RoadsideThoughts
A Gazetteer for the United States and Canada
Home >> State of Florida >> Putnam County >> Francis >> Tidbits & TriviaIndex...

Outdoor Activities ...

As we travel, we like to pursue some of our interests (such as astronomy and bird watching).

When in Francis, we use the following websites to find information relevant to Francis and the surrounding area.

  • Astronomy & Satellites ...
    • Whether using binoculars, a small telescope or the naked-eye, the Heavens-Above website can help you to find your way around the night-time sky. In addition to detailed sky charts, their website will help you find planets, asteriods, comets, satellites and their tracks across the sky.
    • To give accurate results, Heavens-Above requires the latitude and longitude of your location. As a starting point, when we link to Heavens-Above, we pass this GPS location for Francis:
    • 29.634413, -81.707862
    • Once you're on the Heavens-Above website, you can improve its accuracy by giving a more precise longitude and latitude as your actual position.
    • Open the Heavens-Above website centered on Francis
  • Bird Watching ...
    • We enjoy finding new spots for bird watching and we use the eBird website for local sighting reports and to help identify hotspots.
    • The eBird website is organized on a county-by-county basis. We have selected Putnam County as the starting point when you click on the link below:
    • Open the eBird sighting report for Putnam County
    • Since Francis is near Saint Johns County and also Flagler County, we have provided a link to their eBird sighting reports:
    • Open the eBird sighting report for Saint Johns County
    • Open the eBird sighting report for Flagler County
  • Waymarking ...
    • Looking for somewhere out of the ordinary? Find a unique place and want to share it with others? Then it's time to visit Waymarking.com:
    • Open the Waymark.com report for Francis

Communities Also Named Francis ...

We found 23 communities that are also named Francis.

There is one other community in Florida that is also named Francis.

Beyond Florida, we know of 22 communities that are located in the United States and Canada. Of these 22 communities, 22 are located in the United States and one is in Canada.

