RoadsideThoughts
A Gazetteer for the United States and Canada
Home >> State of California >> Santa Cruz County >> Bolsa Del Pajaro >> Genealogy HelperIndex...

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 Bolsa Del Pajaro (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 Bolsa Del Pajaro. 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 southeast corner of their home county. During their lives, most doctors and hospitals were in the next county to the east. Almost all of the nearby churches and cemeteries were in the county to the south.

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 south 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.

Bolsa Del Pajaro is located in Santa Cruz County.

To see how the shape of California's counties may have changed over time, we recommend the Atlas of Historical County Boundaries.

The following counties adjoin and form the boundaries of Santa Cruz County: Monterey, San Benito, San Mateo & Santa Clara.

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

  • Santa Cruz County     (The home county of Bolsa Del Pajaro)
    • The following are listed by their distance from Bolsa Del Pajaro, with the one closest to Bolsa Del Pajaro listed first.
    • Colache Town
      (2 miles [3.2 km] to the northeast)
      • Colache Town is located in Santa Cruz County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Colache Town
    • Watsonville
      (2 miles [3.2 km] to the northeast)
    • Freedom
      (3 miles [4.8 km] to the north)
    • Amesti
      (4 miles [6.4 km] to the north)
      • Amesti is located in Santa Cruz County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Amesti
    • La Selva Beach
      (4 miles [6.4 km] to the northwest)
    • Strongs Mobile Village
      (5 miles [8 km] to the north)
    • Interlaken
      (5 miles [8 km] to the northeast)
      • Interlaken is located in Santa Cruz County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Interlaken
    • Aptos Hills - Larkin Valley
      (5 miles [8 km] to the northwest)
    • Corralitos
      (6 miles [9.7 km] to the north)
    • Rio del Mar
      (6 miles [9.7 km] to the northwest)
    • Aptos
      (8 miles [12.9 km] to the northwest)
    • Day Valley
      (8 miles [12.9 km] to the northwest)
      • Day Valley is located in Santa Cruz County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Day Valley
  • Monterey County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Bolsa Del Pajaro, with the one closest to Bolsa Del Pajaro listed first.
    • Pajaro
      (2 miles [3.2 km] to the east)
      • Pajaro is located in Monterey County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Pajaro
    • Las Lomas
      (3 miles [4.8 km] to the southeast)
      • Las Lomas is located in Monterey County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Las Lomas
    • Vega ‑ Historic
      (5 miles [8 km] to the east)
      • Vega is located in Monterey County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Vega
    • Elkhorn
      (5 miles [8 km] to the southeast)
      • Elkhorn is located in Monterey County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Elkhorn
    • Moss Landing
      (6 miles [9.7 km] to the south)
    • Aromas
      (8 miles [12.9 km] to the east)
    • Castroville
      (8 miles [12.9 km] to the south)
    • Prunedale
      (10 miles [16.1 km] to the southeast)
    • Santa Rita
      (13 miles [20.9 km] to the southeast)
      • Santa Rita is located in Monterey County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Santa Rita
    • Marina
      (14 miles [22.5 km] to the south)
      • Marina is located in Monterey County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Marina
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 21,836 people
      • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Marina <1>
    • Boronda
      (14 miles [22.5 km] to the southeast)
      • Boronda is located in Monterey County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Boronda
    • Prattco ‑ Historic
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the south)
      • Prattco is located in Monterey County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Prattco
  • San Benito County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Bolsa Del Pajaro, with the one closest to Bolsa Del Pajaro listed first.
    • River Oaks
      (10 miles [16.1 km] to the east)
      • River Oaks is located in San Benito County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for River Oaks
    • San Juan Bautista
      (14 miles [22.5 km] to the east)
    • Dunneville
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the east)
      • Dunneville is located in San Benito County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Dunneville
    • Hollister
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the east)
    • Ridgemark
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the east)
      • Ridgemark is located in San Benito County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ridgemark
    • Tres Pinos
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the east)
    • Paicines
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the east)
  • Santa Clara County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Bolsa Del Pajaro, with the one closest to Bolsa Del Pajaro listed first.
    • Sargent ‑ Historic
      (13 miles [20.9 km] to the east)
      • Sargent is located in Santa Clara County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sargent
    • Sveadal
      (13 miles [20.9 km] to the north)
      • Sveadal is located in Santa Clara County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sveadal
    • Gilroy
      (14 miles [22.5 km] to the northeast)
      • Gilroy is located in Santa Clara County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Gilroy
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 54,831 people
      • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Gilroy <1>
    • Rucker
      (15 miles [24.1 km] to the northeast)
      • Rucker is located in Santa Clara County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rucker
    • San Martin
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the northeast)
    • Morgan Hill
      (18 miles [29 km] to the northeast)
    • Madrone
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the north)
      • Madrone is located in Santa Clara County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Madrone
    • New Almaden
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the north)
    • English Town
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the north)
      • English Town is located in Santa Clara County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for English Town
    • Patchen
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the northwest)
      • Patchen is located in Santa Clara County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Patchen
    • Coyote
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the north)
    • Chemeketa Park
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the northwest)
      • Chemeketa Park is located in Santa Clara County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Chemeketa Park

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

Cemeteries Near Bolsa Del Pajaro ...

Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of Bolsa Del Pajaro.

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 Bolsa Del Pajaro - one of the links might be able to help.

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

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

  • Pioneer Cemetery
    (2 miles [3.2 km] to the northeast)
  • IOOF Cemetery
    (2 miles [3.2 km] to the northeast)
  • Watsonville Catholic Cemetery
    (2 miles [3.2 km] to the northeast)
  • St. Francis Cemetery
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the northeast)
  • Castroville Public Cemetery
    (6 miles [9.7 km] to the south)
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Castroville Public Cemetery
    • To give a relative sense of its location, the Castroville Public Cemetery is a large cemetery that is located outside and to the south of Moss Landing.
    • The Castroville Public Cemetery has also been known as:
    • Castroville Cemetery
    • Castroville / Moss Landing Cemetery
    • Moss Landing Cemetery
    • Jump to Find-A-Grave: FG ID #7885 <2>
  • Pajaro Valley Memorial Park
    (6 miles [9.7 km] to the northeast)
  • Hambey Cemetery
    (7 miles [11.3 km] to the southeast)
  • Day Valley Cemetery
    (7 miles [11.3 km] to the northwest)
  • Calvary Cemetery
    (8 miles [12.9 km] to the northwest)
  • Queen of Heaven Cemetery
    (11 miles [17.7 km] to the southeast)
  • Soquel Cemetery
    (11 miles [17.7 km] to the northwest)
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Soquel Cemetery
    • To give a relative sense of its location, the Soquel Cemetery is a large cemetery that is located outside and to the north of Soquel.
    • The Soquel Cemetery has also been known as:
    • Beit Olam Cemetery
    • Eternal Home Cemetery
    • Jump to Find-A-Grave: FG ID #999577 <2>
  • Oakwood Memorial Park
    (12 miles [19.3 km] to the northwest)
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Oakwood Memorial Park
    • The Oakwood Memorial Park has also been known as:
    • Oak Wood Cemetery
    • Santa Cruz Memorial Oakwood Chapel Cemetery
    • Jump to Find-A-Grave: FG ID #8219 <2>
  • Continue List   (29 more) ...

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 Bolsa Del Pajaro in the Atlas, the following 1895 communities would have been found near the current location of Bolsa Del Pajaro.

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

  • Pajaro
    (2 miles [3.2 km] to the east)
    • Pajaro is located in Monterey County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Pajaro
  • Watsonville
    (2 miles [3.2 km] to the northeast)
  • Elkhorn
    (5 miles [8 km] to the southeast)
    • Elkhorn is located in Monterey County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Elkhorn
  • Vega ‑ Historic
    (5 miles [8 km] to the east)
    • Vega is located in Monterey County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Vega
  • Corralitos
    (6 miles [9.7 km] to the north)
  • Castroville
    (8 miles [12.9 km] to the south)
  • Aptos
    (8 miles [12.9 km] to the northwest)
  • Capitola
    (10 miles [16.1 km] to the northwest)
  • Soquel
    (11 miles [17.7 km] to the northwest)
  • Santa Rita
    (13 miles [20.9 km] to the southeast)
    • Santa Rita is located in Monterey County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Santa Rita
  • Sargent ‑ Historic
    (13 miles [20.9 km] to the east)
    • Sargent is located in Santa Clara County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sargent
  • Blanco
    (14 miles [22.5 km] to the south)
    • Blanco is located in Monterey County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Blanco
  • Continue List   (13 more) ...
    • Carnadero
      (14 miles [22.5 km] to the northeast)
      • Carnadero is located in Santa Clara County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Carnadero
    • Gilroy
      (14 miles [22.5 km] to the northeast)
      • Gilroy is located in Santa Clara County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Gilroy
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 54,831 people
      • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Gilroy <1>
    • Santa Cruz
      (14 miles [22.5 km] to the northwest)

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

Newspapers Published in Bolsa Del Pajaro ...

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 53 newspapers that have been published in the area around Bolsa Del Pajaro.

Although we're unaware of any newspapers that were published in the immediate area of Bolsa Del Pajaro, there are papers which were published within 19 miles [30.6 km]<4>. A list of those papers, sorted by paper name, can be found on the Extended Newspaper List for Bolsa Del Pajaro.

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 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 Bolsa Del Pajaro:

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 Bolsa Del Pajaro, 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 things like rivers, canyons, lakes, et cetera - it's truly a line drawn from Point A (ie- Bolsa Del Pajaro) to Point B. In other words: 'As the crow flies'.