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the northwest)
- Fernbank
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the northwest)
- Fernbank is located in Lamar County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Fernbank
- Hightogy
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the northwest)
- Hightogy is located in Lamar County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hightogy
- Pickens County
- The following are listed by their distance from Echola, with the one closest to Echola listed first.
- Gordo
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the west)
- Lubbub
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the northwest)
- Lubbub is located in Pickens County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lubbub
- Bell
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the west)
- Bell is located in Pickens County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bell
- Reform
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the west)
- Stansel
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the west)
- Stansel is located in Pickens County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Stansel
- Coal Fire
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the west)
- Coal Fire is located in Pickens County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Coal Fire
- Carrollton
(18 miles [29 km] to the west)
- Carrollton is located in Pickens County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Carrollton
- Population from the 2020 Census: 935 people
- Benevola
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the southwest)
- Benevola is located in Pickens County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Benevola
- Olney
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the southwest)
- Olney is located in Pickens County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Olney
- McShan
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the west)
- McShan is located in Pickens County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for McShan
- Aliceville
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the southwest)
- Beaver Town
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the southwest)
- Beaver Town is located in Pickens County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Beaver Town
- Archer
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the west)
- Archer is located in Pickens County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Archer
- Walker County
- Patton Junction ‑ Historic
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the northeast)
- Patton Junction is located in Walker County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Patton Junction
For an expanded list of the communities that are closest to Echola, see our County-by-County Page for Echola.
Cemeteries Near Echola ...
Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of Echola.
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 Echola - one of the links might be able to help.
If not found below, our Cemetery List for Echola covers a larger area, with the cemeteries listed in alphabetical order.
The following cemeteries are listed based on their distance from Echola, with the one closest to Echola listed first.
- Dunns Creek Cemetery
(Less than 2 miles to the north)
- Old Dunn Creek Cemetery
(Less than 2 miles to the north)
- Sardis Cemetery
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the north)
- Unity Estella Springer Burial Site
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the south)
- Freeman Cemetery
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the northwest)
- Sand Springs Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the west)
- Wilburn Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the southwest)
- Dennis Springer Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the south)
- Old Bethany Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the east)
- Tabernacle Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the east)
- Corinth Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the south)
- Springer Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the south)
- Continue List (507 more) ...
- Bethany Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the east)
- Crossroads Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the northwest)
- Pleasant Grove Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 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.<3>
While we didn't find Echola in the Atlas, the following 1895 communities would have been found near the current location of Echola.
These communities are listed based on their distance from Echola, with the one closest to Echola listed first.
- Gordo
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the west)
- Moore's Bridge
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the north)
- Moore's Bridge is located in Tuscaloosa County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Moore's Bridge
- Lubbub
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the northwest)
- Lubbub is located in Pickens County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lubbub
- Coker
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the southeast)
- Bell
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the west)
- Bell is located in Pickens County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bell
- Samantha
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the northeast)
- Samantha is located in Tuscaloosa County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Samantha
- Romulus
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the south)
- Romulus is located in Tuscaloosa County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Romulus
- Newtonville
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the north)
- Newtonville is located in Fayette County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Newtonville
- Reform
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the west)
- Northport
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the southeast)
- Palmetto
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the northwest)
- Palmetto is located in Pickens County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Palmetto
- Pleasant Grove
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the southwest)
- Pleasant Grove is located in Pickens County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Pleasant Grove
- Continue List (15 more) ...
- New Lexington
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the northeast)
- New Lexington is located in Tuscaloosa County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for New Lexington
- Tuscaloosa
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the southeast)
- Coal Fire
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the west)
- Coal Fire is located in Pickens County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Coal Fire
We've also created an expanded list of communities that existed in the 1890's and were located in the area around Echola. See our List of 1890's Communities around Echola.
Newspapers Published in Echola ...
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 9 newspapers that have been published in the area around Echola.
Although we're unaware of any newspapers that were published in the immediate area of Echola, there are papers which were published within 15 miles [24.1 km]<4>. A list of those papers, sorted by paper name, can be found on the Extended Newspaper List for Echola.
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 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 Echola:
- Websites specific to Alabama
- Pages specific to Tuscaloosa County
- Genealogy information for nearby counties
- Fayette County
- Greene County
- Hale County
- Lamar County
- Pickens 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> | 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 Echola, 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 from Point A (ie- Echola) to Point B. In other words: 'As the crow flies'. |