RoadsideThoughts
A Gazetteer for the United States and Canada
Home >> State of Florida >> Orange County >> Bithlo >> Genealogy HelperIndex...

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 Bithlo (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 Bithlo. 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 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.

Bithlo is located in Orange 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 Orange County: Brevard, Lake, Osceola, Polk & Seminole.

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

  • Orange County     (The home county of Bithlo)
    • The following are listed by their distance from Bithlo, with the one closest to Bithlo listed first.
    • Wedgefield
      (4 miles [6.4 km] to the south)
      • Wedgefield is located in Orange County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Wedgefield
    • Christmas
      (6 miles [9.7 km] to the east)
    • Alafaya
      (6 miles [9.7 km] to the west)
    • Union Park
      (8 miles [12.9 km] to the west)
    • Azalea Park
      (11 miles [17.7 km] to the west)
    • Goldenrod
      (11 miles [17.7 km] to the west)
    • Aloma
      (12 miles [19.3 km] to the west)
    • Lake Hart
      (13 miles [20.9 km] to the southwest)
      • Lake Hart is located in Orange County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lake Hart
    • Conway
      (14 miles [22.5 km] to the west)
      • Conway is located in Orange County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Conway
    • Winter Park
      (14 miles [22.5 km] to the west)
    • Belle Isle
      (15 miles [24.1 km] to the west)
      • Belle Isle is located in Orange County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Belle Isle
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 7,294 people
    • Edgewood
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the west)
    • Maitland
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the west)
  • Brevard County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Bithlo, with the one closest to Bithlo listed first.
    • Aurantia
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the northeast)
      • Aurantia is located in Brevard County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Aurantia
    • Mims
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the northeast)
    • Indian River City
      (18 miles [29 km] to the east)
      • Indian River City is located in Brevard County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Indian River City
    • Titusville
      (18 miles [29 km] to the east)
    • Turnbull
      (18 miles [29 km] to the northeast)
      • Turnbull is located in Brevard County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Turnbull
    • Port Saint John
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the east)
      • Port Saint John is located in Brevard County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Port Saint John
    • Scottsmoor
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the northeast)
    • Sharpes
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the east)
    • Cocoa
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the southeast)
      • Cocoa is located in Brevard County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cocoa
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 18,694 people
      • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Cocoa <1>
    • Rockledge
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the southeast)
    • Merritt Island
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the southeast)
    • Viera
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the southeast)
    • Angel City
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the southeast)
      • Angel City is located in Brevard County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Angel City
  • Lake County
    • Ethel
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the northwest)
      • Ethel is located in Lake County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ethel
  • Osceola County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Bithlo, with the one closest to Bithlo listed first.
    • Runnymede
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the southwest)
      • Runnymede is located in Osceola County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Runnymede
    • Buena Ventura Lakes
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the southwest)
    • Saint Cloud
      (23 miles [37 km] to the southwest)
    • Kissimmee
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the southwest)
    • Campbell
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the southwest)
      • Campbell is located in Osceola County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Campbell
    • Celebration
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the southwest)
  • Seminole County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Bithlo, with the one closest to Bithlo listed first.
    • Chuluota
      (6 miles [9.7 km] to the north)
    • Iowa City
      (9 miles [14.5 km] to the north)
      • Iowa City is located in Seminole County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Iowa City
    • Oviedo
      (10 miles [16.1 km] to the northwest)
      • Oviedo is located in Seminole County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Oviedo
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 41,652 people
      • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Oviedo <1>
    • Geneva
      (12 miles [19.3 km] to the north)
    • Cameron City
      (15 miles [24.1 km] to the northwest)
      • Cameron City is located in Seminole County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cameron City
    • Casselberry
      (15 miles [24.1 km] to the northwest)
    • Winter Springs
      (15 miles [24.1 km] to the northwest)
    • Fern Park
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the northwest)
    • Altamonte Springs
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the northwest)
    • Longwood
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the northwest)
    • Midway
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the northwest)
      • Midway is located in Seminole County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Midway
    • Indian Mound Village
      (18 miles [29 km] to the north)
      • Indian Mound Village is located in Seminole County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Indian Mound Village
    • Sanlando Springs
      (18 miles [29 km] to the northwest)
      • Sanlando Springs is located in Seminole County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sanlando Springs
  • Volusia County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Bithlo, with the one closest to Bithlo listed first.
    • Lemon Bluff
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the north)
      • Lemon Bluff is located in Volusia County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lemon Bluff
    • Maytown
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the northeast)
      • Maytown is located in Volusia County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Maytown
    • Cow Creek
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the north)
      • Cow Creek is located in Volusia County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cow Creek
    • Kalamazoo
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the north)
      • Kalamazoo is located in Volusia County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Kalamazoo
    • Osteen
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the north)
    • Enterprise
      (23 miles [37 km] to the north)
    • Valdez
      (23 miles [37 km] to the northwest)
      • Valdez is located in Volusia County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Valdez
    • Alamana
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the north)
      • Alamana is located in Volusia County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Alamana
    • Deltona
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the north)
    • Oak Hill
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the northeast)
    • De Bary
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the northwest)
    • Fort Florida
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the northwest)
      • Fort Florida is located in Volusia County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Fort Florida
    • Orange City Hills
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the northwest)
      • Orange City Hills is located in Volusia County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Orange City Hills

