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 Minooka (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 Minooka. 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 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.
Minooka is located in Chilton 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 Chilton County: Autauga, Bibb, Coosa, Dallas, Elmore & Shelby.
Below are the counties that are near Minooka. For each of these counties, we show a sample of those communities that are closest to Minooka:
- Chilton County (The home county of Minooka)
- The following are listed by their distance from Minooka, with the one closest to Minooka listed first.
- Jemison
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the south)
- Thorsby
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the south)
- Jumbo
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the southeast)
- Jumbo is located in Chilton County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Jumbo
- Clanton
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the southeast)
- Maplesville
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the south)
- Adams
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the south)
- Adams is located in Chilton County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Adams
- Stanton
(23 miles [37 km] to the south)
- Stanton is located in Chilton County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Stanton
- Verbena
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the southeast)
- Verbena is located in Chilton County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Verbena
- Riderville
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the south)
- Riderville is located in Chilton County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Riderville
- Mountain Creek
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the southeast)
- Mountain Creek is located in Chilton County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mountain Creek
- Autauga County
- The following are listed by their distance from Minooka, with the one closest to Minooka listed first.
- Billingsley
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the south)
- Haynes
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the south)
- Haynes is located in Autauga County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Haynes
- White City
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the south)
- White City is located in Autauga County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for White City
- Marbury
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the southeast)
- Bibb County
- The following are listed by their distance from Minooka, with the one closest to Minooka listed first.
- Brierfield
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the west)
- Oakley
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the southwest)
- Oakley is located in Bibb County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Oakley
- Ashby
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the west)
- Ashby is located in Bibb County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ashby
- Randolph
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the southwest)
- Randolph is located in Bibb County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Randolph
- Eddings
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the northwest)
- Eddings is located in Bibb County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Eddings
- Tucker
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the southwest)
- Tucker is located in Bibb County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Tucker
- Cane Creek ‑ Historic
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the west)
- Cane Creek is located in Bibb County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cane Creek
- Seymour
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the west)
- Seymour is located in Bibb County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Seymour
- Active
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the southwest)
- Active is located in Bibb County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Active
- Lawley
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the southwest)
- Lawley is located in Bibb County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lawley
- Belle Ellen
(18 miles [29 km] to the west)
- Belle Ellen is located in Bibb County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Belle Ellen
- Nash Town ‑ Historic
(18 miles [29 km] to the west)
- Nash Town is located in Bibb County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Nash Town
- Coosa County
- The following are listed by their distance from Minooka, with the one closest to Minooka listed first.
- Aucheucaula ‑ Historic
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the east)
- Aucheucaula is located in Coosa County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Aucheucaula
- Dollar
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the southeast)
- Dollar is located in Coosa County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Dollar
- Weogufka
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the east)
- Weogufka is located in Coosa County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Weogufka
- Stewartville
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the east)
- Stewartville is located in Coosa County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Stewartville
- Dallas County
- Plantersville
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the south)
- Plantersville is located in Dallas County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Plantersville
- Jefferson County
- The following are listed by their distance from Minooka, with the one closest to Minooka listed first.
- Greenwood
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the northwest)
- Greenwood is located in Jefferson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Greenwood
- Kimbrell
(23 miles [37 km] to the northwest)
- Kimbrell is located in Jefferson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Kimbrell
- Hoover
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the north)
- Shannon
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the north)
- Shannon is located in Jefferson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Shannon
- McCalla
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the northwest)
- Mobile Junction
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the northwest)
- Mobile Junction is located in Jefferson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mobile Junction
- New Village
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the northwest)
- New Village is located in Jefferson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for New Village
- Bessemer
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the northwest)
- Old Jonesboro
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the northwest)
- Old Jonesboro is located in Jefferson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Old Jonesboro
- Lipscomb
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the north)
- Lipscomb is located in Jefferson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lipscomb
- Population from the 2020 Census: 2,110 people
- Oxmoor
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the north)
- Oxmoor is located in Jefferson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Oxmoor
- Blue Creek Junction
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the northwest)
- Blue Creek Junction is located in Jefferson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Blue Creek Junction
- Perry County
- The following are listed by their distance from Minooka, with the one closest to Minooka listed first.
- Oakmulgee
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the southwest)
- Oakmulgee is located in Perry County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Oakmulgee
- Bethlehem
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the southwest)
- Bethlehem is located in Perry County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bethlehem
- Saint Clair County
- Vincent
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the northeast)
- Shelby County
- The following are listed by their distance from Minooka, with the one closest to Minooka listed first.
