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 Rock Springs (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 Rock Springs. 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 Rock Springs ...
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.
For example, a typical abbreviation for Rock Springs: Rock Spgs. (or less commonly used: Rock Spngs. or Rock Sprngs.)
You might be interested in other communities that are also named Rock Springs. More information can be found on our Tidbits & Trivia Page for Rock Springs.
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 northeast corner of their home county. During their lives, most hospitals and doctors 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.
Rock Springs is located in Searcy 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 Searcy County: Baxter, Boone, Marion, Newton, Pope, Stone & Van Buren.
Below are the counties that are near Rock Springs. For each of these counties, we show a sample of those communities that are closest to Rock Springs:
- Searcy County (The home county of Rock Springs)
- The following are listed by their distance from Rock Springs, with the one closest to Rock Springs listed first.
- Lone Pine
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the northwest)
- Lone Pine is located in Searcy County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lone Pine
- Harriet
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the north)
- Baker
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the southwest)
- Baker is located in Searcy County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Baker
- Marshall
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the southwest)
- Cozahome
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the north)
- Cozahome is located in Searcy County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cozahome
- Leslie
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the south)
- Gilbert
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the west)
- Watts
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the southwest)
- Watts is located in Searcy County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Watts
- Blanco
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the west)
- Blanco is located in Searcy County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Blanco
- Saint Joe
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the west)
- Pindall
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the northwest)
- Pindall is located in Searcy County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Pindall
- Population from the 2020 Census: 106 people
- Witt's Springs
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the southwest)
- Witt's Springs is located in Searcy County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Witt's Springs
- Baxter County
- The following are listed by their distance from Rock Springs, with the one closest to Rock Springs listed first.
- Big Flat
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the northeast)
- Buffalo City
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the north)
- Buffalo City is located in Baxter County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Buffalo City
- Lone Rock
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the northeast)
- Lone Rock is located in Baxter County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lone Rock
- Culp
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the northeast)
- Culp is located in Baxter County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Culp
- Norfork
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the northeast)
- Cotter
(23 miles [37 km] to the north)
- Gassville
(23 miles [37 km] to the north)
- Norfork Village
(23 miles [37 km] to the northeast)
- Norfork Village is located in Baxter County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Norfork Village
- Salesville
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the northeast)
- Colfax
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the north)
- Colfax is located in Baxter County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Colfax
- Briarcliff
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the northeast)
- Briarcliff is located in Baxter County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Briarcliff
- Population from the 2020 Census: 250 people
- Jordan
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the northeast)
- Mountain Home
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the north)
- Boone County
- The following are listed by their distance from Rock Springs, with the one closest to Rock Springs listed first.
- Everton
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the northwest)
- Rally Hill
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the northwest)
- Rally Hill is located in Boone County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rally Hill
- Pleasant Ridge
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the northwest)
- Pleasant Ridge is located in Boone County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Pleasant Ridge
- Valley Springs
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the northwest)
- Valley Springs is located in Boone County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Valley Springs
- Population from the 2020 Census: 166 people
- Cleburne County
- The following are listed by their distance from Rock Springs, with the one closest to Rock Springs listed first.
- Prim
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the southeast)
- Edgemont
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the southeast)
- Izard County
- The following are listed by their distance from Rock Springs, with the one closest to Rock Springs listed first.
- Calico Rock
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the northeast)
- Iuka
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the northeast)
- Iuka is located in Izard County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Iuka
- Pineville
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the northeast)
- Dolph
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the northeast)
- Dolph is located in Izard County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Dolph
- Marion County
- The following are listed by their distance from Rock Springs, with the one closest to Rock Springs listed first.
- Rush ‑ Historic
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the north)
- Rush is located in Marion County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rush
- Rea Valley
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the north)
- Rea Valley is located in Marion County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rea Valley
- Bruno
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the northwest)
- Bruno is located in Marion County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bruno
- Yellville
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the northwest)
- Summit
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the north)
- Summit is located in Marion County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Summit
- Population from the 2020 Census: 589 people
- Flippin
(23 miles [37 km] to the north)
- Eros
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the northwest)
- Eros is located in Marion County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Eros
- Pyatt
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the northwest)
- Pyatt is located in Marion County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Pyatt
- Population from the 2020 Census: 234 people
- Bull Shoals
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the north)
- Dodd City ‑ Historic
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the northwest)
- Dodd City is located in Marion County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Dodd City
- Newton County
- The following are listed by their distance from Rock Springs, with the one closest to Rock Springs listed first.
