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 West Bend (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 West Bend. 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.
Name Variations for West Bend ...
When searching records, keep in mind that names and their spelling can change over time. Our sources include documents like maps, railroad schedules, Travel, Express and Shipping Guides. Many of these documents date from the 1800's and it's common to find spelling differences.
Although we can't give a definitive list, hopefully the following will give you a feel for the variations that might occur.
For example, a typical abbreviation for West Bend: W. Bend
You might be interested in other communities that are also named West Bend. More information can be found on our Tidbits & Trivia Page for West Bend.
If you have information about these names (such as the reason for the change, date of change, the origin of the name), please Contact Us.
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 hospitals and doctors 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.
West Bend is located in Forsyth 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 Forsyth County: Davidson, Davie, Guilford, Rockingham, Stokes, Surry & Yadkin.
Below are the counties that are near West Bend. For each of these counties, we show a sample of those communities that are closest to West Bend:
- Forsyth County (The home county of West Bend)
- The following are listed by their distance from West Bend, with the one closest to West Bend listed first.
- Cinnamon Ridge
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the east)
- Cinnamon Ridge is located in Forsyth County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cinnamon Ridge
- Eaglewood
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the east)
- Eaglewood is located in Forsyth County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Eaglewood
- Grapewood
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the northeast)
- Grapewood is located in Forsyth County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Grapewood
- Lewisville
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the east)
- Robinhood Forest
(5 miles [8 km] to the east)
- Robinhood Forest is located in Forsyth County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Robinhood Forest
- River Ridge Run
(5 miles [8 km] to the northeast)
- River Ridge Run is located in Forsyth County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for River Ridge Run
- Robin Hood Trace
(5 miles [8 km] to the northeast)
- Robin Hood Trace is located in Forsyth County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Robin Hood Trace
- Vienna Forest
(5 miles [8 km] to the northeast)
- Vienna Forest is located in Forsyth County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Vienna Forest
- Vienna
(5 miles [8 km] to the northeast)
- Vienna is located in Forsyth County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Vienna
- Cutters Creek
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the east)
- Cutters Creek is located in Forsyth County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cutters Creek
- Hunters Trace
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the northeast)
- Hunters Trace is located in Forsyth County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hunters Trace
- Sherwood Forest
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the northeast)
- Sherwood Forest is located in Forsyth County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sherwood Forest
- Davidson County
- The following are listed by their distance from West Bend, with the one closest to West Bend listed first.
- Arcadia
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the southeast)
- Arcadia is located in Davidson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Arcadia
- Reedy Creek
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the southeast)
- Reedy Creek is located in Davidson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Reedy Creek
- Gum Tree
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the east)
- Gum Tree is located in Davidson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Gum Tree
- Currytown
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the southeast)
- Currytown is located in Davidson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Currytown
- Midway
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the southeast)
- Midway is located in Davidson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Midway
- Population from the 2020 Census: 4,951 people
- Wallburg
(18 miles [29 km] to the east)
- Welcome
(18 miles [29 km] to the southeast)
- Tyro
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the south)
- Tyro is located in Davidson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Tyro
- Bethany ‑ Historic
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the southeast)
- Bethany is located in Davidson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bethany
- Sapona
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the southeast)
- Sapona is located in Davidson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sapona
- Jefferson Village
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the southeast)
- Jefferson Village is located in Davidson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Jefferson Village
- Lexington
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the southeast)
- Davie County
- The following are listed by their distance from West Bend, with the one closest to West Bend listed first.
- Bermuda Run
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the southeast)
- Pino
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the southwest)
- Pino is located in Davie County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Pino
- Advance
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the southeast)
- Mocksville
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the south)
- Calahaln
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the southwest)
- Calahaln is located in Davie County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Calahaln
- Ephesus
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the south)
- Ephesus is located in Davie County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ephesus
- Cooleemee
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the south)
- Clinton
(23 miles [37 km] to the south)
- Clinton is located in Davie County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Clinton
- Guilford County
- The following are listed by their distance from West Bend, with the one closest to West Bend listed first.
- Colfax
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the east)
- Sandy Ridge
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the east)
- Sandy Ridge is located in Guilford County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sandy Ridge
- High Point
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the east)
- Oak Ridge
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the east)
- Sherwood Village
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the east)
- Sherwood Village is located in Guilford County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sherwood Village
- Stokesdale
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the east)
- Iredell County
- The following are listed by their distance from West Bend, with the one closest to West Bend listed first.
