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 Plano (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 Plano. 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 and doctors 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.
Plano is located in Cherokee 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 Cherokee County: Calhoun, Cleburne, DeKalb, Etowah, Chattooga (GA), Floyd (GA) & Polk (GA).
Below are the counties that are near Plano. For each of these counties, we show a sample of those communities that are closest to Plano:
- Cherokee County (The home county of Plano)
- The following are listed by their distance from Plano, with the one closest to Plano listed first.
- Turkey Town ‑ Historic
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the northeast)
- Turkey Town is located in Cherokee County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Turkey Town
- Centre
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the northeast)
- Leesburg
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the northwest)
- Ricks ‑ Historic
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the southeast)
- Ricks is located in Cherokee County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ricks
- Anderson
(5 miles [8 km] to the north)
- Coloma ‑ Historic
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the east)
- Coloma is located in Cherokee County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Coloma
- Moshat
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the east)
- Moshat is located in Cherokee County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Moshat
- Ball Flat
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the south)
- Ball Flat is located in Cherokee County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ball Flat
- Tucker Crossroads
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the east)
- Tucker Crossroads is located in Cherokee County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Tucker Crossroads
- Noah
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the east)
- Noah is located in Cherokee County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Noah
- Sand Rock
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the north)
- Sand Rock is located in Cherokee County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sand Rock
- Population from the 2020 Census: 674 people
- Cedar Bluff
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the northeast)
- Calhoun County
- The following are listed by their distance from Plano, with the one closest to Plano listed first.
- Collins ‑ Historic
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the south)
- Collins is located in Calhoun County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Collins
- Goshen ‑ Historic
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the southeast)
- Goshen is located in Calhoun County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Goshen
- Colvins Gap
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the south)
- Colvins Gap is located in Calhoun County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Colvins Gap
- Adelia ‑ Historic
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the south)
- Adelia is located in Calhoun County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Adelia
- Piedmont
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the southeast)
- Dailey
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the southeast)
- Dailey is located in Calhoun County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Dailey
- Merrellton
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the south)
- Merrellton is located in Calhoun County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Merrellton
- Germania Springs ‑ Historic
(18 miles [29 km] to the south)
- Germania Springs is located in Calhoun County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Germania Springs
- Nances Creek
(18 miles [29 km] to the south)
- Nances Creek is located in Calhoun County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Nances Creek
- Douthrittville ‑ Historic
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the southwest)
- Douthrittville is located in Calhoun County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Douthrittville
- Mack ‑ Historic
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the southwest)
- Mack is located in Calhoun County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mack
- Angel
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the south)
- Angel is located in Calhoun County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Angel
- Cleburne County
- The following are listed by their distance from Plano, with the one closest to Plano listed first.
- Borden Springs
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the southeast)
- Borden Springs is located in Cleburne County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Borden Springs
- Palestine
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the southeast)
- Palestine is located in Cleburne County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Palestine
- Grantley
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the southeast)
- Grantley is located in Cleburne County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Grantley
- Oak Level
(23 miles [37 km] to the southeast)
- Oak Level is located in Cleburne County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Oak Level
- Edwardsville
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the southeast)
- Edwardsville is located in Cleburne County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Edwardsville
- Population from the 2020 Census: 201 people
- DeKalb County
- The following are listed by their distance from Plano, with the one closest to Plano listed first.
- Mount Vernon
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the north)
- Mount Vernon is located in DeKalb County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mount Vernon
- Collinsville
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the northwest)
- Lickskillet
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the north)
- Lickskillet is located in DeKalb County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lickskillet
- Sigsbee
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the north)
- Sigsbee is located in DeKalb County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sigsbee
- Dog Town
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the north)
- Dog Town is located in DeKalb County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Dog Town
- Cotnam
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the northwest)
- Cotnam is located in DeKalb County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cotnam
- Marcus ‑ Historic
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the northwest)
- Marcus is located in DeKalb County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Marcus
- Dawson
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the northwest)
- Dawson is located in DeKalb County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Dawson
- Rodentown
(18 miles [29 km] to the northwest)
- Rodentown is located in DeKalb County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rodentown
- Adamsburg
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the north)
- Adamsburg is located in DeKalb County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Adamsburg
- Clyde ‑ Historic
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the northwest)
- Clyde is located in DeKalb County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Clyde
- Crossville
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the northwest)
- Etowah County
- The following are listed by their distance from Plano, with the one closest to Plano listed first.
- Ballplay
(5 miles [8 km] to the southwest)
- Ballplay is located in Etowah County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ballplay
- Hale ‑ Historic
(5 miles [8 km] to the west)
- Hale is located in Etowah County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hale
- Banner
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the south)
- Banner is located in Etowah County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Banner
- Coato Bend ‑ Historic
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the southwest)
- Coato Bend is located in Etowah County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Coato Bend
- Coat's Bend
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the west)
- Coat's Bend is located in Etowah County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Coat's Bend
- Turkeytown
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the west)
- Turkeytown is located in Etowah County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Turkeytown
- Wilsonia
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the west)
- Wilsonia is located in Etowah County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Wilsonia
- Hokes Bluff
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the southwest)
- Anderson
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the west)
- Anderson is located in Etowah County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Anderson
- Edwardsville
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the southwest)
- Edwardsville is located in Etowah County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Edwardsville
- Keener
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the west)
- Keener is located in Etowah County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Keener
- Yancy
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the west)
- Yancy is located in Etowah County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Yancy
- Marshall County
- The following are listed by their distance from Plano, with the one closest to Plano listed first.
