RoadsideThoughts
A Gazetteer for the United States and Canada
Home >> State of Kentucky >> Boyd County >> Rockdale >> Tidbits & TriviaIndex...

Outdoor Activities ...

As we travel, we like to pursue some of our interests (such as astronomy and bird watching).

When in Rockdale, we use the following websites to find information relevant to Rockdale and the surrounding area.

  • Weather ...
  • Astronomy & Satellites ...
    • Whether using binoculars, a small telescope or the naked-eye, the Heavens-Above website can help you to find your way around the night-time sky. In addition to detailed sky charts, their website will help you find planets, asteriods, comets, satellites and their tracks across the sky.
    • To give accurate results, Heavens-Above requires the latitude and longitude of your location. As a starting point, when we link to Heavens-Above, we pass this GPS location for Rockdale:
    • 38.409590, -84.685719
    • Once you're on the Heavens-Above website, you can improve its accuracy by giving a more precise longitude and latitude as your actual position.
    • Open the Heavens-Above website centered on Rockdale
  • Bird Watching ...
    • We enjoy finding new spots for bird watching and we use the eBird website for local sighting reports and to help identify hotspots.
    • The eBird website is organized on a county-by-county basis. We have selected Boyd County as the starting point when you click on the link below:
    • Open the eBird sighting report for Boyd County
    • Since Rockdale is near Owen County and also Scott County, we have provided a link to their eBird sighting reports:
    • Open the eBird sighting report for Owen County
    • Open the eBird sighting report for Scott County
  • Waymarking ...
    • Looking for somewhere out of the ordinary? Find a unique place and want to share it with others? Then it's time to visit Waymarking.com:
    • Open the Waymark.com report for Rockdale

Communities Also Named Rockdale ...

We found 36 communities that are also named Rockdale.

There is one other community in Kentucky that is also named Rockdale.

Beyond Kentucky, we know of 35 communities that are located in the United States and Canada. Of these 35 communities, 34 are located in the United States and three are in Canada.

