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 Oakland (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 Oakland. 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 northwest 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 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 west 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.
Oakland is located in Transylvania 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 Transylvania County: Haywood, Henderson, Jackson, Greenville (SC), Oconee (SC) & Pickens (SC).
Below are the counties that are near Oakland. For each of these counties, we show a sample of those communities that are closest to Oakland:
- Transylvania County (The home county of Oakland)
- The following are listed by their distance from Oakland, with the one closest to Oakland listed first.
- Sapphire
(Less than 2 miles to the west)
- Toxaway Falls ‑ Historic
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the east)
- Toxaway Falls is located in Transylvania County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Toxaway Falls
- Lake Toxaway
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the northeast)
- Rosman
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the east)
- Balsam Grove
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the northeast)
- East Fork
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the east)
- East Fork is located in Transylvania County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for East Fork
- Brevard
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the northeast)
- Cedar Mountain
(18 miles [29 km] to the east)
- Pisgah Forest
(18 miles [29 km] to the northeast)
- Seven Springs
(18 miles [29 km] to the northeast)
- Seven Springs is located in Transylvania County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Seven Springs
- Penrose
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the northeast)
- Buncombe County
- Glady
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the northeast)
- Glady is located in Buncombe County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Glady
- Haywood County
- The following are listed by their distance from Oakland, with the one closest to Oakland listed first.
- Lavinia ‑ Historic
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the north)
- Lavinia is located in Haywood County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lavinia
- Cruso
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the northeast)
- Cruso is located in Haywood County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cruso
- Hazelwood
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the north)
- Hazelwood is located in Haywood County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hazelwood
- Bethel
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the north)
- Bethel is located in Haywood County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bethel
- Sonoma ‑ Historic
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the north)
- Sonoma is located in Haywood County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sonoma
- Waynesville
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the north)
- Lake Junaluska
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the north)
- Maggie Valley
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the north)
- Clyde
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the north)
- Morning Star
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the north)
- Morning Star is located in Haywood County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Morning Star
- Canton
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the north)
- West Canton
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the north)
- West Canton is located in Haywood County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for West Canton
- Henderson County
- The following are listed by their distance from Oakland, with the one closest to Oakland listed first.
- Etowah
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the northeast)
- Holly Springs
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the northeast)
- Holly Springs is located in Henderson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Holly Springs
- Horse Shoe
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the northeast)
- Mount Olive
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the east)
- Mount Olive is located in Henderson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mount Olive
- Laurel Park
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the northeast)
- Mills River
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the northeast)
- Sky Village
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the northeast)
- Sky Village is located in Henderson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sky Village
- Valley Hill
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the northeast)
- Valley Hill is located in Henderson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Valley Hill
- Jackson County
- The following are listed by their distance from Oakland, with the one closest to Oakland listed first.
- Cashiers
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the west)
- Glenville
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the northwest)
- Argura
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the north)
- Argura is located in Jackson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Argura
- Erastus
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the northwest)
- Erastus is located in Jackson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Erastus
- Tuckasegee
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the northwest)
- Highlands
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the west)
- East Laport
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the northwest)
- East Laport is located in Jackson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for East Laport
- Cullowhee
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the northwest)
- Forest Hills
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the northwest)
- Forest Hills is located in Jackson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Forest Hills
- Population from the 2020 Census: 376 people
- Forest Hills has also been known as:
- Forest Hills village
- Village of Forest Hills
- Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Forest Hills <1>
- Ruby City
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the northwest)
- Ruby City is located in Jackson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ruby City
- Gay
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the northwest)
- Gay is located in Jackson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Gay
- Webster
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the northwest)
- Webster is located in Jackson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Webster
- Population from the 2020 Census: 386 people
- Addie
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the northwest)
- Addie is located in Jackson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Addie
- Macon County
- The following are listed by their distance from Oakland, with the one closest to Oakland listed first.
- Ellijay
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the west)
- Ellijay is located in Macon County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ellijay
- Lickskillet
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the west)
- Lickskillet is located in Macon County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lickskillet
- Scaly Mountain
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the west)
- Riverside
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the west)
- Riverside is located in Macon County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Riverside
- Franklin
(23 miles [37 km] to the west)
- Otto
(23 miles [37 km] to the west)
- Orlando
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the west)
- Orlando is located in Macon County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Orlando
- Leatherman
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the northwest)
- Leatherman is located in Macon County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Leatherman
- Swain County
- Unahala
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the northwest)
- Unahala is located in Swain County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Unahala
- Rabun County (GA)
- The following are listed by their distance from Oakland, with the one closest to Oakland listed first.
- Sky Valley
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the southwest)
- Antioch
(23 miles [37 km] to the southwest)
- Antioch is located in Rabun County (GA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Antioch
- Dillard
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the southwest)
- Mountain City
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the southwest)
- Clayton
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the southwest)
- Greenville County (SC)
- The following are listed by their distance from Oakland, with the one closest to Oakland listed first.
