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 Penrose (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 Penrose. 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 northeast corner of their home county. During their lives, most doctors and hospitals were in the next county to the east. 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 east 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.
Penrose 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 Penrose. For each of these counties, we show a sample of those communities that are closest to Penrose:
- Transylvania County (The home county of Penrose)
- The following are listed by their distance from Penrose, with the one closest to Penrose listed first.
- Seven Springs
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the southwest)
- Seven Springs is located in Transylvania County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Seven Springs
- Pisgah Forest
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the west)
- Brevard
(5 miles [8 km] to the southwest)
- Cedar Mountain
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the south)
- East Fork
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the southwest)
- East Fork is located in Transylvania County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for East Fork
- Rosman
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the southwest)
- Balsam Grove
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the west)
- Lake Toxaway
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the southwest)
- Toxaway Falls ‑ Historic
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the southwest)
- Toxaway Falls is located in Transylvania County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Toxaway Falls
- Sapphire
(23 miles [37 km] to the southwest)
- Buncombe County
- The following are listed by their distance from Penrose, with the one closest to Penrose listed first.
- Avery Creek
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the north)
- Avery Creek is located in Buncombe County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Avery Creek
- Arden
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the northeast)
- Royal Pines
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the northeast)
- Royal Pines is located in Buncombe County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Royal Pines
- Bent Creek
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the north)
- Bent Creek is located in Buncombe County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bent Creek
- Skyland
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the northeast)
- Glady
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the north)
- Glady is located in Buncombe County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Glady
- Busbee
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the northeast)
- Busbee is located in Buncombe County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Busbee
- Biltmore Forest
(18 miles [29 km] to the north)
- Biltmore Forest is located in Buncombe County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Biltmore Forest
- Population from the 2020 Census: 1,431 people
- Candler
(18 miles [29 km] to the north)
- Enka Village
(18 miles [29 km] to the north)
- Enka Village is located in Buncombe County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Enka Village
- Acton
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the north)
- Acton is located in Buncombe County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Acton
- Enka
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the north)
- Haywood County
- The following are listed by their distance from Penrose, with the one closest to Penrose listed first.
- Cruso
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the northwest)
- Cruso is located in Haywood County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cruso
- Lavinia ‑ Historic
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the northwest)
- Lavinia is located in Haywood County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lavinia
- Morning Star
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the northwest)
- Morning Star is located in Haywood County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Morning Star
- Sonoma ‑ Historic
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the northwest)
- Sonoma is located in Haywood County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sonoma
- Bethel
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the northwest)
- Bethel is located in Haywood County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bethel
- Canton
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the northwest)
- West Canton
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the northwest)
- West Canton is located in Haywood County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for West Canton
- Clyde
(23 miles [37 km] to the northwest)
- Hazelwood
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the northwest)
- Hazelwood is located in Haywood County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hazelwood
- Waynesville
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the northwest)
- Lake Junaluska
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the northwest)
- Maggie Valley
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the northwest)
- Henderson County
- The following are listed by their distance from Penrose, with the one closest to Penrose listed first.
- Etowah
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the northeast)
- Holly Springs
(5 miles [8 km] to the north)
- Holly Springs is located in Henderson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Holly Springs
- Horse Shoe
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the northeast)
- Sky Village
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the northeast)
- Sky Village is located in Henderson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sky Village
- Laurel Park
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the east)
- Valley Hill
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the east)
- Valley Hill is located in Henderson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Valley Hill
- Mills River
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the northeast)
- Mount Olive
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the east)
- Mount Olive is located in Henderson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mount Olive
- Timberland
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the northeast)
- Timberland is located in Henderson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Timberland
- Hendersonville
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the east)
- Balfour
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the northeast)
- Balfour is located in Henderson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Balfour
- Mountain Home
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the northeast)
- Jackson County
- The following are listed by their distance from Penrose, with the one closest to Penrose listed first.
- Argura
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the west)
- Argura is located in Jackson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Argura
- Balsam
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the northwest)
- Ruby City
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the west)
- Ruby City is located in Jackson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ruby City
- Tuckasegee
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the west)
- Cashiers
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the southwest)
- East Laport
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the west)
- East Laport is located in Jackson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for East Laport
- Glenville
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the west)
- Addie
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the west)
- Addie is located in Jackson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Addie
- Cullowhee
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the west)
- Polk County
- The following are listed by their distance from Penrose, with the one closest to Penrose listed first.
- Melrose
(18 miles [29 km] to the east)
- Melrose is located in Polk County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Melrose
- Lynn
(23 miles [37 km] to the east)
- Lynn is located in Polk County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lynn
- Tryon
(23 miles [37 km] to the east)
- Columbus
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the east)
- Mill Spring
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the east)
- Rutherford County
- The following are listed by their distance from Penrose, with the one closest to Penrose listed first.
- Village of Chimney Rock Village
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the northeast)
- 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
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the northeast)
- Lake Lure
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the northeast)
- Greenville County (SC)
- The following are listed by their distance from Penrose, with the one closest to Penrose listed first.
