RoadsideThoughts
A Gazetteer for the United States and Canada
Home >> State of North Carolina >> Lenoir County >> Dawson >> Tidbits & TriviaIndex...

Outdoor Activities ...

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

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

  • 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 Dawson:
    • 35.345163, -77.636361
    • 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 Dawson
  • 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 Lenoir County as the starting point when you click on the link below:
    • Open the eBird sighting report for Lenoir County
    • Since Dawson is near Greene County and also Wayne County, we have provided a link to their eBird sighting reports:
    • Open the eBird sighting report for Greene County
    • Open the eBird sighting report for Wayne 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 Dawson

Communities Also Named Dawson ...

We found 28 communities that are also named Dawson.

Within North Carolina, the name Dawson is unique.

Beyond North Carolina, we know of 28 communities that are located in the United States and Canada. Of these 28 communities, 26 are located in the United States and two are in Canada.

  • Communities Elsewhere In North America ...
    • Alabama
      • DeKalb County
      • This Dawson is located in DeKalb County and lies 475 miles [764.4 km]<1> to the west of the Dawson that is located in Lenoir County.
      • For more information, please visit our profile page for the DeKalb County community of Dawson.
    • Georgia
      • Terrell County
      • This Dawson is located in Terrell County and lies 462 miles [743.5 km]<1> to the west southwest of the Dawson that is located in Lenoir County.
      • For more information, please visit our profile page for the Terrell County community of Dawson.
    • Illinois
      • Sangamon County
      • This Dawson is located in Sangamon County and lies 717 miles [1,153.9 km]<1> to the west northwest of the Dawson that is located in Lenoir County.
      • For more information, please visit our profile page for the Sangamon County community of Dawson.
    • Indiana
      • Warrick 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 Indiana community of Dawson [Warrick County].
    • Iowa
      • Dallas County
      • This Dawson is located in Dallas County and lies 998 miles [1,606.1 km]<1> to the west northwest of the Dawson that is located in Lenoir County.
      • For more information, please visit our profile page for the Dallas County community of Dawson.
    • Kentucky
      • Hopkins 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 Kentucky community of Dawson [Hopkins County].
    • Manitoba
      • We haven't found the location of this community yet.
    • Maryland
      • Allegany County
      • This Dawson is located in Allegany County and lies 294 miles [473.1 km]<1> to the north northwest of the Dawson that is located in Lenoir County.
      • For more information, please visit our profile page for the Allegany County community of Dawson.
    • Massachusetts
      • Worcester County
      • This Dawson is located in Worcester County and lies 574 miles [923.8 km]<1> to the north northeast of the Dawson that is located in Lenoir County.
      • For more information, please visit our profile page for the Worcester County community of Dawson.
    • Michigan
      • Genesee 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 Michigan community of Dawson [Genesee County].
    • Minnesota
      • Lac qui Parle County
      • This Dawson is located in Lac qui Parle County and lies 1,171 miles [1,884.5 km]<1> to the northwest of the Dawson that is located in Lenoir County.
      • For more information, please visit our profile page for the Lac qui Parle County community of Dawson.
    • Missouri
      • Nodaway 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 Missouri community of Dawson [Nodaway County].
      • Wright County
      • This Dawson is located in Wright County and lies 826 miles [1,329.3 km]<1> to the west northwest of the Dawson that is located in Lenoir County.
      • For more information, please visit our profile page for the Wright County community of Dawson.
    • Montana
      • Silver Bow 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 Montana community of Dawson [Silver Bow County].
    • Nebraska
      • Richardson County
      • This Dawson is located in Richardson County and lies 1,044 miles [1,680.2 km]<1> to the west northwest of the Dawson that is located in Lenoir County.
      • For more information, please visit our profile page for the Richardson County community of Dawson.
    • New Mexico
      • Colfax County
      • This community is historic<3> and we have very little information. For the information that we do have, please visit our profile page for the New Mexico community of Dawson [Colfax County].
    • North Dakota
      • Kidder County
      • This Dawson is located in Kidder County and lies 1,391 miles [2,238.6 km]<1> to the northwest of the Dawson that is located in Lenoir County.
      • For more information, please visit our profile page for the Kidder County community of Dawson.
    • Ohio
      • Shelby County
      • This Dawson is located in Shelby County and lies 497 miles [799.8 km]<1> to the northwest of the Dawson that is located in Lenoir County.
      • For more information, please visit our profile page for the Shelby County community of Dawson.
    • Oklahoma
      • Tulsa County
      • This Dawson is located in Tulsa County and lies 1,023 miles [1,646.4 km]<1> to the west of the Dawson that is located in Lenoir County.
      • For more information, please visit our profile page for the Tulsa County community of Dawson.
    • Oregon
      • Benton County
      • This Dawson is located in Benton County and lies 2,470 miles [3,975.1 km]<1> to the west northwest of the Dawson that is located in Lenoir County.
      • For more information, please visit our profile page for the Benton County community of Dawson.
    • Pennsylvania
      • Beaver County
      • This Dawson is located in Beaver County and lies 399 miles [642.1 km]<1> to the north northwest of the Dawson that is located in Lenoir County.
      • For more information, please visit our profile page for the Beaver County community of Dawson.
      • Cambria 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 Pennsylvania community of Dawson [Cambria County].
      • Fayette County
      • This Dawson is located in Fayette County and lies 342 miles [550.4 km] to the north northwest of the Dawson that is located in Lenoir County.
      • For more information, please visit our profile page for the Fayette County community of Dawson.
      • Forest 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 Pennsylvania community of Dawson [Forest County].
    • Texas
      • Navarro County
      • This Dawson is located in Navarro County and lies 1,120 miles [1,802.5 km]<1> to the west of the Dawson that is located in Lenoir County.
      • For more information, please visit our profile page for the Navarro County community of Dawson.
    • Virginia
      • Hanover 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 Virginia community of Dawson [Hanover County].
    • West Virginia
      • Greenbrier County
      • This Dawson is located in Greenbrier County and lies 243 miles [391.1 km]<1> to the northwest of the Dawson that is located in Lenoir County.
      • For more information, please visit our profile page for the Greenbrier County community of Dawson.
    • Yukon
      • This Dawson lies 3,207 miles [5,161.2 km]<1> to the north northwest of the Dawson that is located in Lenoir County.

