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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 Sunny Side (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 Sunny Side. 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.

Sunny Side is located in Spalding 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 Spalding County: Butts, Clayton, Coweta, Fayette, Henry, Lamar, Meriwether & Pike.

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

  • Spalding County     (The home county of Sunny Side)
  • Butts County
  • Clayton County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Sunny Side, with the one closest to Sunny Side listed first.
    • Lovejoy
      (6 miles [9.7 km] to the north)
    • Bonanza
      (8 miles [12.9 km] to the north)
      • Bonanza is located in Clayton County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bonanza
    • Irondale
      (10 miles [16.1 km] to the north)
      • Irondale is located in Clayton County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Irondale
    • Jonesboro
      (12 miles [19.3 km] to the north)
    • Clayton Ridge
      (13 miles [20.9 km] to the northwest)
      • Clayton Ridge is located in Clayton County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Clayton Ridge
      • Estimated population in 2019: 2,193 people
    • Fox Run
      (14 miles [22.5 km] to the northwest)
    • Wilkshire Estates
      (15 miles [24.1 km] to the north)
      • Wilkshire Estates is located in Clayton County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Wilkshire Estates
      • Estimated population in 2019: 1,354 people
    • Dartmouth Estates
      (15 miles [24.1 km] to the northwest)
      • Dartmouth Estates is located in Clayton County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Dartmouth Estates
      • Estimated population in 2019: 1,015 people
    • Riverdale Acres
      (15 miles [24.1 km] to the northwest)
      • Riverdale Acres is located in Clayton County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Riverdale Acres
      • Estimated population in 2019: 15,594 people
    • Morrow
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the north)
    • Rex
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the north)
    • Riverdale
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the northwest)
    • Shangri-La on the Lake
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the northwest)
      • Shangri-La on the Lake is located in Clayton County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Shangri-La on the Lake
      • Population from the 2010 Census: 1,862 people
  • Coweta County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Sunny Side, with the one closest to Sunny Side listed first.
    • Senoia
      (15 miles [24.1 km] to the west)
    • Haralson
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the southwest)
    • Jade Lake Village
      (18 miles [29 km] to the west)
      • Jade Lake Village is located in Coweta County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Jade Lake Village
    • Turin
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the west)
    • Sharpsburg
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the west)
    • Bexton
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the west)
      • Bexton is located in Coweta County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bexton
    • Moreland
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the west)
    • Smith City
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the west)
      • Smith City is located in Coweta County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Smith City
    • East Newnan
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the west)
      • East Newnan is located in Coweta County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for East Newnan
    • Newnan
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the west)
    • Smokey Acres
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the west)
      • Smokey Acres is located in Coweta County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Smokey Acres
      • Estimated population in 2019: 56,666 people
  • DeKalb County
  • Fayette County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Sunny Side, with the one closest to Sunny Side listed first.
    • Woolsey Woods
      (6 miles [9.7 km] to the west)
    • Inman
      (7 miles [11.3 km] to the northwest)
    • Woolsey
      (7 miles [11.3 km] to the west)
      • Woolsey is located in Fayette County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Woolsey
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 167 people
    • Harp
      (9 miles [14.5 km] to the northwest)
    • Keyland Woods
      (9 miles [14.5 km] to the northwest)
      • Keyland Woods is located in Fayette County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Keyland Woods
      • Estimated population in 2019: 332 people
    • Brooks
      (10 miles [16.1 km] to the west)
    • McIntosh Village
      (11 miles [17.7 km] to the northwest)
      • McIntosh Village is located in Fayette County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for McIntosh Village
    • Blakely Woods
      (12 miles [19.3 km] to the northwest)
      • Blakely Woods is located in Fayette County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Blakely Woods
      • Estimated population in 2019: 4,571 people
    • Fayetteville
      (12 miles [19.3 km] to the northwest)
    • Winterthur Woods
      (13 miles [20.9 km] to the northwest)
    • Foreston Place
      (13 miles [20.9 km] to the west)
      • Foreston Place is located in Fayette County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Foreston Place
      • Estimated population in 2019: 20,020 people
    • Hamptons Corner
      (15 miles [24.1 km] to the west)
      • Hamptons Corner is located in Fayette County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hamptons Corner
      • Estimated population in 2019: 8,073 people
    • Fayette Villa Estates
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the northwest)
      • Fayette Villa Estates is located in Fayette County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Fayette Villa Estates
      • Estimated population in 2019: 17,991 people
  • Fulton County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Sunny Side, with the one closest to Sunny Side listed first.
    • Fife
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the northwest)
    • Rebecca Lake Estates
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the northwest)
      • Rebecca Lake Estates is located in Fulton County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rebecca Lake Estates
      • Estimated population in 2019: 165 people
    • Doral Park
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the north)
      • Doral Park is located in Fulton County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Doral Park
      • Estimated population in 2019: 10,265 people
    • Biscayne Club
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the northwest)
      • Biscayne Club is located in Fulton County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Biscayne Club
      • Estimated population in 2019: 274 people
    • Blair Village
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the north)
      • Blair Village is located in Fulton County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Blair Village
    • Plunket Town
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the north)
      • Plunket Town is located in Fulton County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Plunket Town
    • Fairburn
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the northwest)
    • Red Oak
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the northwest)
    • Hapeville
      (23 miles [37 km] to the north)
    • College Park
      (23 miles [37 km] to the northwest)
    • Red Wing Cove
      (23 miles [37 km] to the northwest)
      • Red Wing Cove is located in Fulton County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Red Wing Cove
      • Population from the 2010 Census: 2,604 people
    • Union City
      (23 miles [37 km] to the northwest)
    • East Point
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the north)
  • Henry County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Sunny Side, with the one closest to Sunny Side listed first.
    • Hampton
      (3 miles [4.8 km] to the north)
    • Locust Grove
      (10 miles [16.1 km] to the east)
    • Blacksville
      (10 miles [16.1 km] to the northeast)
      • Blacksville is located in Henry County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Blacksville
    • Oakwood Manor
      (11 miles [17.7 km] to the north)
      • Oakwood Manor is located in Henry County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Oakwood Manor
      • Estimated population in 2019: 4,156 people
    • McDonough
      (11 miles [17.7 km] to the northeast)
    • Tunis ‑ Historic
      (12 miles [19.3 km] to the northeast)
      • Tunis is located in Henry County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Tunis
      • Estimated population in 2019: 910 people
    • Stockbridge
      (14 miles [22.5 km] to the north)
    • Highland Village
      (14 miles [22.5 km] to the northeast)
      • Highland Village is located in Henry County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Highland Village
    • Stockbridge North
      (15 miles [24.1 km] to the north)
      • Stockbridge North is located in Henry County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Stockbridge North
      • Estimated population in 2019: 29,904 people
    • Whitehouse
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the northeast)
      • Whitehouse is located in Henry County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Whitehouse
      • Population from the 2010 Census: 6,792 people
  • Lamar County
  • Meriwether County
  • Monroe County
  • Newton County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Sunny Side, with the one closest to Sunny Side listed first.
    • Salem Branch
      (23 miles [37 km] to the northeast)
      • Salem Branch is located in Newton County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Salem Branch
      • Population from the 2010 Census: 310 people
    • Salem Village
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the northeast)
      • Salem Village is located in Newton County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Salem Village
    • Newton Woods
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the northeast)
      • Newton Woods is located in Newton County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Newton Woods
      • Estimated population in 2019: 575 people
    • Porterdale
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the northeast)
    • Covington
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the northeast)
  • Pike County
  • Rockdale County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Sunny Side, with the one closest to Sunny Side listed first.
    • Conyers
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the northeast)
    • Lakeview Estates
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the northeast)
      • Lakeview Estates is located in Rockdale County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lakeview Estates
    • Milstead
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the northeast)
      • Milstead is located in Rockdale County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Milstead
      • Estimated population in 2018: 39,217 people
  • Upson County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Sunny Side, with the one closest to Sunny Side listed first.
    • Delray
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the south)
    • The Rock
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the south)
    • Hannahs Mill
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the south)
      • Hannahs Mill is located in Upson County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hannahs Mill
    • Barker Spring
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the south)
    • Yatesville
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the south)

