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 Villa Rica (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 Villa Rica. 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.
Villa Rica is primarily located in Douglas County. A portion of Villa Rica extends into Carroll 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 Douglas County: Carroll, Clayton, Cobb, Fulton & Paulding.
Below are the counties that are near Villa Rica. For each of these counties, we show a sample of those communities that are closest to Villa Rica:
- Douglas County (The home county of Villa Rica)
- The following are listed by their distance from Villa Rica, with the one closest to Villa Rica listed first.
- Ephesus Heights
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the east)
- Ephesus Heights is located in Douglas County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ephesus Heights
- Estimated population in 2019: 461 people
- Winston
(5 miles [8 km] to the east)
- White City
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the east)
- White City is located in Douglas County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for White City
- Tyree
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the south)
- Tyree is located in Douglas County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Tyree
- Douglasville
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the east)
- Windwood Village
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the east)
- Windwood Village is located in Douglas County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Windwood Village
- Springwood Village
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the east)
- Springwood Village is located in Douglas County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Springwood Village
- Hannah
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the south)
- Hannah is located in Douglas County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hannah
- Lakeland Hills
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the east)
- Lakeland Hills is located in Douglas County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lakeland Hills
- Estimated population in 2019: 3,282 people
- Blair Heights
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the east)
- Blair Heights is located in Douglas County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Blair Heights
- Estimated population in 2019: 643 people
- Flowers Estates
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the east)
- Flowers Estates is located in Douglas County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Flowers Estates
- Estimated population in 2019: 8,325 people
- Lithia Springs
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the east)
- Bartow County
- The following are listed by their distance from Villa Rica, with the one closest to Villa Rica listed first.
- Taylorsville
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the north)
- Stilesboro
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the north)
- Stilesboro is located in Bartow County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Stilesboro
- Estimated population in 2019: 518 people
- Shellman ‑ Historic
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the north)
- Shellman is located in Bartow County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Shellman
- Estimated population in 2019: 933 people
- Bartow
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the north)
- Bartow is located in Bartow County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bartow
- Emerson
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the north)
- Euharlee
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the north)
- Allatoona
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the northeast)
- Indian Village
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the northeast)
- Indian Village is located in Bartow County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Indian Village
- Cartersville
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the north)
- Ligon ‑ Historic
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the north)
- Ligon is located in Bartow County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ligon
- Estimated population in 2019: 12,810 people
- Carroll County
- The following are listed by their distance from Villa Rica, with the one closest to Villa Rica listed first.
- Driskolls
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the west)
- Hart Town
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the west)
- Hart Town is located in Carroll County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hart Town
- Estimated population in 2019: 4,437 people
- Temple
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the west)
- Carrollton
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the southwest)
- Bowdon Junction
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the west)
- Whitesburg
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the south)
- Fairlawn Estates
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the southwest)
- Fairlawn Estates is located in Carroll County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Fairlawn Estates
- Estimated population in 2019: 736 people
- Mount Zion
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the southwest)
- Jake
(18 miles [29 km] to the west)
- Jake is located in Carroll County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Jake
- Estimated population in 2019: 146 people
- Lowell
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the south)
- Bowers Ferry
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the south)
- Bowers Ferry is located in Carroll County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bowers Ferry
- Estimated population in 2019: 485 people
- Jonesville
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the southwest)
- Roopville
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the southwest)
- Cherokee County
- The following are listed by their distance from Villa Rica, with the one closest to Villa Rica listed first.
- Gibson Acres
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the northeast)
- Gibson Acres is located in Cherokee County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Gibson Acres
- Estimated population in 2019: 631 people
- Payne
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the northeast)
- Payne is located in Cherokee County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Payne
- Clayton County
- The following are listed by their distance from Villa Rica, with the one closest to Villa Rica listed first.
- Normandy
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the east)
- Normandy is located in Clayton County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Normandy
- Estimated population in 2019: 962 people
- Kings Forest
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the east)
- Kings Forest is located in Clayton County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Kings Forest
- Estimated population in 2019: 17,949 people
- Windermere Woods
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the east)
- Windermere Woods is located in Clayton County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Windermere Woods
- Estimated population in 2019: 17,937 people
- Coxs Crossing
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the east)
- Coxs Crossing is located in Clayton County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Coxs Crossing
- Shangri-La on the Lake
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the east)
- 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
- Cobb County
- The following are listed by their distance from Villa Rica, with the one closest to Villa Rica listed first.
