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 Rock City (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 Rock City. 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 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.
Rock City is located in Contra Costa 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 Contra Costa County: Alameda, Marin, Sacramento, San Francisco, San Joaquin & Solano.
Below are the counties that are near Rock City. For each of these counties, we show a sample of those communities that are closest to Rock City:
- Contra Costa County (The home county of Rock City)
- The following are listed by their distance from Rock City, with the one closest to Rock City listed first.
- Diablo
(Less than 2 miles to the southwest)
- Blackhawk - Camino Tassajara
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the southeast)
- Blackhawk
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the southeast)
- Blackhawk is located in Contra Costa County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Blackhawk
- Danville
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the southwest)
- Danville is located in Contra Costa County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Danville
- Population from the 2020 Census: 44,883 people
- Former name for Danville:
- Inmanville
- Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Danville <1>
- Marsh Creek Springs
(5 miles [8 km] to the northeast)
- Marsh Creek Springs is located in Contra Costa County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Marsh Creek Springs
- Tassajara
(5 miles [8 km] to the southeast)
- Tassajara is located in Contra Costa County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Tassajara
- San Ramon
(5 miles [8 km] to the southwest)
- Alamo
(5 miles [8 km] to the west)
- Clayton
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the north)
- Waldon
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the northwest)
- Waldon is located in Contra Costa County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Waldon
- Walnut Creek
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the northwest)
- Pleasant Hill
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the northwest)
- Concord
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the northwest)
- Alameda County
- The following are listed by their distance from Rock City, with the one closest to Rock City listed first.
- San Ramon Village
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the south)
- San Ramon Village is located in Alameda County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for San Ramon Village
- Dublin
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the south)
- Komandorski Village
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the south)
- Komandorski Village is located in Alameda County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Komandorski Village
- Canyon
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the west)
- Pleasanton
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the south)
- Castro Valley
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the southwest)
- Fairview
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the southwest)
- Fairview is located in Alameda County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Fairview
- Laddville ‑ Historic
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the southeast)
- Laddville is located in Alameda County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Laddville
- Ashland
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the southwest)
- Cherryland
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the southwest)
- Cherryland is located in Alameda County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cherryland
- Havenscourt
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the southwest)
- Havenscourt is located in Alameda County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Havenscourt
- Hayward
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the southwest)
- Laurel
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the west)
- Laurel is located in Alameda County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Laurel
- Marin County
- The following are listed by their distance from Rock City, with the one closest to Rock City listed first.
- Fort McDowell
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the west)
- Fort McDowell is located in Marin County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Fort McDowell
- Belvedere
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the west)
- Tiburon
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the west)
- Paradise Cay
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the west)
- Paradise Cay is located in Marin County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Paradise Cay
- Sausalito
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the west)
- Bel Aire
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the west)
- Bel Aire is located in Marin County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bel Aire
- San Quentin
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the west)
- Napa County
- The following are listed by their distance from Rock City, with the one closest to Rock City listed first.
- American Canyon
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the northwest)
- Lombard
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the northwest)
- Lombard is located in Napa County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lombard
- Middleton
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the northwest)
- Middleton is located in Napa County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Middleton
- Sacramento County
- Isleton
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the northeast)
- San Francisco County
- The following are listed by their distance from Rock City, with the one closest to Rock City listed first.
- Sydney Town ‑ Historic
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the west)
- Sydney Town is located in San Francisco County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sydney Town
- Chinatown
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the west)
- Chinatown is located in San Francisco County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Chinatown
- Amanico Ergina Village
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the west)
- Amanico Ergina Village is located in San Francisco County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Amanico Ergina Village
- Friendship Village
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the west)
- Friendship Village is located in San Francisco County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Friendship Village
- Mission District
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the west)
- Mission District is located in San Francisco County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mission District
- San Francisco
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the west)
- Golden Gate Heights
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the west)
- Golden Gate Heights is located in San Francisco County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Golden Gate Heights
- Stonestown
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the west)
- Stonestown is located in San Francisco County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Stonestown
- San Joaquin County
- The following are listed by their distance from Rock City, with the one closest to Rock City listed first.
- Carnegie ‑ Historic
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the southeast)
- Carnegie is located in San Joaquin County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Carnegie
- Ellis ‑ Historic
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the east)
- Ellis is located in San Joaquin County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ellis
- Holt
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the east)
- Tracy
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the east)
- Tracy is located in San Joaquin County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Tracy
- Population from the 2020 Census: 95,025 people
- Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Tracy <1>
- Wainwright Village
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the east)
- Wainwright Village is located in San Joaquin County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Wainwright Village
- Terminous
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the northeast)
- Terminous is located in San Joaquin County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Terminous
- San Mateo County
- The following are listed by their distance from Rock City, with the one closest to Rock City listed first.
