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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 Avalon Valley (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 Avalon Valley. 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 southeast 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 south.

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 south 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.

Avalon Valley is located in Alamance County.

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

The following counties adjoin and form the boundaries of Alamance County: Caswell, Chatham, Guilford, Orange, Randolph & Rockingham.

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

  • Alamance County     (The home county of Avalon Valley)
    • The following are listed by their distance from Avalon Valley, with the one closest to Avalon Valley listed first.
    • Granite Village
      (Less than 2 miles to the north)
      • Granite Village is located in Alamance County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Granite Village
    • Cooper Estates
      (Less than 2 miles to the south)
      • Cooper Estates is located in Alamance County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cooper Estates
    • Maple Grove Acres
      (Less than 2 miles to the south)
      • Maple Grove Acres is located in Alamance County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Maple Grove Acres
    • The Farm
      (Less than 2 miles to the southwest)
      • The Farm is located in Alamance County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for The Farm
    • Forest Hills
      (Less than 2 miles to the southwest)
      • Forest Hills is located in Alamance County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Forest Hills
    • Graham
      (Less than 2 miles to the west)
      • Graham is located in Alamance County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Graham
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 15,766 people
      • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Graham <1>
    • Haw River
      (2 miles [3.2 km] to the northeast)
    • Swepsonville
      (2 miles [3.2 km] to the southeast)
      • Swepsonville is located in Alamance County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Swepsonville
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 1,386 people
    • Broad Acres
      (2 miles [3.2 km] to the southwest)
      • Broad Acres is located in Alamance County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Broad Acres
    • Rockwood
      (2 miles [3.2 km] to the southwest)
      • Rockwood is located in Alamance County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rockwood
    • Cedar Crest
      (2 miles [3.2 km] to the west)
      • Cedar Crest is located in Alamance County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cedar Crest
    • Knollwood
      (2 miles [3.2 km] to the west)
      • Knollwood is located in Alamance County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Knollwood
  • Caswell County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Avalon Valley, with the one closest to Avalon Valley listed first.
    • Stony Creek
      (13 miles [20.9 km] to the north)
      • Stony Creek is located in Caswell County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Stony Creek
    • Anderson
      (14 miles [22.5 km] to the north)
      • Anderson is located in Caswell County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Anderson
    • Jericho
      (15 miles [24.1 km] to the north)
      • Jericho is located in Caswell County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Jericho
    • Prospect Hill
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the northeast)
      • Prospect Hill is located in Caswell County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Prospect Hill
    • Ridgeville
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the northeast)
      • Ridgeville is located in Caswell County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ridgeville
    • Ashland
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the northwest)
      • Ashland is located in Caswell County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ashland
    • Locust Hill
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the north)
      • Locust Hill is located in Caswell County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Locust Hill
    • West Yanceyville
      (23 miles [37 km] to the north)
      • West Yanceyville is located in Caswell County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for West Yanceyville
    • Yanceyville
      (23 miles [37 km] to the north)
    • Quick
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the north)
      • Quick is located in Caswell County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Quick
    • Leasburg
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the northeast)
    • Bethel
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the north)
      • Bethel is located in Caswell County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bethel
  • Chatham County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Avalon Valley, with the one closest to Avalon Valley listed first.
    • Siler City
      (23 miles [37 km] to the south)
    • Bynum
      (23 miles [37 km] to the southeast)
      • Bynum is located in Chatham County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bynum
    • Fearrington Village
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the southeast)
      • Fearrington Village is located in Chatham County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Fearrington Village
    • Pittsboro
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the southeast)
    • Bonlee
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the south)
      • Bonlee is located in Chatham County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bonlee
    • Bear Creek
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the south)
      • Bear Creek is located in Chatham County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bear Creek
  • Durham County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Avalon Valley, with the one closest to Avalon Valley listed first.
    • The American Village
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the east)
      • The American Village is located in Durham County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for The American Village
    • Durham
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the east)
    • Rougemont
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the northeast)
    • Bahama
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the east)
    • Parkwood
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the southeast)
      • Parkwood is located in Durham County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Parkwood
    • Gorman
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the east)
      • Gorman is located in Durham County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Gorman
  • Guilford County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Avalon Valley, with the one closest to Avalon Valley listed first.
    • Gibsonville
      (9 miles [14.5 km] to the west)
    • Whitsett
      (10 miles [16.1 km] to the west)
    • Sedalia
      (13 miles [20.9 km] to the west)
      • Sedalia is located in Guilford County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sedalia
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 689 people
    • McLeansville
      (15 miles [24.1 km] to the west)
    • Julian
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the southwest)
    • Forest Oaks
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the west)
      • Forest Oaks is located in Guilford County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Forest Oaks
    • Browns Summit
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the northwest)
    • Climax
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the southwest)
    • Rudd
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the west)
      • Rudd is located in Guilford County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rudd
    • Cumberland
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the west)
      • Cumberland is located in Guilford County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cumberland
    • Pleasant Garden
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the west)
    • White Oak
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the west)
      • White Oak is located in Guilford County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for White Oak
  • Orange County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Avalon Valley, with the one closest to Avalon Valley listed first.
    • Lakeview Acres
      (7 miles [11.3 km] to the northeast)
      • Lakeview Acres is located in Orange County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lakeview Acres
    • Cheeks Crossroads
      (8 miles [12.9 km] to the east)
      • Cheeks Crossroads is located in Orange County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cheeks Crossroads
    • Miles
      (8 miles [12.9 km] to the east)
      • Miles is located in Orange County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Miles
    • Oaks
      (10 miles [16.1 km] to the southeast)
      • Oaks is located in Orange County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Oaks
    • Teer
      (10 miles [16.1 km] to the southeast)
      • Teer is located in Orange County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Teer
    • Efland
      (11 miles [17.7 km] to the east)
    • Jordan Oak
      (11 miles [17.7 km] to the east)
      • Jordan Oak is located in Orange County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Jordan Oak
    • Orange Grove
      (11 miles [17.7 km] to the southeast)
      • Orange Grove is located in Orange County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Orange Grove
    • Stagecoach Forest
      (12 miles [19.3 km] to the east)
      • Stagecoach Forest is located in Orange County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Stagecoach Forest
    • Carr
      (13 miles [20.9 km] to the northeast)
      • Carr is located in Orange County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Carr
    • Cedar Grove
      (13 miles [20.9 km] to the northeast)
      • Cedar Grove is located in Orange County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cedar Grove
    • Dodsons Crossroads
      (13 miles [20.9 km] to the southeast)
      • Dodsons Crossroads is located in Orange County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Dodsons Crossroads
  • Person County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Avalon Valley, with the one closest to Avalon Valley listed first.
    • Hurdle Mills
      (23 miles [37 km] to the northeast)
    • Allens Level
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the northeast)
      • Allens Level is located in Person County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Allens Level
    • Cates
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the northeast)
      • Cates is located in Person County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cates
    • Roseville
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the northeast)
      • Roseville is located in Person County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Roseville
    • Timberlake
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the northeast)
    • Whitt Town
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the northeast)
      • Whitt Town is located in Person County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Whitt Town
    • Hicks Village
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the northeast)
      • Hicks Village is located in Person County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hicks Village
    • Mount Tirzah
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the northeast)
      • Mount Tirzah is located in Person County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mount Tirzah
  • Randolph County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Avalon Valley, with the one closest to Avalon Valley listed first.
    • Liberty
      (18 miles [29 km] to the southwest)
    • Staley
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the southwest)
    • Melanchton
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the southwest)
      • Melanchton is located in Randolph County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Melanchton
    • Redcross
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the southwest)
      • Redcross is located in Randolph County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Redcross
    • Millboro
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the southwest)
      • Millboro is located in Randolph County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Millboro
    • Ramseur
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the southwest)
    • Franklinville
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the southwest)
    • Cedar Falls
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the southwest)
      • Cedar Falls is located in Randolph County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cedar Falls
    • Randleman
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the southwest)
    • Worthville
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the southwest)
      • Worthville is located in Randolph County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Worthville
    • Central Falls
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the southwest)
      • Central Falls is located in Randolph County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Central Falls
  • Rockingham County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Avalon Valley, with the one closest to Avalon Valley listed first.
    • Belmont
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the northwest)
      • Belmont is located in Rockingham County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Belmont
    • Lawsonville
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the northwest)
      • Lawsonville is located in Rockingham County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lawsonville
    • Reidsville
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the northwest)
    • Norwood
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the northwest)
      • Norwood is located in Rockingham County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Norwood
    • Ruffin
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the north)
    • Wittys Crossroads
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the northwest)
      • Wittys Crossroads is located in Rockingham County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Wittys Crossroads
    • Wentworth
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the northwest)
      • Wentworth is located in Rockingham County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Wentworth
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 2,734 people

