RoadsideThoughts
A Gazetteer for the United States and Canada
Home >> State of Florida >> Duval County >> Highlands >> 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 Highlands (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 Highlands. 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.

Highlands is located in Duval 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 Duval County: Baker, Clay, Nassau & Saint Johns.

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

  • Duval County     (The home county of Highlands)
    • The following are listed by their distance from Highlands, with the one closest to Highlands listed first.
    • Garden City
      (Less than 2 miles to the northwest)
      • Garden City is located in Duval County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Garden City
    • Biscayne Village
      (2 miles [3.2 km] to the west)
      • Biscayne Village is located in Duval County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Biscayne Village
    • Magnolia Gardens
      (3 miles [4.8 km] to the southwest)
      • Magnolia Gardens is located in Duval County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Magnolia Gardens
    • Talleyrand
      (4 miles [6.4 km] to the southeast)
      • Talleyrand is located in Duval County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Talleyrand
    • Polly Town
      (5 miles [8 km] to the east)
      • Polly Town is located in Duval County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Polly Town
    • Jacksonville
      (6 miles [9.7 km] to the south)
    • Brooklyn
      (7 miles [11.3 km] to the south)
      • Brooklyn is located in Duval County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Brooklyn
    • Saint Nicholas
      (8 miles [12.9 km] to the south)
      • Saint Nicholas is located in Duval County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Saint Nicholas
    • San Marco
      (8 miles [12.9 km] to the south)
      • San Marco is located in Duval County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for San Marco
    • Arlington
      (8 miles [12.9 km] to the southeast)
      • Arlington is located in Duval County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Arlington
    • Normandy Village
      (9 miles [14.5 km] to the southwest)
    • Bowden
      (11 miles [17.7 km] to the south)
      • Bowden is located in Duval County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bowden
    • Greenfield
      (14 miles [22.5 km] to the east)
      • Greenfield is located in Duval County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Greenfield
  • Baker County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Highlands, with the one closest to Highlands listed first.
    • MacClenny
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the west)
    • Glen Saint Mary
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the west)
  • Clay County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Highlands, with the one closest to Highlands listed first.
    • Bellair - Meadowbrook Terrace
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the south)
    • Orange Park
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the south)
    • Lakeside
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the south)
      • Lakeside is located in Clay County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lakeside
    • Doctors Inlet
      (23 miles [37 km] to the south)
    • Middleburg
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the southwest)
    • Asbury Lake
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the south)
      • Asbury Lake is located in Clay County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Asbury Lake
    • Green Cove Springs
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the south)
  • Nassau County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Highlands, with the one closest to Highlands listed first.
    • Nassau Village
      (8 miles [12.9 km] to the northwest)
      • Nassau Village is located in Nassau County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Nassau Village
    • Callahan
      (13 miles [20.9 km] to the northwest)
    • Crawford
      (13 miles [20.9 km] to the northwest)
      • Crawford is located in Nassau County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Crawford
    • Yulee
      (14 miles [22.5 km] to the north)
    • Bryceville
      (15 miles [24.1 km] to the west)
    • Amelia City
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the northeast)
      • Amelia City is located in Nassau County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Amelia City
    • Dyal
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the northwest)
      • Dyal is located in Nassau County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Dyal
    • Evergreen
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the north)
      • Evergreen is located in Nassau County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Evergreen
    • Fernandina Beach
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the northeast)
    • Hilliard
      (23 miles [37 km] to the northwest)
    • Boulogne
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the northwest)
  • Saint Johns County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Highlands, with the one closest to Highlands listed first.
    • Fruit Cove
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the south)
    • Saint Johns
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the south)
    • Ponte Vedra Beach
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the southeast)
    • Ponte Vedra
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the southeast)
      • Ponte Vedra is located in Saint Johns County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ponte Vedra
    • Palm Valley
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the southeast)
      • Palm Valley is located in Saint Johns County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Palm Valley
    • Sawgrass
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the southeast)
      • Sawgrass is located in Saint Johns County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sawgrass
  • Camden County (GA)
    • The following are listed by their distance from Highlands, with the one closest to Highlands listed first.
    • Saint Marys
      (23 miles [37 km] to the north)
    • Scotchville
      (23 miles [37 km] to the north)
      • Scotchville is located in Camden County (GA)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Scotchville
      • Estimated population in 2019: 337 people
    • Kingsland
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the north)
    • Dungeness
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the northeast)
      • Dungeness is located in Camden County (GA)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Dungeness
    • Greenville
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the north)
      • Greenville is located in Camden County (GA)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Greenville
      • Estimated population in 2019: 845 people
    • Harrietts Bluff Village
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the north)
    • London Hill
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the north)
      • London Hill is located in Camden County (GA)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for London Hill
      • Estimated population in 2019: 91 people
  • Charlton County (GA)