- Caesars Head
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the east)
- Caesars Head is located in Greenville County (SC)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Caesars Head
- Cleveland
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the east)
- Marietta
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the east)
- Slater
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the east)
- Oconee County (SC)
- The following are listed by their distance from Oakland, with the one closest to Oakland listed first.
- Salem
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the south)
- Tamassee
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the south)
- Mountain Rest
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the southwest)
- Walhalla
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the south)
- West Union
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the south)
- Newry
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the south)
- Longcreek
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the southwest)
- Seneca
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the south)
- Richland
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the south)
- Utica
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the south)
- Utica is located in Oconee County (SC)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Utica
- Battle Creek
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the southwest)
- Battle Creek is located in Oconee County (SC)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Battle Creek
- Pickens County (SC)
- The following are listed by their distance from Oakland, with the one closest to Oakland listed first.
- Rocky Bottom
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the southeast)
- Rocky Bottom is located in Pickens County (SC)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rocky Bottom
- Sunset
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the southeast)
- Nine Times
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the southeast)
- Nine Times is located in Pickens County (SC)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Nine Times
- Crow Creek
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the southeast)
- Crow Creek is located in Pickens County (SC)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Crow Creek
- Knob ‑ Historic
(18 miles [29 km] to the southeast)
- Knob is located in Pickens County (SC)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Knob
- Pickens
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the southeast)
- Six Mile
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the southeast)
- Arial
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the southeast)
- Arial is located in Pickens County (SC)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Arial
- Dacusville
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the southeast)
- Dacusville is located in Pickens County (SC)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Dacusville
- Liberty
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the southeast)
- Norris
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the southeast)
- Easley
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the southeast)
- Central
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the southeast)
For an expanded list of the communities that are closest to Oakland, see our County-by-County Page for Oakland.
Cemeteries Near Oakland ...
Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of Oakland.
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 Oakland - one of the links might be able to help.
If not found below, our Cemetery List for Oakland covers a larger area, with the cemeteries listed in alphabetical order.
The following cemeteries are listed based on their distance from Oakland, with the one closest to Oakland listed first.
- Oakland Cemetery
(Less than 2 miles to the east)
- Owens Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the northeast)
- Upper Zachary Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the west)
- Lower Zachary Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the west)
- Norton Cemetery
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the west)
- McCall Cemetery
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the northeast)
- Whiteside Cove Cemetery
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the southwest)
- Middle Fork Cemetery
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the east)
- Whitmire Cemetery
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the east)
- Gillespie Cemetery
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the east)
- Norton Cemetery
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the west)
- Sols Creek Cemetery
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the north)
- Continue List (345 more) ...
- Cathey Cemetery
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the north)
- Mt. Carmel Cemetery
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the south)
- Rocky Bottom Cemetery
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the southeast)
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 Oakland in the Atlas, the following 1895 communities would have been found near the current location of Oakland.
These communities are listed based on their distance from Oakland, with the one closest to Oakland listed first.
- Wolf Mountain
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the north)
- Wolf Mountain is located in Jackson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Wolf Mountain
- Cashiers
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the west)
- Balsam Grove
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the northeast)
- Big Ridge
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the northwest)
- Big Ridge is located in Jackson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Big Ridge
- Glenville
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the northwest)
- Jocassee ‑ Historic
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the south)
- Jocassee is located in Oconee County (SC)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Jocassee
- Cherryfield
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the northeast)
- Cherryfield is located in Transylvania County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cherryfield
- Eastatoe
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the south)
- Eastatoe is located in Pickens County (SC)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Eastatoe
- Nimmons
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the southeast)
- Nimmons is located in Pickens County (SC)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Nimmons
- East Fork
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the east)
- East Fork is located in Transylvania County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for East Fork
- Highlands
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the west)
- Tuckasegee
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the northwest)
- Continue List (13 more) ...
- Rich Mountain
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the north)
- Rich Mountain is located in Jackson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rich Mountain
- Cowarts
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the northwest)
- Cowarts is located in Jackson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cowarts
- Salem
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the south)
We've also created an expanded list of communities that existed in the 1890's and were located in the area around Oakland. See our List of 1890's Communities around Oakland.
Newspapers Published in Oakland ...
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 16 newspapers that have been published in the area around Oakland.
Although we're unaware of any newspapers that were published in the immediate area of Oakland, there are papers which were published within 15 miles [24.1 km]<4>. A list of those papers, sorted by paper name, can be found on the Extended Newspaper List for Oakland.
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 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 Oakland:
- Websites specific to North Carolina
- Pages specific to Transylvania County
- Genealogy information for nearby counties
- Buncombe County
- Haywood County
- Henderson County
- Jackson County
- Macon County
- Swain County
- Rabun County
- Greenville County
- Oconee County
- Pickens County
- Cemetery Information and Directories for North Carolina
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 Oakland, please let us know so that we can improve our accuracy. |
| <4> | Our distances are not driving distances, but are calculated as a 'straight-line' distance. A straight line distance ignores obstructions like rivers, canyons, lakes, et cetera - it's truly a line from Point A (ie- Oakland) to Point B. In other words: 'As the crow flies'. |