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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 Centralia (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 Centralia. 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 northwest corner of their home county. During their lives, most hospitals and 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.

Centralia is located in Sacramento 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 Sacramento County: Amador, Contra Costa, Placer, San Joaquin, Solano, Sutter & Yolo.

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

  • Sacramento County     (The home county of Centralia)
    • The following are listed by their distance from Centralia, with the one closest to Centralia listed first.
    • Herald
      (Less than 2 miles to the south)
    • Galt
      (5 miles [8 km] to the southwest)
      • Galt is located in Sacramento County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Galt
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 26,551 people
      • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Galt <1>
    • Arno ‑ Historic
      (5 miles [8 km] to the west)
      • Arno is located in Sacramento County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Arno
    • Wilton
      (6 miles [9.7 km] to the north)
    • McConnel
      (6 miles [9.7 km] to the northwest)
      • McConnel is located in Sacramento County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for McConnel
    • Elk Grove
      (9 miles [14.5 km] to the northwest)
    • Laguna
      (11 miles [17.7 km] to the northwest)
      • Laguna is located in Sacramento County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Laguna
    • Vineyard
      (11 miles [17.7 km] to the northwest)
      • Vineyard is located in Sacramento County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Vineyard
    • Sloughhouse
      (12 miles [19.3 km] to the north)
    • Franklin
      (12 miles [19.3 km] to the west)
      • Franklin is located in Sacramento County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Franklin
    • Laguna West - Lakeside
      (13 miles [20.9 km] to the northwest)
    • Rancho Murieta
      (14 miles [22.5 km] to the northeast)
    • Florin
      (15 miles [24.1 km] to the northwest)
      • Florin is located in Sacramento County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Florin
  • Amador County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Centralia, with the one closest to Centralia listed first.
    • Carbondale ‑ Historic
      (14 miles [22.5 km] to the northeast)
      • Carbondale is located in Amador County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Carbondale
    • May ‑ Historic
      (14 miles [22.5 km] to the northeast)
      • May is located in Amador County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for May
    • Camanche Village
      (15 miles [24.1 km] to the east)
      • Camanche Village is located in Amador County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Camanche Village
    • Ione
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the east)
      • Ione is located in Amador County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ione
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 8,326 people
      • Former names for Ione:
      • Bedbug
      • Freeze Out
      • Hardscrabble
      • Ione City
      • Ione Valley
      • Jone City
      • Jone Valley
      • Rickeyville
      • Woosterville
      • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Ione <1>
    • Drytown
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the east)
    • Amador City
      (23 miles [37 km] to the east)
    • Martell
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the east)
    • Sutter Creek
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the east)
    • Plymouth
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the northeast)
    • Jackson
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the east)
    • Fiddletown
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the northeast)
  • Calaveras County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Centralia, with the one closest to Centralia listed first.
    • Wallace
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the southeast)
    • Oregon Bar ‑ Historic
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the east)
      • Oregon Bar is located in Calaveras County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Oregon Bar
    • Burson
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the southeast)
    • Campo Seco
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the east)
    • Valley Springs
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the east)
    • Rancho Calaveras
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the southeast)
      • Rancho Calaveras is located in Calaveras County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rancho Calaveras
    • Jenny Lind
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the southeast)
      • Jenny Lind is located in Calaveras County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Jenny Lind
    • Big Bar
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the east)
      • Big Bar is located in Calaveras County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Big Bar
    • Petersburg ‑ Historic
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the east)
      • Petersburg is located in Calaveras County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Petersburg
      • Petersburg has also been known as:
      • Greasertown
    • Mokelumne Hill
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the east)
    • Milton
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the southeast)
      • Milton is located in Calaveras County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Milton
  • Contra Costa County
  • El Dorado County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Centralia, with the one closest to Centralia listed first.
    • Crescent Ridge Village
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the north)
    • La Cresta Village
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the north)
      • La Cresta Village is located in El Dorado County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for La Cresta Village
    • Park Village
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the north)
      • Park Village is located in El Dorado County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Park Village
    • Ridgeview Village
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the north)
      • Ridgeview Village is located in El Dorado County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ridgeview Village
    • Clarksville
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the northeast)
      • Clarksville is located in El Dorado County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Clarksville
    • Mormon Tavern ‑ Historic
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the northeast)
      • Mormon Tavern is located in El Dorado County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mormon Tavern
    • El Dorado Hills
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the north)
    • Governors Village
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the north)
      • Governors Village is located in El Dorado County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Governors Village
    • Oak Ridge Village
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the north)
      • Oak Ridge Village is located in El Dorado County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Oak Ridge Village
    • Stonegate Village
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the north)
      • Stonegate Village is located in El Dorado County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Stonegate Village
    • Crown Village
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the north)
      • Crown Village is located in El Dorado County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Crown Village
    • Lakeridge Oaks
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the north)
      • Lakeridge Oaks is located in El Dorado County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lakeridge Oaks
    • Cameron Park
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the northeast)
  • Placer County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Centralia, with the one closest to Centralia listed first.
    • Roseville
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the north)
    • Granite Bay
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the north)
  • San Joaquin County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Centralia, with the one closest to Centralia listed first.
    • Acampo
      (10 miles [16.1 km] to the south)
    • North Woodbridge
      (11 miles [17.7 km] to the south)
      • North Woodbridge is located in San Joaquin County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for North Woodbridge
    • South Woodbridge
      (11 miles [17.7 km] to the south)
      • South Woodbridge is located in San Joaquin County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for South Woodbridge
    • Woodbridge
      (11 miles [17.7 km] to the south)
    • Lockeford
      (11 miles [17.7 km] to the southeast)
    • Mokelumne City ‑ Historic
      (11 miles [17.7 km] to the southwest)
      • Mokelumne City is located in San Joaquin County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mokelumne City
    • Taison
      (11 miles [17.7 km] to the southwest)
      • Taison is located in San Joaquin County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Taison
    • Thornton
      (11 miles [17.7 km] to the southwest)
    • Victor
      (12 miles [19.3 km] to the south)
    • Clements
      (12 miles [19.3 km] to the southeast)
    • Lodi
      (13 miles [20.9 km] to the south)
      • Lodi is located in San Joaquin County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lodi
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 68,186 people
      • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Lodi <1>
    • Henderson Village
      (15 miles [24.1 km] to the south)
      • Henderson Village is located in San Joaquin County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Henderson Village
    • Morada
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the south)
      • Morada is located in San Joaquin County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Morada
  • Solano County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Centralia, with the one closest to Centralia listed first.
    • Oxford
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the west)
      • Oxford is located in Solano County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Oxford
    • Rio Vista
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the southwest)
  • Yolo County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Centralia, with the one closest to Centralia listed first.
    • Clarksburg
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the northwest)
    • Greendale
      (18 miles [29 km] to the west)
      • Greendale is located in Yolo County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Greendale
    • Broderick
      (23 miles [37 km] to the northwest)
    • West Sacramento
      (23 miles [37 km] to the northwest)
    • Bryte
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the northwest)
    • El Macero
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the northwest)
    • Swingle
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the northwest)
      • Swingle is located in Yolo County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Swingle
    • Davis
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the northwest)