- Houstonville
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the southwest)
- Houstonville is located in Iredell County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Houstonville
- Harmony
(18 miles [29 km] to the southwest)
- Olin
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the southwest)
- Olin is located in Iredell County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Olin
- Turnersburg
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the southwest)
- Turnersburg is located in Iredell County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Turnersburg
- Union Grove
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the west)
- Cool Springs
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the southwest)
- Cool Springs is located in Iredell County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cool Springs
- New Hope ‑ Historic
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the west)
- New Hope is located in Iredell County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for New Hope
- Love Valley
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the west)
- Belmont
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the southwest)
- Belmont is located in Iredell County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Belmont
- Randolph County
- Trinity
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the southeast)
- Rowan County
- The following are listed by their distance from West Bend, with the one closest to West Bend listed first.
- Needmore
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the south)
- Needmore is located in Rowan County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Needmore
- Mount Vernon
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the south)
- Mount Vernon is located in Rowan County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mount Vernon
- Pittsburg
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the southwest)
- Pittsburg is located in Rowan County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Pittsburg
- Woodleaf
(23 miles [37 km] to the south)
- Ellis Crossroads
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the south)
- Ellis Crossroads is located in Rowan County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ellis Crossroads
- Franklin
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the south)
- Franklin is located in Rowan County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Franklin
- Shannon Park
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the south)
- Shannon Park is located in Rowan County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Shannon Park
- Barber
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the south)
- Barber is located in Rowan County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Barber
- Mocksville
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the south)
- Mocksville is located in Rowan County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mocksville
- Yadkin
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the south)
- Yadkin is located in Rowan County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Yadkin
- Cleveland
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the south)
- Meadowbrook
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the south)
- Meadowbrook is located in Rowan County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Meadowbrook
- Stokes County
- The following are listed by their distance from West Bend, with the one closest to West Bend listed first.
- Pinnacle
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the north)
- Germanton
(18 miles [29 km] to the northeast)
- Mount Olive
(18 miles [29 km] to the northeast)
- Mount Olive is located in Stokes County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mount Olive
- Neatman
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the northeast)
- Neatman is located in Stokes County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Neatman
- Flat Rock
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the north)
- Flat Rock is located in Stokes County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Flat Rock
- Capella
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the northeast)
- Capella is located in Stokes County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Capella
- Quaker Gap
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the northeast)
- Quaker Gap is located in Stokes County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Quaker Gap
- Fulp
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the northeast)
- Fulp is located in Stokes County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Fulp
- Walnut Cove
(23 miles [37 km] to the northeast)
- Bailey Town
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the northeast)
- Bailey Town is located in Stokes County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bailey Town
- Vade Mecum
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the northeast)
- Vade Mecum is located in Stokes County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Vade Mecum
- Meadows
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the northeast)
- Meadows is located in Stokes County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Meadows
- Surry County
- The following are listed by their distance from West Bend, with the one closest to West Bend listed first.
- Boyden ‑ Historic
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the north)
- Boyden is located in Surry County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Boyden
- Shoals
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the north)
- Shoals is located in Surry County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Shoals
- Siloam
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the north)
- Siloam is located in Surry County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Siloam
- Rockford
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the northwest)
- Rockford is located in Surry County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rockford
- Pine Hill
(18 miles [29 km] to the north)
- Pine Hill is located in Surry County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Pine Hill
- Stony Knoll
(18 miles [29 km] to the northwest)
- Stony Knoll is located in Surry County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Stony Knoll
- Copeland
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the northwest)
- Copeland is located in Surry County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Copeland
- Pilot Mountain
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the north)
- Fairview
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the northwest)
- Fairview is located in Surry County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Fairview
- Rusk ‑ Historic
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the northwest)
- Rusk is located in Surry County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rusk
- Ararat
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the north)
- Flat Shoals ‑ Historic
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the north)
- Flat Shoals is located in Surry County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Flat Shoals
- Wilkes County
- The following are listed by their distance from West Bend, with the one closest to West Bend listed first.
- New Castle ‑ Historic
(23 miles [37 km] to the west)
- New Castle is located in Wilkes County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for New Castle
- Pleasant Hill
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the northwest)
- Pleasant Hill is located in Wilkes County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Pleasant Hill
- Clingman
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the west)
- Clingman is located in Wilkes County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Clingman
- Ronda
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the west)
- Zimmerman ‑ Historic
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the west)
- Zimmerman is located in Wilkes County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Zimmerman
- Brier Creek ‑ Historic
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the west)
- Brier Creek is located in Wilkes County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Brier Creek
- Roaring River
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the west)
- Roaring River is located in Wilkes County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Roaring River
- Yadkin County
- The following are listed by their distance from West Bend, with the one closest to West Bend listed first.