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

Cemeteries Near Highlands ...

Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of Highlands.

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

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

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

  • Restlawn Memorial Park
    (2 miles [3.2 km] to the southwest)
  • Pickett Cemetery
    (2 miles [3.2 km] to the south)
  • Hillside Cemetery
    (3 miles [4.8 km] to the southwest)
  • Potters Field
    (3 miles [4.8 km] to the southwest)
  • Greenwood Cemetery
    (3 miles [4.8 km] to the southwest)
  • Duval County Paupers Cemetery
    (3 miles [4.8 km] to the southwest)
  • Pinehurst Cemetery
    (3 miles [4.8 km] to the southwest)
  • Memorial Cemetery
    (3 miles [4.8 km] to the south)
  • Mt. Olive Cemetery
    (3 miles [4.8 km] to the south)
  • Chapel Hills Memory Gardens
    (3 miles [4.8 km] to the southeast)
  • Edgewood Cemetery
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the southwest)
  • Evergreen Cemetery
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the southeast)
  • Continue List   (92 more) ...
    • The Evergreen Cemetery
      (4 miles [6.4 km] to the southeast)
    • Westview Cemetery
      (5 miles [8 km] to the southwest)
    • Dunn Creek Cemetery
      (5 miles [8 km] to the northeast)

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

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

  • Panama Park
    (3 miles [4.8 km] to the southeast)
    • Panama Park is located in Duval County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Panama Park
  • Chaseville
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the southeast)
    • Chaseville is located in Duval County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Chaseville
  • Edgewood
    (6 miles [9.7 km] to the southwest)
    • Edgewood is located in Duval County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Edgewood
  • Jacksonville
    (6 miles [9.7 km] to the south)
  • Floral Bluff
    (7 miles [11.3 km] to the southeast)
    • Floral Bluff is located in Duval County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Floral Bluff
  • New Berlin
    (7 miles [11.3 km] to the east)
    • New Berlin is located in Duval County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for New Berlin
  • South Jacksonville
    (8 miles [12.9 km] to the south)
    • South Jacksonville is located in Duval County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for South Jacksonville
  • Saint Nicholas
    (8 miles [12.9 km] to the south)
    • Saint Nicholas is located in Duval County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Saint Nicholas
  • Arlington
    (8 miles [12.9 km] to the southeast)
    • Arlington is located in Duval County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Arlington
  • Gilmore
    (8 miles [12.9 km] to the southeast)
    • Gilmore is located in Duval County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Gilmore
  • Marietta
    (9 miles [14.5 km] to the southwest)
    • Marietta is located in Duval County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Marietta
  • Spring Glen
    (9 miles [14.5 km] to the southeast)
    • Spring Glen is located in Duval County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Spring Glen
  • Continue List   (13 more) ...
    • Sweetwater
      (11 miles [17.7 km] to the southwest)
      • Sweetwater is located in Duval County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sweetwater
    • Bowden
      (11 miles [17.7 km] to the south)
      • Bowden is located in Duval County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bowden
    • Fulton
      (11 miles [17.7 km] to the east)
      • Fulton is located in Duval County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Fulton

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

Newspapers Published in Highlands ...

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 135 newspapers that have been published in the area around Highlands.

Although we're unaware of any newspapers that were published in the immediate area of Highlands, there are papers which were published within 8 miles [12.9 km]<4>. A list of those papers, sorted by paper name, can be found on the Extended Newspaper List for Highlands.

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 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 Highlands:

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 Highlands, 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 from Point A (ie- Highlands) to Point B. In other words: 'As the crow flies'.