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 Bear (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 Bear. 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 northwest 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 north.
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 north 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.
Bear is located in Garland County.
To see how the shape of Arkansas' counties may have changed over time, we recommend the Atlas of Historical County Boundaries.
The following counties adjoin and form the boundaries of Garland County: Hot Spring, Montgomery, Perry, Saline & Yell.
Below are the counties that are near Bear. For each of these counties, we show a sample of those communities that are closest to Bear:
- Garland County (The home county of Bear)
- The following are listed by their distance from Bear, with the one closest to Bear listed first.
- Royal
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the southeast)
- Mountain Pine
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the northeast)
- Meyers
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the southwest)
- Meyers is located in Garland County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Meyers
- Pearcy
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the south)
- Piney
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the east)
- Piney is located in Garland County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Piney
- Avant
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the northwest)
- Avant is located in Garland County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Avant
- Rockwell
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the southeast)
- Rockwell is located in Garland County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rockwell
- Lake Hamilton
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the southeast)
- Hot Springs
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the east)
- Gladstone ‑ Historic
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the north)
- Gladstone is located in Garland County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Gladstone
- Blue Springs
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the northeast)
- Blue Springs is located in Garland County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Blue Springs
- Jessieville
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the northeast)
- Clark County
- The following are listed by their distance from Bear, with the one closest to Bear listed first.
- Alpine
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the south)
- Alpine is located in Clark County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Alpine
- Amity
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the southwest)
- Amity is located in Clark County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Amity
- Population from the 2020 Census: 674 people
- Caddo Valley
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the southeast)
- Caddo Valley is located in Clark County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Caddo Valley
- Population from the 2020 Census: 635 people
- Hot Spring County
- The following are listed by their distance from Bear, with the one closest to Bear listed first.
- Bonnerdale
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the southwest)
- Bismarck
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the south)
- Magnet Cove
(23 miles [37 km] to the east)
- Magnet Cove is located in Hot Spring County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Magnet Cove
- Estimated population in 2014: 5 people
- Social Hill
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the southeast)
- Social Hill is located in Hot Spring County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Social Hill
- Saginaw
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the southeast)
- Saginaw is located in Hot Spring County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Saginaw
- Friendship
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the southeast)
- Friendship is located in Hot Spring County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Friendship
- Population from the 2020 Census: 191 people
- Midway
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the southeast)
- Midway is located in Hot Spring County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Midway
- Population from the 2020 Census: 400 people
- Butterfield
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the east)
- Butterfield is located in Hot Spring County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Butterfield
- Rockport
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the east)
- Rockport is located in Hot Spring County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rockport
- Population from the 2020 Census: 710 people
- Donaldson
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the southeast)
- Donaldson is located in Hot Spring County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Donaldson
- Population from the 2020 Census: 300 people
- Etta ‑ Historic
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the southeast)
- Etta is located in Hot Spring County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Etta
- Malvern
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the southeast)
- Montgomery County
- The following are listed by their distance from Bear, with the one closest to Bear listed first.
- Fir ‑ Historic
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the west)
- Fir is located in Montgomery County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Fir
- Joplin
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the west)
- Joplin is located in Montgomery County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Joplin
- Alamo
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the southwest)
- Alamo is located in Montgomery County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Alamo
- Mazarn
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the southwest)
- Mazarn is located in Montgomery County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mazarn
- Fannie
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the northwest)
- Fannie is located in Montgomery County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Fannie
- Washita
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the northwest)
- Washita is located in Montgomery County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Washita
- Story
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the northwest)
- Hickory Station ‑ Historic
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the southwest)
- Hickory Station is located in Montgomery County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hickory Station
- Mount Ida
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the west)
- Ophir
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the west)
- Ophir is located in Montgomery County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ophir
- Caddo Gap
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the southwest)
- Manfred
(23 miles [37 km] to the southwest)
- Manfred is located in Montgomery County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Manfred
- Pike County
- The following are listed by their distance from Bear, with the one closest to Bear listed first.
