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 West Circle (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 West Circle. 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 West Circle ...
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.
For example, a typical abbreviation for West Circle: W. Circle
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 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.
West Circle is located in Tuscaloosa 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 Tuscaloosa County: Bibb, Fayette, Greene, Hale, Jefferson & Pickens.
Below are the counties that are near West Circle. For each of these counties, we show a sample of those communities that are closest to West Circle:
- Tuscaloosa County (The home county of West Circle)
- The following are listed by their distance from West Circle, with the one closest to West Circle listed first.
- Northport
(Less than 2 miles to the northeast)
- Ingleside Village
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the southeast)
- Ingleside Village is located in Tuscaloosa County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ingleside Village
- Tuscaloosa
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the southeast)
- University
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the east)
- University is located in Tuscaloosa County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for University
- Sahama Village
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the southeast)
- Sahama Village is located in Tuscaloosa County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sahama Village
- Alberta City
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the east)
- Alberta City is located in Tuscaloosa County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Alberta City
- Lake Front Village
(5 miles [8 km] to the north)
- Lake Front Village is located in Tuscaloosa County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lake Front Village
- Wood Village
(5 miles [8 km] to the northeast)
- Wood Village is located in Tuscaloosa County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Wood Village
- Coker
(5 miles [8 km] to the west)
- Holt
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the east)
- Holt is located in Tuscaloosa County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Holt
- Cottondale
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the east)
- Peterson
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the east)
- Peterson is located in Tuscaloosa County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Peterson
- Buhl
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the west)
- Buhl is located in Tuscaloosa County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Buhl
- Bibb County
- The following are listed by their distance from West Circle, with the one closest to West Circle listed first.
- Egypt ‑ Historic
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the southeast)
- Egypt is located in Bibb County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Egypt
- Blocton Junction
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the east)
- 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
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the east)
- North Bibb is located in Bibb County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for North Bibb
- Scottsville
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the southeast)
- Scottsville is located in Bibb County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Scottsville
- Green Pond
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the east)
- Woodstock
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the east)
- Burmah ‑ Historic
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the east)
- Burmah is located in Bibb County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Burmah
- Fikestown ‑ Historic
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the east)
- Fikestown is located in Bibb County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Fikestown
- West Blocton
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the east)
- Pondville
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the southeast)
- Pondville is located in Bibb County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Pondville
- Blocton ‑ Historic
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the east)
- Blocton is located in Bibb County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Blocton
- Bucktown ‑ Historic
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the east)
- Bucktown is located in Bibb County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bucktown
- Corinne ‑ Historic
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the east)
- Corinne is located in Bibb County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Corinne
- Fayette County
- The following are listed by their distance from West Circle, with the one closest to West Circle listed first.
- Ashcraft Corner
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the northwest)
- Ashcraft Corner is located in Fayette County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ashcraft Corner
- Berry
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the north)
- Greene County
- The following are listed by their distance from West Circle, with the one closest to West Circle listed first.
- Knoxville
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the southwest)
- Knoxville is located in Greene County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Knoxville
- Mantua
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the southwest)
- Mantua is located in Greene County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mantua
- Union
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the southwest)
- Union is located in Greene County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Union
- Population from the 2020 Census: 207 people
- Lewiston
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the southwest)
- Lewiston is located in Greene County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lewiston
- Hale County
- The following are listed by their distance from West Circle, with the one closest to West Circle listed first.
- Moundville
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the south)
- Powers
(18 miles [29 km] to the south)
- Powers is located in Hale County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Powers
- Phipps ‑ Historic
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the south)
- Phipps is located in Hale County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Phipps
- Oak Village
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the southwest)
- Oak Village is located in Hale County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Oak Village
- Akron
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the south)
- Jefferson County
- The following are listed by their distance from West Circle, with the one closest to West Circle listed first.
- North Johns
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the east)
- North Johns is located in Jefferson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for North Johns
- Population from the 2020 Census: 143 people
- Ezra
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the northeast)
- Ezra is located in Jefferson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ezra
- Oak Grove
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the northeast)
- Oak Grove is located in Jefferson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Oak Grove
- Adger
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the east)
- Kimbrell
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the east)
- Kimbrell is located in Jefferson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Kimbrell
- Perry County
- Brush Creek
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the south)
- Brush Creek is located in Perry County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Brush Creek
- Pickens County
- The following are listed by their distance from West Circle, with the one closest to West Circle listed first.
