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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 Rancho del Sol (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 Rancho del Sol. 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 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 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.

Rancho del Sol is located in El Dorado 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 El Dorado County: Alpine, Amador, Placer, Sacramento & Douglas (NV).

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

  • El Dorado County     (The home county of Rancho del Sol)
    • The following are listed by their distance from Rancho del Sol, with the one closest to Rancho del Sol listed first.
    • Sportsman Hall ‑ Historic
      (Less than 2 miles to the north)
      • Sportsman Hall is located in El Dorado County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sportsman Hall
    • Camino
      (Less than 2 miles to the northwest)
    • Newtown
      (Less than 2 miles to the southwest)
      • Newtown is located in El Dorado County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Newtown
    • Pleasant Valley
      (2 miles [3.2 km] to the south)
      • Pleasant Valley is located in El Dorado County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Pleasant Valley
    • Pollock Pines
      (4 miles [6.4 km] to the northeast)
    • Motor City
      (4 miles [6.4 km] to the west)
      • Motor City is located in El Dorado County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Motor City
    • Somerset
      (5 miles [8 km] to the south)
    • Fresh Pond
      (7 miles [11.3 km] to the northeast)
      • Fresh Pond is located in El Dorado County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Fresh Pond
    • Tiger Lily
      (7 miles [11.3 km] to the southwest)
      • Tiger Lily is located in El Dorado County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Tiger Lily
    • Placerville
      (7 miles [11.3 km] to the west)
    • Fair Play
      (8 miles [12.9 km] to the south)
    • Grizzly Flatx
      (8 miles [12.9 km] to the southeast)
  • Amador County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Rancho del Sol, with the one closest to Rancho del Sol listed first.
    • River Pines
      (12 miles [19.3 km] to the south)
    • Fiddletown
      (15 miles [24.1 km] to the south)
    • Volcano
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the south)
    • Plymouth
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the southwest)
    • Pioneer
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the south)
    • Pine Grove
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the south)
    • Amador City
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the southwest)
    • Drytown
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the southwest)
    • Sutter Creek
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the south)
    • Martell
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the south)
    • Electra ‑ Historic
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the south)
      • Electra is located in Amador County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Electra
    • Jackson
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the south)
  • Calaveras County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Rancho del Sol, with the one closest to Rancho del Sol listed first.
    • Bummerville
      (23 miles [37 km] to the south)
      • Bummerville is located in Calaveras County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bummerville
    • West Point
      (23 miles [37 km] to the south)
    • Sandy Gulch
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the south)
      • Sandy Gulch is located in Calaveras County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sandy Gulch
    • Wilseyville
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the south)
    • Glencoe
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the south)
    • Rail Road Flat
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the south)
    • Big Bar
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the south)
      • Big Bar is located in Calaveras County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Big Bar
    • Mokelumne Hill
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the south)
  • Nevada County
    • Lake of the Pines
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the northwest)
      • Lake of the Pines is located in Nevada County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lake of the Pines
  • Placer County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Rancho del Sol, with the one closest to Rancho del Sol listed first.
    • Michigan Bluff
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the north)
      • Michigan Bluff is located in Placer County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Michigan Bluff
    • Foresthill
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the northwest)
    • Yankee Jims
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the northwest)
      • Yankee Jims is located in Placer County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Yankee Jims
    • Greekstore
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the north)
      • Greekstore is located in Placer County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Greekstore
    • Auburn
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the northwest)
    • Applegate
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the northwest)
    • Bowman
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the northwest)
    • Clipper Gap
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the northwest)
      • Clipper Gap is located in Placer County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Clipper Gap
    • Last Chance ‑ Historic
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the north)
      • Last Chance is located in Placer County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Last Chance
    • Meadow Vista
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the northwest)
    • Granite Bay
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the west)
    • Newcastle
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the west)
  • Sacramento County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Rancho del Sol, with the one closest to Rancho del Sol listed first.
    • Mormon Island ‑ Historic
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the west)
      • Mormon Island is located in Sacramento County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mormon Island
    • Folsom
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the west)
      • Folsom is located in Sacramento County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Folsom
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 82,726 people
      • Folsom has also been known as:
      • Folsom City
      • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Folsom <1>
    • Prairie City
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the west)
      • Prairie City is located in Sacramento County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Prairie City
    • Represa
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the west)
      • Represa is located in Sacramento County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Represa
    • Rancho Murieta
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the southwest)
    • Folsom Junction
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the west)
      • Folsom Junction is located in Sacramento County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Folsom Junction
    • Natoma
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the west)
      • Natoma is located in Sacramento County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Natoma

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

Cemeteries Near Rancho del Sol ...

Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of Rancho del Sol.

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 Rancho del Sol - one of the links might be able to help.

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

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

  • Oak Hill Cemetery
    (5 miles [8 km] to the southwest)
  • Smith Flat Cemetery
    (5 miles [8 km] to the west)
  • Bennett Memorial Park
    (8 miles [12.9 km] to the west)
  • Catholic Cemetery
    (8 miles [12.9 km] to the west)
  • Placerville Union Cemetery
    (8 miles [12.9 km] to the west)
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Placerville Union Cemetery
    • To give a relative sense of its location, the Placerville Union Cemetery is a large cemetery that is located in Placerville.
    • The Placerville Union Cemetery has also been known as:
    • Union Cemetery
    • Jump to Find-A-Grave: FG ID #1812538 <2>
  • Middletown Cemetery
    (9 miles [14.5 km] to the west)
  • Westwood Hills Memorial Cemetery
    (9 miles [14.5 km] to the west)
  • Indian Diggings Cemetery
    (12 miles [19.3 km] to the south)
  • Gold Hill Cemetery
    (12 miles [19.3 km] to the west)
    • The Gold Hill Cemetery is located on private property - be sure to secure permission before visiting.
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Gold Hill Cemetery
    • To give a relative sense of its location, the Gold Hill Cemetery is located in Gold Hill.
    • Jump to Find-A-Grave: FG ID #2348365 <2>
  • Andreason Cemetery
    (13 miles [20.9 km] to the south)
  • Catholic Cemetery
    (13 miles [20.9 km] to the west)
  • Pioneer Cemetery
    (13 miles [20.9 km] to the west)
  • Continue List   (50 more) ...
    • James Marshall Gravesite
      (14 miles [22.5 km] to the west)
    • Chinese Cemetery
      (15 miles [24.1 km] to the southwest)
    • Shenandoah Valley Cemetery
      (15 miles [24.1 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.<3>

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

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

  • Pleasant Valley
    (2 miles [3.2 km] to the south)
    • Pleasant Valley is located in El Dorado County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Pleasant Valley
  • Placerville
    (7 miles [11.3 km] to the west)
  • Fair Play
    (8 miles [12.9 km] to the south)
  • Grizzly Flatx
    (8 miles [12.9 km] to the southeast)
  • Pacific
    (8 miles [12.9 km] to the east)
    • Pacific is located in El Dorado County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Pacific
  • Bryants
    (9 miles [14.5 km] to the east)
    • Bryants is located in El Dorado County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bryants
  • El Dorado
    (10 miles [16.1 km] to the west)
  • Omo Ranch
    (10 miles [16.1 km] to the southeast)
    • Omo Ranch is located in El Dorado County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Omo Ranch
  • Kelsey
    (10 miles [16.1 km] to the northwest)
    • Kelsey is located in El Dorado County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Kelsey
  • Coloma
    (13 miles [20.9 km] to the northwest)
  • Nashville
    (14 miles [22.5 km] to the southwest)
    • Nashville is located in El Dorado County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Nashville
  • Garden Valley
    (14 miles [22.5 km] to the northwest)
  • Continue List   (15 more) ...
    • Lotus
      (14 miles [22.5 km] to the west)
    • Shingle Springs
      (15 miles [24.1 km] to the west)
    • Fiddletown
      (15 miles [24.1 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 Rancho del Sol. See our List of 1890's Communities around Rancho del Sol.

Newspapers Published in Rancho del Sol ...

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 57 newspapers that have been published in the area around Rancho del Sol.

Although we're unaware of any newspapers that were published in the immediate area of Rancho del Sol, 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 Rancho del Sol.

Websites to Help With Your Genealogy Research ...

When we do our genealogical research, we begin with 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 Rancho del Sol:

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 Rancho del Sol, 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' (or point-to-point) distance. A straight line distance ignores obstructions like rivers, canyons, lakes, et cetera - it's truly a line from Point A (ie- Rancho del Sol) to Point B. In other words: 'As the crow flies'.