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 Highlands (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 Highlands. 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 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.
Highlands is located in Cumberland County.
To see how the shape of Maine's counties may have changed over time, we recommend the Atlas of Historical County Boundaries.
The following counties adjoin and form the boundaries of Cumberland County: Androscoggin, Oxford, Sagadahoc & York.
Below are the counties that are near Highlands. For each of these counties, we show a sample of those communities that are closest to Highlands:
- Cumberland County (The home county of Highlands)
- The following are listed by their distance from Highlands, with the one closest to Highlands listed first.
- Portland
(Less than 2 miles to the east)
- Stroudwater
(Less than 2 miles to the southwest)
- Stroudwater is located in Cumberland County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Stroudwater
- Sagamore Village
(Less than 2 miles to the west)
- Sagamore Village is located in Cumberland County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sagamore Village
- Cash Corner
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the south)
- Cash Corner is located in Cumberland County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cash Corner
- Ferry Village
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the southeast)
- Ferry Village is located in Cumberland County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ferry Village
- Pleasantdale
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the southeast)
- Pleasantdale is located in Cumberland County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Pleasantdale
- Westbrook
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the northwest)
- South Portland
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the southeast)
- Lone Creek Village ‑ Historic
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the southwest)
- Lone Creek Village is located in Cumberland County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lone Creek Village
- Little Diamond Island Landing
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the east)
- Peaks Island
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the east)
- Falmouth
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the northeast)
- Androscoggin County
- The following are listed by their distance from Highlands, with the one closest to Highlands listed first.
- Durham
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the north)
- Danville
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the north)
- Danville is located in Androscoggin County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Danville
- Lisbon Falls
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the northeast)
- Lisbon
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the north)
- Penley Corner
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the north)
- Penley Corner is located in Androscoggin County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Penley Corner
- Rumford Junction
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the north)
- Rumford Junction is located in Androscoggin County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rumford Junction
- West Poland
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the north)
- East Poland
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the north)
- East Poland is located in Androscoggin County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for East Poland
- Littlefield Corner
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the north)
- Littlefield Corner is located in Androscoggin County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Littlefield Corner
- Poland
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the north)
- Minot
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the north)
- Minot is located in Androscoggin County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Minot
- Population from the 2020 Census: 2,595 people
- Moussam
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the north)
- Moussam is located in Androscoggin County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Moussam
- Oxford County
- The following are listed by their distance from Highlands, with the one closest to Highlands listed first.
- East Hiram
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the northwest)
- East Hiram is located in Oxford County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for East Hiram
- Rankins Mill
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the northwest)
- Rankins Mill is located in Oxford County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rankins Mill
- Durgintown
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the west)
- Durgintown is located in Oxford County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Durgintown
- Hiram
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the northwest)
- Spurrs Corner
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the northwest)
- Spurrs Corner is located in Oxford County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Spurrs Corner
- Sagadahoc County
- The following are listed by their distance from Highlands, with the one closest to Highlands listed first.
- Sebasco Estates
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the east)
- Small Point
(23 miles [37 km] to the east)
- Topsham
(23 miles [37 km] to the northeast)
- Pejepscot
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the northeast)
- Pejepscot is located in Sagadahoc County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Pejepscot
- Sabino
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the northeast)
- Sabino is located in Sagadahoc County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sabino
- Popham Beach
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the east)
- Popham Beach is located in Sagadahoc County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Popham Beach
- Phippsburg
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the northeast)
- West Bath
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the northeast)
- Georgetown
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the east)
- Arrowsic
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the northeast)
- Bath
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the northeast)
- Bowdoin Center
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the northeast)
- Bowdoin Center is located in Sagadahoc County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bowdoin Center
- York County
- The following are listed by their distance from Highlands, with the one closest to Highlands listed first.
- Old Orchard Beach
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the south)
- Buxton
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the west)
- Buxton is located in York County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Buxton
- Population from the 2020 Census: 8,368 people
- Ocean Park
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the south)
- Kinney Shores
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the south)
- Kinney Shores is located in York County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Kinney Shores
- Saco
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the southwest)
- Bar Mills
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the west)
- Chicopee
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the west)
- Chicopee is located in York County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Chicopee
- Kimbles Corner
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the west)
- Kimbles Corner is located in York County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Kimbles Corner
- Biddeford
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the southwest)
- Biddeford Pool
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the south)
- Hollis Center
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the west)
- Airport Village
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the southwest)
- Airport Village is located in York County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Airport Village
For an expanded list of the communities that are closest to Highlands, see our County-by-County Page for Highlands.
