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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 Center (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 Center. 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 southwest corner of their home county. During their lives, most hospitals and doctors were in the next county to the west. 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 west 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.

Center is located in Davie 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 Davie County: Davidson, Forsyth, Iredell, Rowan & Yadkin.

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

  • Davie County     (The home county of Center)
    • The following are listed by their distance from Center, with the one closest to Center listed first.
    • Calahaln
      (2 miles [3.2 km] to the west)
      • Calahaln is located in Davie County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Calahaln
    • Mocksville
      (3 miles [4.8 km] to the east)
    • Ephesus
      (6 miles [9.7 km] to the southeast)
      • Ephesus is located in Davie County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ephesus
    • Cooleemee
      (7 miles [11.3 km] to the southeast)
    • Pino
      (8 miles [12.9 km] to the north)
      • Pino is located in Davie County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Pino
    • Advance
      (11 miles [17.7 km] to the east)
    • Bermuda Run
      (12 miles [19.3 km] to the northeast)
    • Clinton
      (13 miles [20.9 km] to the southeast)
      • Clinton is located in Davie County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Clinton
  • Alexander County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Center, with the one closest to Center listed first.
    • Stony Point
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the west)
      • Stony Point is located in Alexander County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Stony Point
    • Hiddenite
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the west)
    • Fairview Park
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the west)
      • Fairview Park is located in Alexander County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Fairview Park
    • Midway
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the west)
      • Midway is located in Alexander County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Midway
    • Rocky Springs
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the west)
      • Rocky Springs is located in Alexander County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rocky Springs
    • Vashti
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the west)
      • Vashti is located in Alexander County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Vashti
  • Cabarrus County
    • Fisher Town
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the south)
      • Fisher Town is located in Cabarrus County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Fisher Town
  • Catawba County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Center, with the one closest to Center listed first.
    • Long Island
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the southwest)
      • Long Island is located in Catawba County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Long Island
    • Monbo
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the southwest)
      • Monbo is located in Catawba County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Monbo
    • Sherrills Ford
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the southwest)
    • Sunrise Beach
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the west)
      • Sunrise Beach is located in Catawba County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sunrise Beach
    • Catawba
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the southwest)
    • Lake Norman of Catawba
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the southwest)
    • Terrell
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the southwest)
    • Catfish
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the west)
      • Catfish is located in Catawba County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Catfish
  • Davidson County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Center, with the one closest to Center listed first.
    • Reedy Creek
      (15 miles [24.1 km] to the east)
      • Reedy Creek is located in Davidson County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Reedy Creek
    • Tyro
      (15 miles [24.1 km] to the southeast)
      • Tyro is located in Davidson County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Tyro
    • Currytown
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the east)
      • Currytown is located in Davidson County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Currytown
    • Arcadia
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the east)
      • Arcadia is located in Davidson County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Arcadia
    • Sapona
      (18 miles [29 km] to the east)
      • Sapona is located in Davidson County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sapona
    • Lakeview
      (18 miles [29 km] to the southeast)
      • Lakeview is located in Davidson County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lakeview
    • Welcome
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the east)
    • Linwood
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the southeast)
    • Jefferson Village
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the east)
      • Jefferson Village is located in Davidson County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Jefferson Village
    • Lexington
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the east)
    • Midway
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the east)
      • Midway is located in Davidson County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Midway
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 4,951 people
    • Cotton Grove
      (23 miles [37 km] to the southeast)
      • Cotton Grove is located in Davidson County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cotton Grove
  • Forsyth County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Center, with the one closest to Center listed first.
    • Muddy Creek
      (14 miles [22.5 km] to the northeast)
      • Muddy Creek is located in Forsyth County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Muddy Creek
    • Clemmons
      (15 miles [24.1 km] to the northeast)
    • Cinnamon Ridge
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the northeast)
      • Cinnamon Ridge is located in Forsyth County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cinnamon Ridge
    • Eaglewood
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the northeast)
      • Eaglewood is located in Forsyth County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Eaglewood
    • Grapewood
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the northeast)
      • Grapewood is located in Forsyth County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Grapewood
    • Lewisville
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the northeast)
    • Cutters Creek
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the northeast)
      • Cutters Creek is located in Forsyth County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cutters Creek
    • Robin Hood Trace
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the northeast)
      • Robin Hood Trace is located in Forsyth County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Robin Hood Trace
    • Robinhood Forest
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the northeast)
      • Robinhood Forest is located in Forsyth County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Robinhood Forest
    • Vienna Forest
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the northeast)
      • Vienna Forest is located in Forsyth County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Vienna Forest
    • Vienna
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the northeast)
      • Vienna is located in Forsyth County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Vienna
    • Hunters Trace
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the northeast)
      • Hunters Trace is located in Forsyth County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hunters Trace
  • Iredell County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Center, with the one closest to Center listed first.
    • Cool Springs
      (7 miles [11.3 km] to the southwest)
      • Cool Springs is located in Iredell County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cool Springs
    • Harmony
      (9 miles [14.5 km] to the west)
    • Houstonville
      (10 miles [16.1 km] to the northwest)
      • Houstonville is located in Iredell County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Houstonville
