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 Irondale (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 Irondale. 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 doctors and 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.
Irondale 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 Irondale. For each of these counties, we show a sample of those communities that are closest to Irondale:
- Jefferson County (The home county of Irondale)
- The following are listed by their distance from Irondale, with the one closest to Irondale listed first.
- Rock Ridge
(Less than 2 miles to the northeast)
- Rock Ridge is located in Jefferson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rock Ridge
- Weems
(Less than 2 miles to the northeast)
- Weems is located in Jefferson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Weems
- Cahaba Landing
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the south)
- Cahaba Landing is located in Jefferson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cahaba Landing
- Marks Village
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the west)
- Marks Village is located in Jefferson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Marks Village
- Alton
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the northeast)
- Gate City
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the west)
- Gate City is located in Jefferson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Gate City
- Huffman
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the north)
- Huffman is located in Jefferson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Huffman
- McCombs
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the northeast)
- McCombs is located in Jefferson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for McCombs
- Zion City
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the northwest)
- Zion City is located in Jefferson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Zion City
- Mountain Brook
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the southwest)
- Cahaba Heights
(5 miles [8 km] to the southwest)
- Avondale
(5 miles [8 km] to the west)
- Avondale is located in Jefferson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Avondale
- Blount County
- The following are listed by their distance from Irondale, with the one closest to Irondale listed first.
- Dale ‑ Historic
(5 miles [8 km] to the north)
- Dale is located in Blount County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Dale
- Compton
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the north)
- Compton is located in Blount County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Compton
- County Line
(20 miles [32.2 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
- Remlap
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the north)
- Selfville
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the north)
- Selfville is located in Blount County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Selfville
- Warrior
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the northwest)
- Dallas
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the north)
- Dallas is located in Blount County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Dallas
- Adville
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the north)
- Adville is located in Blount County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Adville
- Locust Fork
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the north)
- Hayden
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the north)
- Red Hill
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the northwest)
- Red Hill is located in Blount County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Red Hill
- Little Warrior
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the north)
- Little Warrior is located in Blount County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Little Warrior
- Cullman County
- The following are listed by their distance from Irondale, with the one closest to Irondale listed first.
- Baltimore ‑ Historic
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the northwest)
- Baltimore is located in Cullman County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Baltimore
- Black Bottom
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the north)
- Black Bottom is located in Cullman County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Black Bottom
- Arkadelphia
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the northwest)
- Arkadelphia is located in Cullman County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Arkadelphia
- Colony
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the northwest)
- Colony is located in Cullman County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Colony
- Estimated population in 2015: 273 people
- Saint Clair County
- The following are listed by their distance from Irondale, with the one closest to Irondale listed first.
- Woodland Village
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the east)
- Woodland Village is located in Saint Clair County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Woodland Village
- Moody
(11 miles [17.7 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>
- Brompton
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the east)
- Brompton is located in Saint Clair County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Brompton
- Acmar
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the northeast)
- Acmar is located in Saint Clair County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Acmar
- Parsons
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the northeast)
- Parsons is located in Saint Clair County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Parsons
- Argo
(14 miles [22.5 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
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the northeast)
- Turnbough Town
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the northeast)
- Turnbough Town is located in Saint Clair County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Turnbough Town
- Cook's Springs
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the east)
- Cook's Springs is located in Saint Clair County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cook's Springs
- Vincent
(18 miles [29 km] to the southeast)
- Branchville
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the northeast)
- Branchville is located in Saint Clair County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Branchville
- Odenville
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the northeast)
- Shelby County
- The following are listed by their distance from Irondale, with the one closest to Irondale listed first.
- Bridgeton
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the south)
- Bridgeton is located in Shelby County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bridgeton
- Lake Purdy
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the south)
- Lake Purdy is located in Shelby County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lake Purdy
- Shoal Creek
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the southeast)
- Shoal Creek is located in Shelby County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Shoal Creek
- Dunavant
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the east)
- Dunavant is located in Shelby County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Dunavant
- Dunnavant
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the east)
- Dunnavant is located in Shelby County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Dunnavant
- Inverness
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the south)
- Inverness is located in Shelby County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Inverness
- Meadowbrook
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the south)
- Meadowbrook is located in Shelby County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Meadowbrook
- Vandiver
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the southeast)
- Indian Springs Village
(12 miles [19.3 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
- Sterrett
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the southeast)
- Chelsea
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the south)
- Westover
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the southeast)
- Westover is located in Shelby County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Westover
- Population from the 2020 Census: 1,769 people
- Talladega County
- The following are listed by their distance from Irondale, with the one closest to Irondale listed first.
