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 Bright (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 Bright. 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/Parishes ...
When searching for family records, we have frequently made the mistake of not checking the neighboring counties/parishes.
For example, we have great-grandparents who lived in the northwest corner of their home county. During their lives, most doctors and hospitals 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/parishes 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/parishes, we would have missed many valuable sources of information.
If you're in a similar situation, we hope that the following information helps.
Bright is located in Columbia 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 Columbia County: Lafayette, Nevada, Ouachita, Union, Claiborne (LA) & Webster (LA).
Below are the counties/parishes that are near Bright. For each of these counties/parishes, we show a sample of those communities that are closest to Bright:
- Columbia County (The home county of Bright)
- The following are listed by their distance from Bright, with the one closest to Bright listed first.
- Waldo
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the south)
- College Hill
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the east)
- College Hill is located in Columbia County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for College Hill
- McNeil
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the southeast)
- Milner ‑ Historic
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the east)
- Milner is located in Columbia County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Milner
- Magnolia
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the southeast)
- Philadelphia
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the south)
- Philadelphia is located in Columbia County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Philadelphia
- Macedonia
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the south)
- Macedonia is located in Columbia County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Macedonia
- Calhoun
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the southeast)
- Calhoun is located in Columbia County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Calhoun
- Village
(18 miles [29 km] to the southeast)
- Village is located in Columbia County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Village
- Horsehead
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the south)
- Horsehead is located in Columbia County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Horsehead
- Emerson
(23 miles [37 km] to the south)
- Emerson is located in Columbia County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Emerson
- Population from the 2020 Census: 338 people
- Taylor
(23 miles [37 km] to the south)
- Clark County
- Whelen Springs
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the north)
- Whelen Springs is located in Clark County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Whelen Springs
- Population from the 2020 Census: 85 people
- Hempstead County
- The following are listed by their distance from Bright, with the one closest to Bright listed first.
- Patmos
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the northwest)
- Patmos is located in Hempstead County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Patmos
- Population from the 2020 Census: 58 people
- Centerville
(18 miles [29 km] to the northwest)
- Centerville is located in Hempstead County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Centerville
- Shover Springs
(18 miles [29 km] to the northwest)
- Shover Springs is located in Hempstead County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Shover Springs
- Perrytown
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the northwest)
- Perrytown is located in Hempstead County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Perrytown
- Population from the 2020 Census: 257 people
- Hope
(23 miles [37 km] to the northwest)
- Oakhaven
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the northwest)
- Oakhaven is located in Hempstead County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Oakhaven
- Population from the 2020 Census: 58 people
- Sheppard
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the northwest)
- Sheppard is located in Hempstead County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sheppard
- Lafayette County
- The following are listed by their distance from Bright, with the one closest to Bright listed first.
- Buckner
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the southwest)
- Buckner is located in Lafayette County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Buckner
- Population from the 2020 Census: 229 people
- Stamps
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the west)
- McKamie
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the southwest)
- McKamie is located in Lafayette County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for McKamie
- Old Town
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the west)
- Old Town is located in Lafayette County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Old Town
- Lewisville
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the west)
- Kress City
(18 miles [29 km] to the southwest)
- Kress City is located in Lafayette County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Kress City
- Bradley
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the southwest)
- Walnut Hill
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the southwest)
- Walnut Hill is located in Lafayette County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Walnut Hill
- Miller County
- Garland
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the west)
- Garland is located in Miller County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Garland
- Population from the 2020 Census: 235 people
- Nevada County
- The following are listed by their distance from Bright, with the one closest to Bright listed first.
- Willisville
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the north)
- Willisville is located in Nevada County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Willisville
- Population from the 2020 Census: 139 people
- Bodcaw
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the northwest)
- Bodcaw is located in Nevada County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bodcaw
- Population from the 2020 Census: 126 people
- Rosston
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the north)
- Rosston is located in Nevada County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rosston
- Population from the 2020 Census: 235 people
- Cale
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the north)
- Cale is located in Nevada County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cale
- Population from the 2020 Census: 68 people
- Laneburg
(18 miles [29 km] to the north)
- Laneburg is located in Nevada County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Laneburg
- Zama ‑ Historic
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the northeast)
- Zama is located in Nevada County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Zama
- Emmet
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the north)
- Emmet is located in Nevada County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Emmet
- Population from the 2020 Census: 455 people
- Bluff City
(23 miles [37 km] to the northeast)
- Prescott
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the north)
- Boughton
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the north)
- Boughton is located in Nevada County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Boughton
- Ouachita County
- The following are listed by their distance from Bright, with the one closest to Bright listed first.
