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 Washington (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 Washington. 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 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.
Washington is located in Hempstead 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 Hempstead County: Clark, Howard, Lafayette, Little River, Miller, Nevada & Pike.
Below are the counties that are near Washington. For each of these counties, we show a sample of those communities that are closest to Washington:
- Hempstead County (The home county of Washington)
- The following are listed by their distance from Washington, with the one closest to Washington listed first.
- Oakhaven
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the southeast)
- Oakhaven is located in Hempstead County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Oakhaven
- Population from the 2020 Census: 58 people
- Ozan
(5 miles [8 km] to the northwest)
- Ozan is located in Hempstead County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ozan
- Population from the 2020 Census: 79 people
- Columbus
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the west)
- Blevins
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the northeast)
- Blevins is located in Hempstead County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Blevins
- Population from the 2020 Census: 299 people
- Clow
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the northwest)
- Clow is located in Hempstead County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Clow
- Hope
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the southeast)
- McCaskill
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the north)
- McCaskill is located in Hempstead County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for McCaskill
- Population from the 2020 Census: 95 people
- Sheppard
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the south)
- Sheppard is located in Hempstead County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sheppard
- Perrytown
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the southeast)
- Perrytown is located in Hempstead County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Perrytown
- Population from the 2020 Census: 257 people
- McNab
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the southwest)
- McNab is located in Hempstead County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for McNab
- Population from the 2020 Census: 63 people
- Doyle
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the north)
- Doyle is located in Hempstead County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Doyle
- Fulton
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the southwest)
- Fulton is located in Hempstead County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Fulton
- Population from the 2020 Census: 191 people
- Clark County
- The following are listed by their distance from Washington, with the one closest to Washington listed first.
- Okolona
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the northeast)
- Beirne
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the east)
- Beirne is located in Clark County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Beirne
- Howard County
- The following are listed by their distance from Washington, with the one closest to Washington listed first.
- Buck Range
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the northwest)
- Buck Range is located in Howard County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Buck Range
- Saratoga
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the west)
- Tollette
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the west)
- Tollette is located in Howard County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Tollette
- Population from the 2020 Census: 247 people
- Mineral Springs
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the northwest)
- Nashville
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the northwest)
- Blue Bayou
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the northwest)
- Blue Bayou is located in Howard County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Blue Bayou
- Corinth
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the northwest)
- Corinth is located in Howard County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Corinth
- Center Point
(23 miles [37 km] to the northwest)
- Center Point is located in Howard County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Center Point
- Dierks
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the northwest)
- Lafayette County
- The following are listed by their distance from Washington, with the one closest to Washington listed first.
- Old Town
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the south)
- Old Town is located in Lafayette County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Old Town
- Lewisville
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the south)
- Stamps
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the south)
- Little River County
- The following are listed by their distance from Washington, with the one closest to Washington listed first.
- Millwood
(18 miles [29 km] to the west)
- Millwood is located in Little River County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Millwood
- Yarborough Landing
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the west)
- Yarborough Landing is located in Little River County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Yarborough Landing
- Ogden
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the southwest)
- Ogden is located in Little River County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ogden
- Population from the 2020 Census: 154 people
- Ashdown
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the west)
- Wilton
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the west)
- Miller County
- The following are listed by their distance from Washington, with the one closest to Washington listed first.
- Garland
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the south)
- Garland is located in Miller County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Garland
- Population from the 2020 Census: 235 people
- Rondo
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the southwest)
- Rondo is located in Miller County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rondo
- Genoa
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the southwest)
- Genoa is located in Miller County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Genoa
- Texarkana
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the southwest)
- Nevada County
- The following are listed by their distance from Washington, with the one closest to Washington listed first.
- Emmet
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the east)
- Emmet is located in Nevada County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Emmet
- Population from the 2020 Census: 455 people
- Prescott
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the east)
- Laneburg
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the east)
- Laneburg is located in Nevada County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Laneburg
- Boughton
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the east)
- Boughton is located in Nevada County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Boughton
- Bodcaw
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the southeast)
- Bodcaw is located in Nevada County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bodcaw
- Population from the 2020 Census: 126 people
- Rosston
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the southeast)
- Rosston is located in Nevada County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rosston
- Population from the 2020 Census: 235 people
- Cale
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the east)
- Cale is located in Nevada County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cale
- Population from the 2020 Census: 68 people
- Willisville
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the southeast)
- Willisville is located in Nevada County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Willisville
- Population from the 2020 Census: 139 people
- Zama ‑ Historic
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the east)
- Zama is located in Nevada County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Zama
- Pike County
- The following are listed by their distance from Washington, with the one closest to Washington listed first.