- Logan Martin Dam
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the east)
- Logan Martin Dam is located in Talladega County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Logan Martin Dam
- East Bend
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the southeast)
- East Bend is located in Talladega County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for East Bend
- Childersburg
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the southeast)
- Colony
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the east)
- Colony is located in Talladega County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Colony
- Bon Air
(27 miles [43.5 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
- Windsong Island
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the east)
- Windsong Island is located in Talladega County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Windsong Island
- Alpine
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the southeast)
- Nottingham ‑ Historic
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the southeast)
- Nottingham is located in Talladega County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Nottingham
- Former name for Nottingham:
- Jones Camp Ground
- Zubers
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the southeast)
- Zubers is located in Talladega County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Zubers
- Tuscaloosa County
- Tannehill
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the southwest)
- Tannehill is located in Tuscaloosa County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Tannehill
- Walker County
- The following are listed by their distance from Irondale, with the one closest to Irondale listed first.
- Quinton
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the northwest)
- Wyatt
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the northwest)
- Wyatt is located in Walker County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Wyatt
- Yerkwood
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the northwest)
- Yerkwood is located in Walker County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Yerkwood
- Twilley Town
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the west)
- Twilley Town is located in Walker County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Twilley Town
- Burnwell
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the northwest)
- Burnwell is located in Walker County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Burnwell
- Creel
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the northwest)
- Creel is located in Walker County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Creel
- Empire
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the northwest)
- Empire is located in Walker County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Empire
- Oakahalla
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the northwest)
- Oakahalla is located in Walker County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Oakahalla
- Sumiton
(26 miles [41.8 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
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the northwest)
- Reeds Ferry
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the west)
- Reeds Ferry is located in Walker County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Reeds Ferry
- Black Warrior Town ‑ Historic
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the northwest)
- Black Warrior Town is located in Walker County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Black Warrior Town
For an expanded list of the communities that are closest to Irondale, see our County-by-County Page for Irondale.
Cemeteries Near Irondale ...
Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of Irondale.
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 Irondale - one of the links might be able to help.
If not found below, our Cemetery List for Irondale covers a larger area, with the cemeteries listed in alphabetical order.
The following cemeteries are listed based on their distance from Irondale, with the one closest to Irondale listed first.
- Bass Cemetery
(Less than 2 miles to the southwest)
- Earltown Cemetery
(Less than 2 miles to the north)
- Forest Crest Cemetery
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the northeast)
- Bass Cemetery
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the north)
- Bush Cemetery
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the west)
- McElwain Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the west)
- McCombs Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the northeast)
- East Lake Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the northwest)
- Mt. Hebron Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the southeast)
- Alton Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the northeast)
- Mt. Zion Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the northwest)
- Higgins Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the northwest)
- Continue List (327 more) ...
- Greenwood Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] 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
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the west)
- Cahaba Heights Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the southwest)
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, Irondale had a post office and railroad service. In 2020, Irondale had a population of 13,226 people.
These communities are listed based on their distance from Irondale, with the one closest to Irondale listed first.
- Rock Ridge
(Less than 2 miles to the northeast)
- Rock Ridge is located in Jefferson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rock Ridge
- Weems
(Less than 2 miles to the northeast)
- Weems is located in Jefferson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Weems
- Ruffner
(Less than 2 miles to the northwest)
- Ruffner is located in Jefferson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ruffner
- East Lake
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the northwest)
- East Lake is located in Jefferson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for East Lake
- Gate City
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the west)
- Gate City is located in Jefferson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Gate City
- Huffman
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the north)
- Huffman is located in Jefferson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Huffman
- McCombs
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the northeast)
- McCombs is located in Jefferson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for McCombs
- Woodlawn
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the west)
- Woodlawn is located in Jefferson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Woodlawn
- Avondale
(5 miles [8 km] to the west)
- Avondale is located in Jefferson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Avondale
- Bridgeton
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the south)
- Bridgeton is located in Shelby County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bridgeton
- Bartonville
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the northwest)
- Bartonville is located in Jefferson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bartonville
- Vanderbilt
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the west)
- Vanderbilt is located in Jefferson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Vanderbilt
- Continue List (14 more) ...
- East Birmingham
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the west)
- East Birmingham is located in Jefferson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for East Birmingham
- Leeds
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the east)
- Trussville
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the northeast)
We've also created an expanded list of communities that existed in the 1890's and were located in the area around Irondale. See our List of 1890's Communities around Irondale.
Newspapers Published in Irondale ...
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 193 newspapers that have been published in the area around Irondale.
Although we're unaware of any newspapers that were published in the immediate area of Irondale, there are papers which were published within 7 miles [11.3 km]<4>. A list of those papers, sorted by paper name, can be found on the Extended Newspaper List for Irondale.
Websites to Help With Your Genealogy Research ...
When we do our genealogical research, we start with the websites from Cyndi's List, FamilySearch and Genealogy Trails. These professional and volunteer 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 Irondale:
- 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 Irondale, 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 drawn from Point A (ie- Irondale) to Point B. In other words: 'As the crow flies'. |