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

Cemeteries Near Centralia ...

Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of Centralia.

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

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

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

  • Hicksville Cemetery
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the west)
  • Galt - Arno Cemetery
    (6 miles [9.7 km] to the southwest)
  • Liberty Cemetery
    (6 miles [9.7 km] to the south)
  • Elliott Cemetery
    (6 miles [9.7 km] to the southeast)
  • Union Cemetery
    (8 miles [12.9 km] to the north)
  • Masonic Cemetery
    (9 miles [14.5 km] to the northwest)
  • Locke Cemetery
    (10 miles [16.1 km] to the southeast)
  • Clements Glen View Cemetery
    (11 miles [17.7 km] to the southeast)
  • San Joaquin Cemetery
    (11 miles [17.7 km] to the northwest)
  • South East Lawn Memorial Park
    (11 miles [17.7 km] to the northwest)
  • Lodi Memorial Cemetery
    (12 miles [19.3 km] to the south)
  • Harmony Grove Cemetery
    (12 miles [19.3 km] to the south)
  • Continue List   (64 more) ...
    • Franklin Cemetery
      (12 miles [19.3 km] to the west)
    • Quiet Haven Memorial Park
      (13 miles [20.9 km] to the north)
    • Camellia Memorial Lawn Cemetery
      (14 miles [22.5 km] to the north)

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

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

  • Cicero ‑ Historic
    (3 miles [4.8 km] to the east)
    • Cicero is located in Sacramento County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cicero
  • Clay
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the east)
    • Clay is located in Sacramento County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Clay
  • Galt
    (5 miles [8 km] to the southwest)
    • Galt is located in Sacramento County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Galt
    • Population from the 2020 Census: 26,551 people
    • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Galt <1>
  • Arno ‑ Historic
    (5 miles [8 km] to the west)
    • Arno is located in Sacramento County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Arno
  • Elliott ‑ Historic
    (6 miles [9.7 km] to the southeast)
    • Elliott is located in San Joaquin County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Elliott
  • McConnel
    (6 miles [9.7 km] to the northwest)
    • McConnel is located in Sacramento County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for McConnel
  • Elk Grove
    (9 miles [14.5 km] to the northwest)
  • Acampo
    (10 miles [16.1 km] to the south)
  • New Hope
    (11 miles [17.7 km] to the southwest)
    • New Hope is located in San Joaquin County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for New Hope
  • Taison
    (11 miles [17.7 km] to the southwest)
    • Taison is located in San Joaquin County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Taison
  • Woodbridge
    (11 miles [17.7 km] to the south)
  • Lockeford
    (11 miles [17.7 km] to the southeast)
  • Continue List   (17 more) ...
    • Pope
      (12 miles [19.3 km] to the south)
      • Pope is located in San Joaquin County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Pope
    • Clements
      (12 miles [19.3 km] to the southeast)
    • Franklin
      (12 miles [19.3 km] to the west)
      • Franklin is located in Sacramento County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Franklin

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

Newspapers Published in Centralia ...

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 39 newspapers that have been published in the area around Centralia.

Although we're unaware of any newspapers that were published in the immediate area of Centralia, there are papers which were published within 20 miles [32.2 km]<3>. A list of those papers, sorted by paper name, can be found on the Extended Newspaper List for Centralia.

Websites to Help With Your Genealogy Research ...

When we do our genealogical research, we first turn to the websites from Cyndi's List, FamilySearch and Genealogy Trails. These helpful 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 Centralia:

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