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 Willow Valley (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 Willow Valley. 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 Willow Valley ...
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 Willow Valley: Willow Vly. (or less commonly used: Willow Vally. or Willow Vlly.)
You might be interested in other communities that are also named Willow Valley. More information can be found on our Tidbits & Trivia Page for Willow Valley.
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 southeast corner of their home county. During their lives, most doctors were in the next county to the east. 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 east 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.
Willow Valley is located in Nevada 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 Nevada County: Placer, Sierra, Yuba & Washoe (NV).
Below are the counties that are near Willow Valley. For each of these counties, we show a sample of those communities that are closest to Willow Valley:
- Nevada County (The home county of Willow Valley)
- The following are listed by their distance from Willow Valley, with the one closest to Willow Valley listed first.
- Nevada City
(Less than 2 miles to the west)
- Blue Tent
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the north)
- Blue Tent is located in Nevada County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Blue Tent
- Gold Flat
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the southwest)
- Gold Flat is located in Nevada County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Gold Flat
- Scotts Flat
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the east)
- Scotts Flat is located in Nevada County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Scotts Flat
- Glenbrook
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the southwest)
- Glenbrook is located in Nevada County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Glenbrook
- Nevada City Rancheria
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the west)
- Spring Hill
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the southwest)
- Spring Hill is located in Nevada County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Spring Hill
- Cedar Ridge
(5 miles [8 km] to the south)
- Kres
(5 miles [8 km] to the south)
- Kres is located in Nevada County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Kres
- Grass Valley
(5 miles [8 km] to the southwest)
- Union Hill
(5 miles [8 km] to the southwest)
- Union Hill is located in Nevada County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Union Hill
- Lake City
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the north)
- Lake City is located in Nevada County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lake City
- Newtown
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the west)
- Newtown is located in Nevada County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Newtown
- Butte County
- The following are listed by their distance from Willow Valley, with the one closest to Willow Valley listed first.
- Clipper Mills
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the northwest)
- Oroleve
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the northwest)
- Oroleve is located in Butte County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Oroleve
- Evansville ‑ Historic
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the northwest)
- Evansville is located in Butte County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Evansville
- Forbestown
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the northwest)
- Robinson Mill
(23 miles [37 km] to the northwest)
- Robinson Mill is located in Butte County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Robinson Mill
- Bangor
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the west)
- Feather Falls
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the northwest)
- Lumpkin ‑ Historic
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the northwest)
- Lumpkin is located in Butte County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lumpkin
- Wyandotte
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the northwest)
- Wyandotte is located in Butte County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Wyandotte
- South Fork ‑ Historic
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the northwest)
- South Fork is located in Butte County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for South Fork
- Honcut
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the west)
- El Dorado County
- The following are listed by their distance from Willow Valley, with the one closest to Willow Valley listed first.
- Greenwood
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the south)
- Cool
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the south)
- Fornis
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the south)
- Fornis is located in El Dorado County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Fornis
- Georgetown
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the south)
- Garden Valley
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the south)
- Quintette
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the southeast)
- Quintette is located in El Dorado County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Quintette
- Pilot Hill
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the south)
- Placer County
- The following are listed by their distance from Willow Valley, with the one closest to Willow Valley listed first.
- Dutch Flat
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the southeast)
- Gold Run
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the southeast)
- Secret Town
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the southeast)
- Secret Town is located in Placer County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Secret Town
- Alta
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the southeast)
- Chicago Park ‑ Historic
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the south)
- Chicago Park is located in Placer County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Chicago Park
- Colfax
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the south)
- Casa Loma
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the southeast)
- Casa Loma is located in Placer County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Casa Loma
- Iowa Hill
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the southeast)
- Emigrant Gap
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the east)
- Weimar
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the south)
- Yankee Jims
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the south)
- Yankee Jims is located in Placer County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Yankee Jims
- Applegate
(18 miles [29 km] to the south)
- Foresthill
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the southeast)
- Plumas County
- The following are listed by their distance from Willow Valley, with the one closest to Willow Valley listed first.
- La Porte
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the north)
- Little Grass Valley
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the north)
- Little Grass Valley is located in Plumas County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Little Grass Valley
- Shasta County
- Bear Valley ‑ Historic
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the east)
- Bear Valley is located in Shasta County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bear Valley
- Sierra County
- The following are listed by their distance from Willow Valley, with the one closest to Willow Valley listed first.
- Alleghany
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the northeast)
- Forest
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the northeast)
- Forest is located in Sierra County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Forest
- Brandy City ‑ Historic
(18 miles [29 km] to the north)
- Brandy City is located in Sierra County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Brandy City
- Goodyears Bar
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the north)
- Downieville
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the north)
- Loganville
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the northeast)
- Loganville is located in Sierra County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Loganville
- Queen City
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the north)
- Queen City is located in Sierra County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Queen City
- Sierra City
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the northeast)
- Poker Flat
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the north)
- Poker Flat is located in Sierra County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Poker Flat
- Yuba County
- The following are listed by their distance from Willow Valley, with the one closest to Willow Valley listed first.
