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 Valley Creek (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 Valley Creek. 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.
Name Variations for Valley Creek ...
When searching records, keep in mind that names and their spelling can change over time. Our sources include documents like maps, railroad schedules, Travel, Express and Shipping Guides. Many of these documents date from the 1800's and it's common to find spelling differences.
Although we can't give a definitive list, hopefully the following will give you a feel for the variations that might occur.
For example, a typical abbreviation for Valley Creek: Valley Crk. (or less commonly used: Valley Ck. or Valley Cr.)
You might be interested in other communities that are also named Valley Creek. More information can be found on our Tidbits & Trivia Page for Valley Creek.
If you have information about these names (such as the reason for the change, date of change, the origin of the name), please Contact Us.
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 hospitals and doctors 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.
Valley Creek 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 Valley Creek. For each of these counties, we show a sample of those communities that are closest to Valley Creek:
- Jefferson County (The home county of Valley Creek)
- The following are listed by their distance from Valley Creek, with the one closest to Valley Creek listed first.
- Adger
(Less than 2 miles to the southwest)
- Bullard Shoals ‑ Historic
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the east)
- Bullard Shoals is located in Jefferson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bullard Shoals
- North Johns
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the southwest)
- North Johns is located in Jefferson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for North Johns
- Population from the 2020 Census: 143 people
- Hueytown
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the northeast)
- McCalla
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the southeast)
- Mobile Junction
(5 miles [8 km] to the east)
- Mobile Junction is located in Jefferson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mobile Junction
- Old Jonesboro
(5 miles [8 km] to the east)
- Old Jonesboro is located in Jefferson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Old Jonesboro
- Concord
(5 miles [8 km] to the northeast)
- Concord is located in Jefferson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Concord
- Ezra
(5 miles [8 km] to the northwest)
- Ezra is located in Jefferson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ezra
- Bessemer
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the east)
- Blue Creek Junction
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the east)
- Blue Creek Junction is located in Jefferson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Blue Creek Junction
- Industrial City
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the northeast)
- Industrial City is located in Jefferson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Industrial City
- Bibb County
- The following are listed by their distance from Valley Creek, with the one closest to Valley Creek listed first.
- Green Pond
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the south)
- Blocton Junction
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the south)
- Blocton Junction is located in Bibb County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Blocton Junction
- Blocton Junction has also been known as:
- Blockton Junc
- North Bibb
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the south)
- North Bibb is located in Bibb County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for North Bibb
- Woodstock
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the south)
- Burmah ‑ Historic
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the south)
- Burmah is located in Bibb County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Burmah
- Cane Creek ‑ Historic
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the south)
- Cane Creek is located in Bibb County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cane Creek
- Belle Ellen
(18 miles [29 km] to the south)
- Belle Ellen is located in Bibb County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Belle Ellen
- Eddings
(18 miles [29 km] to the south)
- Eddings is located in Bibb County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Eddings
- Italian Town
(18 miles [29 km] to the south)
- Italian Town is located in Bibb County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Italian Town
- Nash Town ‑ Historic
(18 miles [29 km] to the south)
- Nash Town is located in Bibb County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Nash Town
- West Blocton
(18 miles [29 km] to the south)
- Blocton ‑ Historic
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the south)
- Blocton is located in Bibb County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Blocton
- Blount County
- Dale ‑ Historic
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the northeast)
- Dale is located in Blount County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Dale
- Shelby County
- The following are listed by their distance from Valley Creek, with the one closest to Valley Creek listed first.
- Bamford
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the southeast)
- Bamford is located in Shelby County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bamford
- Falliston
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the southeast)
- Falliston is located in Shelby County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Falliston
- Helena
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the southeast)
- Tacoa
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the southeast)
- Tacoa is located in Shelby County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Tacoa
- Tulse
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the southeast)
- Tulse is located in Shelby County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Tulse
- Sawmill Town
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the southeast)
- Sawmill Town is located in Shelby County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sawmill Town
- Aden
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the south)
- Aden is located in Shelby County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Aden
- Alabaster
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the southeast)
- Brantleyville
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the southeast)
- Brantleyville is located in Shelby County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Brantleyville
- Maylene
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the southeast)
- Siluria
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the southeast)
- Siluria is located in Shelby County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Siluria
- Indian Springs Village
(18 miles [29 km] to the east)
- 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
- Tuscaloosa County
- The following are listed by their distance from Valley Creek, with the one closest to Valley Creek listed first.
- Tannehill
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the south)
- Tannehill is located in Tuscaloosa County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Tannehill
- Lake View
(8 miles [12.9 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
- Abernant
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the southwest)
- Abernant is located in Tuscaloosa County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Abernant
- Bull City
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the west)
- Bull City is located in Tuscaloosa County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bull City
- Kellerman
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the west)
- Kellerman is located in Tuscaloosa County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Kellerman
- Brookwood
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the southwest)
- Vance
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the southwest)
- Coaling
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the southwest)
- Coaling is located in Tuscaloosa County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Coaling
- Population from the 2020 Census: 1,633 people
- Peterson
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the southwest)
- Peterson is located in Tuscaloosa County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Peterson
- Cottondale
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the southwest)
- Holt
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the southwest)
- Holt is located in Tuscaloosa County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Holt
- Wood Village
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the west)
- Wood Village is located in Tuscaloosa County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Wood Village
- Walker County
- The following are listed by their distance from Valley Creek, with the one closest to Valley Creek listed first.
