RoadsideThoughts
A Gazetteer for the United States and Canada
Home >> State of North Carolina >> Buncombe County >> Owltown >> Genealogy HelperIndex...

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 Owltown (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 Owltown. 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.

Owltown is located in Buncombe 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 Buncombe County: Haywood, Henderson, Madison, McDowell, Rutherford, Transylvania & Yancey.

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

  • Buncombe County     (The home county of Owltown)
    • The following are listed by their distance from Owltown, with the one closest to Owltown listed first.
    • Newfound
      (Less than 2 miles to the northwest)
      • Newfound is located in Buncombe County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Newfound
    • Leicester
      (4 miles [6.4 km] to the north)
    • Candler
      (4 miles [6.4 km] to the south)
    • Acton
      (5 miles [8 km] to the southeast)
      • Acton is located in Buncombe County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Acton
    • Enka
      (5 miles [8 km] to the southeast)
    • Glady
      (6 miles [9.7 km] to the south)
      • Glady is located in Buncombe County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Glady
    • Enka Village
      (6 miles [9.7 km] to the southeast)
      • Enka Village is located in Buncombe County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Enka Village
    • Emma
      (7 miles [11.3 km] to the east)
      • Emma is located in Buncombe County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Emma
    • Sandymush
      (7 miles [11.3 km] to the northwest)
      • Sandymush is located in Buncombe County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sandymush
      • Sandymush has also been known as:
      • Sandy Mush
    • West Asheville
      (8 miles [12.9 km] to the east)
      • West Asheville is located in Buncombe County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for West Asheville
    • Alexander
      (8 miles [12.9 km] to the northeast)
    • Woodfin
      (8 miles [12.9 km] to the northeast)
    • Asheville
      (9 miles [14.5 km] to the east)
  • Haywood County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Owltown, with the one closest to Owltown listed first.
    • Canton
      (7 miles [11.3 km] to the southwest)
    • Morning Star
      (7 miles [11.3 km] to the southwest)
      • Morning Star is located in Haywood County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Morning Star
    • West Canton
      (8 miles [12.9 km] to the southwest)
      • West Canton is located in Haywood County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for West Canton
    • Clyde
      (11 miles [17.7 km] to the southwest)
      • Clyde is located in Haywood County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Clyde
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 1,308 people
      • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Clyde <1>
    • Sonoma ‑ Historic
      (12 miles [19.3 km] to the southwest)
      • Sonoma is located in Haywood County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sonoma
    • Cruso
      (13 miles [20.9 km] to the south)
      • Cruso is located in Haywood County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cruso
    • Bethel
      (13 miles [20.9 km] to the southwest)
      • Bethel is located in Haywood County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bethel
    • Lake Junaluska
      (14 miles [22.5 km] to the west)
    • Teague ‑ Historic
      (15 miles [24.1 km] to the west)
      • Teague is located in Haywood County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Teague
    • Lavinia ‑ Historic
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the southwest)
      • Lavinia is located in Haywood County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lavinia
    • Waynesville
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the southwest)
    • Hazelwood
      (18 miles [29 km] to the southwest)
      • Hazelwood is located in Haywood County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hazelwood
    • Maggie Valley
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the west)
  • Henderson County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Owltown, with the one closest to Owltown listed first.
    • Fletcher
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the southeast)
    • Mills River
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the southeast)
    • Holly Springs
      (18 miles [29 km] to the south)
      • Holly Springs is located in Henderson County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Holly Springs
    • Naples
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the southeast)
      • Naples is located in Henderson County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Naples
    • Etowah
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the south)
    • Horse Shoe
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the southeast)
    • Mountain Home
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the southeast)
    • Gerton
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the east)
    • Balfour
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the southeast)
      • Balfour is located in Henderson County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Balfour
    • Cumberland Village
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the southeast)
      • Cumberland Village is located in Henderson County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cumberland Village
    • Pinehurst
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the southeast)
      • Pinehurst is located in Henderson County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Pinehurst
    • Sky Village
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the southeast)
      • Sky Village is located in Henderson County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sky Village
    • Carolina Village
      (23 miles [37 km] to the southeast)
      • Carolina Village is located in Henderson County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Carolina Village
  • Jackson County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Owltown, with the one closest to Owltown listed first.
    • Balsam
      (23 miles [37 km] to the southwest)
    • Ruby City
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the southwest)
      • Ruby City is located in Jackson County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ruby City
    • Addie
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the southwest)
      • Addie is located in Jackson County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Addie
    • Argura
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the southwest)
      • Argura is located in Jackson County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Argura
  • Madison County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Owltown, with the one closest to Owltown listed first.
    • Marshall
      (13 miles [20.9 km] to the north)
    • Rollins
      (13 miles [20.9 km] to the north)
      • Rollins is located in Madison County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rollins
    • Trust
      (13 miles [20.9 km] to the northwest)
      • Trust is located in Madison County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Trust
    • Spring Creek
      (15 miles [24.1 km] to the northwest)
      • Spring Creek is located in Madison County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Spring Creek
    • Petersburg
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the north)
      • Petersburg is located in Madison County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Petersburg
    • Walnut
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the north)
      • Walnut is located in Madison County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Walnut
    • Lynch ‑ Historic
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the northwest)
      • Lynch is located in Madison County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lynch
    • Ivy
      (18 miles [29 km] to the northeast)
      • Ivy is located in Madison County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ivy
    • Mars Hill
      (18 miles [29 km] to the northeast)
    • Bluff
      (18 miles [29 km] to the northwest)
      • Bluff is located in Madison County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bluff
    • Stackhouse
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the north)
      • Stackhouse is located in Madison County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Stackhouse
    • Hot Springs
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the north)
    • Hurricane
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the north)
      • Hurricane is located in Madison County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hurricane
  • McDowell County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Owltown, with the one closest to Owltown listed first.
    • Dendron
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the east)
      • Dendron is located in McDowell County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Dendron
    • Moffitt Hill
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the east)
      • Moffitt Hill is located in McDowell County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Moffitt Hill
    • Old Fort
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the east)
  • Rutherford County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Owltown, with the one closest to Owltown listed first.
    • Village of Chimney Rock Village
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the east)
      • Village of Chimney Rock Village is located in Rutherford County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Village of Chimney Rock Village
      • Estimated population in 2015: 108 people
    • Chimney Rock
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the east)
  • Transylvania County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Owltown, with the one closest to Owltown listed first.
    • Penrose
      (23 miles [37 km] to the south)
    • Pisgah Forest
      (23 miles [37 km] to the south)
    • Seven Springs
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the south)
      • Seven Springs is located in Transylvania County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Seven Springs
    • Brevard
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the south)
      • Brevard is located in Transylvania County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Brevard
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 7,899 people
      • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Brevard <1>
    • Balsam Grove
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the south)
  • Yancey County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Owltown, with the one closest to Owltown listed first.
    • Murchison
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the northeast)
      • Murchison is located in Yancey County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Murchison
    • Pensacola
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the northeast)
      • Pensacola is located in Yancey County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Pensacola
    • Concord
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the northeast)
      • Concord is located in Yancey County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Concord
    • Low Gap
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the northeast)
      • Low Gap is located in Yancey County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Low Gap
  • Cocke County (TN)
    • The following are listed by their distance from Owltown, with the one closest to Owltown listed first.
    • Tom Town
      (23 miles [37 km] to the northwest)
      • Tom Town is located in Cocke County (TN)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Tom Town
    • Naillon ‑ Historic
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the northwest)
      • Naillon is located in Cocke County (TN)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Naillon
    • Nough
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the northwest)
      • Nough is located in Cocke County (TN)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Nough
    • Wolf Creek
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the northwest)
      • Wolf Creek is located in Cocke County (TN)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Wolf Creek
    • Hartford
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the northwest)
    • Del Rio
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the northwest)
    • West Myers
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the northwest)
      • West Myers is located in Cocke County (TN)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for West Myers
      • Estimated population in 2014: 2,282 people
  • Greene County (TN)
    • Cedar Creek
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the north)
      • Cedar Creek is located in Greene County (TN)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cedar Creek
  • Unicoi County (TN)
    • Flag Pond
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the north)
      • Flag Pond is located in Unicoi County (TN)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Flag Pond

