RoadsideThoughts
A Gazetteer for the United States and Canada
Home >> State of Florida >> Polk County >> Rawls Park >> 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 Rawls Park (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 Rawls Park. 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 Rawls Park ...

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.

While the name of this community is Rawls Park, be aware that it's the common practice of mapmakers to remove the apostrophe from possessive names<1>. So Rawls Park may originally have been Rawl's Park.

Sometimes the trailing 's' might be dropped altogether, in which case Rawls Park might be written as Rawl Park.

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 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.

Rawls Park 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 Rawls Park. For each of these counties, we show a sample of those communities that are closest to Rawls Park:

  • Polk County     (The home county of Rawls Park)
    • The following are listed by their distance from Rawls Park, with the one closest to Rawls Park listed first.
    • Combee Settlement
      (Less than 2 miles to the southwest)
      • Combee Settlement is located in Polk County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Combee Settlement
    • Crystal Lake
      (Less than 2 miles to the south)
      • Crystal Lake is located in Polk County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Crystal Lake
    • Acton ‑ Historic
      (Less than 2 miles to the west)
      • Acton is located in Polk County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Acton
    • Fussels Corner
      (2 miles [3.2 km] to the east)
      • Fussels Corner is located in Polk County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Fussels Corner
    • Kossuthville
      (3 miles [4.8 km] to the east)
      • Kossuthville is located in Polk County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Kossuthville
    • Eaton Park
      (3 miles [4.8 km] to the south)
    • Lakeland
      (3 miles [4.8 km] to the west)
    • Gibsonia
      (5 miles [8 km] to the northwest)
      • Gibsonia is located in Polk County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Gibsonia
    • Fox Town
      (6 miles [9.7 km] to the north)
      • Fox Town is located in Polk County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Fox Town
    • Highland City
      (6 miles [9.7 km] to the south)
    • Winston
      (6 miles [9.7 km] to the west)
      • Winston is located in Polk County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Winston
    • Auburndale
      (7 miles [11.3 km] to the east)
    • Jan-Phyl Village
      (7 miles [11.3 km] to the southeast)
      • Jan-Phyl Village is located in Polk County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Jan-Phyl Village
  • Hardee County
    • Bowling Green
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the south)
  • Hillsborough County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Rawls Park, with the one closest to Rawls Park listed first.
    • Colonial Village
      (11 miles [17.7 km] to the west)
      • Colonial Village is located in Hillsborough County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Colonial Village
    • Kings Village
      (12 miles [19.3 km] to the west)
      • Kings Village is located in Hillsborough County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Kings Village
    • South Plant City Farms
      (13 miles [20.9 km] to the southwest)
      • South Plant City Farms is located in Hillsborough County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for South Plant City Farms
    • Plant City Heights
      (13 miles [20.9 km] to the west)
      • Plant City Heights is located in Hillsborough County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Plant City Heights
    • Plant City
      (13 miles [20.9 km] to the west)
    • Cedar Run
      (14 miles [22.5 km] to the west)
      • Cedar Run is located in Hillsborough County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cedar Run
    • Knights
      (14 miles [22.5 km] to the west)
      • Knights is located in Hillsborough County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Knights
    • Strawberry Village
      (14 miles [22.5 km] to the west)
      • Strawberry Village is located in Hillsborough County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Strawberry Village
    • West Plant City
      (14 miles [22.5 km] to the west)
      • West Plant City is located in Hillsborough County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for West Plant City
    • Woodfield Village
      (14 miles [22.5 km] to the west)
      • Woodfield Village is located in Hillsborough County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Woodfield Village
    • Parrish
      (15 miles [24.1 km] to the southwest)
      • Parrish is located in Hillsborough County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Parrish
    • West Plant City Farms
      (18 miles [29 km] to the southwest)
      • West Plant City Farms is located in Hillsborough County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for West Plant City Farms
    • Dover
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the west)
  • Lake County
    • Four Corners
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the northeast)
  • Orange County
    • Bay Lake
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the northeast)
      • Bay Lake is located in Orange County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bay Lake
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 48 people
  • Osceola County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Rawls Park, with the one closest to Rawls Park listed first.
    • ChampionsGate
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the northeast)
      • ChampionsGate is located in Osceola County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for ChampionsGate
    • Reunion
      (23 miles [37 km] to the northeast)
    • Poinciana Place
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the east)
      • Poinciana Place is located in Osceola County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Poinciana Place
    • Poinciana
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the east)
    • Intercession City
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the northeast)
    • Celebration
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the northeast)
    • Campbell
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the northeast)
      • Campbell is located in Osceola County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Campbell
  • Pasco County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Rawls Park, with the one closest to Rawls Park listed first.
    • Crystal Springs
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the northwest)
      • Crystal Springs is located in Pasco County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Crystal Springs
    • Zephyrhills
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the northwest)
    • Richland
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the northwest)
      • Richland is located in Pasco County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Richland
    • Dade City
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the northwest)
    • Saint Leo
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the northwest)
    • Wesley Chapel South
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the northwest)
      • Wesley Chapel South is located in Pasco County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Wesley Chapel South
    • Wesley Chapel
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the northwest)
    • San Antonio
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the northwest)
      • San Antonio is located in Pasco County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for San Antonio
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 1,506 people
      • Former name for San Antonio:
      • Lake Jovita
      • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for San Antonio <2>

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

Cemeteries Near Rawls Park ...

Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of Rawls Park.

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 Rawls Park - one of the links might be able to help.

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

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

  • Lakeview Cemetery
    (2 miles [3.2 km] to the west)
  • Roselawn Cemetery
    (2 miles [3.2 km] to the west)
  • Gapway Cemetery
    (2 miles [3.2 km] to the southwest)
  • Glen Abbey Memorial Gardens
    (2 miles [3.2 km] to the south)
  • Tiger Flowers Cemetery
    (2 miles [3.2 km] to the west)
  • Stephenson Cemetery
    (3 miles [4.8 km] to the west)
  • Lakeland Memorial Gardens
    (3 miles [4.8 km] to the south)
  • Collins Cemetery
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the northeast)
  • Carpenters Home Cemetery
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the northwest)
  • Malloy Cemetery
    (5 miles [8 km] to the south)
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Malloy Cemetery
    • The Malloy Cemetery has also been known as:
    • Haskell Cemetery
    • Lake Hancock Cemetery
    • Jump to Find-A-Grave: FG ID #72221 <3>
  • Oak Hill Burial Park
    (5 miles [8 km] to the south)
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Oak Hill Burial Park
    • The Oak Hill Burial Park has also been known as:
    • Laurel Hill Cemetery
    • Oak Hill Cemetery
    • Temple Emanuel Cemetery
    • Jump to Find-A-Grave: FG ID #183813 <3>
  • Glen Abbey Memorial Gardens
    (5 miles [8 km] to the east)
  • Continue List   (100 more) ...
    • Auburndale Memorial Park
      (5 miles [8 km] to the east)
    • Griffin Cemetery
      (5 miles [8 km] to the west)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Griffin Cemetery
      • The Griffin Cemetery has also been known as:
      • Galloway Cemetery
      • Sleepy Hill Cemetery
      • Jump to Find-A-Grave: FG ID #72061 <3>
    • Serenity Gardens
      (5 miles [8 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.<4>

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

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

  • Lakeland
    (3 miles [4.8 km] to the west)
  • Auburndale
    (7 miles [11.3 km] to the east)
  • Kathleen
    (8 miles [12.9 km] to the northwest)
  • Gordonville
    (10 miles [16.1 km] to the southeast)
    • Gordonville is located in Polk County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Gordonville
  • Eagle Lake
    (10 miles [16.1 km] to the southeast)
  • Winter Haven
    (11 miles [17.7 km] to the east)
  • Bartow
    (12 miles [19.3 km] to the south)
  • Plant City
    (13 miles [20.9 km] to the west)
  • Wahneta
    (13 miles [20.9 km] to the southeast)
    • Wahneta is located in Polk County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Wahneta
  • Knights
    (14 miles [22.5 km] to the west)
    • Knights is located in Hillsborough County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Knights
  • Keene
    (15 miles [24.1 km] to the west)
    • Keene is located in Hillsborough County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Keene
  • Keysville
    (17 miles [27.4 km] to the southwest)
    • Keysville is located in Hillsborough County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Keysville
  • Continue List   (14 more) ...
    • Homeland
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the south)
    • Haines City
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the east)
    • Green Pond
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the north)
      • Green Pond is located in Polk County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Green Pond

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

Newspapers Published in Rawls Park ...

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 45 newspapers that have been published in the area around Rawls Park.

Although we're unaware of any newspapers that were published in the immediate area of Rawls Park, there are papers which were published within 12 miles [19.3 km]<5>. A list of those papers, sorted by paper name, can be found on the Extended Newspaper List for Rawls Park.

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 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 Rawls Park:

Footnotes ...

<1>It's generally believed that possessive apostrophes are removed to prevent confusion on maps where the apostrophe may be confused with a cartographic symbol. While this is generally true, it's not uncommon to find possessive apostrophes in administrative names (such as towns or counties).
<2>While we're fans and frequent users of TripAdvisor, you should know that we're also members of the TripAdvisor affiliate program.
<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 Rawls Park, please let us know so that we can improve our accuracy.
<5>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 drawn from Point A (ie- Rawls Park) to Point B. In other words: 'As the crow flies'.