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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 Westerwood (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 Westerwood. 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 southeast corner of their home county. During their lives, most doctors were in the next county to the east. 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 east 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.

Westerwood is located in Alamance 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 Alamance County: Caswell, Chatham, Guilford, Orange, Randolph & Rockingham.

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

  • Alamance County     (The home county of Westerwood)
    • The following are listed by their distance from Westerwood, with the one closest to Westerwood listed first.
    • Country Club Estates
      (Less than 2 miles to the east)
      • Country Club Estates is located in Alamance County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Country Club Estates
    • Turrentine Estates
      (Less than 2 miles to the northeast)
      • Turrentine Estates is located in Alamance County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Turrentine Estates
    • Sunset Acres
      (Less than 2 miles to the northwest)
      • Sunset Acres is located in Alamance County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sunset Acres
    • Wedgewood West
      (Less than 2 miles to the northwest)
      • Wedgewood West is located in Alamance County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Wedgewood West
    • Red Oak Acres
      (Less than 2 miles to the south)
      • Red Oak Acres is located in Alamance County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Red Oak Acres
    • Grove Park
      (Less than 2 miles to the southeast)
      • Grove Park is located in Alamance County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Grove Park
    • Crestwood
      (Less than 2 miles to the southwest)
      • Crestwood is located in Alamance County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Crestwood
    • Lee Acres
      (Less than 2 miles to the west)
      • Lee Acres is located in Alamance County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lee Acres
    • Central Heights
      (Less than 2 miles to the northeast)
      • Central Heights is located in Alamance County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Central Heights
    • Dogwood Acres
      (Less than 2 miles to the southeast)
      • Dogwood Acres is located in Alamance County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Dogwood Acres
    • Alamance Acres
      (Less than 2 miles to the west)
      • Alamance Acres is located in Alamance County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Alamance Acres
    • Country Club Forest
      (Less than 2 miles to the west)
      • Country Club Forest is located in Alamance County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Country Club Forest
    • Deerfield
      (Less than 2 miles to the west)
      • Deerfield is located in Alamance County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Deerfield
  • Caswell County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Westerwood, with the one closest to Westerwood listed first.
    • Stony Creek
      (12 miles [19.3 km] to the north)
      • Stony Creek is located in Caswell County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Stony Creek
    • Anderson
      (14 miles [22.5 km] to the northeast)
      • Anderson is located in Caswell County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Anderson
    • Jericho
      (15 miles [24.1 km] to the north)
      • Jericho is located in Caswell County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Jericho
    • Ashland
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the north)
      • Ashland is located in Caswell County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ashland
    • Locust Hill
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the north)
      • Locust Hill is located in Caswell County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Locust Hill
    • Prospect Hill
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the northeast)
      • Prospect Hill is located in Caswell County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Prospect Hill
    • Quick
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the north)
      • Quick is located in Caswell County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Quick
    • West Yanceyville
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the north)
      • West Yanceyville is located in Caswell County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for West Yanceyville
    • Ridgeville
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the northeast)
      • Ridgeville is located in Caswell County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ridgeville
    • Yanceyville
      (23 miles [37 km] to the north)
    • Bethel
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the north)
      • Bethel is located in Caswell County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bethel
    • Leasburg
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the northeast)
    • Pelham
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the north)
      • Pelham is located in Caswell County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Pelham
  • Chatham County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Westerwood, with the one closest to Westerwood listed first.
    • Siler City
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the south)
    • Bynum
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the southeast)
      • Bynum is located in Chatham County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bynum
    • Fearrington Village
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the southeast)
      • Fearrington Village is located in Chatham County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Fearrington Village
    • Pittsboro
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the southeast)
    • Bonlee
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the south)
      • Bonlee is located in Chatham County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bonlee
  • Durham County
    • The American Village
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the east)
      • The American Village is located in Durham County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for The American Village
  • Guilford County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Westerwood, with the one closest to Westerwood listed first.
    • Gibsonville
      (4 miles [6.4 km] to the west)
    • Whitsett
      (5 miles [8 km] to the west)
    • Sedalia
      (8 miles [12.9 km] to the west)
      • Sedalia is located in Guilford County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sedalia
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 689 people
    • McLeansville
      (10 miles [16.1 km] to the west)
    • Forest Oaks
      (14 miles [22.5 km] to the southwest)
      • Forest Oaks is located in Guilford County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Forest Oaks
    • Browns Summit
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the northwest)
    • Julian
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the southwest)
    • Cumberland
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the west)
      • Cumberland is located in Guilford County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cumberland
    • Rudd
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the west)
      • Rudd is located in Guilford County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rudd
    • White Oak
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the west)
      • White Oak is located in Guilford County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for White Oak
    • Greensboro
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the west)
    • Climax
      (18 miles [29 km] to the southwest)
    • Pleasant Garden
      (18 miles [29 km] to the southwest)
  • Orange County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Westerwood, with the one closest to Westerwood listed first.
    • Lakeview Acres
      (12 miles [19.3 km] to the east)
      • Lakeview Acres is located in Orange County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lakeview Acres
    • Cheeks Crossroads
      (13 miles [20.9 km] to the east)
      • Cheeks Crossroads is located in Orange County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cheeks Crossroads
    • Miles
      (13 miles [20.9 km] to the east)
      • Miles is located in Orange County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Miles
    • Oaks
      (14 miles [22.5 km] to the southeast)
      • Oaks is located in Orange County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Oaks
    • Teer
      (15 miles [24.1 km] to the southeast)
      • Teer is located in Orange County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Teer
    • Efland
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the east)
    • Jordan Oak
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the east)
      • Jordan Oak is located in Orange County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Jordan Oak
    • Carr
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the northeast)
      • Carr is located in Orange County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Carr
    • Cedar Grove
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the east)
      • Cedar Grove is located in Orange County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cedar Grove
    • Stagecoach Forest
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the east)
      • Stagecoach Forest is located in Orange County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Stagecoach Forest
    • Orange Grove
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the southeast)
      • Orange Grove is located in Orange County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Orange Grove
    • Just-A-Mere Landing
      (18 miles [29 km] to the east)
      • Just-A-Mere Landing is located in Orange County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Just-A-Mere Landing
    • Dodsons Crossroads
      (18 miles [29 km] to the southeast)
      • Dodsons Crossroads is located in Orange County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Dodsons Crossroads
  • Person County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Westerwood, with the one closest to Westerwood listed first.
    • Hurdle Mills
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the northeast)
    • Allens Level
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the northeast)
      • Allens Level is located in Person County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Allens Level
    • Cates
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the northeast)
      • Cates is located in Person County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cates
    • Roseville
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the northeast)
      • Roseville is located in Person County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Roseville
  • Randolph County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Westerwood, with the one closest to Westerwood listed first.
    • Liberty
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the south)
    • Redcross
      (18 miles [29 km] to the southwest)
      • Redcross is located in Randolph County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Redcross
    • Melanchton
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the southwest)
      • Melanchton is located in Randolph County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Melanchton
    • Staley
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the south)
    • Millboro
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the southwest)
      • Millboro is located in Randolph County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Millboro
    • Ramseur
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the south)
    • Franklinville
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the southwest)
    • Randleman
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the southwest)
    • Worthville
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the southwest)
      • Worthville is located in Randolph County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Worthville
    • Cedar Falls
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the southwest)
      • Cedar Falls is located in Randolph County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cedar Falls
    • Central Falls
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the southwest)
      • Central Falls is located in Randolph County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Central Falls
    • New Market
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the southwest)
      • New Market is located in Randolph County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for New Market
    • Sophia
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the southwest)
  • Rockingham County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Westerwood, with the one closest to Westerwood listed first.
    • Reidsville
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the northwest)
    • Lawsonville
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the north)
      • Lawsonville is located in Rockingham County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lawsonville
    • Belmont
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the northwest)
      • Belmont is located in Rockingham County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Belmont
    • Norwood
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the northwest)
      • Norwood is located in Rockingham County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Norwood
    • Wittys Crossroads
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the northwest)
      • Wittys Crossroads is located in Rockingham County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Wittys Crossroads
    • Ruffin
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the north)
    • Wentworth
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the northwest)
      • Wentworth is located in Rockingham County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Wentworth
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 2,734 people
    • College Village
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the northwest)
      • College Village is located in Rockingham County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for College Village
    • Gold Hill
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the northwest)
      • Gold Hill is located in Rockingham County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Gold Hill

