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Our Genealogy Helper

Introduction ...

So far, we found very little information about Gold Lake. The little that we've found leads us believe that the community is historic.<1>

We've added Gold Lake to our Gazetteer with the hope that we can develop more information. If you can help us with Gold Lake, please Contact Us.

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 Gold Lake (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 Gold Lake. 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 Gold Lake ...

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.

For example, a typical abbreviation for Gold Lake: Gold Lk.

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 northwest corner of their home county. During their lives, most 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.

Although our information shows that the community of Gold Lake is historic, it would have been located within present day Butte 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 Butte County: Colusa, Glenn, Plumas, Sutter, Tehama & Yuba.

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

  • Butte County     (The home county of Gold Lake)
    • The following are listed by their distance from Gold Lake, with the one closest to Gold Lake listed first.
    • Merrimac
      (Less than 2 miles to the southeast)
      • Merrimac is located in Butte County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Merrimac
    • Brush Creek
      (6 miles [9.7 km] to the south)
      • Brush Creek is located in Butte County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Brush Creek
    • Big Bar
      (6 miles [9.7 km] to the west)
      • Big Bar is located in Butte County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Big Bar
    • Pulga
      (7 miles [11.3 km] to the west)
    • Big Bend
      (9 miles [14.5 km] to the southwest)
      • Big Bend is located in Butte County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Big Bend
    • Berry Creek
      (10 miles [16.1 km] to the southwest)
    • Concow
      (11 miles [17.7 km] to the west)
      • Concow is located in Butte County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Concow
    • Lumpkin ‑ Historic
      (12 miles [19.3 km] to the southeast)
      • Lumpkin is located in Butte County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lumpkin
    • Feather Falls
      (13 miles [20.9 km] to the south)
    • Stirling City
      (14 miles [22.5 km] to the northwest)
    • Cherokee ‑ Historic
      (14 miles [22.5 km] to the southwest)
      • Cherokee is located in Butte County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cherokee
    • Magalia
      (14 miles [22.5 km] to the west)
  • Nevada County
  • Plumas County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Gold Lake, with the one closest to Gold Lake listed first.
    • Storrie
      (9 miles [14.5 km] to the north)
    • Bucks Lake
      (9 miles [14.5 km] to the northeast)
      • Bucks Lake is located in Plumas County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bucks Lake
    • Tobin
      (11 miles [17.7 km] to the north)
      • Tobin is located in Plumas County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Tobin
    • Belden
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the north)
    • Meadow Valley
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the northeast)
    • Rich Bar ‑ Historic
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the north)
      • Rich Bar is located in Plumas County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rich Bar
    • Silver Creek ‑ Historic
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the northeast)
      • Silver Creek is located in Plumas County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Silver Creek
    • La Porte
      (18 miles [29 km] to the east)
    • Little Grass Valley
      (18 miles [29 km] to the east)
      • Little Grass Valley is located in Plumas County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Little Grass Valley
    • Spanish Ranch
      (18 miles [29 km] to the northeast)
      • Spanish Ranch is located in Plumas County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Spanish Ranch
    • Twain
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the northeast)
    • Caribou
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the north)
      • Caribou is located in Plumas County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Caribou
  • Sierra County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Gold Lake, with the one closest to Gold Lake listed first.
    • Gibsonville
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the east)
      • Gibsonville is located in Sierra County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Gibsonville
    • Queen City
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the east)
      • Queen City is located in Sierra County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Queen City
    • Brandy City ‑ Historic
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the southeast)
      • Brandy City is located in Sierra County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Brandy City
    • Poker Flat
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the east)
      • Poker Flat is located in Sierra County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Poker Flat
    • Goodyears Bar
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the southeast)
    • Downieville
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the southeast)
  • Yuba County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Gold Lake, with the one closest to Gold Lake listed first.
    • Strawberry Valley
      (18 miles [29 km] to the southeast)
    • Challenge
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the south)
    • Brownsville
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the south)
    • Rackerby
      (23 miles [37 km] to the south)
    • Depot Hill ‑ Historic
      (23 miles [37 km] to the southeast)
      • Depot Hill is located in Yuba County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Depot Hill
    • Foster Bar ‑ Historic
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the southeast)
      • Foster Bar is located in Yuba County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Foster Bar
    • Bullards Bar ‑ Historic
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the south)
      • Bullards Bar is located in Yuba County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bullards Bar
    • Camptonville
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the southeast)
    • Garden Valley ‑ Historic
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the southeast)
      • Garden Valley is located in Yuba County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Garden Valley
    • Dobbins
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the south)
    • Oregon House
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the south)

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

Cemeteries Near Gold Lake ...

Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of Gold Lake.

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 Gold Lake - one of the links might be able to help.

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

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

  • Lake Madrone Cemetery
    (10 miles [16.1 km] to the southwest)
  • Clarks Cemetery
    (12 miles [19.3 km] to the southwest)
  • Indian Cemetery
    (12 miles [19.3 km] to the south)
  • Cherokee Cemetery
    (14 miles [22.5 km] to the southwest)
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cherokee Cemetery
    • To give a relative sense of its location, the Cherokee Cemetery is a large cemetery that is located 9 miles [14.5 km]<3> to the north of Oroville.
    • Jump to Find-A-Grave: FG ID #1967787 <4>
  • Skyway Memorial Park
    (14 miles [22.5 km] to the west)
  • Coutolenc Cemetery
    (15 miles [24.1 km] to the northwest)
  • Paradise Cemetery
    (15 miles [24.1 km] to the west)
  • Clear Creek Cemetery
    (17 miles [27.4 km] to the southwest)
  • Oregon City Cemetery
    (17 miles [27.4 km] to the southwest)
  • Meadow Valley Cemetery
    (17 miles [27.4 km] to the northeast)
  • Centerville Cemetery
    (17 miles [27.4 km] to the west)
  • Strawberry Valley Cemetery
    (18 miles [29 km] to the southeast)
  • Continue List   (46 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.

While we didn't find Gold Lake in the Atlas, the following 1895 communities would have been found near the current location of Gold Lake.

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

  • Merrimac
    (Less than 2 miles to the southeast)
    • Merrimac is located in Butte County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Merrimac
  • Brush Creek
    (6 miles [9.7 km] to the south)
    • Brush Creek is located in Butte County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Brush Creek
  • Big Bend
    (9 miles [14.5 km] to the southwest)
    • Big Bend is located in Butte County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Big Bend
  • Yankee Hill
    (12 miles [19.3 km] to the southwest)
    • Yankee Hill is located in Butte County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Yankee Hill
  • Lumpkin ‑ Historic
    (12 miles [19.3 km] to the southeast)
    • Lumpkin is located in Butte County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lumpkin
  • Cherokee ‑ Historic
    (14 miles [22.5 km] to the southwest)
    • Cherokee is located in Butte County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cherokee
  • Magalia
    (14 miles [22.5 km] to the west)
  • Lovelock
    (15 miles [24.1 km] to the northwest)
    • Lovelock is located in Butte County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lovelock
  • Pentz
    (16 miles [25.7 km] to the southwest)
    • Pentz is located in Butte County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Pentz
  • Enterprise ‑ Historic
    (16 miles [25.7 km] to the south)
    • Enterprise is located in Butte County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Enterprise
  • Meadow Valley
    (16 miles [25.7 km] to the northeast)
  • Nimshew
    (16 miles [25.7 km] to the west)
    • Nimshew is located in Butte County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Nimshew
  • Continue List   (14 more) ...
    • Paradise
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the west)
    • Powellton
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the northwest)
      • Powellton is located in Butte County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Powellton
    • Forbestown
      (18 miles [29 km] to the south)

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

Newspapers Published in Gold Lake ...

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 33 newspapers that have been published in the area around Gold Lake.

Although we're unaware of any newspapers that were published in the immediate area of Gold Lake, there are papers which were published within 22 miles [35.4 km]<3>. A list of those papers, sorted by paper name, can be found on the Extended Newspaper List for Gold Lake.

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 Gold Lake:

Footnotes ...

<1>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 Gold Lake, please let us know so that we can improve our accuracy.
<2>While we're fans and frequent users of TripAdvisor, you should know that we're also members of the TripAdvisor affiliate program.
<3>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- Gold Lake) to Point B. In other words: 'As the crow flies'.
<4>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.