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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 Forest Park (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 Forest Park. 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 Parishes ...

When searching for family records, we have frequently made the mistake of not checking the neighboring parishes.

For example, we have great-grandparents who lived in the southwest corner of their home parish. During their lives, most doctors and hospitals were in the next parish to the west. Almost all of the nearby churches and cemeteries were in the parish to the south.

So when searching for records, we had our best success by looking in neighboring parishes instead of the parish in which they lived:  their home parish contained property and probate records; the parish to the west contained birth and death records; the parish to the south contained their burial records. If we hadn't included the neighboring parishes, we would have missed many valuable sources of information.

If you're in a similar situation, we hope that the following information helps.

Forest Park is located in Ouachita Parish.

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

The following parishes adjoin and form the boundaries of Ouachita Parish: Caldwell, Jackson, Lincoln, Morehouse, Richland & Union.

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

  • Ouachita Parish     (The home parish of Forest Park)
    • The following are listed by their distance from Forest Park, with the one closest to Forest Park listed first.
    • West Monroe
      (2 miles [3.2 km] to the south)
      • West Monroe is located in Ouachita Parish
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for West Monroe
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 12,086 people
    • Monroe
      (3 miles [4.8 km] to the southeast)
      • Monroe is located in Ouachita Parish
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Monroe
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 46,998 people
      • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Monroe <1>
    • Claiborne
      (3 miles [4.8 km] to the southwest)
      • Claiborne is located in Ouachita Parish
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Claiborne
    • Northpark Village
      (4 miles [6.4 km] to the northeast)
      • Northpark Village is located in Ouachita Parish
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Northpark Village
    • Leisure Village
      (7 miles [11.3 km] to the east)
      • Leisure Village is located in Ouachita Parish
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Leisure Village
    • Spanish City
      (7 miles [11.3 km] to the east)
      • Spanish City is located in Ouachita Parish
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Spanish City
    • Pino Bayou Village
      (7 miles [11.3 km] to the southeast)
      • Pino Bayou Village is located in Ouachita Parish
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Pino Bayou Village
    • Richwood
      (8 miles [12.9 km] to the southeast)
      • Richwood is located in Ouachita Parish
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Richwood
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 3,375 people
    • Swartz
      (9 miles [14.5 km] to the east)
    • Fairbanks
      (9 miles [14.5 km] to the northeast)
    • Forksville
      (10 miles [16.1 km] to the west)
      • Forksville is located in Ouachita Parish
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Forksville
    • Sterlington
      (11 miles [17.7 km] to the northeast)
    • Eureka
      (11 miles [17.7 km] to the west)
      • Eureka is located in Ouachita Parish
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Eureka
  • Caldwell Parish
    • The following are listed by their distance from Forest Park, with the one closest to Forest Park listed first.
    • Vixen
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the south)
      • Vixen is located in Caldwell Parish
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Vixen
    • Mount Pleasant
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the south)
      • Mount Pleasant is located in Caldwell Parish
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mount Pleasant
    • Columbia
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the south)
  • Franklin Parish
    • The following are listed by their distance from Forest Park, with the one closest to Forest Park listed first.
    • Big Creek
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the southeast)
      • Big Creek is located in Franklin Parish
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Big Creek
    • Baskin
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the southeast)
  • Jackson Parish
    • The following are listed by their distance from Forest Park, with the one closest to Forest Park listed first.
    • Eros
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the southwest)
      • Eros is located in Jackson Parish
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Eros
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 151 people
      • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Eros <1>
    • Cartwright
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the west)
      • Cartwright is located in Jackson Parish
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cartwright
    • Nash ‑ Historic
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the southwest)
      • Nash is located in Jackson Parish
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Nash
    • Chatham
      (23 miles [37 km] to the southwest)
    • Dalley ‑ Historic
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the southwest)
      • Dalley is located in Jackson Parish
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Dalley
    • Zoar
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the southwest)
      • Zoar is located in Jackson Parish
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Zoar
  • Lincoln Parish
    • The following are listed by their distance from Forest Park, with the one closest to Forest Park listed first.
    • Averit ‑ Historic
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the west)
      • Averit is located in Lincoln Parish
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Averit
    • Sibley
      (18 miles [29 km] to the west)
      • Sibley is located in Lincoln Parish
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sibley
    • Choudrant
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the west)
    • Cedarton
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the west)
      • Cedarton is located in Lincoln Parish
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cedarton
    • Ruston
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the west)
    • Unionville
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the west)
      • Unionville is located in Lincoln Parish
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Unionville
    • Vienna
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the west)
      • Vienna is located in Lincoln Parish
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Vienna
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 365 people
  • Morehouse Parish
    • The following are listed by their distance from Forest Park, with the one closest to Forest Park listed first.
    • Windsor
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the northeast)
      • Windsor is located in Morehouse Parish
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Windsor
    • Collinston
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the northeast)
    • Bastrop
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the northeast)
    • Oak Ridge
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the east)
    • Mer Rouge
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the northeast)
  • Richland Parish
    • The following are listed by their distance from Forest Park, with the one closest to Forest Park listed first.
    • Start
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the east)
    • Alto
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the southeast)
      • Alto is located in Richland Parish
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Alto
    • Rayville
      (23 miles [37 km] to the east)
    • Archibald
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the southeast)
    • Mangham
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the southeast)
    • New Light
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the southeast)
      • New Light is located in Richland Parish
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for New Light
  • Union Parish
    • The following are listed by their distance from Forest Park, with the one closest to Forest Park listed first.
    • Wilhite
      (8 miles [12.9 km] to the northwest)
      • Wilhite is located in Union Parish
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Wilhite
    • Ouachita City
      (13 miles [20.9 km] to the north)
      • Ouachita City is located in Union Parish
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ouachita City
    • Downsville
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the west)
    • Haile
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the north)
      • Haile is located in Union Parish
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Haile
    • Farmerville
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the northwest)
    • Marion
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the north)