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

Cemeteries Near Westerwood ...

Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of Westerwood.

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

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

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

While we didn't find Westerwood in the Atlas, the following 1895 communities would have been found near the current location of Westerwood.

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

  • Burlington
    (2 miles [3.2 km] to the northeast)
  • Elon College
    (2 miles [3.2 km] to the west)
  • Graham
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the east)
    • Graham is located in Alamance County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Graham
    • Population from the 2020 Census: 15,766 people
    • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Graham <1>
  • Gibsonville
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the west)
  • Haw River
    (6 miles [9.7 km] to the east)
  • Altamahaw
    (7 miles [11.3 km] to the north)
    • Altamahaw is located in Alamance County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Altamahaw
  • Rock Creek
    (7 miles [11.3 km] to the south)
    • Rock Creek is located in Alamance County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rock Creek
  • Swepsonville
    (7 miles [11.3 km] to the southeast)
    • Swepsonville is located in Alamance County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Swepsonville
    • Population from the 2020 Census: 1,386 people
  • McCray
    (7 miles [11.3 km] to the northeast)
    • McCray is located in Alamance County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for McCray
  • Kimesville
    (9 miles [14.5 km] to the southwest)
    • Kimesville is located in Alamance County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Kimesville
  • Hawfields
    (9 miles [14.5 km] to the east)
    • Hawfields is located in Alamance County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hawfields
  • Union Ridge
    (9 miles [14.5 km] to the northeast)
    • Union Ridge is located in Alamance County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Union Ridge
  • Continue List   (15 more) ...
    • McLeansville
      (10 miles [16.1 km] to the west)
    • Mebane
      (11 miles [17.7 km] to the east)
      • Mebane is located in Alamance County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mebane
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 16,732 people
      • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Mebane <1>
    • Saxapahaw
      (12 miles [19.3 km] to the southeast)

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

Newspapers Published in Westerwood ...

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 78 newspapers that have been published in the area around Westerwood.

Although we're unaware of any newspapers that were published in the immediate area of Westerwood, there are papers which were published within 17 miles [27.4 km]<3>. A list of those papers, sorted by paper name, can be found on the Extended Newspaper List for Westerwood.

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 helpful 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 Westerwood:

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