  • Communities Located In Florida ...
    • Hillsborough County
      • This Francis is located in Hillsborough County and lies 122 miles [196.3 km]<1> to the south southwest of the Francis that is located in Putnam County.
      • For more information, please visit our profile page for the Hillsborough County community of Francis.
  • Communities Elsewhere In North America ...
    • Alabama
      • Calhoun County
      • This Francis is located in Calhoun County and lies 382 miles [614.8 km]<1> to the northwest of the Francis that is located in Putnam County.
      • For more information, please visit our profile page for the Calhoun County community of Francis.
      • Saint Clair County
      • We found mention of this community, but have little information.<2> For the information that we do have, please visit our profile page for the Alabama community of Francis [Saint Clair County].
    • Arkansas
      • Boone County
      • This Francis is located in Boone County and lies 807 miles [1,298.7 km]<1> to the northwest of the Francis that is located in Putnam County.
      • For more information, please visit our profile page for the Boone County community of Francis.
    • California
      • Trinity County
      • We found mention of this community, but have little information.<2> For the information that we do have, please visit our profile page for the California community of Francis [Trinity County].
    • Illinois
      • Saline County
      • This Francis is located in Saline County and lies 689 miles [1,108.8 km]<1> to the north northwest of the Francis that is located in Putnam County.
      • For more information, please visit our profile page for the Saline County community of Francis.
    • Kansas
      • Ness County
      • We found mention of this community, but have little information.<2> For the information that we do have, please visit our profile page for the Kansas community of Francis [Ness County].
    • Michigan
      • Montmorency County
      • We found mention of this community, but have little information.<2> For the information that we do have, please visit our profile page for the Michigan community of Francis [Montmorency County].
    • Mississippi
      • Bolivar County
      • This Francis is located in Bolivar County and lies 617 miles [993 km]<1> to the west northwest of the Francis that is located in Putnam County.
      • For more information, please visit our profile page for the Bolivar County community of Francis.
    • Missouri
      • Audrain County
      • We found mention of this community, but have little information.<2> For the information that we do have, please visit our profile page for the Missouri community of Francis [Audrain County].
      • Pulaski County
      • We found mention of this community, but have little information. For the information that we do have, please visit our profile page for the Missouri community of Francis [Pulaski County].
    • Montana
      • Gallatin County
      • This Francis is located in Gallatin County and lies 1,947 miles [3,133.4 km]<1> to the northwest of the Francis that is located in Putnam County.
      • For more information, please visit our profile page for the Gallatin County community of Francis.
    • Nebraska
      • Wheeler County
      • This community is historic<3> and although located in Wheeler County, we don't know where within the county.
      • For more information, please visit our profile page for the Wheeler County community of Francis.
    • Nevada
      • Washoe County
      • This community is historic<3> and although located in Washoe County, we don't know where within the county.
      • For more information, please visit our profile page for the Washoe County community of Francis.
    • New Mexico
      • Eddy County
      • Although located in Eddy County, we don't know the location within the county.
      • For more information, please visit our profile page for the Eddy County community of Francis.
    • Oklahoma
      • Pontotoc County
      • This Francis is located in Pontotoc County and lies 940 miles [1,512.8 km]<1> to the west northwest of the Francis that is located in Putnam County.
      • For more information, please visit our profile page for the Pontotoc County community of Francis.
    • Pennsylvania
      • Erie County
      • This Francis is located in Erie County and lies 854 miles [1,374.4 km]<1> to the north of the Francis that is located in Putnam County.
      • For more information, please visit our profile page for the Erie County community of Francis.
    • Saskatchewan
      • This Francis lies 1,823 miles [2,933.8 km]<1> to the north northwest of the Francis that is located in Putnam County.
    • Texas
      • Orange County
      • This Francis is located in Orange County and lies 723 miles [1,163.6 km]<1> to the west of the Francis that is located in Putnam County.
      • For more information, please visit our profile page for the Orange County community of Francis.
    • Utah
      • Summit County
      • This Francis is located in Summit County and lies 1,822 miles [2,932.2 km]<1> to the west northwest of the Francis that is located in Putnam County.
      • For more information, please visit our profile page for the Summit County community of Francis.
    • West Virginia
      • Harrison County
      • This Francis is located in Harrison County and lies 679 miles [1,092.7 km]<1> to the north of the Francis that is located in Putnam County.
      • For more information, please visit our profile page for the Harrison County community of Francis.
      • Raleigh County
      • We found mention of this community, but have little information.<2> For the information that we do have, please visit our profile page for the West Virginia community of Francis [Raleigh County].
    • Wyoming
      • Weston County
      • We found mention of this community, but have little information.<2> For the information that we do have, please visit our profile page for the Wyoming community of Francis [Weston County].

Curious and Interesting Names Near Francis ...

As we travel, we always see a community with a name that gives pause. While there are names which are interesting or familiar, some catch our attention or strike our fancy. We always wonder about such a name. If time permits and the community is not too far, we'll usually try to make a side-trip.

  • Buffalo Bluff
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the southeast)
    • Buffalo Bluff is located in Putnam County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Buffalo Bluff
  • Cypress Point
    (8 miles [12.9 km] to the northeast)
    • Cypress Point is located in Putnam County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cypress Point
  • Grandview
    (7 miles [11.3 km] to the northeast)
    • Grandview is located in Putnam County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Grandview
  • Hunter
    (3 miles [4.8 km] to the southwest)
    • Hunter is located in Putnam County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hunter
  • J Summeral Grant
    (6 miles [9.7 km] to the east)
    • J Summeral Grant is located in Putnam County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for J Summeral Grant
  • Job Wiggins Grant
    (7 miles [11.3 km] to the east)
    • Job Wiggins Grant is located in Putnam County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Job Wiggins Grant
  • John Broward Grant
    (8 miles [12.9 km] to the southeast)
    • John Broward Grant is located in Putnam County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for John Broward Grant
  • John Faulk Grant
    (8 miles [12.9 km] to the northeast)
    • John Faulk Grant is located in Putnam County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for John Faulk Grant
  • Orange Mills
    (8 miles [12.9 km] to the northeast)
    • Orange Mills is located in Putnam County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Orange Mills
  • Pecan
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the northeast)
    • Pecan is located in Putnam County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Pecan
  • Possum Bluff
    (6 miles [9.7 km] to the south)
    • Possum Bluff is located in Putnam County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Possum Bluff
  • Rice Creek
    (5 miles [8 km] to the northeast)
    • Rice Creek is located in Putnam County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rice Creek
  • Rodman
    (7 miles [11.3 km] to the southwest)
    • Rodman is located in Putnam County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rodman

How Far From Francis to ...

