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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 Helen (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 Helen. 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 hospitals and 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.

Helen is located in White County.

To see how the shape of Georgia's counties may have changed over time, we recommend the Atlas of Historical County Boundaries.

The following counties adjoin and form the boundaries of White County: Habersham, Hall, Lumpkin, Towns & Union.

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

  • White County     (The home county of Helen)
  • Banks County
  • Dawson County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Helen, with the one closest to Helen listed first.
    • Dawsonville
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the southwest)
    • Lumpkin
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the southwest)
      • Lumpkin is located in Dawson County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lumpkin
      • Estimated population in 2019: 1,266 people
  • Fannin County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Helen, with the one closest to Helen listed first.
    • Margret
      (23 miles [37 km] to the west)
    • Craytonia
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the west)
    • Hemp
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the northwest)
      • Hemp is located in Fannin County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hemp
      • Population from the 2010 Census: 1,647 people
    • Newport
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the west)
  • Habersham County
  • Hall County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Helen, with the one closest to Helen listed first.
    • Clermont
      (15 miles [24.1 km] to the south)
    • Brookton
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the south)
      • Brookton is located in Hall County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Brookton
    • Land ‑ Historic
      (18 miles [29 km] to the south)
    • Lula
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the south)
    • Murrayville
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the southwest)
    • Hargrove
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the south)
      • Hargrove is located in Hall County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hargrove
      • Estimated population in 2019: 3,371 people
    • Surf Side Club Estates
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the south)
      • Surf Side Club Estates is located in Hall County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Surf Side Club Estates
      • Estimated population in 2019: 202 people
    • Whelchel
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the south)
      • Whelchel is located in Hall County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Whelchel
    • The Bluffs
      (23 miles [37 km] to the south)
      • The Bluffs is located in Hall County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for The Bluffs
      • Estimated population in 2019: 92 people
    • Price
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the southwest)
    • White Sulphur Springs
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the south)
    • Sardis Shores
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the southwest)
      • Sardis Shores is located in Hall County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sardis Shores
      • Estimated population in 2019: 960 people
  • Lumpkin County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Helen, with the one closest to Helen listed first.
    • Willow ‑ Historic
      (11 miles [17.7 km] to the southwest)
      • Willow is located in Lumpkin County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Willow
      • Population from the 2010 Census: 15,138 people
    • Grace ‑ Historic
      (13 miles [20.9 km] to the southwest)
      • Grace is located in Lumpkin County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Grace
    • Garland
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the southwest)
    • Dahlonega
      (18 miles [29 km] to the southwest)
    • Auraria ‑ Historic
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the southwest)
    • New Bridge ‑ Historic
      (23 miles [37 km] to the southwest)
      • New Bridge is located in Lumpkin County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for New Bridge
  • Rabun County
  • Stephens County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Helen, with the one closest to Helen listed first.
    • Toccoa Falls
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the east)
    • Toccoa
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the east)
    • Carnes Creek
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the southeast)
      • Carnes Creek is located in Stephens County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Carnes Creek
      • Estimated population in 2019: 601 people
    • Jarrett
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the east)
      • Jarrett is located in Stephens County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Jarrett
      • Estimated population in 2019: 3,974 people
    • Eastanollee
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the southeast)
  • Towns County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Helen, with the one closest to Helen listed first.
    • Jacksonville
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the northwest)
    • Hiawassee
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the north)
    • Young Harris
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the northwest)
    • Hunt ‑ Historic
      (18 miles [29 km] to the north)
    • Tate City
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the northeast)
      • Tate City is located in Towns County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Tate City
  • Union County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Helen, with the one closest to Helen listed first.
    • Choestoe
      (10 miles [16.1 km] to the northwest)
    • Hood ‑ Historic
      (13 miles [20.9 km] to the northwest)
      • Hood is located in Union County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hood
    • Owltown
      (14 miles [22.5 km] to the northwest)
    • Suches
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the west)
    • Blairsville
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the northwest)
    • Canal Lake
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the northwest)
      • Canal Lake is located in Union County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Canal Lake
      • Population from the 2010 Census: 23,025 people
    • Youngcane ‑ Historic
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the northwest)
      • Youngcane is located in Union County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Youngcane
      • Estimated population in 2019: 1,661 people
    • Bethlehem
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the northwest)
  • Clay County (NC)
    • The following are listed by their distance from Helen, with the one closest to Helen listed first.
    • Elf
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the north)
    • Warne
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the northwest)
    • Pine Log Village
      (23 miles [37 km] to the northwest)
      • Pine Log Village is located in Clay County (NC)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Pine Log Village
    • Hayesville
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the north)
    • Brasstown
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the northwest)
  • Macon County (NC)
    • Orlando
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the northeast)
      • Orlando is located in Macon County (NC)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Orlando
  • Oconee County (SC)

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

Cemeteries Near Helen ...

Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of Helen.

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

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

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

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.<2>

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

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

  • Nacoochee
    (Less than 2 miles to the southeast)
  • Aerial
    (5 miles [8 km] to the southeast)
    • Aerial is located in Habersham County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Aerial
  • Cleveland
    (7 miles [11.3 km] to the south)
  • Pleasant Retreat ‑ Historic
    (10 miles [16.1 km] to the southwest)
    • Pleasant Retreat is located in White County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Pleasant Retreat
  • Mountain Scene
    (10 miles [16.1 km] to the north)
    • Mountain Scene is located in Towns County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mountain Scene
  • Choestoe
    (10 miles [16.1 km] to the northwest)
  • Willow ‑ Historic
    (11 miles [17.7 km] to the southwest)
    • Willow is located in Lumpkin County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Willow
    • Population from the 2010 Census: 15,138 people
  • Leo
    (11 miles [17.7 km] to the south)
  • Mossy Creek
    (11 miles [17.7 km] to the south)
    • Mossy Creek is located in White County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mossy Creek
  • Tesnatee
    (12 miles [19.3 km] to the southwest)
    • Tesnatee is located in White County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Tesnatee
  • Centerside
    (12 miles [19.3 km] to the south)
    • Centerside is located in White County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Centerside
  • Heads Ferry
    (12 miles [19.3 km] to the southeast)
    • Heads Ferry is located in Habersham County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Heads Ferry
  • Continue List   (13 more) ...
    • Porter Springs
      (13 miles [20.9 km] to the west)
      • Porter Springs is located in Lumpkin County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Porter Springs
    • Grace ‑ Historic
      (13 miles [20.9 km] to the southwest)
      • Grace is located in Lumpkin County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Grace
    • Demorest
      (13 miles [20.9 km] to the southeast)

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

Newspapers Published in Helen ...

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 43 newspapers that have been published in the area around Helen.

Although we're unaware of any newspapers that were published in the immediate area of Helen, there are papers which were published within 22 miles [35.4 km]<3>. A list of those papers, sorted by paper name, can be found on the Extended Newspaper List for Helen.

Websites to Help With Your Genealogy Research ...

When we do our genealogical research, we first visit 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 Helen:

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>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 Helen, please let us know so that we can improve our accuracy.
<3>Our distances are not driving distances, but are calculated as a '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- Helen) to Point B. In other words: 'As the crow flies'.