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

Cemeteries Near Owltown ...

Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of Owltown.

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

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

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

  • Cole Cemetery
    (Less than 2 miles to the west)
  • Trull Cemetery
    (2 miles [3.2 km] to the south)
  • Justice Cemetery
    (3 miles [4.8 km] to the south)
  • Hice Hill Cemetery
    (3 miles [4.8 km] to the southeast)
  • Ridgeway Cemetery
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the south)
  • Gudger Cemetery
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the south)
  • Pisgah View Memorial Park
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the southeast)
  • Luther Cemetery
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the southeast)
  • Hall Cemetery
    (5 miles [8 km] to the southwest)
  • Bon-A-Venture Cemetery
    (5 miles [8 km] to the southwest)
  • Forest Lawn Cemetery
    (5 miles [8 km] to the southeast)
  • Harkins Cemetery
    (5 miles [8 km] to the southeast)
  • Continue List   (460 more) ...

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

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

  • Newfound
    (Less than 2 miles to the northwest)
    • Newfound is located in Buncombe County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Newfound
  • Turnpike
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the southwest)
    • Turnpike is located in Buncombe County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Turnpike
  • Luther
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the south)
    • Luther is located in Buncombe County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Luther
  • Candler
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the south)
  • Leicester
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the north)
  • Acton
    (5 miles [8 km] to the southeast)
    • Acton is located in Buncombe County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Acton
  • Juno
    (5 miles [8 km] to the northeast)
    • Juno is located in Buncombe County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Juno
  • Glady
    (6 miles [9.7 km] to the south)
    • Glady is located in Buncombe County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Glady
  • Sulphur Springs
    (6 miles [9.7 km] to the east)
    • Sulphur Springs is located in Buncombe County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sulphur Springs
  • Canto
    (7 miles [11.3 km] to the north)
    • Canto is located in Buncombe County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Canto
  • Emma
    (7 miles [11.3 km] to the east)
    • Emma is located in Buncombe County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Emma
  • Sandymush
    (7 miles [11.3 km] to the northwest)
    • Sandymush is located in Buncombe County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sandymush
    • Sandymush has also been known as:
    • Sandy Mush
  • Continue List   (13 more) ...
    • West Asheville
      (8 miles [12.9 km] to the east)
      • West Asheville is located in Buncombe County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for West Asheville
    • Murphy Junction
      (8 miles [12.9 km] to the east)
      • Murphy Junction is located in Buncombe County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Murphy Junction
    • Alexander
      (8 miles [12.9 km] to the northeast)

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

Newspapers Published in Owltown ...

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 99 newspapers that have been published in the area around Owltown.

Although we're unaware of any newspapers that were published in the immediate area of Owltown, there are papers which were published within 16 miles [25.7 km]<4>. A list of those papers, sorted by paper name, can be found on the Extended Newspaper List for Owltown.

Websites to Help With Your Genealogy Research ...

When we do our genealogical research, we 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 Owltown:

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 Owltown, 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- Owltown) to Point B. In other words: 'As the crow flies'.