    • Turnersburg
      (10 miles [16.1 km] to the west)
      • Turnersburg is located in Iredell County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Turnersburg
    • Olin
      (12 miles [19.3 km] to the west)
      • Olin is located in Iredell County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Olin
    • Union Grove
      (15 miles [24.1 km] to the northwest)
    • Belmont
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the southwest)
      • Belmont is located in Iredell County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Belmont
    • Statesville
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the southwest)
    • Barium Springs
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the southwest)
      • Barium Springs is located in Iredell County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Barium Springs
    • Mazeppa
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the southwest)
      • Mazeppa is located in Iredell County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mazeppa
    • Ostwalt
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the southwest)
      • Ostwalt is located in Iredell County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ostwalt
    • New Hope ‑ Historic
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the west)
      • New Hope is located in Iredell County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for New Hope
  • Rowan County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Center, with the one closest to Center listed first.
    • Needmore
      (7 miles [11.3 km] to the south)
      • Needmore is located in Rowan County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Needmore
    • Pittsburg
      (7 miles [11.3 km] to the southwest)
      • Pittsburg is located in Rowan County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Pittsburg
    • Mount Vernon
      (8 miles [12.9 km] to the south)
      • Mount Vernon is located in Rowan County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mount Vernon
    • Woodleaf
      (9 miles [14.5 km] to the south)
    • Barber
      (12 miles [19.3 km] to the south)
      • Barber is located in Rowan County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Barber
    • Cleveland
      (12 miles [19.3 km] to the south)
    • Franklin
      (14 miles [22.5 km] to the southeast)
      • Franklin is located in Rowan County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Franklin
    • Mocksville
      (14 miles [22.5 km] to the southeast)
      • Mocksville is located in Rowan County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mocksville
    • Ellis Crossroads
      (15 miles [24.1 km] to the southeast)
      • Ellis Crossroads is located in Rowan County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ellis Crossroads
    • Bear Poplar
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the south)
      • Bear Poplar is located in Rowan County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bear Poplar
    • Meadowbrook
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the southeast)
      • Meadowbrook is located in Rowan County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Meadowbrook
    • Shannon Park
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the southeast)
      • Shannon Park is located in Rowan County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Shannon Park
  • Stokes County
  • Surry County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Center, with the one closest to Center listed first.
    • Rockford
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the north)
      • Rockford is located in Surry County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rockford
    • Boyden ‑ Historic
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the north)
      • Boyden is located in Surry County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Boyden
    • Shoals
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the north)
      • Shoals is located in Surry County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Shoals
    • Siloam
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the north)
      • Siloam is located in Surry County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Siloam
    • Rusk ‑ Historic
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the north)
      • Rusk is located in Surry County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rusk
    • Stony Knoll
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the north)
      • Stony Knoll is located in Surry County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Stony Knoll
    • Elkin
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the northwest)
    • Elkin Valley
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the northwest)
      • Elkin Valley is located in Surry County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Elkin Valley
    • Copeland
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the north)
      • Copeland is located in Surry County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Copeland
    • Fairview
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the north)
      • Fairview is located in Surry County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Fairview
    • Mulberry
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the north)
      • Mulberry is located in Surry County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mulberry
    • Pine Hill
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the north)
      • Pine Hill is located in Surry County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Pine Hill
  • Wilkes County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Center, with the one closest to Center listed first.
    • New Castle ‑ Historic
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the northwest)
      • New Castle is located in Wilkes County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for New Castle
    • Zimmerman ‑ Historic
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the northwest)
      • Zimmerman is located in Wilkes County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Zimmerman
    • Clingman
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the northwest)
      • Clingman is located in Wilkes County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Clingman
    • Brier Creek ‑ Historic
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the northwest)
      • Brier Creek is located in Wilkes County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Brier Creek
    • Pleasant Hill
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the northwest)
      • Pleasant Hill is located in Wilkes County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Pleasant Hill
    • Ronda
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the northwest)
    • Roaring River
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the northwest)
      • Roaring River is located in Wilkes County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Roaring River
  • Yadkin County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Center, with the one closest to Center listed first.
    • Courtney
      (10 miles [16.1 km] to the north)
      • Courtney is located in Yadkin County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Courtney
    • Wyo
      (10 miles [16.1 km] to the north)
      • Wyo is located in Yadkin County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Wyo
    • Footville
      (11 miles [17.7 km] to the northwest)
      • Footville is located in Yadkin County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Footville
    • Huntsville
      (12 miles [19.3 km] to the northeast)
      • Huntsville is located in Yadkin County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Huntsville
    • Yadkinville
      (15 miles [24.1 km] to the north)
    • Branon
      (15 miles [24.1 km] to the northwest)
      • Branon is located in Yadkin County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Branon
    • Hamptonville
      (15 miles [24.1 km] to the northwest)
    • Windsors Crossroads
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the northwest)
      • Windsors Crossroads is located in Yadkin County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Windsors Crossroads
    • Marler
      (18 miles [29 km] to the northwest)
      • Marler is located in Yadkin County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Marler
    • Forbush
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the north)
      • Forbush is located in Yadkin County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Forbush
    • Cycle
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the northwest)
      • Cycle is located in Yadkin County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cycle
    • Union Grove
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the north)
      • Union Grove is located in Yadkin County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Union Grove

