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 Riverdale (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 Riverdale. 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 southwest corner of their home county. During their lives, most doctors and hospitals were in the next county to the west. Almost all of the nearby churches and cemeteries were in the county to the south.
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 south 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.
Riverdale is located in Pasco 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 Pasco County: Hernando, Hillsborough, Pinellas, Polk & Sumter.
Below are the counties that are near Riverdale. For each of these counties, we show a sample of those communities that are closest to Riverdale:
- Pasco County (The home county of Riverdale)
- The following are listed by their distance from Riverdale, with the one closest to Riverdale listed first.
- Trilby
(Less than 2 miles to the south)
- Lacoochee
(Less than 2 miles to the southeast)
- Moss Town
(Less than 2 miles to the southeast)
- Moss Town is located in Pasco County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Moss Town
- Blanton
(5 miles [8 km] to the southwest)
- Blanton is located in Pasco County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Blanton
- Dade City
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the south)
- Saint Leo
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the south)
- San Antonio
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the southwest)
- 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 <1>
- Richland
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the south)
- Richland is located in Pasco County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Richland
- Zephyrhills
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the south)
- Wesley Chapel South
(18 miles [29 km] to the southwest)
- Wesley Chapel South is located in Pasco County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Wesley Chapel South
- Wesley Chapel
(18 miles [29 km] to the southwest)
- Crystal Springs
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the south)
- Crystal Springs is located in Pasco County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Crystal Springs
- Fivay ‑ Historic
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the southwest)
- Fivay is located in Pasco County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Fivay
- Citrus County
- The following are listed by their distance from Riverdale, with the one closest to Riverdale listed first.
- Floral City
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the north)
- Inverness Highlands South
(23 miles [37 km] to the north)
- Inverness
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the north)
- Mannfield ‑ Historic
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the northwest)
- Mannfield is located in Citrus County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mannfield
- Sugarmill Woods
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the northwest)
- Sugarmill Woods is located in Citrus County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sugarmill Woods
- Inverness Highlands North
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the northwest)
- Hernando
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the north)
- Lecanto
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the northwest)
- Hernando County
- The following are listed by their distance from Riverdale, with the one closest to Riverdale listed first.
- Ridge Manor
(Less than 2 miles to the northeast)
- Richloam ‑ Historic
(5 miles [8 km] to the east)
- Richloam is located in Hernando County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Richloam
- Hill 'n Dale
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the northwest)
- Hill 'n Dale is located in Hernando County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hill 'n Dale
- Spring Lake
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the west)
- Spring Lake is located in Hernando County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Spring Lake
- Nobleton
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the north)
- Brooksville
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the northwest)
- South Brooksville
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the west)
- South Brooksville is located in Hernando County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for South Brooksville
- Istachatta
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the north)
- Lake Lindsey
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the northwest)
- Lake Lindsey is located in Hernando County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lake Lindsey
- North Brooksville
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the northwest)
- North Brooksville is located in Hernando County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for North Brooksville
- Masaryktown
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the west)
- Wiscon
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the west)
- Wiscon is located in Hernando County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Wiscon
- Brookridge
(18 miles [29 km] to the west)
- Brookridge is located in Hernando County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Brookridge
- Hillsborough County
- The following are listed by their distance from Riverdale, with the one closest to Riverdale listed first.
- Lakeview Villas at Pebble Creek Village
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the south)
- Pebble Creek Village
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the south)
- Pebble Creek Village is located in Hillsborough County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Pebble Creek Village
- Pebble Creek
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the south)
- Pebble Creek is located in Hillsborough County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Pebble Creek
- Kingston City
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the south)
- Kingston City is located in Hillsborough County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Kingston City
- Florida Townsend Colony
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the southwest)
- Lake Keen
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the southwest)
- Lake Keen is located in Hillsborough County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lake Keen
- Knights
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the south)
- Knights is located in Hillsborough County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Knights
- Lake Brooker Village
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the southwest)
- Lake Brooker Village is located in Hillsborough County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lake Brooker Village
- Lutz
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the southwest)
- Brant Lake Village
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the southwest)
- Brant Lake Village is located in Hillsborough County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Brant Lake Village
- Cannes Village
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the southwest)
- Cannes Village is located in Hillsborough County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cannes Village
- Cheval Wimbledon Village
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the southwest)
- Heritage Harbor Village
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the southwest)
- Lake County
- The following are listed by their distance from Riverdale, with the one closest to Riverdale listed first.
- Mascotte
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the east)
- Groveland
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the east)
- Okahumpka
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the northeast)
- Clermont
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the east)
- Minneola
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the east)
- Whitney
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the northeast)
- Whitney is located in Lake County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Whitney
- Mohawk
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the east)
- Mohawk is located in Lake County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mohawk
- Montclair
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the northeast)
- Montclair is located in Lake County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Montclair
- Leesburg
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the northeast)
- Yalaha
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the northeast)
- Howey-in-the-Hills
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the northeast)
- Sunnyside
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the northeast)
- Sunnyside is located in Lake County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sunnyside
- Polk County
- The following are listed by their distance from Riverdale, with the one closest to Riverdale listed first.