- Boaz
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the west)
- Hustleville
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the northwest)
- Hustleville is located in Marshall County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hustleville
- Peters ‑ Historic
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the northwest)
- Peters is located in Marshall County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Peters
- Albertville
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the west)
- Whitesville
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the west)
- Whitesville is located in Marshall County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Whitesville
- Bartlett ‑ Historic
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the west)
- Bartlett is located in Marshall County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bartlett
- Saint Clair County
- Steele
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the southwest)
- Chattooga County (GA)
- The following are listed by their distance from Plano, with the one closest to Plano listed first.
- Chattoogaville
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the northeast)
- Chattoogaville is located in Chattooga County (GA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Chattoogaville
- Taliaferro ‑ Historic
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the northeast)
- Taliaferro is located in Chattooga County (GA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Taliaferro
- Estimated population in 2019: 71 people
- Lyerly
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the northeast)
- Menlo
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the northeast)
- Menlo is located in Chattooga County (GA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Menlo
- Population from the 2020 Census: 454 people
- Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Menlo <1>
- Berryton
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the northeast)
- Berryton is located in Chattooga County (GA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Berryton
- Cloudland
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the northeast)
- Floyd County (GA)
- The following are listed by their distance from Plano, with the one closest to Plano listed first.
- Cave Spring
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the east)
- Coosa
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the northeast)
- Oreburg
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the northeast)
- Oreburg is located in Floyd County (GA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Oreburg
- Robealou Acres
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the east)
- Robealou Acres is located in Floyd County (GA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Robealou Acres
- Estimated population in 2019: 973 people
- Polk County (GA)
- The following are listed by their distance from Plano, with the one closest to Plano listed first.
- Etna
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the east)
- Etna is located in Polk County (GA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Etna
- Estimated population in 2019: 902 people
- Esom Hill
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the southeast)
- Greenway ‑ Historic
(23 miles [37 km] to the southeast)
- Greenway is located in Polk County (GA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Greenway
- Cedartown
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the east)
For an expanded list of the communities that are closest to Plano, see our County-by-County Page for Plano.
Cemeteries Near Plano ...
Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of Plano.
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 Plano - one of the links might be able to help.
If not found below, our Cemetery List for Plano covers a larger area, with the cemeteries listed in alphabetical order.
The following cemeteries are listed based on their distance from Plano, with the one closest to Plano listed first.
- Morrison Cemetery
(Less than 2 miles to the south)
- Weaver Cemetery
(Less than 2 miles to the south)
- Mt. Olive Cemetery
(Less than 2 miles to the southeast)
- Shiloh Cemetery
(Less than 2 miles to the northwest)
- Parker Grove Cemetery
(Less than 2 miles to the east)
- Sewell Cemetery
(Less than 2 miles to the northeast)
- Garrett Cemetery
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the northeast)
- Smith Chapel Cemetery
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the west)
- Fairview Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the north)
- Cherokee Memory Gardens
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the east)
- Centre Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the northeast)
- Pratt Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the north)
- Continue List (378 more) ...
- Shady Grove Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the west)
- Mt. Tabor Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the southwest)
- New Bethel Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 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.<2>
The Rand McNally Atlas shows that Plano had a population of 37 people in 1895 with a post office and no railroad service.
These communities are listed based on their distance from Plano, with the one closest to Plano listed first.
- Maple Grove
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the west)
- Maple Grove is located in Cherokee County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Maple Grove
- Centre
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the northeast)
- Ricks ‑ Historic
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the southeast)
- Ricks is located in Cherokee County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ricks
- Leesburg
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the northwest)
- Mackey
(5 miles [8 km] to the northwest)
- Mackey is located in Cherokee County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mackey
- Coloma ‑ Historic
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the east)
- Coloma is located in Cherokee County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Coloma
- Moshat
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the east)
- Moshat is located in Cherokee County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Moshat
- Slackland
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the west)
- Slackland is located in Cherokee County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Slackland
- Round Mountain
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the north)
- Round Mountain is located in Cherokee County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Round Mountain
- Oak Hill ‑ Historic
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the west)
- Oak Hill is located in Etowah County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Oak Hill
- Gnatville
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the south)
- Gnatville is located in Cherokee County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Gnatville
- Bomar
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the east)
- Bomar is located in Cherokee County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bomar
- Continue List (15 more) ...
- Leonard
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the northwest)
- Leonard is located in Cherokee County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Leonard
- Coat's Bend
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the west)
- Coat's Bend is located in Etowah County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Coat's Bend
- Sand Rock
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the north)
- Sand Rock is located in Cherokee County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sand Rock
- Population from the 2020 Census: 674 people
We've also created an expanded list of communities that existed in the 1890's and were located in the area around Plano. See our List of 1890's Communities around Plano.
Newspapers Published in Plano ...
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 17 newspapers that have been published in the area around Plano.
Although we're unaware of any newspapers that were published in the immediate area of Plano, there are papers which were published within 12 miles [19.3 km]<3>. A list of those papers, sorted by paper name, can be found on the Extended Newspaper List for Plano.
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 Plano:
- Websites specific to Alabama
- Pages specific to Cherokee County
- Genealogy information for nearby counties
- Calhoun County
- Cleburne County
- DeKalb County
- Etowah County
- Marshall County
- Saint Clair County
- Chattooga County
- Floyd County
- Polk 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> | 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 Plano, please let us know so that we can improve our accuracy. |
| <3> | Our distances are not driving distances, but are calculated as a 'straight-line' (or point-to-point) distance. A straight line distance ignores obstructions like rivers, canyons, lakes, et cetera - it's truly a line drawn from Point A (ie- Plano) to Point B. In other words: 'As the crow flies'. |