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 Gate City (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 Gate City. 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 and hospitals 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.
Gate City is located in Jefferson 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 Jefferson County: Bibb, Blount, Saint Clair, Shelby, Tuscaloosa & Walker.
Below are the counties that are near Gate City. For each of these counties, we show a sample of those communities that are closest to Gate City:
- Jefferson County (The home county of Gate City)
- The following are listed by their distance from Gate City, with the one closest to Gate City listed first.
- Marks Village
(Less than 2 miles to the southeast)
- Marks Village is located in Jefferson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Marks Village
- Zion City
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the north)
- Zion City is located in Jefferson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Zion City
- Irondale
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the east)
- Weems
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the east)
- Weems is located in Jefferson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Weems
- Bartonville
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the northwest)
- Bartonville is located in Jefferson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bartonville
- Tarrant
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the northwest)
- Tarrant is located in Jefferson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Tarrant
- Population from the 2020 Census: 6,081 people
- Tarrant has also been known as:
- Tarrant City
- Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Tarrant <1>
- Avondale
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the southwest)
- Avondale is located in Jefferson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Avondale
- East Birmingham
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the west)
- East Birmingham is located in Jefferson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for East Birmingham
- Huffman
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the northeast)
- Huffman is located in Jefferson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Huffman
- Cahaba Landing
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the southeast)
- Cahaba Landing is located in Jefferson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cahaba Landing
- English Village
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the southwest)
- English Village is located in Jefferson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for English Village
- Birmingham
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the west)
- Blount County
- The following are listed by their distance from Gate City, with the one closest to Gate City listed first.
- Dale ‑ Historic
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the northeast)
- Dale is located in Blount County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Dale
- County Line
(18 miles [29 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
- Warrior
(18 miles [29 km] to the north)
- Compton
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the north)
- Compton is located in Blount County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Compton
- Remlap
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the north)
- Selfville
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the north)
- Selfville is located in Blount County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Selfville
- Dallas
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the north)
- Dallas is located in Blount County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Dallas
- Adville
(23 miles [37 km] to the north)
- Adville is located in Blount County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Adville
- Hayden
(23 miles [37 km] to the north)
- Locust Fork
(23 miles [37 km] to the north)
- Red Hill
(23 miles [37 km] to the northwest)
- Red Hill is located in Blount County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Red Hill
- Reid's
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the north)
- Reid's is located in Blount County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Reid's
- Cullman County
- The following are listed by their distance from Gate City, with the one closest to Gate City listed first.
- Baltimore ‑ Historic
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the north)
- Baltimore is located in Cullman County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Baltimore
- Black Bottom
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the north)
- Black Bottom is located in Cullman County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Black Bottom
- Colony
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the north)
- Colony is located in Cullman County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Colony
- Estimated population in 2015: 273 people
- Arkadelphia
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the northwest)
- Arkadelphia is located in Cullman County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Arkadelphia
- The Colony
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the north)
- The Colony is located in Cullman County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for The Colony
- Population from the 2020 Census: 291 people
- Damascus
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the north)
- Damascus is located in Cullman County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Damascus
- Saint Clair County
- The following are listed by their distance from Gate City, with the one closest to Gate City listed first.
- Woodland Village
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the east)
- Woodland Village is located in Saint Clair County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Woodland Village
- Moody
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the east)
- 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>
- Acmar
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the east)
- Acmar is located in Saint Clair County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Acmar
- Brompton
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the east)
- Brompton is located in Saint Clair County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Brompton
- Parsons
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the northeast)
- Parsons is located in Saint Clair County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Parsons
- Argo
(16 miles [25.7 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
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the northeast)
- Turnbough Town
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the northeast)
- Turnbough Town is located in Saint Clair County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Turnbough Town
- Cook's Springs
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the east)
- Cook's Springs is located in Saint Clair County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cook's Springs
- Branchville
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the northeast)
- Branchville is located in Saint Clair County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Branchville
- Odenville
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the northeast)
- Springville
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the northeast)
- Shelby County
- The following are listed by their distance from Gate City, with the one closest to Gate City listed first.
- Lake Purdy
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the south)
- Lake Purdy is located in Shelby County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lake Purdy
- Bridgeton
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the southeast)
- Bridgeton is located in Shelby County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bridgeton
- Inverness
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the south)
- Inverness is located in Shelby County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Inverness
- Shoal Creek
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the southeast)
- Shoal Creek is located in Shelby County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Shoal Creek
- Meadowbrook
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the south)
- Meadowbrook is located in Shelby County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Meadowbrook
- Dunavant
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the east)
- Dunavant is located in Shelby County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Dunavant
- Dunnavant
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the east)
- Dunnavant is located in Shelby County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Dunnavant
- Indian Springs Village
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the south)
- 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
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the southeast)
- Chelsea
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the south)
- Sterrett
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the southeast)
- Pelham
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the south)
- Talladega County
- The following are listed by their distance from Gate City, with the one closest to Gate City listed first.
- Logan Martin Dam
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the east)
- Logan Martin Dam is located in Talladega County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Logan Martin Dam
- East Bend
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the southeast)
- East Bend is located in Talladega County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for East Bend
- Childersburg
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the southeast)
- Colony
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the east)
- Colony is located in Talladega County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Colony
- Bon Air
(30 miles [48.3 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
- Tuscaloosa County
- The following are listed by their distance from Gate City, with the one closest to Gate City listed first.