- Calera
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the north)
- Montevallo
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the northwest)
- Wilton
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the west)
- Wilton is located in Shelby County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Wilton
- Population from the 2020 Census: 684 people
- Former names for Wilton:
- Birmingham Junction
- Bismarck
- Catoosa
- Woods
- Woodsborough
- Saginaw
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the north)
- Saginaw is located in Shelby County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Saginaw
- Shelby
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the northeast)
- Columbiana
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the northeast)
- Maylene
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the northwest)
- Merrell Beach
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the east)
- Merrell Beach is located in Shelby County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Merrell Beach
- Siluria
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the north)
- Siluria is located in Shelby County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Siluria
- Brantleyville
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the northwest)
- Brantleyville is located in Shelby County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Brantleyville
- Pine Grove Village
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the east)
- Pine Grove Village is located in Shelby County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Pine Grove Village
- Alabaster
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the north)
- Talladega County
- The following are listed by their distance from Minooka, with the one closest to Minooka listed first.
- Talladega Springs
(18 miles [29 km] to the east)
- Talladega Springs is located in Talladega County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Talladega Springs
- Population from the 2020 Census: 156 people
- Fayetteville
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the east)
- Fayetteville is located in Talladega County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Fayetteville
- Gantts Quarry
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the east)
- Gantts Quarry is located in Talladega County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Gantts Quarry
- Childersburg
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the northeast)
- Oak Grove
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the east)
- Oak Grove is located in Talladega County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Oak Grove
- Population from the 2020 Census: 513 people
- Bon Air
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the northeast)
- Bon Air is located in Talladega County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bon Air
- Population from the 2020 Census: 109 people
- Comerdale
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the northeast)
- Comerdale is located in Talladega County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Comerdale
- Zubers
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the northeast)
- Zubers is located in Talladega County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Zubers
- Mignon
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the east)
- Mignon is located in Talladega County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mignon
- Sylacauga
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the east)
- Tuscaloosa County
- The following are listed by their distance from Minooka, with the one closest to Minooka listed first.
- Tannehill
(23 miles [37 km] to the northwest)
- Tannehill is located in Tuscaloosa County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Tannehill
- Lake View
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the northwest)
- Lake View is located in Tuscaloosa County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lake View
- Population from the 2020 Census: 2,732 people
- Vance
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the west)
- Abernant
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the northwest)
- Abernant is located in Tuscaloosa County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Abernant
For an expanded list of the communities that are closest to Minooka, see our County-by-County Page for Minooka.
Cemeteries Near Minooka ...
Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of Minooka.
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 Minooka - one of the links might be able to help.
If not found below, our Cemetery List for Minooka covers a larger area, with the cemeteries listed in alphabetical order.
The following cemeteries are listed based on their distance from Minooka, with the one closest to Minooka listed first.
- Rock Springs Cemetery
(Less than 2 miles to the north)
- Old Rock Springs Cemetery
(Less than 2 miles to the northwest)
- Shiloh - Busby Cemetery
(Less than 2 miles to the northeast)
- Providence Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the southwest)
- Shelby Memorial Gardens
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the northwest)
- Salem Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the north)
- Oak Grove Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the south)
- St. Pauls Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the south)
- Oak Hill Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the south)
- Rocky Mount Community Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the southeast)
- Cobb Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the southeast)
- Richardson - Randall Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the northwest)
- Continue List (442 more) ...
- Session Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the west)
- Center Hill Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the south)
- Rocky Mount Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the southeast)
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 Minooka in the Atlas, the following 1895 communities would have been found near the current location of Minooka.
These communities are listed based on their distance from Minooka, with the one closest to Minooka listed first.
- South Calera
(Less than 2 miles to the north)
- South Calera is located in Shelby County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for South Calera
- Calera
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the north)
- Jemison
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the south)
- Montevallo
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the northwest)
- Shelby Springs
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the northeast)
- Shelby Springs is located in Shelby County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Shelby Springs
- Brierfield
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the west)
- Ashby
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the west)
- Ashby is located in Bibb County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ashby
- Dogwood
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the northwest)
- Dogwood is located in Shelby County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Dogwood
- Longview
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the north)
- Longview is located in Shelby County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Longview
- Jumbo
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the southeast)
- Jumbo is located in Chilton County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Jumbo
- Shelby
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the northeast)
- Maylene
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the northwest)
- Continue List (18 more) ...
- Columbiana
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the northeast)
- Randolph
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the southwest)
- Randolph is located in Bibb County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Randolph
- Siluria
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the north)
- Siluria is located in Shelby County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Siluria
We've also created an expanded list of communities that existed in the 1890's and were located in the area around Minooka. See our List of 1890's Communities around Minooka.
Newspapers Published in Minooka ...
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 60 newspapers that have been published in the area around Minooka.
Although we're unaware of any newspapers that were published in the immediate area of Minooka, there are papers which were published within 16 miles [25.7 km]<4>. A list of those papers, sorted by paper name, can be found on the Extended Newspaper List for Minooka.
Websites to Help With Your Genealogy Research ...
When we do our genealogical research, we first visit 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 Minooka:
- Websites specific to Alabama
- Pages specific to Chilton County
- Genealogy information for nearby counties
- Autauga County
- Bibb County
- Coosa County
- Dallas County
- Jefferson County
- Perry County
- Saint Clair County
- Shelby County
- Talladega County
- Tuscaloosa 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 Minooka, 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' (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- Minooka) to Point B. In other words: 'As the crow flies'. |