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

Cemeteries Near Sunny Side ...

Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of Sunny Side.

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 Sunny Side - one of the links might be able to help.

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

The following cemeteries are listed based on their distance from Sunny Side, with the one closest to Sunny Side 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.<4>

The Rand McNally Atlas shows that Sunny Side had a population of 150 people in 1895 with a post office and railroad service. In 2020, Sunny Side had a population of 139 people.

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

  • Pomona
    (Less than 2 miles to the south)
    • Pomona is located in Spalding County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Pomona
  • Hampton
    (3 miles [4.8 km] to the north)
  • Experiment
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the south)
  • Lowry
    (6 miles [9.7 km] to the west)
    • Lowry is located in Fayette County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lowry
  • Griffin
    (6 miles [9.7 km] to the south)
  • Luella
    (6 miles [9.7 km] to the east)
    • Luella is located in Henry County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Luella
  • Vaughn
    (7 miles [11.3 km] to the southwest)
    • Vaughn is located in Spalding County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Vaughn
  • Greenwood
    (7 miles [11.3 km] to the northeast)
    • Greenwood is located in Henry County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Greenwood
  • Inman
    (7 miles [11.3 km] to the northwest)
  • Woolsey
    (7 miles [11.3 km] to the west)
    • Woolsey is located in Fayette County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Woolsey
    • Population from the 2020 Census: 167 people
  • Zetella
    (8 miles [12.9 km] to the southwest)
    • Zetella is located in Spalding County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Zetella
  • Rover
    (9 miles [14.5 km] to the south)
    • Rover is located in Spalding County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rover
  • Continue List   (15 more) ...

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

Newspapers Published in Sunny Side ...

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 60 newspapers that have been published in the area around Sunny Side.

Although we're unaware of any newspapers that were published in the immediate area of Sunny Side, there are papers which were published within 12 miles [19.3 km]<3>. A list of those papers, sorted by paper name, can be found on the Extended Newspaper List for Sunny Side.

Websites to Help With Your Genealogy Research ...

When we do our genealogical research, we like to start with 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 Sunny Side:

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