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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 Parkfield (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 Parkfield. 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 southwest corner of their home county. During their lives, most doctors and hospitals were in the next county to the west. 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 west 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.

Parkfield is located in Monterey County.

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

The following counties adjoin and form the boundaries of Monterey County: Fresno, Kings, San Benito, San Luis Obispo & Santa Cruz.

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

  • Monterey County     (The home county of Parkfield)
    • The following are listed by their distance from Parkfield, with the one closest to Parkfield listed first.
    • Bradley
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the west)
    • San Ardo
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the west)
  • Fresno County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Parkfield, with the one closest to Parkfield listed first.
    • Parkfield Junction
      (12 miles [19.3 km] to the north)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Parkfield Junction
      • Parkfield Junction is located in Fresno County
    • Coalinga
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the north)
    • Huron
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the northeast)
  • Kern County
    • Kecks Corner
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the southeast)
      • Note: The GPS coordinates that we are using for Kecks Corner have been provided by the GNIS.<2> The coordinates still need to be verified.
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Kecks Corner
      • Kecks Corner is located in Kern County
  • Kings County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Parkfield, with the one closest to Parkfield listed first.
    • Avenal
      (18 miles [29 km] to the northeast)
    • Millham City ‑ Historic
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the east)
      • Note: The GPS coordinates that we are using for Millham City have been provided by the GNIS.<2> The coordinates still need to be verified.
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Millham City
      • Millham City is located in Kings County
    • Kettleman City
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the east)
  • San Luis Obispo County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Parkfield, with the one closest to Parkfield listed first.
    • Cholame
      (14 miles [22.5 km] to the southeast)
    • Estrella
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the southwest)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Estrella
      • Estrella is located in San Luis Obispo County
    • Shandon
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the south)
    • San Miguel
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the southwest)
    • Wellsona
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the southwest)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Wellsona
      • Wellsona is located in San Luis Obispo County
    • El Paso de Robles
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the southwest)
      • Note: The GPS coordinates that we are using for El Paso de Robles have been provided by the GNIS.<2> The coordinates still need to be verified.
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for El Paso de Robles
      • El Paso de Robles is located in San Luis Obispo County
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 31,521 people
    • Oak Park
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the southwest)
      • Note: The GPS coordinates that we are using for Oak Park have been provided by the GNIS.<2> The coordinates still need to be verified.
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Oak Park
      • Oak Park is located in San Luis Obispo County
    • Linne
      (23 miles [37 km] to the south)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Linne
      • Linne is located in San Luis Obispo County
    • Paso Robles
      (23 miles [37 km] to the southwest)
    • Creston
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the south)
    • Lake Nacimiento
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the southwest)
    • Templeton
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the southwest)
    • Bee Rock
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the west)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bee Rock
      • Bee Rock is located in San Luis Obispo County

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

Newspapers Published in Parkfield ...

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 44 newspapers that have been published in the area around Parkfield.

Although we're unaware of any newspapers that were published in the immediate area of Parkfield, there are papers which were published within 28 miles [45.1 km]<3>. A list of those papers, sorted by paper name, can be found on the Extended Newspaper List for Parkfield.

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 websites either 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 Parkfield:

Cemeteries Near Parkfield ...

Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of Parkfield.

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.

If you need information about a burial or interment, photos, transcripts, how to contact the cemetery or local authorities, please visit our selection of Genealogy Websites (see below).