- Powder Springs Chase
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the northeast)
- Powder Springs Chase is located in Cobb County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Powder Springs Chase
- Estimated population in 2019: 15,758 people
- Clarkdale
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the northeast)
- Powder Springs
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the northeast)
- Austell
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the east)
- Furniture City
(18 miles [29 km] to the east)
- Furniture City is located in Cobb County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Furniture City
- Macland
(18 miles [29 km] to the northeast)
- Gordon Woods
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the east)
- Gordon Woods is located in Cobb County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Gordon Woods
- Estimated population in 2019: 1,857 people
- Knox Springs Estates
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the east)
- Knox Springs Estates is located in Cobb County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Knox Springs Estates
- Population from the 2010 Census: 69 people
- Mableton
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the east)
- Blue Ridge Manor
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the northeast)
- Blue Ridge Manor is located in Cobb County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Blue Ridge Manor
- Estimated population in 2019: 1,461 people
- Ivey Terrace
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the east)
- Ivey Terrace is located in Cobb County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ivey Terrace
- Estimated population in 2019: 914 people
- Brookside Village
(23 miles [37 km] to the east)
- Brookside Village is located in Cobb County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Brookside Village
- Nelsons Ferry
(23 miles [37 km] to the east)
- Nelsons Ferry is located in Cobb County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Nelsons Ferry
- Estimated population in 2019: 1,377 people
- Coweta County
- The following are listed by their distance from Villa Rica, with the one closest to Villa Rica listed first.
- Sargent
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the south)
- Newnan
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the south)
- Smokey Acres
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the south)
- Smokey Acres is located in Coweta County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Smokey Acres
- Estimated population in 2019: 56,666 people
- East Newnan
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the south)
- East Newnan is located in Coweta County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for East Newnan
- Fayette County
- The following are listed by their distance from Villa Rica, with the one closest to Villa Rica listed first.
- Tyrone Acres
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the southeast)
- Tyrone Acres is located in Fayette County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Tyrone Acres
- Estimated population in 2019: 7,506 people
- Tyrone
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the southeast)
- Fayette Villa Estates
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the southeast)
- Fayette Villa Estates is located in Fayette County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Fayette Villa Estates
- Estimated population in 2019: 17,991 people
- Franklin Farms
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the southeast)
- Franklin Farms is located in Fayette County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Franklin Farms
- Estimated population in 2019: 1,192 people
- Lafayette Estates
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the southeast)
- Lafayette Estates is located in Fayette County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lafayette Estates
- Estimated population in 2019: 7,339 people
- Peachtree City
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the southeast)
- Tinsley Mill Village
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the southeast)
- Tinsley Mill Village is located in Fayette County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Tinsley Mill Village
- Floyd County
- The following are listed by their distance from Villa Rica, with the one closest to Villa Rica listed first.
- Brice
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the northwest)
- Wax
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the north)
- Fulton County
- The following are listed by their distance from Villa Rica, with the one closest to Villa Rica listed first.
- Rico
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the southeast)
- Rivertown
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the southeast)
- Chattahoochee Hills
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the southeast)
- Corn Creek Cove
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the east)
- Corn Creek Cove is located in Fulton County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Corn Creek Cove
- Estimated population in 2019: 4,683 people
- South Fulton
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the east)
- Tell
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the east)
- Tell is located in Fulton County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Tell
- Carlton Woods
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the southeast)
- Carlton Woods is located in Fulton County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Carlton Woods
- Estimated population in 2019: 260 people
- Pontevedra
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the east)
- Pontevedra is located in Fulton County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Pontevedra
- Estimated population in 2019: 25,694 people
- Palmetto
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the southeast)
- Fairburn
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the southeast)
- Union City
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the southeast)
- Red Oak
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the east)
- Fife
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the southeast)
- Haralson County
- The following are listed by their distance from Villa Rica, with the one closest to Villa Rica listed first.
- Morgan
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the west)
- Bremen
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the west)
- Waco
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the west)
- Buchanan
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the west)
- Tabernacle
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the west)
- Budapest
(18 miles [29 km] to the west)
- Felton
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the northwest)
- Tallapoosa
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the west)
- Heard County
- The following are listed by their distance from Villa Rica, with the one closest to Villa Rica listed first.
- Centralhatchee
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the south)
- Centralhatchee is located in Heard County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Centralhatchee
- Population from the 2020 Census: 377 people
- Roosterville
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the southwest)
- Roosterville is located in Heard County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Roosterville
- Ephesus
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the southwest)
- Yates Crossroads
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the southwest)
- Yates Crossroads is located in Heard County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Yates Crossroads
- Estimated population in 2019: 360 people
- Paulding County
- The following are listed by their distance from Villa Rica, with the one closest to Villa Rica listed first.
- Home Place Acres
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the northeast)
- Home Place Acres is located in Paulding County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Home Place Acres
- Estimated population in 2019: 2,350 people
- Indian Rose
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the northeast)
- Indian Rose is located in Paulding County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Indian Rose
- Population from the 2010 Census: 2,241 people
- Dallas
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the north)
- Hanlin
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the north)
- Hanlin is located in Paulding County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hanlin
- Population from the 2010 Census: 3,298 people
- Hiram
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the northeast)
- Forrister
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the north)
- Forrister is located in Paulding County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Forrister
- Estimated population in 2019: 4,130 people
- Braswell
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the north)
- Country Acres
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the northeast)
- Country Acres is located in Paulding County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Country Acres
- Population from the 2010 Census: 8,545 people
- New Hope
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the northeast)
- New Hope is located in Paulding County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for New Hope
- Estimated population in 2019: 262 people
- Polk County
- The following are listed by their distance from Villa Rica, with the one closest to Villa Rica listed first.