- Gordo
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the west)
- Lubbub
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the northwest)
- Lubbub is located in Pickens County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lubbub
- Bell
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the west)
- Bell is located in Pickens County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bell
- Benevola
(23 miles [37 km] to the west)
- Benevola is located in Pickens County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Benevola
- Reform
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the northwest)
- Olney
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the west)
- Olney is located in Pickens County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Olney
- Stansel
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the west)
- Stansel is located in Pickens County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Stansel
- Carrollton
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the west)
- Carrollton is located in Pickens County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Carrollton
- Population from the 2020 Census: 935 people
For an expanded list of the communities that are closest to West Circle, see our County-by-County Page for West Circle.
Cemeteries Near West Circle ...
Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of West Circle.
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 West Circle - one of the links might be able to help.
If not found below, our Cemetery List for West Circle covers a larger area, with the cemeteries listed in alphabetical order.
The following cemeteries are listed based on their distance from West Circle, with the one closest to West Circle listed first.
- Williamson Cemetery
(Less than 2 miles to the southeast)
- Rices Hill Cemetery
(Less than 2 miles to the north)
- West Highland Memorial Cemetery
(Less than 2 miles to the south)
- Greenwood Cemetery
(Less than 2 miles to the southeast)
- Stone Cemetery
(Less than 2 miles to the north)
- Pine Ridge Cemetery
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the south)
- Evergreen Cemetery
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the southeast)
- Robertson Chapel Cemetery
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the east)
- Sunset Memorial Garden
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the northeast)
- Shirley Cemetery
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the north)
- Jennings Chapel Cemetery
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the northwest)
- Beautiful Zion Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the southwest)
- Continue List (453 more) ...
- The Old Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the east)
- Beulah Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the northeast)
- Taylor Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the north)
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 West Circle in the Atlas, the following 1895 communities would have been found near the current location of West Circle.
These communities are listed based on their distance from West Circle, with the one closest to West Circle listed first.
- Northport
(Less than 2 miles to the northeast)
- Tuscaloosa
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the southeast)
- University
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the east)
- University is located in Tuscaloosa County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for University
- Coker
(5 miles [8 km] to the west)
- Englewood
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the south)
- Englewood is located in Tuscaloosa County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Englewood
- Cottondale
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the east)
- Romulus
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the southwest)
- Romulus is located in Tuscaloosa County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Romulus
- Foster's
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the southwest)
- Hull
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the south)
- Hull is located in Tuscaloosa County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hull
- Sylvan
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the southwest)
- Sylvan is located in Tuscaloosa County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sylvan
- Samantha
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the north)
- Samantha is located in Tuscaloosa County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Samantha
- Coaling
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the east)
- Coaling is located in Tuscaloosa County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Coaling
- Population from the 2020 Census: 1,633 people
- Continue List (15 more) ...
- Brookwood
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the east)
- Dudley
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the east)
- Dudley is located in Tuscaloosa County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Dudley
- Powers
(18 miles [29 km] to the south)
- Powers is located in Hale County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Powers
We've also created an expanded list of communities that existed in the 1890's and were located in the area around West Circle. See our List of 1890's Communities around West Circle.
Newspapers Published in West Circle ...
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 51 newspapers that have been published in the area around West Circle.
Although we're unaware of any newspapers that were published in the immediate area of West Circle, there are papers which were published within 3 miles [4.8 km]<4>. A list of those papers, sorted by paper name, can be found on the Extended Newspaper List for West Circle.
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 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 West Circle:
- Websites specific to Alabama
- Pages specific to Tuscaloosa County
- Genealogy information for nearby counties
- Bibb County
- Fayette County
- Greene County
- Hale County
- Jefferson County
- Perry County
- Pickens 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 West Circle, 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 drawn from Point A (ie- West Circle) to Point B. In other words: 'As the crow flies'. |