- Glenwood
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the southwest)
- Caney Valley
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the southwest)
- Caney Valley is located in Pike County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Caney Valley
- Salem
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the southwest)
- Salem is located in Pike County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Salem
- Kirby
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the southwest)
- Lodi
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the southwest)
- Lodi is located in Pike County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lodi
- Saline County
- Rubicon
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the east)
- Rubicon is located in Saline County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rubicon
- Yell County
- The following are listed by their distance from Bear, with the one closest to Bear listed first.
- Aly
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the northwest)
- Aly is located in Yell County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Aly
- Chula
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the northwest)
- Chula is located in Yell County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Chula
- Rover
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the north)
- Wing
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the north)
- Wing is located in Yell County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Wing
- Briggsville
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the northwest)
- Briggsville is located in Yell County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Briggsville
For an expanded list of the communities that are closest to Bear, see our County-by-County Page for Bear.
Cemeteries Near Bear ...
Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of Bear.
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 Bear - one of the links might be able to help.
If not found below, our Cemetery List for Bear covers a larger area, with the cemeteries listed in alphabetical order.
The following cemeteries are listed based on their distance from Bear, with the one closest to Bear listed first.
- Lowe Cemetery
(Less than 2 miles to the south)
- McDowell Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the southwest)
- Cunningham Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the east)
- Oak Grove Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the southeast)
- Gibbons Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the southeast)
- Avery Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the east)
- Hughes Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the east)
- Cross Roads Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the southwest)
- Godwin Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the east)
- Brooks Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the northwest)
- Buckville Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the northwest)
- Memorial Gardens Cemetery
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the southeast)
- Continue List (222 more) ...
- Fleming Cemetery
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the east)
- Aldrich Cemetery
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the southeast)
- Coker Cemetery
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the east)
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 Bear in the Atlas, the following 1895 communities would have been found near the current location of Bear.
These communities are listed based on their distance from Bear, with the one closest to Bear listed first.
- Meyers
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the southwest)
- Meyers is located in Garland County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Meyers
- Pearcy
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the south)
- Oma
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the south)
- Oma is located in Hot Spring County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Oma
- Lucky ‑ Historic
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the southwest)
- Lucky is located in Montgomery County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lucky
- Mazarn
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the southwest)
- Mazarn is located in Montgomery County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mazarn
- Wayside ‑ Historic
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the south)
- Wayside is located in Hot Spring County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Wayside
- Hot Springs
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the east)
- Mountain Valley
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the northeast)
- Mountain Valley is located in Garland County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mountain Valley
- Point Cedar
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the south)
- Point Cedar is located in Hot Spring County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Point Cedar
- Gladstone ‑ Historic
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the north)
- Gladstone is located in Garland County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Gladstone
- Elm ‑ Historic
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the southwest)
- Elm is located in Clark County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Elm
- Plata
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the west)
- Plata is located in Montgomery County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Plata
- Continue List (14 more) ...
- Bismarck
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the south)
- Jessieville
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the northeast)
- Washita
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the northwest)
- Washita is located in Montgomery County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Washita
We've also created an expanded list of communities that existed in the 1890's and were located in the area around Bear. See our List of 1890's Communities around Bear.
Newspapers Published in Bear ...
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 86 newspapers that have been published in the area around Bear.
Although we're unaware of any newspapers that were published in the immediate area of Bear, there are papers which were published within 28 miles [45.1 km]<4>. A list of those papers, sorted by paper name, can be found on the Extended Newspaper List for Bear.
Websites to Help With Your Genealogy Research ...
When we do our genealogical research, we begin 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 Bear:
- Websites specific to Arkansas
- Pages specific to Garland County
- Genealogy information for nearby counties
- Clark County
- Hot Spring County
- Montgomery County
- Pike County
- Saline County
- Yell County
- Cemetery Information and Directories for Arkansas
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 Bear, please let us know so that we can improve our accuracy. |
| <4> | Our distances are not driving distances, but are calculated as a '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- Bear) to Point B. In other words: 'As the crow flies'. |