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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 Flat Creek (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 Flat Creek. 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 Flat Creek ...

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.

Although we can't give a definitive list, hopefully the following will give you a feel for the variations that might occur.

Another variation: Flatcreek.

  • A typical abbreviation for Flat Creek: Flat Crk. (or less commonly used: Flat Ck. or Flat Cr.)

You might be interested in other communities that are also named Flat Creek. More information can be found on our Tidbits & Trivia Page for Flat Creek.

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 hospitals 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.

Flat Creek is located in Benewah County.

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

The following counties adjoin and form the boundaries of Benewah County: Kootenai, Latah, Shoshone, Spokane (WA) & Whitman (WA).

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

  • Benewah County     (The home county of Flat Creek)
    • The following are listed by their distance from Flat Creek, with the one closest to Flat Creek listed first.
    • Santa
      (5 miles [8 km] to the south)
    • Saint Maries
      (6 miles [9.7 km] to the northwest)
    • Saint Joe
      (8 miles [12.9 km] to the northeast)
      • Saint Joe is located in Benewah County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Saint Joe
    • Fernwood
      (9 miles [14.5 km] to the southeast)
    • Emida
      (9 miles [14.5 km] to the southwest)
      • Emida is located in Benewah County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Emida
    • Parkline
      (11 miles [17.7 km] to the northwest)
      • Parkline is located in Benewah County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Parkline
    • Chatcolet
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the northwest)
      • Chatcolet is located in Benewah County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Chatcolet
    • Plummer
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the west)
      • Plummer is located in Benewah County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Plummer
    • De Smet
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the west)
      • De Smet is located in Benewah County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for De Smet
    • Tensed
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the west)
    • Willard
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the west)
      • Willard is located in Benewah County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Willard
  • Kootenai County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Flat Creek, with the one closest to Flat Creek listed first.
    • Medimont
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the north)
    • Conkling Park
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the northwest)
      • Conkling Park is located in Kootenai County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Conkling Park
    • Lane
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the north)
      • Lane is located in Kootenai County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lane
    • Harrison
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the northwest)
    • Rose Lake
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the north)
      • Rose Lake is located in Kootenai County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rose Lake
    • Canyon
      (23 miles [37 km] to the north)
      • Canyon is located in Kootenai County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Canyon
    • Cataldo
      (23 miles [37 km] to the north)
    • Worley
      (23 miles [37 km] to the northwest)
    • Bellgrove
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the northwest)
      • Bellgrove is located in Kootenai County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bellgrove
  • Latah County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Flat Creek, with the one closest to Flat Creek listed first.
    • Harvard
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the southwest)
    • Bovill
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the south)
    • Cora
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the southwest)
      • Cora is located in Latah County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cora
    • Princeton
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the southwest)
    • Freeze
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the southwest)
      • Freeze is located in Latah County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Freeze
    • Onaway
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the southwest)
      • Onaway is located in Latah County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Onaway
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 198 people
    • Potlatch
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the southwest)
    • Deary
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the south)
    • Potlatch Junction
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the southwest)
      • Potlatch Junction is located in Latah County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Potlatch Junction
  • Shoshone County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Flat Creek, with the one closest to Flat Creek listed first.
    • Emerald Creek
      (13 miles [20.9 km] to the southeast)
      • Emerald Creek is located in Shoshone County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Emerald Creek
    • Calder
      (14 miles [22.5 km] to the east)
    • Clarkia
      (18 miles [29 km] to the southeast)
    • Kingston
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the northeast)
    • Pinehurst
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the northeast)
    • Smelterville
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the northeast)
    • Kellogg
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the northeast)
    • Sweeney
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the northeast)
      • Sweeney is located in Shoshone County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sweeney
    • Wardner
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the northeast)
    • Osburn
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the northeast)
    • Silverton
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the northeast)
  • Whitman County (WA)
    • The following are listed by their distance from Flat Creek, with the one closest to Flat Creek listed first.
    • Willard
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the west)
      • Willard is located in Whitman County (WA)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Willard
    • Farmington
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the west)
    • Tekoa
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the west)
      • Tekoa is located in Whitman County (WA)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Tekoa
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 773 people
      • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Tekoa <1>
    • Seltice
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the west)
      • Seltice is located in Whitman County (WA)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Seltice
    • Lone Pine
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the west)
      • Lone Pine is located in Whitman County (WA)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lone Pine

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

Cemeteries Near Flat Creek ...

Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of Flat Creek.

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 Flat Creek - one of the links might be able to help.

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

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

  • Woodlawn Cemetery
    (7 miles [11.3 km] to the northwest)
  • Sanders Cemetery
    (15 miles [24.1 km] to the southwest)
  • Mountain View Cemetery
    (16 miles [25.7 km] to the southwest)
  • Medimont Cemetery
    (17 miles [27.4 km] to the north)
  • Woodfell Cemetery
    (19 miles [30.6 km] to the southwest)
  • Harrison Cemetery
    (19 miles [30.6 km] to the northwest)
  • Lane Cemetery
    (19 miles [30.6 km] to the north)
  • Old Mission Cemetery
    (20 miles [32.2 km] to the north)
  • Evergreen Cemetery
    (20 miles [32.2 km] to the west)
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Evergreen Cemetery
    • To give a relative sense of its location, the Evergreen Cemetery is a large cemetery that is located less than 2 miles<3> to the west of Plummer.
    • Jump to Find-A-Grave: FG ID #1991685 <2>
  • Rose Lake Cemetery
    (22 miles [35.4 km] to the north)
  • Shoshone Memorial Gardens
    (23 miles [37 km] to the northeast)
  • Hunt Cemetery
    (23 miles [37 km] to the north)
  • Continue List   (15 more) ...
    • Worley Cemetery
      (23 miles [37 km] to the northwest)
    • Coeur d'Alene Indian Cemetery
      (23 miles [37 km] to the northwest)
    • St. Michaels Cemetery
      (23 miles [37 km] to the northwest)

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 Flat Creek in the Atlas, the following 1895 communities would have been found near the current location of Flat Creek.

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

  • Santa
    (5 miles [8 km] to the south)
  • Saint Maries
    (6 miles [9.7 km] to the northwest)
  • Chatcolet
    (16 miles [25.7 km] to the northwest)
    • Chatcolet is located in Benewah County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Chatcolet
  • Lacon
    (18 miles [29 km] to the northwest)
    • Lacon is located in Kootenai County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lacon
  • Lane
    (19 miles [30.6 km] to the north)
    • Lane is located in Kootenai County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lane
  • Harrison
    (20 miles [32.2 km] to the northwest)
  • Cataldo
    (23 miles [37 km] to the north)
  • Kingston
    (24 miles [38.6 km] to the northeast)
  • Enaville
    (25 miles [40.2 km] to the northeast)
    • Enaville is located in Shoshone County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Enaville
  • Continue List   (6 more) ...
    • Wardner
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the northeast)
    • Kellogg
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the northeast)
    • Farmington
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the west)
    • Tekoa
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the west)
      • Tekoa is located in Whitman County (WA)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Tekoa
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 773 people
      • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Tekoa <1>
    • Seltice
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the west)
      • Seltice is located in Whitman County (WA)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Seltice
    • Osburn
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the northeast)

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

Newspapers Published in Flat Creek ...

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 33 newspapers that have been published in the area around Flat Creek.

Although we're unaware of any newspapers that were published in the immediate area of Flat Creek, there are papers which were published within 29 miles [46.7 km]<3>. A list of those papers, sorted by paper name, can be found on the Extended Newspaper List for Flat Creek.

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 Flat Creek:

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 obstructions like rivers, canyons, lakes, et cetera - it's truly a line drawn from Point A (ie- Flat Creek) 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 Flat Creek, please let us know so that we can improve our accuracy.