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

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

  • Parkfield Cemetery
    (2 miles [3.2 km] to the southeast)
    • Note: The GPS coordinates that we are using for the Parkfield Cemetery have been provided by the GNIS.<2> The coordinates still need to be verified.
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for the Parkfield Cemetery
  • Imusdale Cemetery
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the west)
    • Note: The GPS coordinates that we are using for the Imusdale Cemetery have been provided by the GNIS.<2> The coordinates still need to be verified.
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for the Imusdale Cemetery
  • Warthan Cemetery
    (13 miles [20.9 km] to the northwest)
  • Shandon Cemetery
    (16 miles [25.7 km] to the south)
    • Note: The GPS coordinates that we are using for the Shandon Cemetery have been provided by the GNIS.<2> The coordinates still need to be verified.
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for the Shandon Cemetery
  • Warthan Canyon Cemetery
    (16 miles [25.7 km] to the north)
    • Note: The GPS coordinates that we are using for the Warthan Canyon Cemetery have been provided by the GNIS.<2> The coordinates still need to be verified.
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for the Warthan Canyon Cemetery
  • Clark Memorial Park
    (17 miles [27.4 km] to the south)
    • Note: The GPS coordinates that we are using for the Clark Memorial Park have been provided by the GNIS.<2> The coordinates still need to be verified.
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for the Clark Memorial Park
  • Pleasant Valley Cemetery
    (19 miles [30.6 km] to the northeast)
  • Paso Robles District Cemetery
    (23 miles [37 km] to the southwest)
    • Note: The GPS coordinates that we are using for the Paso Robles District Cemetery have been provided by the GNIS.<2> The coordinates still need to be verified.
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for the Paso Robles District Cemetery
  • Clayton Cemetery
    (26 miles [41.8 km] to the northwest)
  • Templeton Cemetery
    (27 miles [43.5 km] to the southwest)
    • Note: The GPS coordinates that we are using for the Templeton Cemetery have been provided by the GNIS.<2> The coordinates still need to be verified.
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for the Templeton Cemetery
  • Anderson Akers Cemetery
    (27 miles [43.5 km] to the northwest)
  • Williams - Duckworth Cemetery
    (27 miles [43.5 km] to the northwest)
  • Adelaida Cemetery
    (29 miles [46.7 km] to the southwest)

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.<5>

The Rand McNally Atlas shows that Parkfield had a population of 207 people in 1895 with a post office and no railroad service.

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

  • Cholame
    (14 miles [22.5 km] to the southeast)
  • Valleton
    (15 miles [24.1 km] to the west)
    • Note: The GPS coordinates that we are using for Valleton have been provided by the GNIS.<2> The coordinates still need to be verified.
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Valleton
    • Valleton is located in Monterey County
  • Estrella
    (16 miles [25.7 km] to the southwest)
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Estrella
    • Estrella is located in San Luis Obispo County
  • San Miguel
    (17 miles [27.4 km] to the southwest)
  • Shandon
    (17 miles [27.4 km] to the south)
  • Bradley
    (20 miles [32.2 km] to the west)
  • Annette
    (22 miles [35.4 km] to the southeast)
    • Note: The GPS coordinates that we are using for Annette have been provided by the GNIS.<2> The coordinates still need to be verified.
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Annette
    • Annette is located in Kern County
  • Paso Robles
    (23 miles [37 km] to the southwest)
  • Linne
    (23 miles [37 km] to the south)
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Linne
    • Linne is located in San Luis Obispo County
  • Continue List   (6 more) ...
    • Creston
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the south)
    • San Ardo
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the west)
    • Templeton
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the southwest)
    • Huron
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the northeast)
    • Asuncion
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the southwest)
      • Note: The GPS coordinates that we are using for Asuncion have been provided by the GNIS.<2> The coordinates still need to be verified.
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Asuncion
      • Asuncion is located in San Luis Obispo County

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

Unfortunately, we don't know of a website for Parkfield. If you can help, please contact us through our Feedback Page.

The official website for Monterey County: www.co.monterey.ca.us/

The official website for State of California: https://www.ca.gov/

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 location has been supplied by the Geographic Names Information System - which is maintained by the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS). While these values should be definitive, we found that accuracy can vary and you should double-check the location if accuracy is required.
<3>Our distances are not driving distances, but are calculated as a 'straight-line' (or 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- Parkfield) to Point B.Our distance measurements begin at a specific point in Parkfield. The point we use is located at these GPS coordinates - Latitude: 35.9000, Longitude: -120.4328    
<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.
<5>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 Parkfield, please let us know so that we can improve our accuracy.




 

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This page was last modified/updated: 07 Apr 2024