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

Cemeteries Near Avalon Valley ...

Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of Avalon Valley.

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 Avalon Valley - one of the links might be able to help.

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

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

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

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

  • Graham
    (Less than 2 miles to the west)
    • Graham is located in Alamance County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Graham
    • Population from the 2020 Census: 15,766 people
    • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Graham <1>
  • Swepsonville
    (2 miles [3.2 km] to the southeast)
    • Swepsonville is located in Alamance County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Swepsonville
    • Population from the 2020 Census: 1,386 people
  • Haw River
    (2 miles [3.2 km] to the northeast)
  • Hawfields
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the east)
    • Hawfields is located in Alamance County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hawfields
  • Burlington
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the northwest)
  • Mebane
    (6 miles [9.7 km] to the east)
    • Mebane is located in Alamance County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mebane
    • Population from the 2020 Census: 16,732 people
    • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Mebane <1>
  • Rock Creek
    (7 miles [11.3 km] to the southwest)
    • Rock Creek is located in Alamance County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rock Creek
  • McCray
    (7 miles [11.3 km] to the north)
    • McCray is located in Alamance County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for McCray
  • Elon College
    (7 miles [11.3 km] to the west)
  • Saxapahaw
    (8 miles [12.9 km] to the south)
  • Gibsonville
    (9 miles [14.5 km] to the west)
  • Oaks
    (10 miles [16.1 km] to the southeast)
    • Oaks is located in Orange County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Oaks
  • Continue List   (13 more) ...
    • Teer
      (10 miles [16.1 km] to the southeast)
      • Teer is located in Orange County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Teer
    • Union Ridge
      (10 miles [16.1 km] to the north)
      • Union Ridge is located in Alamance County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Union Ridge
    • Kimesville
      (11 miles [17.7 km] to the southwest)
      • Kimesville is located in Alamance County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Kimesville

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

Newspapers Published in Avalon Valley ...

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 31 newspapers that have been published in the area around Avalon Valley.

Although we're unaware of any newspapers that were published in the immediate area of Avalon Valley, there are papers which were published within 15 miles [24.1 km]<3>. A list of those papers, sorted by paper name, can be found on the Extended Newspaper List for Avalon Valley.

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 Avalon Valley:

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' (or 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- Avalon Valley) 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 Avalon Valley, please let us know so that we can improve our accuracy.