For an expanded list of the communities that are closest to Forest Park, see our Parish-by-Parish Page for Forest Park.

Cemeteries Near Forest Park ...

Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of Forest Park.

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 Forest Park - one of the links might be able to help.

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

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

  • Hasley Cemetery
    (Less than 2 miles to the south)
  • Old City Cemetery
    (3 miles [4.8 km] to the southeast)
  • Jewish Cemetery
    (3 miles [4.8 km] to the southeast)
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Jewish Cemetery
    • To give a relative sense of its location, the Jewish Cemetery is a large cemetery that is located in Monroe.
    • The Jewish Cemetery has also been known as:
    • Rosena Chapel Cemetery
    • Jump to Find-A-Grave: FG ID #2158050 <2>
  • St. Mathew Cemetery
    (3 miles [4.8 km] to the southeast)
  • Smith Cemetery
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the southwest)
  • Kilpatrick's Serenity Gardens
    (6 miles [9.7 km] to the west)
  • New City Cemetery
    (6 miles [9.7 km] to the south)
  • Rock Row Cemetery
    (6 miles [9.7 km] to the north)
  • McCormick Cemetery
    (6 miles [9.7 km] to the west)
  • Mulhearn Memorial Park Cemetery
    (7 miles [11.3 km] to the east)
  • Bufferin Cemetery
    (7 miles [11.3 km] to the northeast)
  • Ballard Cemetery
    (8 miles [12.9 km] to the southeast)
  • Continue List   (198 more) ...
    • Cosper Cemetery
      (8 miles [12.9 km] to the east)
    • Phillips Cemetery
      (8 miles [12.9 km] to the northeast)
    • Glendora Cemetery
      (8 miles [12.9 km] to the north)

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.<3>

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

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

  • West Monroe
    (2 miles [3.2 km] to the south)
    • West Monroe is located in Ouachita Parish
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for West Monroe
    • Population from the 2020 Census: 12,086 people
  • Monroe
    (3 miles [4.8 km] to the southeast)
    • Monroe is located in Ouachita Parish
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Monroe
    • Population from the 2020 Census: 46,998 people
    • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Monroe <1>
  • Cheniere
    (6 miles [9.7 km] to the southwest)
    • Cheniere is located in Ouachita Parish
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cheniere
  • Sicard
    (6 miles [9.7 km] to the east)
    • Sicard is located in Ouachita Parish
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sicard
  • Forksville
    (10 miles [16.1 km] to the west)
    • Forksville is located in Ouachita Parish
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Forksville
  • Millhaven
    (10 miles [16.1 km] to the east)
    • Millhaven is located in Ouachita Parish
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Millhaven
  • Point
    (10 miles [16.1 km] to the northwest)
    • Point is located in Union Parish
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Point
  • Calhoun
    (12 miles [19.3 km] to the west)
  • Lapine
    (12 miles [19.3 km] to the southwest)
    • Lapine is located in Ouachita Parish
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lapine
  • De Siard
    (12 miles [19.3 km] to the northeast)
    • De Siard is located in Ouachita Parish
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for De Siard
  • Walnut Lane ‑ Historic
    (12 miles [19.3 km] to the west)
    • Walnut Lane is located in Union Parish
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Walnut Lane
  • Cadeville
    (13 miles [20.9 km] to the southwest)
    • Cadeville is located in Ouachita Parish
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cadeville
  • Continue List   (15 more) ...
    • Colsons ‑ Historic
      (13 miles [20.9 km] to the northwest)
      • Colsons is located in Union Parish
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Colsons
    • Ouachita City
      (13 miles [20.9 km] to the north)
      • Ouachita City is located in Union Parish
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ouachita City
    • Indian Village
      (15 miles [24.1 km] to the west)
      • Indian Village is located in Ouachita Parish
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Indian Village

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

Newspapers Published in Forest Park ...

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 29 newspapers that have been published in the area around Forest Park.

Although we're unaware of any newspapers that were published in the immediate area of Forest Park, there are papers which were published within 3 miles [4.8 km]<4>. A list of those papers, sorted by paper name, can be found on the Extended Newspaper List for Forest Park.

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 Forest Park:

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>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 Forest Park, please let us know so that we can improve our accuracy.
<4>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- Forest Park) to Point B. In other words: 'As the crow flies'.