- Western Grove
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the northwest)
- Western Grove is located in Newton County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Western Grove
- Population from the 2020 Census: 353 people
- Hasty
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the west)
- Hasty is located in Newton County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hasty
- Mount Judea
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the west)
- Mount Judea is located in Newton County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mount Judea
- Vendor
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the west)
- Vendor is located in Newton County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Vendor
- Pope County
- Tilly
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the southwest)
- Tilly is located in Pope County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Tilly
- Stone County
- The following are listed by their distance from Rock Springs, with the one closest to Rock Springs listed first.
- Alco
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the east)
- Alco is located in Stone County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Alco
- Onia
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the east)
- Onia is located in Stone County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Onia
- Timbo
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the east)
- Fifty-Six
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the east)
- Fox
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the southeast)
- Fox is located in Stone County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Fox
- Mountain View
(23 miles [37 km] to the east)
- Van Buren County
- The following are listed by their distance from Rock Springs, with the one closest to Rock Springs listed first.
- Rumley
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the south)
- Rumley is located in Van Buren County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rumley
- Dennard
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the south)
- Copeland
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the south)
- Copeland is located in Van Buren County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Copeland
- Alread
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the south)
- Alread is located in Van Buren County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Alread
- Crabtree
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the south)
- Crabtree is located in Van Buren County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Crabtree
- Clinton
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the south)
- Shirley
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the southeast)
- Rex
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the south)
- Rex is located in Van Buren County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rex
- Fairfield Bay
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the southeast)
- Eglantine
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the southeast)
- Eglantine is located in Van Buren County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Eglantine
- Choctaw
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the south)
- Choctaw is located in Van Buren County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Choctaw
- Scotland
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the south)
- Green Tree
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the south)
- Green Tree is located in Van Buren County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Green Tree
For an expanded list of the communities that are closest to Rock Springs, see our County-by-County Page for Rock Springs.
Cemeteries Near Rock Springs ...
Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of Rock Springs.
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 Rock Springs - one of the links might be able to help.
If not found below, our Cemetery List for Rock Springs covers a larger area, with the cemeteries listed in alphabetical order.
The following cemeteries are listed based on their distance from Rock Springs, with the one closest to Rock Springs listed first.
- Cypert Cemetery
(Less than 2 miles to the west)
- Red Hill Cemetery
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the southwest)
- Shiloh Cemetery
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the south)
- Watts Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the southwest)
- Wilson Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the southwest)
- East Lawn Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the southwest)
- Scribner Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the southeast)
- Landis Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the east)
- Rock Creek Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the north)
- Sanders Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the southwest)
- Horn Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the southwest)
- Sulphur Springs Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the southwest)
- Continue List (235 more) ...
- Baldwin Hill Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the south)
- Elberta Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the south)
- Mabrey Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 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.<3>
While we didn't find Rock Springs in the Atlas, the following 1895 communities would have been found near the current location of Rock Springs.
These communities are listed based on their distance from Rock Springs, with the one closest to Rock Springs listed first.
- Marshall
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the southwest)
- Campbell
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the southeast)
- Campbell is located in Searcy County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Campbell
- Leslie
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the south)
- Big Flat
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the northeast)
- Alco
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the east)
- Alco is located in Stone County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Alco
- Watts
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the southwest)
- Watts is located in Searcy County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Watts
- Oak Flat ‑ Historic
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the south)
- Oak Flat is located in Van Buren County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Oak Flat
- Dennard
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the south)
- Tomahawk
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the northwest)
- Tomahawk is located in Searcy County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Tomahawk
- Timbo
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the east)
- Duff
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the west)
- Duff is located in Searcy County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Duff
- Rush ‑ Historic
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the north)
- Rush is located in Marion County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rush
- Continue List (13 more) ...
- Bear Creek
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the southwest)
- Bear Creek is located in Searcy County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bear Creek
- Blanco
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the west)
- Blanco is located in Searcy County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Blanco
- Saint Joe
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the west)
We've also created an expanded list of communities that existed in the 1890's and were located in the area around Rock Springs. See our List of 1890's Communities around Rock Springs.
Newspapers Published in Rock Springs ...
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 32 newspapers that have been published in the area around Rock Springs.
Although we're unaware of any newspapers that were published in the immediate area of Rock Springs, there are papers which were published within 23 miles [37 km]<4>. A list of those papers, sorted by paper name, can be found on the Extended Newspaper List for Rock Springs.
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 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 Rock Springs:
- Websites specific to Arkansas
- Pages specific to Searcy County
- Genealogy information for nearby counties
- Baxter County
- Boone County
- Cleburne County
- Izard County
- Marion County
- Newton County
- Pope County
- Stone County
- Van Buren 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 Rock Springs, 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 obstructions like rivers, canyons, lakes, et cetera - it's truly a line from Point A (ie- Rock Springs) to Point B. In other words: 'As the crow flies'. |