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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 Plata (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 Plata. 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 northeast corner of their home county. During their lives, most hospitals were in the next county to the east. 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 east 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.

Plata is located in Montgomery 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 Montgomery County: Clark, Garland, Howard, Pike, Polk, Scott & Yell.

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

  • Montgomery County     (The home county of Plata)
    • The following are listed by their distance from Plata, with the one closest to Plata listed first.
    • Ophir
      (3 miles [4.8 km] to the west)
      • Ophir is located in Montgomery County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ophir
    • Alamo
      (4 miles [6.4 km] to the east)
      • Alamo is located in Montgomery County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Alamo
    • Hickory Station ‑ Historic
      (5 miles [8 km] to the south)
      • Hickory Station is located in Montgomery County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hickory Station
    • Caddo Gap
      (5 miles [8 km] to the southwest)
    • Mazarn
      (6 miles [9.7 km] to the east)
      • Mazarn is located in Montgomery County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mazarn
    • Manfred
      (6 miles [9.7 km] to the southwest)
      • Manfred is located in Montgomery County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Manfred
    • Norman
      (7 miles [11.3 km] to the west)
    • Joplin
      (8 miles [12.9 km] to the northeast)
      • Joplin is located in Montgomery County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Joplin
    • Mount Ida
      (8 miles [12.9 km] to the northwest)
    • Black Springs
      (9 miles [14.5 km] to the west)
      • Black Springs is located in Montgomery County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Black Springs
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 94 people
    • Fir ‑ Historic
      (11 miles [17.7 km] to the northeast)
      • Fir is located in Montgomery County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Fir
    • Washita
      (13 miles [20.9 km] to the north)
      • Washita is located in Montgomery County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Washita
  • Clark County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Plata, with the one closest to Plata listed first.
    • Amity
      (13 miles [20.9 km] to the south)
      • Amity is located in Clark County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Amity
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 674 people
    • Alpine
      (18 miles [29 km] to the southeast)
      • Alpine is located in Clark County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Alpine
  • Garland County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Plata, with the one closest to Plata listed first.
    • Meyers
      (10 miles [16.1 km] to the east)
      • Meyers is located in Garland County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Meyers
    • Pearcy
      (14 miles [22.5 km] to the east)
    • Royal
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the east)
    • Avant
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the northeast)
      • Avant is located in Garland County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Avant
    • Mountain Pine
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the east)
    • Rockwell
      (23 miles [37 km] to the east)
      • Rockwell is located in Garland County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rockwell
    • Piney
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the east)
      • Piney is located in Garland County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Piney
    • Gladstone ‑ Historic
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the northeast)
      • Gladstone is located in Garland County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Gladstone
    • Lake Hamilton
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the east)
    • Hot Springs
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the east)
    • Blue Springs
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the northeast)
      • Blue Springs is located in Garland County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Blue Springs
  • Hot Spring County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Plata, with the one closest to Plata listed first.
    • Bonnerdale
      (10 miles [16.1 km] to the southeast)
    • Bismarck
      (23 miles [37 km] to the southeast)
  • Howard County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Plata, with the one closest to Plata listed first.
    • Athens
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the west)
    • Mineola
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the west)
      • Mineola is located in Howard County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mineola
  • Pike County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Plata, with the one closest to Plata listed first.
    • Glenwood
      (8 miles [12.9 km] to the south)
    • Salem
      (10 miles [16.1 km] to the south)
      • Salem is located in Pike County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Salem
    • Caney Valley
      (13 miles [20.9 km] to the south)
      • Caney Valley is located in Pike County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Caney Valley
    • Lodi
      (13 miles [20.9 km] to the southwest)
      • Lodi is located in Pike County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lodi
    • Kirby
      (14 miles [22.5 km] to the south)
    • Daisy
      (18 miles [29 km] to the southwest)
      • Daisy is located in Pike County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Daisy
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 109 people
    • Langley
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the southwest)
    • Star of the West ‑ Historic
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the southwest)
      • Star of the West is located in Pike County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Star of the West
    • Pike City
      (23 miles [37 km] to the south)
      • Pike City is located in Pike County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Pike City
    • Newhope
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the southwest)
      • Newhope is located in Pike County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Newhope
    • Mount Moriah
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the south)
      • Mount Moriah is located in Pike County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mount Moriah
    • Grandfield
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the southwest)
      • Grandfield is located in Pike County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Grandfield
  • Polk County
    • Big Fork
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the west)
      • Big Fork is located in Polk County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Big Fork
  • Scott County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Plata, with the one closest to Plata listed first.
    • Little Texas
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the north)
      • Little Texas is located in Scott County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Little Texas
    • Harvey
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the northwest)
      • Harvey is located in Scott County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Harvey
  • Yell County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Plata, with the one closest to Plata listed first.
    • Aly
      (23 miles [37 km] to the north)
      • Aly is located in Yell County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Aly
    • Chula
      (23 miles [37 km] to the north)
      • Chula is located in Yell County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Chula
    • Gravelly
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the north)
      • Gravelly is located in Yell County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Gravelly

