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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 Center Point (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 Center Point. 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 Center Point ...

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.

Another variation: Centerpoint.

  • A typical abbreviation for Center Point: Center Pt.

You might be interested in other communities that are also named Center Point. More information can be found on our Tidbits & Trivia Page for Center Point.

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 northwest 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 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.

Center Point is located in Polk 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 Polk County: Howard, Montgomery, Scott, Sevier, Le Flore (OK) & McCurtain (OK).

Below are the counties that are near Center Point. For each of these counties, we show a sample of those communities that are closest to Center Point:

  • Polk County     (The home county of Center Point)
    • The following are listed by their distance from Center Point, with the one closest to Center Point listed first.
    • Mountain Fork
      (3 miles [4.8 km] to the west)
      • Mountain Fork is located in Polk County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mountain Fork
    • Rich Mountain
      (4 miles [6.4 km] to the north)
      • Rich Mountain is located in Polk County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rich Mountain
    • Potter
      (5 miles [8 km] to the south)
      • Potter is located in Polk County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Potter
    • Potter Junction
      (6 miles [9.7 km] to the southeast)
      • Potter Junction is located in Polk County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Potter Junction
    • Mena
      (7 miles [11.3 km] to the east)
    • Hatfield
      (9 miles [14.5 km] to the south)
    • Dallas
      (10 miles [16.1 km] to the southeast)
      • Dallas is located in Polk County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Dallas
    • Cove
      (13 miles [20.9 km] to the south)
    • Board Camp
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the east)
      • Board Camp is located in Polk County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Board Camp
    • Vandervoort
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the south)
      • Vandervoort is located in Polk County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Vandervoort
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 85 people
    • Hatton
      (18 miles [29 km] to the south)
      • Hatton is located in Polk County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hatton
    • Bog Springs
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the south)
      • Bog Springs is located in Polk County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bog Springs
  • Calhoun County
    • Unco
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the southeast)
      • Unco is located in Calhoun County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Unco
  • Howard County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Center Point, with the one closest to Center Point listed first.
    • Galena
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the southeast)
      • Galena is located in Howard County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Galena
    • Mineola
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the southeast)
      • Mineola is located in Howard County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mineola
    • Umpire
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the southeast)
      • Umpire is located in Howard County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Umpire
  • Scott County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Center Point, with the one closest to Center Point listed first.
    • Gate ‑ Historic
      (13 miles [20.9 km] to the northeast)
      • Gate is located in Scott County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Gate
    • Y City
      (18 miles [29 km] to the northeast)
      • Y City is located in Scott County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Y City
    • Bates
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the north)
      • Bates is located in Scott County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bates
    • Boles
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the northeast)
    • Winfield
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the northeast)
      • Winfield is located in Scott County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Winfield
    • Waldron
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the northeast)
    • Parks
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the northeast)
      • Parks is located in Scott County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Parks
  • Sebastian County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Center Point, with the one closest to Center Point listed first.
    • Hartford
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the north)
    • Frog Town
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the north)
      • Frog Town is located in Sebastian County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Frog Town
    • Mansfield
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the north)
  • Le Flore County (OK)
    • The following are listed by their distance from Center Point, with the one closest to Center Point listed first.
    • Big Cedar
      (15 miles [24.1 km] to the west)
      • Big Cedar is located in Le Flore County (OK)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Big Cedar
    • Octavia
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the west)
    • Hodgen
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the northwest)
      • Hodgen is located in Le Flore County (OK)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hodgen
      • Former name for Hodgen:
      • Hodgens
      • Hodgen has also been known as:
      • Hodgens Station
      • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Hodgen <1>
    • Petros
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the northwest)
      • Petros is located in Le Flore County (OK)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Petros
    • Heavener
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the northwest)
      • Heavener is located in Le Flore County (OK)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Heavener
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 3,299 people
      • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Heavener <1>
    • Muse
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the west)
    • Conser
      (23 miles [37 km] to the northwest)
      • Conser is located in Le Flore County (OK)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Conser
    • Monroe
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the north)
    • Howe
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the northwest)
      • Howe is located in Le Flore County (OK)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Howe
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 788 people
      • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Howe <1>
    • Ludlow
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the west)
      • Ludlow is located in Le Flore County (OK)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ludlow
    • Whitesboro
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the west)
    • Wister
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the northwest)
      • Wister is located in Le Flore County (OK)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Wister
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 1,064 people
      • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Wister <1>
  • McCurtain County (OK)
    • The following are listed by their distance from Center Point, with the one closest to Center Point listed first.
    • Watson
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the southwest)
    • Smithville
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the southwest)

For an expanded list of the communities that are closest to Center Point, see our County-by-County Page for Center Point.