- Foster City
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the southwest)
- Brisbane
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the southwest)
- East Palo Alto
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the southwest)
- Burlingame
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the southwest)
- Laurel
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the southwest)
- Laurel is located in San Mateo County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Laurel
- North Fair Oaks
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the southwest)
- North Fair Oaks is located in San Mateo County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for North Fair Oaks
- Redwood City
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the southwest)
- San Carlos
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the southwest)
- San Mateo
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the southwest)
- South San Francisco
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the southwest)
- The Willows
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the southwest)
- The Willows is located in San Mateo County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for The Willows
- Atherton
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the southwest)
- Belmont
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the southwest)
- Santa Clara County
- The following are listed by their distance from Rock City, with the one closest to Rock City listed first.
- Milpitas
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the south)
- Alviso
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the south)
- Palo Alto
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the south)
- Solano County
- The following are listed by their distance from Rock City, with the one closest to Rock City listed first.
- Benicia
(18 miles [29 km] to the northwest)
- Birds Landing
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the north)
- Vallejo
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the northwest)
- Rio Vista
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the northeast)
- Mare Island ‑ Historic
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the northwest)
- Mare Island is located in Solano County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mare Island
- Denverton
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the north)
- Denverton is located in Solano County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Denverton
- Solano City ‑ Historic
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the north)
- Solano City is located in Solano County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Solano City
- Guadalcanal Village
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the northwest)
- Guadalcanal Village is located in Solano County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Guadalcanal Village
- Suisun City
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the north)
- Suisun City is located in Solano County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Suisun City
- Population from the 2020 Census: 29,305 people
- Suisun City has also been known as:
- Suisun
- Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Suisun City <1>
- Fairfield
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the north)
- Travis Field
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the north)
- Travis Field is located in Solano County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Travis Field
- Green Valley
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the northwest)
For an expanded list of the communities that are closest to Rock City, see our County-by-County Page for Rock City.
Cemeteries Near Rock City ...
Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of Rock City.
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 Rock City - one of the links might be able to help.
If not found below, our Cemetery List for Rock City covers a larger area, with the cemeteries listed in alphabetical order.
The following cemeteries are listed based on their distance from Rock City, with the one closest to Rock City listed first.
- Live Oak Cemetery
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the north)
- Rose Hill Cemetery
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the northeast)
- St. Stephen Cemetery
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the northwest)
- Lafayette Cemetery
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the west)
- Dublin Cemetery
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the south)
- Oakmont Memorial Park
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the northwest)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Oakmont Memorial Park
- To give a relative sense of its location, the Oakmont Memorial Park is a very large cemetery that is located outside and to the west of Pleasant Hill.
- Jump to Find-A-Grave: FG ID #8221 <2>
- Oakmount Memorial Park
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the northwest)
- Queen of Haven Cemetery
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the northwest)
- Queen of Heaven Cemetery
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the northwest)
- Memory Gardens Cemetery
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the northwest)
- Mt. Calvary Cemetery
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the southwest)
- Lone Tree Cemetery
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the southwest)
- Continue List (63 more) ...
- Roselawn Cemetery
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the southeast)
- Oak View Memorial Park
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the northeast)
- Holy Cross Cemetery
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the northeast)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Holy Cross Cemetery
- The Holy Cross Cemetery has also been known as:
- Holly Cross Cemetery
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 Rock City in the Atlas, the following 1895 communities would have been found near the current location of Rock City.
These communities are listed based on their distance from Rock City, with the one closest to Rock City listed first.
- Danville
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the southwest)
- Danville is located in Contra Costa County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Danville
- Population from the 2020 Census: 44,883 people
- Former name for Danville:
- Inmanville
- Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Danville <1>
- San Ramon
(5 miles [8 km] to the southwest)
- Alamo
(5 miles [8 km] to the west)
- Clayton
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the north)
- Stewartville ‑ Historic
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the northeast)
- Stewartville is located in Contra Costa County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Stewartville
- Somersville ‑ Historic
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the northeast)
- Somersville is located in Contra Costa County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Somersville
- Nortonville ‑ Historic
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the north)
- Nortonville is located in Contra Costa County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Nortonville
- Walnut Creek
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the northwest)
- Concord
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the northwest)
- Lafayette
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the west)
- Pacheco
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the northwest)
- Antioch
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the northeast)
- Continue List (16 more) ...
- Cornwall
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the north)
- Cornwall is located in Contra Costa County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cornwall
- Bay Point
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the north)
- Pleasanton
(13 miles [20.9 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 Rock City. See our List of 1890's Communities around Rock City.
Newspapers Published in Rock City ...
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 37 newspapers that have been published in the area around Rock City.
Although we're unaware of any newspapers that were published in the immediate area of Rock City, there are papers which were published within 17 miles [27.4 km]<4>. A list of those papers, sorted by paper name, can be found on the Extended Newspaper List for Rock City.
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 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 Rock City:
- Websites specific to California
- Pages specific to Contra Costa County
- Genealogy information for nearby counties
- Alameda County
- Marin County
- Napa County
- Sacramento County
- San Francisco County
- San Joaquin County
- San Mateo County
- Santa Clara County
- Solano County
- Cemetery Information and Directories for California
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 Rock City, 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 things like rivers, canyons, lakes, et cetera - it's truly a line from Point A (ie- Rock City) to Point B. In other words: 'As the crow flies'. |