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

Cemeteries Near Plata ...

Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of Plata.

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 Plata - one of the links might be able to help.

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

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

  • Mt. Zion Cemetery
    (Less than 2 miles to the south)
  • Jones Cemetery
    (2 miles [3.2 km] to the west)
  • Liberty Cemetery
    (3 miles [4.8 km] to the west)
  • Mountain Home Cemetery
    (3 miles [4.8 km] to the southeast)
  • Caney Cemetery
    (3 miles [4.8 km] to the southeast)
  • Nelson Cemetery
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the south)
  • Alley Cemetery
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the north)
  • Robbins Cemetery
    (5 miles [8 km] to the southwest)
  • Bethel Cemetery
    (5 miles [8 km] to the southwest)
  • Family Cemetery
    (5 miles [8 km] to the southwest)
  • Jones Valley Cemetery
    (5 miles [8 km] to the southwest)
  • Bassinger Cemetery
    (5 miles [8 km] to the southwest)
  • Continue List   (229 more) ...
    • Nicholson Cemetery
      (5 miles [8 km] to the south)
    • Howerton Cemetery
      (5 miles [8 km] to the east)
    • Howton Cemetery
      (5 miles [8 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.<2>

The Rand McNally Atlas shows that in 1895, Plata had a post office and no railroad service.

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

  • Ophir
    (3 miles [4.8 km] to the west)
    • Ophir is located in Montgomery County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ophir
  • Caddo Gap
    (5 miles [8 km] to the southwest)
  • Hickory Station ‑ Historic
    (5 miles [8 km] to the south)
    • Hickory Station is located in Montgomery County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hickory Station
  • Lucky ‑ Historic
    (5 miles [8 km] to the east)
    • Lucky is located in Montgomery County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lucky
  • Manfred
    (6 miles [9.7 km] to the southwest)
    • Manfred is located in Montgomery County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Manfred
  • Mazarn
    (6 miles [9.7 km] to the east)
    • Mazarn is located in Montgomery County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mazarn
  • Mount Ida
    (8 miles [12.9 km] to the northwest)
  • Rock Creek ‑ Historic
    (9 miles [14.5 km] to the south)
    • Rock Creek is located in Pike County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rock Creek
  • Black Springs
    (9 miles [14.5 km] to the west)
    • Black Springs is located in Montgomery County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Black Springs
    • Population from the 2020 Census: 94 people
  • Hopper
    (10 miles [16.1 km] to the southwest)
    • Hopper is located in Montgomery County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hopper
  • Meyers
    (10 miles [16.1 km] to the east)
    • Meyers is located in Garland County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Meyers
  • Elm ‑ Historic
    (12 miles [19.3 km] to the southeast)
    • Elm is located in Clark County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Elm
  • Continue List   (15 more) ...
    • Lodi
      (13 miles [20.9 km] to the southwest)
      • Lodi is located in Pike County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lodi
    • Amity
      (13 miles [20.9 km] to the south)
      • Amity is located in Clark County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Amity
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 674 people
    • Washita
      (13 miles [20.9 km] to the north)
      • 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 Plata. See our List of 1890's Communities around Plata.

Newspapers Published in Plata ...

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 64 newspapers that have been published in the area around Plata.

Although we're unaware of any newspapers that were published in the immediate area of Plata, there are papers which were published within 28 miles [45.1 km]<3>. A list of those papers, sorted by paper name, can be found on the Extended Newspaper List for Plata.

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 Plata:

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 Plata, please let us know so that we can improve our accuracy.
<3>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- Plata) to Point B. In other words: 'As the crow flies'.