We spend a lot of time looking through Gazetteers, Almanacs & Directories that were published in the late 1800's and early 1900's. Many of the Gazetteers include the distance from a community such as Francis to various places of note, such as the White House.

With a nod to our favorite Gazetteers, the straight-line distance beginning in Francis and extending to:

  • Palatka, which is the Seat of Putnam County, lies just to the East Northeast.
  • Tallahassee, which is the State Capital of Florida, lies 163 miles [262.3 km]<1> to the west northwest (WNW). If you could drive a straight line from Francis to Tallahassee, with an average speed<4>of 63 miles [101.4 km] per hour, it would take less than three hours to make the trip. A comfortable walk of 2.2 miles [3.5 km] per hour would take 10 days. A horse and buggy averaging 3.2 miles [5.1 km] per hour would take 7 days.
  • The White House (Washington, DC) is 692 miles [1,113.7 km] to the north northeast (NNE). Driving would take just about two full days, a buggy would take 27 days and walking would take 40 days.
  • The shortest distance<5> to Jerusalem (specifically the Temple Mount and the Dome of the Rock) is 6,509 miles [10,475.2 km] and it lies to the northeast (NE).<6>
  • The distance to the Great Mosque of Mecca (specifically the Ka'bah - or Kaaba ) is 7,183 miles [11,559.9 km] and it lies to the northeast (NE).<7>
  • The distance to Saint Peter's Basilica (The Vatican) is 5,078 miles [8,172.2 km] and it lies to the northeast (NE).<8>'

Footnotes ...

<1>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- Francis) to Point B. In other words: 'As the crow flies'.
<2>If we encounter the name of what might be a community, our methodology is to add that name to our Gazetteer as a placeholder. As we find more information about that community, it will be added to our Gazetteer.

Just as a reminder: Our definition of a community is rather broad and includes those places (or areas) where several families lived and had a name which identified that place. For example, you might hear somebody say that they are going over to Rock Creek to see Pete ... Rock Creek is just a gas station and a couple of homes at the crossroads. While it might not be on the map, everybody in the area knows it by that name.

Places of interest include buildings at a crossroad, several families clustered in a hollow or maybe the location of a way station. It also includes places like mines, lumber camps, ferry crossings, etc. The community might still exist, is now gone or only existed for just a short period of time.

Also keep in mind that Francis could have been on the original document by mistake, misspelled, the original/alternate name of a community that we've listed elsewhere or was placed in the wrong county. Sometimes a post office or train station would have a different name than the community where it's located, so two names might be referring to the same community - we're working to straighten it all out.
<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 Francis, please let us know so that we can improve our accuracy.
<4>While we have tried to pick reasonable speeds, the rate of travel is very theoretical - obstacles like fences, hills, lakes, river crossings and rest stops have been ignored. When we say 'Days' of travel, we're assuming 8 hours of travel per day.
<5>The shortest line can be visualized by stretching a string on a Globe from Point A to Point B - this is known as a Great Circle Route. Where you might expect the shortest route from Francis to the Middle East to be East and South, the Great Circle Route actually lies to the North and East.Our distance measurements begin at a specific point in Francis. The point we use is located at these GPS coordinates - Latitude: 29.6344, Longitude: -81.7079       In this case, the coordinates for Francis have been provided by the Geographic Names Information System (GNIS).
<6>The calculated bearing (or angle) to Jerusalem is 310.542 degrees.
<7>The calculated bearing (or angle) to Mecca is 305.127 degrees.
<8>The calculated bearing (or angle) to the Vatican is 309.283 degrees.