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A Gazetteer for the United States and Canada
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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 Baird (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 Baird. 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 northeast corner of their home county. During their lives, most hospitals and doctors were in the next county to the east. 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 east 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.

Baird is located in Polk County.

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

The following counties adjoin and form the boundaries of Polk County: Hardee, Highlands, Hillsborough, Lake, Manatee, Orange, Osceola, Pasco & Sumter.

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

  • Polk County     (The home county of Baird)
    • The following are listed by their distance from Baird, with the one closest to Baird listed first.
    • Brewster ‑ Historic
      (4 miles [6.4 km] to the north)
      • Brewster is located in Polk County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Brewster
    • Bradley Junction
      (7 miles [11.3 km] to the north)
      • Bradley Junction is located in Polk County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bradley Junction
    • Fort Meade
      (10 miles [16.1 km] to the northeast)
    • Homeland
      (11 miles [17.7 km] to the northeast)
    • Oponys Town ‑ Historic
      (11 miles [17.7 km] to the northeast)
      • Oponys Town is located in Polk County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Oponys Town
    • Mulberry
      (14 miles [22.5 km] to the north)
    • Nichols
      (14 miles [22.5 km] to the north)
    • Armour ‑ Historic
      (15 miles [24.1 km] to the north)
      • Armour is located in Polk County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Armour
    • Bartow
      (15 miles [24.1 km] to the northeast)
    • Lyle Corner
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the north)
      • Lyle Corner is located in Polk County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lyle Corner
    • Willow Oak
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the north)
      • Willow Oak is located in Polk County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Willow Oak
    • Cox Corner ‑ Historic
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the northeast)
      • Cox Corner is located in Polk County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cox Corner
    • Connersville
      (18 miles [29 km] to the northeast)
      • Connersville is located in Polk County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Connersville
  • DeSoto County
    • Calvinia ‑ Historic
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the south)
      • Calvinia is located in DeSoto County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Calvinia
  • Hardee County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Baird, with the one closest to Baird listed first.
    • Bowling Green
      (8 miles [12.9 km] to the east)
    • Wauchula
      (13 miles [20.9 km] to the southeast)
    • Ona
      (14 miles [22.5 km] to the south)
    • Zolfo Springs
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the southeast)
    • Crewsville
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the southeast)
      • Crewsville is located in Hardee County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Crewsville
  • Highlands County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Baird, with the one closest to Baird listed first.
    • Avon Park
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the east)
    • Alpine
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the east)
      • Alpine is located in Highlands County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Alpine
  • Hillsborough County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Baird, with the one closest to Baird listed first.
    • Welcome
      (13 miles [20.9 km] to the northwest)
      • Welcome is located in Hillsborough County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Welcome
    • Lithia
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the northwest)
    • Pinecrest
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the northwest)
    • Boyette
      (18 miles [29 km] to the northwest)
      • Boyette is located in Hillsborough County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Boyette
    • Fish Hawk
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the northwest)
      • Fish Hawk is located in Hillsborough County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Fish Hawk
    • Balm
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the west)
    • Durant
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the northwest)
    • Parkside Village
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the northwest)
      • Parkside Village is located in Hillsborough County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Parkside Village
    • Parrish
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the northwest)
      • Parrish is located in Hillsborough County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Parrish
    • South Plant City Farms
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the northwest)
      • South Plant City Farms is located in Hillsborough County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for South Plant City Farms
    • West Plant City Farms
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the northwest)
      • West Plant City Farms is located in Hillsborough County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for West Plant City Farms
    • Wimauma
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the west)
    • Bloomingdale
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the northwest)
      • Bloomingdale is located in Hillsborough County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bloomingdale
  • Manatee County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Baird, with the one closest to Baird listed first.
    • Duette
      (12 miles [19.3 km] to the southwest)
    • Myakka City
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the southwest)
    • Waterbury
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the southwest)
      • Waterbury is located in Manatee County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Waterbury
    • Verna
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the southwest)
      • Verna is located in Manatee County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Verna
    • Parrish
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the west)
    • Sandy
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the south)
      • Sandy is located in Manatee County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sandy

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

Cemeteries Near Baird ...

Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of Baird.

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 Baird - one of the links might be able to help.