Cemeteries Near Center Point ...

Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of Center Point.

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 Center Point - one of the links might be able to help.

If not found below, our Cemetery List for Center Point covers a larger area, with the cemeteries listed in alphabetical order.

The following cemeteries are listed based on their distance from Center Point, with the one closest to Center Point listed first.

  • Rocky Cemetery
    (2 miles [3.2 km] to the south)
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rocky Cemetery
    • To give a relative sense of its location, the Rocky Cemetery is a large cemetery that is located 7 miles [11.3 km]<2> to the west of Mena.
    • Jump to Find-A-Grave: FG ID #55980 <3>
  • Mt. Gillian Cemetery
    (2 miles [3.2 km] to the south)
  • Mountain Fork Cemetery
    (3 miles [4.8 km] to the west)
  • Foster Cemetery
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the southeast)
  • Heely Cemetery
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the northwest)
  • Pioneer Cemetery
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the northwest)
  • Sexton Cemetery
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the north)
  • Gann Cemetery
    (5 miles [8 km] to the south)
  • Stinett Cemetery
    (6 miles [9.7 km] to the south)
  • Gann Cemetery
    (6 miles [9.7 km] to the south)
  • Mollie Gann Cemetery
    (6 miles [9.7 km] to the south)
  • Little Cemetery
    (6 miles [9.7 km] to the north)
  • Continue List   (131 more) ...
    • McKinney Cemetery
      (6 miles [9.7 km] to the southeast)
    • Mt. Calvary Cemetery
      (7 miles [11.3 km] to the southeast)
    • Oak Grove Cemetery
      (7 miles [11.3 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.<4>

While we didn't find Center Point in the Atlas, the following 1895 communities would have been found near the current location of Center Point.

These communities are listed based on their distance from Center Point, with the one closest to Center Point listed first.

  • Rocky
    (2 miles [3.2 km] to the south)
    • Rocky is located in Polk County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rocky
  • Mountain Fork
    (3 miles [4.8 km] to the west)
    • Mountain Fork is located in Polk County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mountain Fork
  • Rich Mountain
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the north)
    • Rich Mountain is located in Polk County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rich Mountain
  • Potter
    (5 miles [8 km] to the south)
    • Potter is located in Polk County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Potter
  • Black Fork
    (10 miles [16.1 km] to the north)
    • Black Fork is located in Scott County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Black Fork
  • Dallas
    (10 miles [16.1 km] to the southeast)
    • Dallas is located in Polk County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Dallas
  • Cove
    (13 miles [20.9 km] to the south)
  • Gate ‑ Historic
    (13 miles [20.9 km] to the northeast)
    • Gate is located in Scott County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Gate
  • Ink
    (14 miles [22.5 km] to the east)
    • Ink is located in Polk County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ink
  • Blansett
    (14 miles [22.5 km] to the northeast)
    • Blansett is located in Scott County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Blansett
  • Board Camp
    (16 miles [25.7 km] to the east)
    • Board Camp is located in Polk County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Board Camp
  • Brawley
    (16 miles [25.7 km] to the north)
    • Brawley is located in Scott County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Brawley
  • Continue List   (13 more) ...
    • Gipson
      (18 miles [29 km] to the north)
      • Gipson is located in Scott County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Gipson
    • Cauthron
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the north)
      • Cauthron is located in Scott County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cauthron
    • Hartley
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the southeast)
      • Hartley is located in Polk County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hartley

We've also created an expanded list of communities that existed in the 1890's and were located in the area around Center Point. See our List of 1890's Communities around Center Point.

Newspapers Published in Center Point ...

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 47 newspapers that have been published in the area around Center Point.

Although we're unaware of any newspapers that were published in the immediate area of Center Point, there are papers which were published within 30 miles [48.3 km]<2>. A list of those papers, sorted by paper name, can be found on the Extended Newspaper List for Center Point.

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 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 Center Point:

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>Our distances are not driving distances, but are calculated as a 'straight-line' (or 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- Center Point) to Point B. In other words: 'As the crow flies'.
<3>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.
<4>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 Center Point, please let us know so that we can improve our accuracy.