  • Communities Located In Kentucky ...
    • Owen County
      • For more information, please visit our profile page for the Owen County community of Rockdale.
  • Communities Elsewhere In North America ...
    • Alabama
      • Jefferson County
      • This Rockdale is located in Jefferson County and lies 372 miles [598.7 km]<1> to the south southwest of the Rockdale that is located in Boyd County.
      • For more information, please visit our profile page for the Jefferson County community of Rockdale.
      • Randolph County
      • This Rockdale is located in Randolph County and lies 350 miles [563.3 km] to the south of the Rockdale that is located in Boyd County.
      • For more information, please visit our profile page for the Randolph County community of Rockdale.
    • Colorado
      • Chaffee County
      • This Rockdale is located in Chaffee County and lies 1,168 miles [1,879.7 km]<1> to the west of the Rockdale that is located in Boyd County.
      • For more information, please visit our profile page for the Chaffee County community of Rockdale.
      • Fremont County
      • We found mention of this community, but have little information.<2> For the information that we do have, please visit our profile page for the Colorado community of Rockdale [Fremont County].
    • Florida
      • Miami-Dade County
      • This Rockdale is located in Miami-Dade County and lies 918 miles [1,477.4 km]<1> to the south southeast of the Rockdale that is located in Boyd County.
      • For more information, please visit our profile page for the Miami-Dade County community of Rockdale.
    • Georgia
      • Fulton County
      • This Rockdale is located in Fulton County and lies 319 miles [513.4 km]<1> to the south of the Rockdale that is located in Boyd County.
      • For more information, please visit our profile page for the Fulton County community of Rockdale.
    • Illinois
      • Will County
      • This Rockdale is located in Will County and lies 280 miles [450.6 km]<1> to the northwest of the Rockdale that is located in Boyd County.
      • For more information, please visit our profile page for the Will County community of Rockdale.
    • Indiana
      • Franklin County
      • This Rockdale is located in Franklin County and lies 63 miles [101.4 km]<1> to the north of the Rockdale that is located in Boyd County.
      • For more information, please visit our profile page for the Franklin County community of Rockdale.
    • Iowa
      • Dubuque County
      • This Rockdale is located in Dubuque County and lies 421 miles [677.5 km]<1> to the northwest of the Rockdale that is located in Boyd County.
      • For more information, please visit our profile page for the Dubuque County community of Rockdale.
    • Maryland
      • Washington County
      • This Rockdale is located in Washington County and lies 377 miles [606.7 km]<1> to the east northeast of the Rockdale that is located in Boyd County.
      • For more information, please visit our profile page for the Washington County community of Rockdale.
    • Massachusetts
      • Berkshire County
      • We found mention of this community, but have little information.<2> For the information that we do have, please visit our profile page for the Massachusetts community of Rockdale [Berkshire County].
      • Bristol County
      • This Rockdale is located in Bristol County and lies 758 miles [1,219.9 km]<1> to the east northeast of the Rockdale that is located in Boyd County.
      • For more information, please visit our profile page for the Bristol County community of Rockdale.
      • Norfolk County
      • We found mention of this community, but have little information. For the information that we do have, please visit our profile page for the Massachusetts community of Rockdale [Norfolk County].
    • Missouri
      • Camden County
      • This community is historic<3> and although located in Camden County, we don't know where within the county.
      • For more information, please visit our profile page for the Camden County community of Rockdale.
    • New York
      • Chenango County
      • This Rockdale is located in Chenango County and lies 559 miles [899.6 km]<1> to the east northeast of the Rockdale that is located in Boyd County.
      • For more information, please visit our profile page for the Chenango County community of Rockdale.
    • North Carolina
      • Cleveland County
      • This Rockdale is located in Cleveland County and lies 267 miles [429.7 km]<1> to the southeast of the Rockdale that is located in Boyd County.
      • For more information, please visit our profile page for the Cleveland County community of Rockdale.
    • Nova Scotia
      • This Rockdale lies 1,316 miles [2,117.9 km]<1> to the east northeast of the Rockdale that is located in Boyd County.
    • Ohio
      • Butler County
      • This Rockdale is located in Butler County and lies 71 miles [114.3 km]<1> to the north of the Rockdale that is located in Boyd County.
      • For more information, please visit our profile page for the Butler County community of Rockdale.
    • Ontario
      • This Rockdale lies 551 miles [886.7 km]<1> to the northeast of the Rockdale that is located in Boyd County.
    • Pennsylvania
      • Bucks County
      • This Rockdale is located in Bucks County and lies 536 miles [862.6 km]<1> to the east northeast of the Rockdale that is located in Boyd County.
      • For more information, please visit our profile page for the Bucks County community of Rockdale.
      • Butler County
      • This Rockdale is located in Butler County and lies 303 miles [487.6 km] to the northeast of the Rockdale that is located in Boyd County.
      • For more information, please visit our profile page for the Butler County community of Rockdale.
      • Delaware County
      • This Rockdale is located in Delaware County and lies 505 miles [812.7 km] to the east northeast of the Rockdale that is located in Boyd County.
      • For more information, please visit our profile page for the Delaware County community of Rockdale.
      • Franklin County
      • This Rockdale is located in Franklin County and lies 381 miles [613.2 km] to the east northeast of the Rockdale that is located in Boyd County.
      • For more information, please visit our profile page for the Franklin County community of Rockdale.
      • Jefferson County
      • This Rockdale is located in Jefferson County and lies 364 miles [585.8 km] to the east northeast of the Rockdale that is located in Boyd County.
      • For more information, please visit our profile page for the Jefferson County community of Rockdale.
      • Lackawanna County
      • This Rockdale is located in Lackawanna County and lies 520 miles [836.9 km] to the east northeast of the Rockdale that is located in Boyd County.
      • For more information, please visit our profile page for the Lackawanna County community of Rockdale.
      • Lehigh County
      • This Rockdale is located in Lehigh County and lies 510 miles [820.8 km] to the east northeast of the Rockdale that is located in Boyd County.
      • For more information, please visit our profile page for the Lehigh County community of Rockdale.
    • Tennessee
      • Maury County
      • This Rockdale is located in Maury County and lies 247 miles [397.5 km]<1> to the southwest of the Rockdale that is located in Boyd County.
      • For more information, please visit our profile page for the Maury County community of Rockdale.
      • Rutherford County
      • This Rockdale is located in Rutherford County and lies 189 miles [304.2 km] to the south southwest of the Rockdale that is located in Boyd County.
      • For more information, please visit our profile page for the Rutherford County community of Rockdale.
    • Texas
      • Hopkins County
      • This Rockdale is located in Hopkins County and lies 713 miles [1,147.5 km]<1> to the west southwest of the Rockdale that is located in Boyd County.
      • For more information, please visit our profile page for the Hopkins County community of Rockdale.
      • Milam County
      • This Rockdale is located in Milam County and lies 880 miles [1,416.2 km] to the west southwest of the Rockdale that is located in Boyd County.
      • For more information, please visit our profile page for the Milam County community of Rockdale.
    • Washington
      • King County
      • This Rockdale is located in King County and lies 1,939 miles [3,120.5 km]<1> to the west northwest of the Rockdale that is located in Boyd County.
      • For more information, please visit our profile page for the King County community of Rockdale.
      • Lincoln County
      • We found mention of this community, but have little information.<2> For the information that we do have, please visit our profile page for the Washington community of Rockdale [Lincoln County].
    • West Virginia
      • Brooke County
      • This Rockdale is located in Brooke County and lies 255 miles [410.4 km]<1> to the east northeast of the Rockdale that is located in Boyd County.
      • For more information, please visit our profile page for the Brooke County community of Rockdale.
    • Wisconsin
      • Dane County
      • This Rockdale is located in Dane County and lies 388 miles [624.4 km]<1> to the northwest of the Rockdale that is located in Boyd County.
      • For more information, please visit our profile page for the Dane County community of Rockdale.
    • Wyoming
      • Carbon County
      • We found mention of this community, but have little information.<2> For the information that we do have, please visit our profile page for the Wyoming community of Rockdale [Carbon County].

