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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 Hickory (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 Hickory. 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 doctors and hospitals 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.

Hickory is primarily located in Catawba County. A portion of Hickory extends into Burke County and Caldwell 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 Catawba County: Alexander, Burke, Caldwell, Cleveland, Iredell & Lincoln.

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

  • Catawba County     (The home county of Hickory)
    • The following are listed by their distance from Hickory, with the one closest to Hickory listed first.
    • Viewmont
      (Less than 2 miles to the northeast)
      • Viewmont is located in Catawba County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Viewmont
    • Sweetwater
      (2 miles [3.2 km] to the east)
      • Sweetwater is located in Catawba County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sweetwater
    • Brookford
      (2 miles [3.2 km] to the south)
      • Brookford is located in Catawba County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Brookford
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 381 people
    • Long View
      (2 miles [3.2 km] to the west)
      • Long View is located in Catawba County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Long View
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 4,951 people
    • North Hickory
      (3 miles [4.8 km] to the north)
      • North Hickory is located in Catawba County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for North Hickory
    • Mountain View
      (3 miles [4.8 km] to the south)
      • Mountain View is located in Catawba County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mountain View
    • Fairbrook
      (3 miles [4.8 km] to the southeast)
      • Fairbrook is located in Catawba County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Fairbrook
    • Fairgrove
      (4 miles [6.4 km] to the east)
      • Fairgrove is located in Catawba County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Fairgrove
    • Saint Stephens
      (4 miles [6.4 km] to the northeast)
      • Saint Stephens is located in Catawba County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Saint Stephens
    • Meadow Brook Village
      (4 miles [6.4 km] to the southwest)
      • Meadow Brook Village is located in Catawba County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Meadow Brook Village
    • Advent Crossroads
      (6 miles [9.7 km] to the southwest)
    • Conover
      (7 miles [11.3 km] to the east)
    • Propst Crossroads
      (7 miles [11.3 km] to the south)
      • Propst Crossroads is located in Catawba County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Propst Crossroads
  • Alexander County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Hickory, with the one closest to Hickory listed first.
    • Bethlehem
      (6 miles [9.7 km] to the north)
      • Bethlehem is located in Alexander County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bethlehem
    • Little River
      (10 miles [16.1 km] to the north)
      • Little River is located in Alexander County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Little River
    • Taylorsville Beach
      (10 miles [16.1 km] to the northeast)
      • Taylorsville Beach is located in Alexander County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Taylorsville Beach
    • Isenhour Park
      (12 miles [19.3 km] to the northeast)
      • Isenhour Park is located in Alexander County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Isenhour Park
    • Millersville
      (12 miles [19.3 km] to the northeast)
      • Millersville is located in Alexander County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Millersville
    • Ellendale
      (13 miles [20.9 km] to the north)
    • Liledoun
      (13 miles [20.9 km] to the northeast)
      • Liledoun is located in Alexander County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Liledoun
    • Taylorsville
      (15 miles [24.1 km] to the northeast)
    • Fairview Park
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the northeast)
      • Fairview Park is located in Alexander County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Fairview Park
    • Midway
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the northeast)
      • Midway is located in Alexander County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Midway
    • Hiddenite
      (18 miles [29 km] to the northeast)
    • Stony Point
      (18 miles [29 km] to the northeast)
    • Rocky Springs
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the northeast)
      • Rocky Springs is located in Alexander County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rocky Springs
  • Burke County
  • Caldwell County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Hickory, with the one closest to Hickory listed first.
    • Northlakes
      (3 miles [4.8 km] to the northwest)
      • Northlakes is located in Caldwell County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Northlakes
    • Concord ‑ Historic
      (4 miles [6.4 km] to the northwest)
      • Concord is located in Caldwell County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Concord
    • Granite Falls
      (6 miles [9.7 km] to the northwest)
    • Sawmills
      (9 miles [14.5 km] to the northwest)
      • Sawmills is located in Caldwell County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sawmills
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 5,156 people
    • Downsville ‑ Historic
      (10 miles [16.1 km] to the north)
      • Downsville is located in Caldwell County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Downsville
    • Baton
      (11 miles [17.7 km] to the northwest)
    • Hudson
      (11 miles [17.7 km] to the northwest)
    • Cajah's Mountain
      (13 miles [20.9 km] to the northwest)
      • Cajah's Mountain is located in Caldwell County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cajah's Mountain
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 2,728 people
    • Draco
      (14 miles [22.5 km] to the north)
    • Cedar Rock
      (15 miles [24.1 km] to the northwest)