- Tannehill
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the southwest)
- Tannehill is located in Tuscaloosa County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Tannehill
- Lake View
(30 miles [48.3 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 Gate City, with the one closest to Gate City listed first.
- Quinton
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the northwest)
- Wyatt
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the northwest)
- Wyatt is located in Walker County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Wyatt
- Yerkwood
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the northwest)
- Yerkwood is located in Walker County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Yerkwood
- Twilley Town
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the west)
- Twilley Town is located in Walker County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Twilley Town
- Burnwell
(23 miles [37 km] to the northwest)
- Burnwell is located in Walker County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Burnwell
- Creel
(23 miles [37 km] to the northwest)
- Creel is located in Walker County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Creel
- Oakahalla
(23 miles [37 km] to the northwest)
- Oakahalla is located in Walker County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Oakahalla
- Sumiton
(23 miles [37 km] to the northwest)
- Sumiton is located in Walker County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sumiton
- Population from the 2020 Census: 2,330 people
- Former names for Sumiton:
- Commercial
- Democrat
- Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Sumiton <1>
- Dora
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the northwest)
- Empire
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the northwest)
- Empire is located in Walker County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Empire
- Reeds Ferry
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the west)
- Reeds Ferry is located in Walker County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Reeds Ferry
- Red Star
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the northwest)
- Red Star is located in Walker County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Red Star
For an expanded list of the communities that are closest to Gate City, see our County-by-County Page for Gate City.
Cemeteries Near Gate City ...
Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of Gate City.
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 Gate City - one of the links might be able to help.
If not found below, our Cemetery List for Gate City covers a larger area, with the cemeteries listed in alphabetical order.
The following cemeteries are listed based on their distance from Gate City, with the one closest to Gate City listed first.
- East Lake Cemetery
(Less than 2 miles to the north)
- Bush Cemetery
(Less than 2 miles to the southeast)
- Greenwood Cemetery
(Less than 2 miles to the west)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Greenwood Cemetery
- To give a relative sense of its location, the Greenwood Cemetery is a large cemetery that is located in Birmingham.
- The Greenwood Cemetery has also been known as:
- Woodlawn Cemetery
- Jump to Find-A-Grave: FG ID #23140 <2>
- Forest Hill Cemetery
(Less than 2 miles to the west)
- McElwain Cemetery
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the south)
- Bass Cemetery
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the southeast)
- Mt. Zion Cemetery
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the north)
- Higgins Cemetery
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the north)
- Earltown Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the east)
- Bass Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the northeast)
- Inglenook Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the west)
- Sheritt Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the northwest)
- Continue List (339 more) ...
- Oak Hill Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the west)
- Union Hill Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the southwest)
- Cahaba Heights Cemetery
(5 miles [8 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.<3>
The Rand McNally Atlas shows that in 1895, Gate City had a post office and railroad service.
These communities are listed based on their distance from Gate City, with the one closest to Gate City listed first.
- Woodlawn
(Less than 2 miles to the west)
- Woodlawn is located in Jefferson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Woodlawn
- Ruffner
(Less than 2 miles to the east)
- Ruffner is located in Jefferson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ruffner
- East Lake
(Less than 2 miles to the north)
- East Lake is located in Jefferson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for East Lake
- Avondale
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the southwest)
- Avondale is located in Jefferson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Avondale
- Irondale
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the east)
- Weems
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the east)
- Weems is located in Jefferson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Weems
- Bartonville
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the northwest)
- Bartonville is located in Jefferson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bartonville
- Vanderbilt
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the west)
- Vanderbilt is located in Jefferson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Vanderbilt
- East Birmingham
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the west)
- East Birmingham is located in Jefferson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for East Birmingham
- Birmingham
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the west)
- Rock Ridge
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the east)
- Rock Ridge is located in Jefferson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rock Ridge
- Huffman
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the northeast)
- Huffman is located in Jefferson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Huffman
- Continue List (17 more) ...
- Lewisburg
(5 miles [8 km] to the northwest)
- Lewisburg is located in Jefferson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lewisburg
- North Birmingham
(5 miles [8 km] to the west)
- North Birmingham is located in Jefferson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for North Birmingham
- McCombs
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the east)
- McCombs is located in Jefferson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for McCombs
We've also created an expanded list of communities that existed in the 1890's and were located in the area around Gate City. See our List of 1890's Communities around Gate City.
Newspapers Published in the Vicinity of Gate City ...
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 187 newspapers that have been published in the area around Gate City.
We have organized these newspapers into two lists:
- A Local Newspaper List - focusing on the papers published in the immediate area of Gate City. There are actually two parts to this list - papers printed in the immediate area of Gate City and those printed in the larger area surrounding Gate City.
- An Extended Newspaper List - a longer list, sorted by paper name and containing those papers published within 4 miles [6.4 km]<4> of Gate City.
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 Gate City:
- Websites specific to Alabama
- Pages specific to Jefferson County
- Genealogy information for nearby counties
- Blount County
- Cullman County
- Saint Clair County
- Shelby 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> | 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 Gate City, 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 things like rivers, canyons, lakes, et cetera - it's truly a line from Point A (ie- Gate City) to Point B. In other words: 'As the crow flies'. |