- Rockmart
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the north)
- Aragon
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the north)
- Grady ‑ Historic
(23 miles [37 km] to the northwest)
- Grady is located in Polk County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Grady
- Estimated population in 2019: 290 people
- Seney
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the northwest)
- Seney is located in Polk County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Seney
- Estimated population in 2019: 4,412 people
- Cedartown
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the northwest)
- Esom Hill
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the northwest)
- Greenway ‑ Historic
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the northwest)
- Greenway is located in Polk County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Greenway
- Cleburne County (AL)
- The following are listed by their distance from Villa Rica, with the one closest to Villa Rica listed first.
- Muscadine
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the west)
- Hopewell
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the west)
- Ranburne
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the southwest)
- Fruithurst
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the west)
- Hightower
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the southwest)
- Ai
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the west)
- Randolph County (AL)
- Graham
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the southwest)
For an expanded list of the communities that are closest to Villa Rica, see our County-by-County Page for Villa Rica.
Cemeteries Near Villa Rica ...
Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of Villa Rica.
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 Villa Rica - one of the links might be able to help.
If not found below, our Cemetery List for Villa Rica covers a larger area, with the cemeteries listed in alphabetical order.
The following cemeteries are listed based on their distance from Villa Rica, with the one closest to Villa Rica listed first.
- Hill Crest Cemetery
(Less than 2 miles to the west)
- Old Villa Rica Cemetery
(Less than 2 miles to the east)
- Wesley Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the northwest)
- Wesley Chapel UMC Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the northwest)
- Memorial Park
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the south)
- Powells Chapel Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the south)
- Melrose Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the north)
- Faith Baptist Church Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the northwest)
- New Brooklyn Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the west)
- Friendship Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the northeast)
- Pine Log Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the north)
- Bethel Baptist Church Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the west)
- Continue List (602 more) ...
- Concord Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the southwest)
- Macedonia Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the southwest)
- Little Vine Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the south)
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 Villa Rica had a population of 426 people in 1895 with a post office and railroad service. In 2020, Villa Rica had a population of 16,795 people.
These communities are listed based on their distance from Villa Rica, with the one closest to Villa Rica listed first.
- Winston
(5 miles [8 km] to the east)
- Temple
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the west)
- Sand Hill
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the southwest)
- Sand Hill is located in Carroll County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sand Hill
- Shady Grove
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the southwest)
- Shady Grove is located in Carroll County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Shady Grove
- Lang ‑ Historic
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the south)
- Lang is located in Carroll County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lang
- Nebo
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the northeast)
- Nebo is located in Paulding County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Nebo
- McWhorter
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the southeast)
- McWhorter is located in Douglas County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for McWhorter
- Douglasville
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the east)
- Rollins
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the north)
- Rollins is located in Paulding County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rollins
- Draketown
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the northwest)
- Draketown is located in Haralson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Draketown
- Hannah
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the south)
- Hannah is located in Douglas County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hannah
- Brownsville
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the northeast)
- Brownsville is located in Paulding County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Brownsville
- Continue List (14 more) ...
- Emily ‑ Historic
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the south)
- Emily is located in Carroll County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Emily
- Cross Plains
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the south)
- Cross Plains is located in Carroll County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cross Plains
- Chapel Hill
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the east)
- Chapel Hill is located in Douglas County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Chapel Hill
We've also created an expanded list of communities that existed in the 1890's and were located in the area around Villa Rica. See our List of 1890's Communities around Villa Rica.
Newspapers Published in Villa Rica ...
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 4 newspapers that have been published in the area around Villa Rica.
Although we're unaware of any newspapers that were published in the immediate area of Villa Rica, there are papers which were published within 9 miles [14.5 km]<3>. A list of those papers, sorted by paper name, can be found on the Extended Newspaper List for Villa Rica.
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 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 Villa Rica:
- Websites specific to Georgia
- Pages specific to Douglas County
- Genealogy information for nearby counties
- Bartow County
- Carroll County
- Cherokee County
- Clayton County
- Cobb County
- Coweta County
- Fayette County
- Floyd County
- Fulton County
- Haralson County
- Heard County
- Paulding County
- Polk County
- Cleburne County
- Randolph County
- Cemetery Information and Directories for Georgia
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 'straight-line' distance. A straight line distance ignores obstructions like rivers, canyons, lakes, et cetera - it's truly a line from Point A (ie- Villa Rica) 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 Villa Rica, please let us know so that we can improve our accuracy. |