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

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

  • Watson Cemetery
    (5 miles [8 km] to the northeast)
  • Olive Branch Cemetery
    (6 miles [9.7 km] to the southeast)
  • Old Elim Church Cemetery
    (6 miles [9.7 km] to the northeast)
  • New Hope Cemetery
    (7 miles [11.3 km] to the east)
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for New Hope Cemetery
    • To give a relative sense of its location, the New Hope Cemetery is located 2 miles [3.2 km]<2> to the southwest of Fort Meade.
    • The New Hope Cemetery has also been known as:
    • Mt. Pleasant Cemetery
    • New Hope Methodist Episcopal Cemetery
    • Jump to Find-A-Grave: FG ID #72336 <3>
  • Bethlehem Primitive Baptist Church Cemetery
    (7 miles [11.3 km] to the west)
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bethlehem Primitive Baptist Church Cemetery
    • To give a relative sense of its location, the Bethlehem Primitive Baptist Church Cemetery is located 6 miles [9.7 km]<2> to the southwest of Bradley Junction.
    • The Bethlehem Primitive Baptist Church Cemetery has also been known as:
    • Bethlehem Cemetery
  • Hancock Cemetery
    (9 miles [14.5 km] to the northeast)
  • Mt. Olive Primitive Cemetery
    (9 miles [14.5 km] to the north)
  • Mt. Pisgah Baptist Church Cemetery
    (10 miles [16.1 km] to the east)
  • Ft. Meade Cemetery
    (10 miles [16.1 km] to the east)
  • Evergreen Cemetery
    (11 miles [17.7 km] to the northeast)
  • Crum - Durrance Cemetery
    (11 miles [17.7 km] to the northeast)
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Crum - Durrance Cemetery
    • To give a relative sense of its location, the Crum - Durrance Cemetery is located outside and to the west of Homeland.
    • The Crum - Durrance Cemetery has also been known as:
    • Crum Cemetery
    • Durrance Cemetery
    • Homeland Cemetery
    • Jump to Find-A-Grave: FG ID #2198368 <3>
  • Pleasant Grove Cemetery
    (12 miles [19.3 km] to the east)
  • Continue List   (79 more) ...
    • Homeland Cemetery
      (12 miles [19.3 km] to the northeast)
    • Little Alafia Cemetery
      (13 miles [20.9 km] to the north)
    • Wauchula Cemetery
      (13 miles [20.9 km] to the southeast)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Wauchula Cemetery
      • To give a relative sense of its location, the Wauchula Cemetery is a large cemetery that is located outside and to the south of Wauchula.
      • Jump to Find-A-Grave: FG ID #72732 <3>

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.<4>

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

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

  • Bowling Green
    (8 miles [12.9 km] to the east)
  • Fort Meade
    (10 miles [16.1 km] to the northeast)
  • Homeland
    (11 miles [17.7 km] to the northeast)
  • Wauchula
    (13 miles [20.9 km] to the southeast)
  • Bartow
    (15 miles [24.1 km] to the northeast)
  • Keysville
    (15 miles [24.1 km] to the northwest)
    • Keysville is located in Hillsborough County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Keysville
  • Zolfo Springs
    (16 miles [25.7 km] to the southeast)
  • Gordonville
    (20 miles [32.2 km] to the northeast)
    • Gordonville is located in Polk County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Gordonville
  • Bloomingdale
    (22 miles [35.4 km] to the northwest)
    • Bloomingdale is located in Hillsborough County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bloomingdale
  • Wahneta
    (23 miles [37 km] to the northeast)
    • Wahneta is located in Polk County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Wahneta
  • Eagle Lake
    (23 miles [37 km] to the northeast)
  • Calvinia ‑ Historic
    (24 miles [38.6 km] to the south)
    • Calvinia is located in DeSoto County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Calvinia
  • Continue List   (16 more) ...
    • Plant City
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the northwest)
    • Sydney
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the northwest)
    • Valrico
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the northwest)

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

Newspapers Published in Baird ...

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 23 newspapers that have been published in the area around Baird.

Although we're unaware of any newspapers that were published in the immediate area of Baird, there are papers which were published within 19 miles [30.6 km]<2>. A list of those papers, sorted by paper name, can be found on the Extended Newspaper List for Baird.

Websites to Help With Your Genealogy Research ...

When we do our genealogical research, we 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 Baird:

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>Our distances are not driving distances, but are calculated as a 'straight-line' distance. A straight line distance ignores obstructions like rivers, canyons, lakes, et cetera - it's truly a line drawn from Point A (ie- Baird) to Point B. In other words: 'As the crow flies'.
<3>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.
<4>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 Baird, please let us know so that we can improve our accuracy.