- Huntsville
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the west)
- Huntsville is located in Yadkin County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Huntsville
- Wyo
(5 miles [8 km] to the southwest)
- Wyo is located in Yadkin County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Wyo
- Courtney
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the west)
- Courtney is located in Yadkin County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Courtney
- East Bend
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the north)
- Forbush
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the northwest)
- Forbush is located in Yadkin County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Forbush
- Yadkinville
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the west)
- Union Grove
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the northwest)
- Union Grove is located in Yadkin County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Union Grove
- Mount Pleasant
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the northwest)
- Mount Pleasant is located in Yadkin County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mount Pleasant
- Nebo
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the northwest)
- Nebo is located in Yadkin County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Nebo
- Richmond Hill
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the northwest)
- Richmond Hill is located in Yadkin County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Richmond Hill
- Footville
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the west)
- Footville is located in Yadkin County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Footville
- Branon
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the west)
- Branon is located in Yadkin County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Branon
For an expanded list of the communities that are closest to West Bend, see our County-by-County Page for West Bend.
Cemeteries Near West Bend ...
Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of West Bend.
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 West Bend - one of the links might be able to help.
If not found below, our Cemetery List for West Bend covers a larger area, with the cemeteries listed in alphabetical order.
The following cemeteries are listed based on their distance from West Bend, with the one closest to West Bend listed first.
- Huntsville Cemetery
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the west)
- Enon Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the north)
- Forbush Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the northwest)
- Tabernacle Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the west)
- Baltimore Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the northwest)
- Turners Creek Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the west)
- Mt. Olive Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the southwest)
- Farmington Cemeteries
(5 miles [8 km] to the southwest)
- Stony Knoll Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the north)
- Mt. Carmel Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the northwest)
- Mt. Bethel Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the north)
- Patterson Grove Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the northwest)
- Continue List (302 more) ...
- Mt. Zion Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the northwest)
- Shacktown Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the west)
- Deep Creek Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the west)
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.<2>
While we didn't find West Bend in the Atlas, the following 1895 communities would have been found near the current location of West Bend.
These communities are listed based on their distance from West Bend, with the one closest to West Bend listed first.
- Huntsville
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the west)
- Huntsville is located in Yadkin County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Huntsville
- Lewisville
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the east)
- Wyo
(5 miles [8 km] to the southwest)
- Wyo is located in Yadkin County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Wyo
- Vienna
(5 miles [8 km] to the northeast)
- Vienna is located in Forsyth County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Vienna
- Farmington
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the southwest)
- Farmington is located in Davie County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Farmington
- Pino
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the southwest)
- Pino is located in Davie County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Pino
- Pfafftown
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the northeast)
- Forbush
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the northwest)
- Forbush is located in Yadkin County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Forbush
- East Bend
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the north)
- Cana
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the southwest)
- Cana is located in Davie County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cana
- Donnaha
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the north)
- Donnaha is located in Forsyth County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Donnaha
- Yadkinville
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the west)
- Continue List (18 more) ...
- Bethania
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the northeast)
- Bethania is located in Forsyth County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bethania
- Population from the 2020 Census: 367 people
- Poindexter
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the northwest)
- Poindexter is located in Yadkin County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Poindexter
- Cornatzer
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the south)
- Cornatzer is located in Davie County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cornatzer
We've also created an expanded list of communities that existed in the 1890's and were located in the area around West Bend. See our List of 1890's Communities around West Bend.
Newspapers Published in West Bend ...
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 24 newspapers that have been published in the area around West Bend.
Although we're unaware of any newspapers that were published in the immediate area of West Bend, there are papers which were published within 14 miles [22.5 km]<3>. A list of those papers, sorted by paper name, can be found on the Extended Newspaper List for West Bend.
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 professional and volunteer 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 West Bend:
- Websites specific to North Carolina
- Pages specific to Forsyth County
- Genealogy information for nearby counties
- Davidson County
- Davie County
- Guilford County
- Iredell County
- Randolph County
- Rowan County
- Stokes County
- Surry County
- Wilkes County
- Yadkin 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> | 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 West Bend, please let us know so that we can improve our accuracy. |
| <3> | Our distances are not driving distances, but are calculated as a '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- West Bend) to Point B. In other words: 'As the crow flies'. |