- Stephens
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the east)
- Lufra ‑ Historic
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the northeast)
- Lufra is located in Ouachita County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lufra
- Pace City
(23 miles [37 km] to the east)
- Pace City is located in Ouachita County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Pace City
- Bragg City
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the northeast)
- Bragg City is located in Ouachita County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bragg City
- Chidester
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the northeast)
- Chidester is located in Ouachita County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Chidester
- Population from the 2020 Census: 256 people
- Reader
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the northeast)
- Reader is located in Ouachita County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Reader
- Liberty
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the east)
- Liberty is located in Ouachita County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Liberty
- Cullendale
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the east)
- Cullendale is located in Ouachita County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cullendale
- Louann
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the east)
- Louann is located in Ouachita County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Louann
- Population from the 2020 Census: 152 people
- Camden
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the northeast)
- Union County
- The following are listed by their distance from Bright, with the one closest to Bright listed first.
- Mount Holly
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the east)
- Lisbon
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the east)
- Lisbon is located in Union County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lisbon
- Webster Parish (LA)
- Springhill
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the south)
For an expanded list of the communities that are closest to Bright, see our County-by-County Page for Bright.
Cemeteries Near Bright ...
Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of Bright.
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 Bright - one of the links might be able to help.
If not found below, our Cemetery List for Bright covers a larger area, with the cemeteries listed in alphabetical order.
The following cemeteries are listed based on their distance from Bright, with the one closest to Bright listed first.
- Columbia Cemetery
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the southeast)
- Shiloh Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the southeast)
- Waldrep Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the north)
- Watts Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the northeast)
- Strong Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the south)
- Waldo Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the south)
- Dickson Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the south)
- Green Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the southeast)
- St. Peters Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the north)
- Falcon Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the northwest)
- Buckner Cemetery
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the southwest)
- Hartsfield Cemetery
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the southeast)
- Continue List (187 more) ...
- Corinth Cemetery
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the northwest)
- New Hope Cemetery
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the southeast)
- St. Matthews Cemetery
(8 miles [12.9 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.<2>
While we didn't find Bright in the Atlas, the following 1895 communities would have been found near the current location of Bright.
These communities are listed based on their distance from Bright, with the one closest to Bright listed first.
- Waldo
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the south)
- Delta
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the northeast)
- Delta is located in Nevada County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Delta
- Lumber
(5 miles [8 km] to the south)
- Lumber is located in Columbia County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lumber
- College Hill
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the east)
- College Hill is located in Columbia County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for College Hill
- Falcon
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the northwest)
- Falcon is located in Nevada County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Falcon
- McNeil
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the southeast)
- Willisville
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the north)
- Willisville is located in Nevada County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Willisville
- Population from the 2020 Census: 139 people
- Glenville
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the northeast)
- Glenville is located in Nevada County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Glenville
- Stamps
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the west)
- Milner ‑ Historic
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the east)
- Milner is located in Columbia County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Milner
- Bodcaw
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the northwest)
- Bodcaw is located in Nevada County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bodcaw
- Population from the 2020 Census: 126 people
- Magnolia
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the southeast)
- Continue List (13 more) ...
- Brisbane ‑ Historic
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the north)
- Brisbane is located in Nevada County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Brisbane
- Rosston
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the north)
- Rosston is located in Nevada County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rosston
- Population from the 2020 Census: 235 people
- Woodlawn ‑ Historic
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the northeast)
- Woodlawn is located in Nevada County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Woodlawn
We've also created an expanded list of communities that existed in the 1890's and were located in the area around Bright. See our List of 1890's Communities around Bright.
Newspapers Published in Bright ...
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 40 newspapers that have been published in the area around Bright.
Although we're unaware of any newspapers that were published in the immediate area of Bright, there are papers which were published within 23 miles [37 km]<3>. A list of those papers, sorted by paper name, can be found on the Extended Newspaper List for Bright.
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 Bright:
- Websites specific to Arkansas
- Pages specific to Columbia County
- Genealogy information for nearby counties
- Clark County
- Hempstead County
- Lafayette County
- Miller County
- Nevada County
- Ouachita County
- Union County
- Webster Parish
- 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> | 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 Bright, please let us know so that we can improve our accuracy. |
| <3> | Our distances are not driving distances, but are calculated as a '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- Bright) to Point B. In other words: 'As the crow flies'. |