- Kathleen
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the southeast)
- Fox Town
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the southeast)
- Fox Town is located in Polk County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Fox Town
- Gibsonia
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the southeast)
- Gibsonia is located in Polk County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Gibsonia
- Polk City
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the southeast)
- Sumter County
- The following are listed by their distance from Riverdale, with the one closest to Riverdale listed first.
- Bucker Womans Town ‑ Historic
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the northeast)
- Bucker Womans Town is located in Sumter County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bucker Womans Town
- Tarrytown
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the northeast)
- Tarrytown is located in Sumter County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Tarrytown
- Linden
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the northeast)
- Linden is located in Sumter County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Linden
- Webster
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the northeast)
- Bushnell
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the north)
- Wahoo
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the north)
- Wahoo is located in Sumter County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Wahoo
- Mabel
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the northeast)
- Mabel is located in Sumter County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mabel
- Bay Hill
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the north)
- Bay Hill is located in Sumter County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bay Hill
- Center Hill
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the northeast)
- Sumterville
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the northeast)
- Lake Panasoffkee
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the north)
- Coleman
(23 miles [37 km] to the north)
- Adamsville
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the northeast)
- Adamsville is located in Sumter County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Adamsville
For an expanded list of the communities that are closest to Riverdale, see our County-by-County Page for Riverdale.
Cemeteries Near Riverdale ...
Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of Riverdale.
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 Riverdale - one of the links might be able to help.
If not found below, our Cemetery List for Riverdale covers a larger area, with the cemeteries listed in alphabetical order.
The following cemeteries are listed based on their distance from Riverdale, with the one closest to Riverdale listed first.
- Trilby Cemetery
(Less than 2 miles to the southwest)
- Trilby Cemetery
(Less than 2 miles to the south)
- Twin Lakes Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the southwest)
- Indian Pond Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the south)
- Mt. Zion Cemetery
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the south)
- Dade City Cemetery
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the south)
- Townsend House Cemetery
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the southwest)
- St. Joseph Cemetery
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the southwest)
- Floral Memory Gardens
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the south)
- Wild Cow Cemetery
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the north)
- Long Memorial Cemetery
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the northwest)
- Florida National Cemetery
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the north)
- Continue List (76 more) ...
- Johnson Cemetery
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the west)
- Chapel Hill Gardens
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the south)
- Withlacoochee Cemetery
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the southeast)
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 Riverdale in the Atlas, the following 1895 communities would have been found near the current location of Riverdale.
These communities are listed based on their distance from Riverdale, with the one closest to Riverdale listed first.
- Lacoochee
(Less than 2 miles to the southeast)
- Blanton
(5 miles [8 km] to the southwest)
- Blanton is located in Pasco County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Blanton
- Jessamine
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the southwest)
- Jessamine is located in Pasco County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Jessamine
- Tarrytown
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the northeast)
- Tarrytown is located in Sumter County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Tarrytown
- Saint Catherine
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the north)
- Saint Catherine is located in Sumter County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Saint Catherine
- Saint Leo
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the south)
- San Antonio
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the southwest)
- 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 <1>
- Linden
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the northeast)
- Linden is located in Sumter County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Linden
- Ellerslie
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the south)
- Ellerslie is located in Pasco County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ellerslie
- Webster
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the northeast)
- Brooksville
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the northwest)
- Istachatta
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the north)
- Continue List (15 more) ...
- Bushnell
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the north)
- Richland
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the south)
- Richland is located in Pasco County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Richland
- Bay Hill
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the north)
- Bay Hill is located in Sumter County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bay Hill
We've also created an expanded list of communities that existed in the 1890's and were located in the area around Riverdale. See our List of 1890's Communities around Riverdale.
Newspapers Published in Riverdale ...
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 44 newspapers that have been published in the area around Riverdale.
Although we're unaware of any newspapers that were published in the immediate area of Riverdale, there are papers which were published within 25 miles [40.2 km]<4>. A list of those papers, sorted by paper name, can be found on the Extended Newspaper List for Riverdale.
Websites to Help With Your Genealogy Research ...
When we do our genealogical research, we first turn to 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 Riverdale:
- Websites specific to Florida
- Pages specific to Pasco County
- Genealogy information for nearby counties
- Citrus County
- Hernando County
- Hillsborough County
- Lake County
- Polk County
- Sumter County
- Cemetery Information and Directories for Florida
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 Riverdale, 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 obstructions like rivers, canyons, lakes, et cetera - it's truly a line from Point A (ie- Riverdale) to Point B. In other words: 'As the crow flies'. |