- Quinton
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the north)
- Reeds Ferry
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the north)
- Reeds Ferry is located in Walker County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Reeds Ferry
- Twilley Town
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the north)
- Twilley Town is located in Walker County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Twilley Town
- Yerkwood
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the north)
- Yerkwood is located in Walker County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Yerkwood
- Wyatt
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the north)
- Wyatt is located in Walker County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Wyatt
- Goodsprings
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the northwest)
- Goodsprings is located in Walker County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Goodsprings
- Burnwell
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the north)
- Burnwell is located in Walker County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Burnwell
- Oakahalla
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the north)
- Oakahalla is located in Walker County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Oakahalla
- Red Star
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the north)
- Red Star is located in Walker County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Red Star
- Barney
(23 miles [37 km] to the north)
- Barney is located in Walker County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Barney
- Dora
(23 miles [37 km] to the north)
- Dovertown
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the north)
- Dovertown is located in Walker County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Dovertown
For an expanded list of the communities that are closest to Valley Creek, see our County-by-County Page for Valley Creek.
Cemeteries Near Valley Creek ...
Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of Valley Creek.
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 Valley Creek - one of the links might be able to help.
If not found below, our Cemetery List for Valley Creek covers a larger area, with the cemeteries listed in alphabetical order.
The following cemeteries are listed based on their distance from Valley Creek, with the one closest to Valley Creek listed first.
- Adger Cemetery
(Less than 2 miles to the southwest)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Adger Cemetery
- To give a relative sense of its location, the Adger Cemetery is a large cemetery that is located outside and to the northeast of Adger.
- Jump to Find-A-Grave: FG ID #21198 <2>
- Valley Creek Cemetery
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the north)
- Virginia Mines Cemetery
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the north)
- Lincoln Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the southeast)
- Pine Hill Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the southeast)
- Cedar Hill Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the east)
- Beth-El Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the northeast)
- Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the northeast)
- Liberty Cemetery
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the southwest)
- Bucksville Cemetery
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the south)
- George Cemetery
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the southeast)
- Fairington Cemetery
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the southeast)
- Continue List (376 more) ...
- Sadlers Cemetery
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the east)
- Highland Memorial Gardens
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the northeast)
- Brighton Memorial Gardens
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the northeast)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Brighton Memorial Gardens
- The Brighton Memorial Gardens has also been known as:
- Brighton Cemetery
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 Valley Creek in the Atlas, the following 1895 communities would have been found near the current location of Valley Creek.
These communities are listed based on their distance from Valley Creek, with the one closest to Valley Creek listed first.
- Adger
(Less than 2 miles to the southwest)
- Chinn
(Less than 2 miles to the southeast)
- Chinn is located in Jefferson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Chinn
- Bullard Shoals ‑ Historic
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the east)
- Bullard Shoals is located in Jefferson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bullard Shoals
- Sumter
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the southwest)
- Sumter is located in Jefferson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sumter
- McAdory
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the east)
- McAdory is located in Jefferson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for McAdory
- McCalla
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the southeast)
- Old Jonesboro
(5 miles [8 km] to the east)
- Old Jonesboro is located in Jefferson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Old Jonesboro
- Ezra
(5 miles [8 km] to the northwest)
- Ezra is located in Jefferson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ezra
- Bessemer
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the east)
- Blue Creek Junction
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the east)
- Blue Creek Junction is located in Jefferson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Blue Creek Junction
- Sloss
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the east)
- Sloss is located in Jefferson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sloss
- Brickyard Junction
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the east)
- Brickyard Junction is located in Jefferson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Brickyard Junction
- Continue List (16 more) ...
- Collins
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the northeast)
- Collins is located in Jefferson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Collins
- Yolande
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the southwest)
- Yolande is located in Tuscaloosa County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Yolande
- Tannehill
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the south)
- Tannehill is located in Tuscaloosa County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Tannehill
We've also created an expanded list of communities that existed in the 1890's and were located in the area around Valley Creek. See our List of 1890's Communities around Valley Creek.
Newspapers Published in Valley Creek ...
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 25 newspapers that have been published in the area around Valley Creek.
Although we're unaware of any newspapers that were published in the immediate area of Valley Creek, there are papers which were published within 11 miles [17.7 km]<4>. A list of those papers, sorted by paper name, can be found on the Extended Newspaper List for Valley Creek.
Websites to Help With Your Genealogy Research ...
When we do our genealogical research, we like to start 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 Valley Creek:
- Websites specific to Alabama
- Pages specific to Jefferson County
- Genealogy information for nearby counties
- Bibb County
- Blount County
- Shelby 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 Valley Creek, 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- Valley Creek) to Point B. In other words: 'As the crow flies'. |