- Billstown
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the northeast)
- Billstown is located in Pike County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Billstown
- Roy
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the north)
- Roy is located in Pike County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Roy
- Pisgah
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the northeast)
- Pisgah is located in Pike County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Pisgah
- Bowen
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the northeast)
- Bowen is located in Pike County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bowen
- Highland
(18 miles [29 km] to the north)
- Highland is located in Pike County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Highland
- Kimberley
(18 miles [29 km] to the north)
- Kimberley is located in Pike County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Kimberley
- Piney Grove
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the northeast)
- Piney Grove is located in Pike County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Piney Grove
- Murfreesboro
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the north)
- Delight
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the northeast)
- Mount Moriah
(23 miles [37 km] to the north)
- Mount Moriah is located in Pike County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mount Moriah
- Antoine
(23 miles [37 km] to the northeast)
- Antoine is located in Pike County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Antoine
- Population from the 2020 Census: 108 people
- Nathan
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the north)
- Nathan is located in Pike County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Nathan
- Sevier County
- The following are listed by their distance from Washington, with the one closest to Washington listed first.
- Paraloma
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the west)
- Paraloma is located in Sevier County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Paraloma
- Ben Lomond
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the west)
For an expanded list of the communities that are closest to Washington, see our County-by-County Page for Washington.
Cemeteries Near Washington ...
Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of Washington.
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 Washington - one of the links might be able to help.
If not found below, our Cemetery List for Washington covers a larger area, with the cemeteries listed in alphabetical order.
The following cemeteries are listed based on their distance from Washington, with the one closest to Washington listed first.
- Bright Star Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the south)
- Belk Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the northwest)
- Westmorland Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the southwest)
- Macedonia Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the west)
- Mt. Zion Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the east)
- Oak Grove Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the northeast)
- Gamble Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the northwest)
- Section Sixteen Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the west)
- Wilson Cemetery
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the south)
- St. Mark Cemetery
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the south)
- Robinson Cemetery
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the southeast)
- St. Peter Cemetery
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the northwest)
- Continue List (190 more) ...
- Rose Hill Cemetery
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the southeast)
- Phillips Cemetery
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the southeast)
- Shorter Cemetery
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the northeast)
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>
The Rand McNally Atlas shows that Washington had a population of 519 people in 1895 with a post office and railroad service. In 2020, Washington had a population of 165 people.
These communities are listed based on their distance from Washington, with the one closest to Washington listed first.
- Ozan
(5 miles [8 km] to the northwest)
- Ozan is located in Hempstead County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ozan
- Population from the 2020 Census: 79 people
- De Ann
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the east)
- De Ann is located in Hempstead County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for De Ann
- Columbus
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the west)
- Guernsey
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the south)
- Guernsey is located in Hempstead County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Guernsey
- Hope
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the southeast)
- Clow
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the northwest)
- Clow is located in Hempstead County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Clow
- Sheppard
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the south)
- Sheppard is located in Hempstead County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sheppard
- Garlandville
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the east)
- Garlandville is located in Hempstead County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Garlandville
- Wallaceburg
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the northeast)
- Wallaceburg is located in Hempstead County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Wallaceburg
- Buck Range
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the northwest)
- Buck Range is located in Howard County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Buck Range
- Allbrook
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the west)
- Allbrook is located in Howard County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Allbrook
- Emmet
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the east)
- Emmet is located in Nevada County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Emmet
- Population from the 2020 Census: 455 people
- Continue List (14 more) ...
- Compton ‑ Historic
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the northwest)
- Compton is located in Hempstead County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Compton
- Tollette
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the west)
- Tollette is located in Howard County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Tollette
- Population from the 2020 Census: 247 people
- Saratoga
(12 miles [19.3 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 Washington. See our List of 1890's Communities around Washington.
Newspapers Published in the Vicinity of Washington ...
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 54 newspapers that have been published in the area around Washington.
We have organized these newspapers into two lists:
- A Local Newspaper List - focusing on the papers published in the immediate area of Washington. There are actually two parts to this list - papers printed in the immediate area of Washington and those printed in the larger area surrounding Washington.
- An Extended Newspaper List - a longer list, sorted by paper name and containing those papers published within 20 miles [32.2 km]<4> of Washington.
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 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 Washington:
- Websites specific to Arkansas
- Pages specific to Hempstead County
- Genealogy information for nearby counties
- Clark County
- Howard County
- Lafayette County
- Little River County
- Miller County
- Nevada County
- Pike County
- Sevier 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 Washington, 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 obstructions like rivers, canyons, lakes, et cetera - it's truly a line drawn from Point A (ie- Washington) to Point B. In other words: 'As the crow flies'. |