Cemeteries Near Highlands ...
Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of Highlands.
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 Highlands - one of the links might be able to help.
If not found below, our Cemetery List for Highlands covers a larger area, with the cemeteries listed in alphabetical order.
The following cemeteries are listed based on their distance from Highlands, with the one closest to Highlands listed first.
- Evergreen Cemetery
(Less than 2 miles to the northwest)
- Stroudwater Burying Ground
(Less than 2 miles to the southwest)
- Brooklawn Memorial Park
(Less than 2 miles to the southwest)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Brooklawn Memorial Park
- To give a relative sense of its location, the Brooklawn Memorial Park is a large cemetery that is located outside and to the west of Portland.
- The Brooklawn Memorial Park has also been known as:
- Brooklawn Memorial Cemetery
- Jump to Find-A-Grave: FG ID #852912 <2>
- Pine Grove Cemetery
(Less than 2 miles to the north)
- Western Cemetery
(Less than 2 miles to the southeast)
- Mt. Carmel Cemetery
(Less than 2 miles to the northwest)
- Mt. Sinai Cemetery
(Less than 2 miles to the northwest)
- Maplewood Cemetery
(Less than 2 miles to the north)
- Temple Beth El Memorial Park
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the southwest)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Temple Beth El Memorial Park
- To give a relative sense of its location, the Temple Beth El Memorial Park is a large cemetery that is located outside and to the west of Portland.
- The Temple Beth El Memorial Park has also been known as:
- Beth El Memorial Park
- Jump to Find-A-Grave: FG ID #2342716 <2>
- Calvary Cemetery
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the south)
- Forest City Cemetery
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the south)
- Bailey Cemetery
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the northwest)
- Continue List (286 more) ...
- Eastern Cemetery
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the east)
- Friends Cemetery
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the northwest)
- St. Hyacinthe Cemetery
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the west)
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 Highlands in the Atlas, the following 1895 communities would have been found near the current location of Highlands.
These communities are listed based on their distance from Highlands, with the one closest to Highlands listed first.
- Woodfords
(Less than 2 miles to the northeast)
- Woodfords is located in Cumberland County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Woodfords
- Deering
(Less than 2 miles to the northwest)
- Deering is located in Cumberland County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Deering
- Stroudwater
(Less than 2 miles to the southwest)
- Stroudwater is located in Cumberland County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Stroudwater
- Portland
(Less than 2 miles to the east)
- East Deering
(Less than 2 miles to the northeast)
- East Deering is located in Cumberland County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for East Deering
- Cash Corner
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the south)
- Cash Corner is located in Cumberland County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cash Corner
- Pleasantdale
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the southeast)
- Pleasantdale is located in Cumberland County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Pleasantdale
- Cumberland Mills
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the west)
- Cumberland Mills is located in Cumberland County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cumberland Mills
- Knightville
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the southeast)
- Knightville is located in Cumberland County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Knightville
- South Portland
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the southeast)
- Prides Corner
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the northwest)
- Prides Corner is located in Cumberland County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Prides Corner
- Westbrook
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the northwest)
- Continue List (14 more) ...
- Peaks Island
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the east)
- West Falmouth ‑ Historic
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the north)
- West Falmouth is located in Cumberland County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for West Falmouth
- Falmouth
(4 miles [6.4 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 Highlands. See our List of 1890's Communities around Highlands.
Newspapers Published in Highlands ...
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 301 newspapers that have been published in the area around Highlands.
Although we're unaware of any newspapers that were published in the immediate area of Highlands, there are papers which were published within 12 miles [19.3 km]<4>. A list of those papers, sorted by paper name, can be found on the Extended Newspaper List for Highlands.
Websites to Help With Your Genealogy Research ...
When we do our genealogical research, we start with the websites from Cyndi's List, FamilySearch and Genealogy Trails. These professional and volunteer 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 Highlands:
- Websites specific to Maine
- Pages specific to Cumberland County
- Genealogy information for nearby counties
- Androscoggin County
- Oxford County
- Sagadahoc County
- York County
- Cemetery Information and Directories for Maine
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 Highlands, 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 obstructions like rivers, canyons, lakes, et cetera - it's truly a line drawn from Point A (ie- Highlands) to Point B. In other words: 'As the crow flies'. |