Curious and Interesting Names Near Dawson ...

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.

  • Branchwood
    (3 miles [4.8 km] to the southwest)
    • Branchwood is located in Lenoir County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Branchwood
  • Club Pines
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the southeast)
    • Club Pines is located in Lenoir County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Club Pines
  • Clubview
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the southeast)
    • Clubview is located in Lenoir County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Clubview
  • Greenmead
    (5 miles [8 km] to the southeast)
    • Greenmead is located in Lenoir County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Greenmead
  • Hickory Hills
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the south)
    • Hickory Hills is located in Lenoir County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hickory Hills
  • Howard Hights
    (5 miles [8 km] to the southeast)
    • Howard Hights is located in Lenoir County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Howard Hights
  • Hullwood
    (2 miles [3.2 km] to the south)
    • Hullwood is located in Lenoir County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hullwood
  • Institute
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the west)
    • Institute is located in Lenoir County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Institute
  • Parrots
    (3 miles [4.8 km] to the southwest)
    • Parrots is located in Lenoir County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Parrots
  • Random Woods
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the south)
    • Random Woods is located in Lenoir County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Random Woods
  • Tanglewood
    (3 miles [4.8 km] to the south)
    • Tanglewood is located in Lenoir County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Tanglewood
  • Trinity Woods
    (2 miles [3.2 km] to the south)
    • Trinity Woods is located in Lenoir County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Trinity Woods
  • Wheat Swamp
    (2 miles [3.2 km] to the west)
    • Wheat Swamp is located in Lenoir County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Wheat Swamp

How Far From Dawson to ...

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

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

  • Kinston, which is the Seat of Lenoir County, lies just to the South Southeast.
  • Raleigh, which is the State Capital of North Carolina, lies 63 miles [101.4 km]<1> to the west northwest (WNW). If you could walk a straight line from Dawson to Raleigh, with an average speed<4> of 2.2 miles [3.5 km] per hour, it would take most of three days to make the trip. A horse and buggy averaging 3.2 miles [5.1 km] per hour would take about three full days.
  • The White House (Washington, DC) is 247 miles [397.5 km] to the north (N). Driving, with an average speed of 63 miles [101.4 km] per hour, would take nearly four hours, a buggy would take 10 days and walking would take 14 days.
  • The shortest distance<5> to Jerusalem (specifically the Temple Mount and the Dome of the Rock) is 6,075 miles [9,776.8 km] and it lies to the northeast (NE).<6>
  • The distance to the Great Mosque of Mecca (specifically the Ka'bah - or Kaaba ) is 6,765 miles [10,887.2 km] and it lies to the east northeast (ENE).<7>
  • The distance to Saint Peter's Basilica (The Vatican) is 4,649 miles [7,481.8 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 obstructions like rivers, canyons, lakes, et cetera - it's truly a line drawn from Point A (ie- Dawson) 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 Rock Creek to see Pete ... Rock Creek 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 Dawson 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 Dawson, 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 Dawson 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 Dawson. The point we use is located at these GPS coordinates - Latitude: 35.3452, Longitude: -77.6364       In this case, the coordinates for Dawson have been provided by the Geographic Names Information System (GNIS).
<6>The calculated bearing (or angle) to Jerusalem is 308.396 degrees.
<7>The calculated bearing (or angle) to Mecca is 303.478 degrees.
<8>The calculated bearing (or angle) to the Vatican is 306.235 degrees.