- Camptonville
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the north)
- Bullards Bar ‑ Historic
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the northwest)
- Bullards Bar is located in Yuba County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bullards Bar
- Dobbins
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the northwest)
- Foster Bar ‑ Historic
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the northwest)
- Foster Bar is located in Yuba County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Foster Bar
- Garden Valley ‑ Historic
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the northwest)
- Garden Valley is located in Yuba County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Garden Valley
- Depot Hill ‑ Historic
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the north)
- Depot Hill is located in Yuba County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Depot Hill
- Oregon House
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the west)
- Smartville
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the west)
- Timbuctoo ‑ Historic
(18 miles [29 km] to the west)
- Timbuctoo is located in Yuba County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Timbuctoo
- Challenge
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the northwest)
- Brownsville
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the northwest)
- Strawberry Valley
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the north)
- Browns Valley
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the west)
For an expanded list of the communities that are closest to Willow Valley, see our County-by-County Page for Willow Valley.
Cemeteries Near Willow Valley ...
Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of Willow Valley.
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 Willow Valley - one of the links might be able to help.
If not found below, our Cemetery List for Willow Valley covers a larger area, with the cemeteries listed in alphabetical order.
The following cemeteries are listed based on their distance from Willow Valley, with the one closest to Willow Valley listed first.
- Forest View Cemetery
(Less than 2 miles to the southwest)
- Deer Creek Cemetery
(Less than 2 miles to the southwest)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Deer Creek Cemetery
- To give a relative sense of its location, the Deer Creek Cemetery is located outside and to the east of Nevada City.
- The Deer Creek Cemetery has also been known as:
- New Odd Fellows Cemetery
- Jump to Find-A-Grave: FG ID #2400769 <2>
- Pine Grove Cemetery
(Less than 2 miles to the southwest)
- Pioneer Cemetery
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the west)
- Pioneer Grove Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the northeast)
- Greenwood Memorial Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the southwest)
- St. Patricks Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the southwest)
- Elm Ridge Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the southwest)
- Catholic Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the southwest)
- Rough & Ready Cemetery
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the west)
- Dutch Flat Cemetery
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the southeast)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Dutch Flat Cemetery
- To give a relative sense of its location, the Dutch Flat Cemetery is located in the vicinity of Alta
- Pike City Cemetery
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the north)
- Continue List (51 more) ...
- Camptonville Cemetery
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the north)
- Colfax Indian Cemetery
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the south)
- Colfax Cemetery
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the south)
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 Willow Valley in the Atlas, the following 1895 communities would have been found near the current location of Willow Valley.
These communities are listed based on their distance from Willow Valley, with the one closest to Willow Valley listed first.
- Nevada City
(Less than 2 miles to the west)
- Glenbrook
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the southwest)
- Glenbrook is located in Nevada County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Glenbrook
- Union Hill
(5 miles [8 km] to the southwest)
- Union Hill is located in Nevada County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Union Hill
- Kres
(5 miles [8 km] to the south)
- Kres is located in Nevada County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Kres
- Buena Vista ‑ Historic
(5 miles [8 km] to the south)
- Buena Vista is located in Nevada County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Buena Vista
- You Bet ‑ Historic
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the southeast)
- You Bet is located in Nevada County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for You Bet
- North Columbia
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the north)
- North Columbia is located in Nevada County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for North Columbia
- North Bloomfield ‑ Historic
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the northeast)
- North Bloomfield is located in Nevada County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for North Bloomfield
- Rough and Ready
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the west)
- Chicago Park
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the south)
- Dutch Flat
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the southeast)
- Sweetland
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the northwest)
- Sweetland is located in Nevada County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sweetland
- Continue List (13 more) ...
- Gold Run
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the southeast)
- North San Juan
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the northwest)
- Alta
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the southeast)
We've also created an expanded list of communities that existed in the 1890's and were located in the area around Willow Valley. See our List of 1890's Communities around Willow Valley.
Newspapers Published in Willow Valley ...
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 79 newspapers that have been published in the area around Willow Valley.
Although we're unaware of any newspapers that were published in the immediate area of Willow Valley, there are papers which were published within 13 miles [20.9 km]<4>. A list of those papers, sorted by paper name, can be found on the Extended Newspaper List for Willow Valley.
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 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 Willow Valley:
- Websites specific to California
- Pages specific to Nevada County
- Genealogy information for nearby counties
- Butte County
- El Dorado County
- Placer County
- Plumas County
- Shasta County
- Sierra County
- Yuba 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 Willow Valley, 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 drawn from Point A (ie- Willow Valley) to Point B. In other words: 'As the crow flies'. |