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

Cemeteries Near Bithlo ...

Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of Bithlo.

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

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

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

  • Christmas Cemetery
    (5 miles [8 km] to the east)
  • Chuluota Cemetery
    (5 miles [8 km] to the north)
  • Rouse Cemetery
    (8 miles [12.9 km] to the northwest)
  • Slavia Cemetery
    (9 miles [14.5 km] to the northwest)
  • Chapel Hill Cemetery
    (10 miles [16.1 km] to the west)
  • Pinewood Cemetery
    (13 miles [20.9 km] to the west)
  • Geneva Cemetery
    (14 miles [22.5 km] to the north)
  • Glen Haven Memorial Park
    (14 miles [22.5 km] to the west)
  • Palm Cemetery
    (15 miles [24.1 km] to the west)
  • Greenwood Cemetery
    (15 miles [24.1 km] to the west)
  • Lock Cemetery
    (17 miles [27.4 km] to the southwest)
  • Longwood Memorial Gardens
    (17 miles [27.4 km] to the northwest)
  • Continue List   (53 more) ...
    • Taft Memorial Gardens
      (18 miles [29 km] to the southwest)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Taft Memorial Gardens
      • To give a relative sense of its location, the Taft Memorial Gardens is a large cemetery that is located in Taft.
      • The Taft Memorial Gardens has also been known as:
      • Taft Memorial Cemetery
      • Jump to Find-A-Grave: FG ID #1217063 <2>
    • Davis Grave Site
      (18 miles [29 km] to the northeast)
    • Oak Ridge Cemetery
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the west)

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 Bithlo in the Atlas, the following 1895 communities would have been found near the current location of Bithlo.

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

  • Goldenrod
    (11 miles [17.7 km] to the west)
  • Conway
    (14 miles [22.5 km] to the west)
    • Conway is located in Orange County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Conway
  • Winter Park
    (14 miles [22.5 km] to the west)
  • Pine Castle
    (16 miles [25.7 km] to the west)
  • Maitland
    (16 miles [25.7 km] to the west)
  • Orlando
    (16 miles [25.7 km] to the west)
  • Mims
    (17 miles [27.4 km] to the northeast)
  • Aurantia
    (17 miles [27.4 km] to the northeast)
    • Aurantia is located in Brevard County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Aurantia
  • Eatonville
    (17 miles [27.4 km] to the west)
  • Titusville
    (18 miles [29 km] to the east)
  • Turnbull
    (18 miles [29 km] to the northeast)
    • Turnbull is located in Brevard County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Turnbull
  • Narcoossee
    (19 miles [30.6 km] to the southwest)
    • Narcoossee is located in Osceola County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Narcoossee
  • Continue List   (13 more) ...
    • Maytown
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the northeast)
      • Maytown is located in Volusia County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Maytown
    • Runnymede
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the southwest)
      • Runnymede is located in Osceola County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Runnymede
    • Cow Creek
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the north)
      • Cow Creek is located in Volusia County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cow Creek

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

Newspapers Published in Bithlo ...

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 63 newspapers that have been published in the area around Bithlo.

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

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 Bithlo:

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