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

Cemeteries Near Center ...

Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of Center.

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 Center - one of the links might be able to help.

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

The following cemeteries are listed based on their distance from Center, with the one closest to Center 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 Center in the Atlas, the following 1895 communities would have been found near the current location of Center.

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

  • Calahaln
    (2 miles [3.2 km] to the west)
    • Calahaln is located in Davie County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Calahaln
  • Mocksville
    (3 miles [4.8 km] to the east)
  • Cana
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the northeast)
    • Cana is located in Davie County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cana
  • Ephesus
    (6 miles [9.7 km] to the southeast)
    • Ephesus is located in Davie County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ephesus
  • Cool Springs
    (7 miles [11.3 km] to the southwest)
    • Cool Springs is located in Iredell County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cool Springs
  • Cornatzer
    (7 miles [11.3 km] to the east)
    • Cornatzer is located in Davie County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cornatzer
  • Mount Vernon
    (8 miles [12.9 km] to the south)
    • Mount Vernon is located in Rowan County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mount Vernon
  • Jerusalem
    (8 miles [12.9 km] to the southeast)
    • Jerusalem is located in Davie County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Jerusalem
  • Farmington
    (8 miles [12.9 km] to the northeast)
    • Farmington is located in Davie County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Farmington
  • Pino
    (8 miles [12.9 km] to the north)
    • Pino is located in Davie County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Pino
  • Woodleaf
    (9 miles [14.5 km] to the south)
  • Harmony
    (9 miles [14.5 km] to the west)
  • Continue List   (14 more) ...
    • Wyo
      (10 miles [16.1 km] to the north)
      • Wyo is located in Yadkin County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Wyo
    • Houstonville
      (10 miles [16.1 km] to the northwest)
      • Houstonville is located in Iredell County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Houstonville
    • Turnersburg
      (10 miles [16.1 km] to the west)
      • Turnersburg is located in Iredell County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Turnersburg

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

Newspapers Published in Center ...

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 12 newspapers that have been published in the area around Center.

Although we're unaware of any newspapers that were published in the immediate area of Center, there are papers which were published within 15 miles [24.1 km]<2>. A list of those papers, sorted by paper name, can be found on the Extended Newspaper List for Center.

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 websites either 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 Center:

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>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- Center) to Point B. In other words: 'As the crow flies'.
<3>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.
<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 Center, please let us know so that we can improve our accuracy.