Curious and Interesting Names Near Rockdale ...

As we travel, we always see a community with a name that gives pause. While there are names which are interesting or familiar, some catch our attention or strike our fancy. We always wonder about such a name. If time permits and the community is not too far, we'll usually try to make a side-trip.

How Far From Rockdale to ...

We spend a lot of time looking through Gazetteers that were published in the late 1800's and early 1900's. Many of the Gazetteers include the distance from a community such as Rockdale to various places of note, such as the White House.

With a nod to our favorite Gazetteers, the straight-line distance beginning in Rockdale and extending to:

  • Catlettsburg, which is the Seat of Boyd County, lies 112 miles [180.2 km]<1> to the east. If you could drive a straight line from Rockdale to Catlettsburg, with an average speed<4>of 63 miles [101.4 km] per hour, it would take about two hours to make the trip. A comfortable walk of 2.2 miles [3.5 km] per hour would take 7 days. A horse and buggy averaging 3.2 miles [5.1 km] per hour would take 5 days.
  • Frankfort, which is the State Capital of Kentucky, lies 17 miles [27.4 km] to the southwest (SW). The buggy would take five to six hours and walking would take most of a day.
  • The White House (Washington, DC) is 413 miles [664.7 km] to the east (E). Driving would take most of a day, a buggy would take 17 days and walking would take 24 days.
  • The shortest distance<5> to Jerusalem (specifically the Temple Mount and the Dome of the Rock) is 6,234 miles [10,032.7 km] and it lies to the northeast (NE).<6>
  • The distance to the Great Mosque of Mecca (specifically the Ka'bah - or Kaaba ) is 6,956 miles [11,194.6 km] and it lies to the northeast (NE).<7>
  • The distance to Saint Peter's Basilica (The Vatican) is 4,831 miles [7,774.7 km] and it lies to the northeast (NE).<8>'

Footnotes ...

<1>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- Rockdale) to Point B. In other words: 'As the crow flies'.
<2>If we encounter the name of what might be a community, our methodology is to add that name to our Gazetteer as a placeholder. As we find more information about that community, it will be added to our Gazetteer.

Just as a reminder: Our definition of a community is rather broad and includes those places (or areas) where several families lived and had a name which identified that place. For example, you might hear somebody say that they are going over to Mile's to see Pete ... Mile's is just a gas station and a couple of homes at the crossroads. While it might not be on the map, everybody in the area knows it by that name.

Places of interest include buildings at a crossroad, several families clustered in a hollow or maybe the location of a way station. It also includes places like mines, lumber camps, ferry crossings, etc. The community might still exist, is now gone or only existed for just a short period of time.

Also keep in mind that Rockdale could have been on the original document by mistake, misspelled, the original/alternate name of a community that we've listed elsewhere or was placed in the wrong county. Sometimes a post office or train station would have a different name than the community where it's located, so two names might be referring to the same community - we're working to straighten it all out.
<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 Rockdale, please let us know so that we can improve our accuracy.
<4>While we have tried to pick reasonable speeds, the rate of travel is very theoretical - obstacles like fences, hills, lakes, river crossings and rest stops have been ignored. When we say 'Days' of travel, we're assuming 8 hours of travel per day.
<5>The shortest line can be visualized by stretching a string on a Globe from Point A to Point B - this is known as a Great Circle Route. Where you might expect the shortest route from Rockdale to the Middle East to be East and South, the Great Circle Route actually lies to the North and East.Our distance measurements begin at a specific point in Rockdale. The point we use is located at these GPS coordinates - Latitude: 38.4096, Longitude: -84.6857    
<6>The calculated bearing (or angle) to Jerusalem is 312.541 degrees.
<7>The calculated bearing (or angle) to Mecca is 308.67 degrees.
<8>The calculated bearing (or angle) to the Vatican is 308.183 degrees.