- Caesars Head
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the south)
- Caesars Head is located in Greenville County (SC)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Caesars Head
- Cleveland
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the southeast)
- Merrittsville ‑ Historic
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the southeast)
- Merrittsville is located in Greenville County (SC)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Merrittsville
- Marietta
(18 miles [29 km] to the southeast)
- Slater
(18 miles [29 km] to the southeast)
- Tigerville
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the southeast)
- Highland
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the southeast)
- Highland is located in Greenville County (SC)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Highland
- Travelers Rest
(23 miles [37 km] to the southeast)
- Gowensville
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the southeast)
- Gowensville is located in Greenville County (SC)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Gowensville
- O'Neal
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the southeast)
- O'Neal is located in Greenville County (SC)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for O'Neal
- Berea
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the south)
- Berea is located in Greenville County (SC)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Berea
- Sans Souci
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the southeast)
- Sans Souci is located in Greenville County (SC)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sans Souci
- Pickens County (SC)
- The following are listed by their distance from Penrose, with the one closest to Penrose listed first.
- Knob ‑ Historic
(18 miles [29 km] to the south)
- Knob is located in Pickens County (SC)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Knob
- Rocky Bottom
(18 miles [29 km] to the southwest)
- Rocky Bottom is located in Pickens County (SC)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rocky Bottom
- Sunset
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the southwest)
- Dacusville
(23 miles [37 km] to the south)
- Dacusville is located in Pickens County (SC)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Dacusville
- Crow Creek
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the south)
- Crow Creek is located in Pickens County (SC)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Crow Creek
- Pickens
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the south)
- Nine Times
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the southwest)
- Nine Times is located in Pickens County (SC)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Nine Times
- Arial
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the south)
- Arial is located in Pickens County (SC)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Arial
- Easley
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the south)
- Spartanburg County (SC)
- The following are listed by their distance from Penrose, with the one closest to Penrose listed first.
- Landrum
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the east)
- Landrum is located in Spartanburg County (SC)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Landrum
- Population from the 2020 Census: 2,725 people
- Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Landrum <1>
- Campobello
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the east)
For an expanded list of the communities that are closest to Penrose, see our County-by-County Page for Penrose.
Cemeteries Near Penrose ...
Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of Penrose.
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 Penrose - one of the links might be able to help.
If not found below, our Cemetery List for Penrose covers a larger area, with the cemeteries listed in alphabetical order.
The following cemeteries are listed based on their distance from Penrose, with the one closest to Penrose listed first.
- Osborne Cemetery
(Less than 2 miles to the south)
- McCall Cemetery
(Less than 2 miles to the southeast)
- Davidson River Cemetery
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the west)
- Orr Cemetery
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the south)
- Sentell Cemetery
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the southeast)
- Pleasant Grove Cemetery
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the northeast)
- Justus Cemetery
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the northeast)
- Aiken Cemetery
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the northeast)
- Old Beulah Cemetery
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the northeast)
- Orr Cemetery
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the northeast)
- Turkey Creek Cemetery
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the west)
- Blue Ridge Gardens of Memory Cemetery
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the west)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Blue Ridge Gardens of Memory Cemetery
- To give a relative sense of its location, the Blue Ridge Gardens of Memory Cemetery is a large cemetery that is located 3 miles [4.8 km]<2> to the northeast of Brevard.
- The Blue Ridge Gardens of Memory Cemetery has also been known as:
- Pisgah Gardens Cemetery
- Jump to Find-A-Grave: FG ID #48444 <3>
- Continue List (307 more) ...
- Pisgah Gardens Cemetery
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the west)
- Fletcher Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the northeast)
- Oak Forest Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the northeast)
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 in 1895, Penrose had a post office and no railroad service.
These communities are listed based on their distance from Penrose, with the one closest to Penrose listed first.
- Davidson River
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the southwest)
- Davidson River is located in Transylvania County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Davidson River
- Bowman Bluff
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the northeast)
- Bowman Bluff is located in Henderson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bowman Bluff
- Brevard
(5 miles [8 km] to the southwest)
- Horse Shoe
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the northeast)
- Cedar Mountain
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the south)
- Mills River
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the northeast)
- Hendersonville
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the east)
- Cherryfield
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the southwest)
- Cherryfield is located in Transylvania County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cherryfield
- Caesars Head
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the south)
- Caesars Head is located in Greenville County (SC)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Caesars Head
- Flat Rock
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the east)
- East Fork
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the southwest)
- East Fork is located in Transylvania County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for East Fork
- Zirconia
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the east)
- Continue List (17 more) ...
- Balsam Grove
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the west)
- Riverview
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the southeast)
- Riverview is located in Greenville County (SC)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Riverview
- Fletcher
(13 miles [20.9 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 Penrose. See our List of 1890's Communities around Penrose.
Newspapers Published in Penrose ...
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 31 newspapers that have been published in the area around Penrose.
Although we're unaware of any newspapers that were published in the immediate area of Penrose, there are papers which were published within 10 miles [16.1 km]<2>. A list of those papers, sorted by paper name, can be found on the Extended Newspaper List for Penrose.
Websites to Help With Your Genealogy Research ...
When we do our genealogical research, we first visit 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 Penrose:
- Websites specific to North Carolina
- Pages specific to Transylvania County
- Genealogy information for nearby counties
- Buncombe County
- Haywood County
- Henderson County
- Jackson County
- Polk County
- Rutherford County
- Greenville County
- Pickens County
- Spartanburg 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> | 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- Penrose) 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 Penrose, please let us know so that we can improve our accuracy. |