      • Cedar Rock is located in Caldwell County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cedar Rock
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 299 people
      • Cedar Rock has also been known as:
      • Cedar Rock village
    • Emanuel ‑ Historic
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the northwest)
      • Emanuel is located in Caldwell County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Emanuel
    • Gamewell
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the northwest)
    • Lenoir
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the northwest)
  • Cleveland County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Hickory, with the one closest to Hickory listed first.
    • Toluca
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the southwest)
      • Toluca is located in Cleveland County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Toluca
    • Knob Creek
      (18 miles [29 km] to the southwest)
    • Olive Grove
      (18 miles [29 km] to the southwest)
      • Olive Grove is located in Cleveland County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Olive Grove
    • Belwood
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the southwest)
      • Belwood is located in Cleveland County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Belwood
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 963 people
    • Casar
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the southwest)
    • Fallston
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the south)
    • Cleveland Mills ‑ Historic
      (23 miles [37 km] to the southwest)
      • Cleveland Mills is located in Cleveland County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cleveland Mills
    • Wilson ‑ Historic
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the south)
      • Wilson is located in Cleveland County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Wilson
    • Delight
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the southwest)
    • Beam Mill
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the south)
    • Lawndale
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the southwest)
    • Waco
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the south)
    • Polkville
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the southwest)
      • Polkville is located in Cleveland County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Polkville
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 552 people
  • Gaston County
  • Iredell County
  • Lincoln County
  • McDowell County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Hickory, with the one closest to Hickory listed first.
    • Patten
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the west)
    • Mountain Home ‑ Historic
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the west)
      • Mountain Home is located in McDowell County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mountain Home
  • Mecklenburg County
    • River View ‑ Historic
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the southeast)
      • River View is located in Mecklenburg County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for River View
  • Rutherford County
  • Wilkes County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Hickory, with the one closest to Hickory listed first.
    • Boomer
      (23 miles [37 km] to the north)
      • Boomer is located in Wilkes County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Boomer
    • Ferguson
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the north)
    • Moravian Falls
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the north)
    • Adley
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the north)
    • Hendrix ‑ Historic
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the north)
      • Hendrix is located in Wilkes County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hendrix
    • Mount Pleasant
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the north)
      • Mount Pleasant is located in Wilkes County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mount Pleasant
    • Stokes ‑ Historic
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the north)
      • Stokes is located in Wilkes County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Stokes
    • Maple Springs
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the north)
      • Maple Springs is located in Wilkes County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Maple Springs
    • Wilkesboro
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the north)

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

Cemeteries Near Hickory ...

Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of Hickory.

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

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

The following cemeteries are listed based on their distance from Hickory, with the one closest to Hickory 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>

The Rand McNally Atlas shows that Hickory had a population of 2,023 people in 1895 with a post office and railroad service. In 2020, Hickory had a population of 41,473 people.

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

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

Newspapers Published in the Vicinity of Hickory ...

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 67 newspapers that have been published in the area around Hickory.

We have organized these newspapers into two lists:

  • A Local Newspaper List - focusing on the papers published in the immediate area of Hickory. There are actually two parts to this list - papers printed in the immediate area of Hickory and those printed in the larger area surrounding Hickory.
  • An Extended Newspaper List - a longer list, sorted by paper name and containing those papers published within 18 miles [29 km]<3> of Hickory.

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 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 Hickory:

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 things like rivers, canyons, lakes, et cetera - it's truly a line drawn from Point A (ie- Hickory) 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 Hickory, please let us know so that we can improve our accuracy.