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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 Whittier (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 Whittier. 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 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.

Whittier is primarily located in Jackson County. A portion of Whittier extends into Swain 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 Jackson County: Haywood, Macon, Swain, Transylvania & Oconee (SC).

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

  • Jackson County     (The home county of Whittier)
    • The following are listed by their distance from Whittier, with the one closest to Whittier listed first.
    • Wilmot
      (3 miles [4.8 km] to the southeast)
      • Wilmot is located in Jackson County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Wilmot
    • Paint Town
      (4 miles [6.4 km] to the northeast)
      • Paint Town is located in Jackson County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Paint Town
    • Dillsboro
      (7 miles [11.3 km] to the southeast)
    • Sylva
      (8 miles [12.9 km] to the southeast)
      • Sylva is located in Jackson County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sylva
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 2,739 people
      • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Sylva <1>
    • Greens Creek
      (9 miles [14.5 km] to the southeast)
      • Greens Creek is located in Jackson County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Greens Creek
    • Webster
      (10 miles [16.1 km] to the southeast)
      • Webster is located in Jackson County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Webster
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 386 people
    • Addie
      (11 miles [17.7 km] to the east)
      • Addie is located in Jackson County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Addie
    • Gay
      (11 miles [17.7 km] to the southeast)
      • Gay is located in Jackson County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Gay
    • Cullowhee
      (13 miles [20.9 km] to the southeast)
    • Forest Hills
      (13 miles [20.9 km] to the southeast)
      • 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
      (14 miles [22.5 km] to the east)
      • Ruby City is located in Jackson County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ruby City
    • Balsam
      (15 miles [24.1 km] to the east)
  • Cherokee County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Whittier, with the one closest to Whittier listed first.
    • Topton
      (23 miles [37 km] to the southwest)
    • Rhodo
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the southwest)
      • Rhodo is located in Cherokee County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rhodo
    • Buffalo
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the southwest)
      • Buffalo is located in Cherokee County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Buffalo
    • Andrews
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the southwest)
  • Graham County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Whittier, with the one closest to Whittier listed first.
    • Stecoah
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the west)
      • Stecoah is located in Graham County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Stecoah
    • Cheoah
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the west)
      • Cheoah is located in Graham County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cheoah
    • Bear Creek
      (23 miles [37 km] to the southwest)
      • Bear Creek is located in Graham County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bear Creek
    • Fontana Dam
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the west)
      • Fontana Dam is located in Graham County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Fontana Dam
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 6 people
      • Fontana Dam has also been known as:
      • Fontana Village
      • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Fontana Dam <1>
    • Robbinsville
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the west)
    • Yellow Creek
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the west)
      • Yellow Creek is located in Graham County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Yellow Creek
    • Lake Santeetlah
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the west)
      • Lake Santeetlah is located in Graham County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lake Santeetlah
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 43 people
      • Lake Santeetlah has also been known as:
      • Santeetla
      • Santeetlah
      • Santultah
      • Thunderbird Mountain
      • Thunderbird
  • Haywood County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Whittier, with the one closest to Whittier listed first.
    • Maggie Valley
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the east)
    • Hazelwood
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the east)
      • Hazelwood is located in Haywood County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hazelwood
    • Waynesville
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the east)
    • Lake Junaluska
      (23 miles [37 km] to the east)
    • Lavinia ‑ Historic
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the east)
      • Lavinia is located in Haywood County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lavinia
    • Teague ‑ Historic
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the northeast)
      • Teague is located in Haywood County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Teague
    • Bethel
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the east)
      • Bethel is located in Haywood County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bethel
    • Clyde
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the east)
      • 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
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the east)
      • Sonoma is located in Haywood County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sonoma
    • Mount Sterling
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the northeast)
      • Mount Sterling is located in Haywood County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mount Sterling
    • West Canton
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the east)
      • West Canton is located in Haywood County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for West Canton
    • Canton
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the east)
  • Macon County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Whittier, with the one closest to Whittier listed first.
    • Leatherman
      (10 miles [16.1 km] to the south)
      • Leatherman is located in Macon County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Leatherman
    • Tellico
      (14 miles [22.5 km] to the southwest)
      • Tellico is located in Macon County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Tellico
    • Ellijay
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the south)
      • Ellijay is located in Macon County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ellijay
    • Franklin
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the south)
    • Fairview
      (18 miles [29 km] to the southwest)
      • Fairview is located in Macon County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Fairview
    • Riverside
      (23 miles [37 km] to the south)
      • Riverside is located in Macon County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Riverside
    • Otto
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the south)
    • Lickskillet
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the south)
      • Lickskillet is located in Macon County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lickskillet
    • Orlando
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the south)
      • Orlando is located in Macon County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Orlando
    • Scaly Mountain
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the south)
  • Swain County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Whittier, with the one closest to Whittier listed first.
    • Cherokee
      (3 miles [4.8 km] to the northeast)
    • Oconaluftee Indian Village
      (4 miles [6.4 km] to the northeast)
    • Bryson City
      (4 miles [6.4 km] to the west)
    • Unahala
      (6 miles [9.7 km] to the southwest)
      • Unahala is located in Swain County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Unahala
    • Forney ‑ Historic
      (11 miles [17.7 km] to the west)
      • Forney is located in Swain County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Forney
    • Judson ‑ Historic
      (11 miles [17.7 km] to the west)
      • Judson is located in Swain County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Judson
    • Almond
      (12 miles [19.3 km] to the west)
    • Bushnell ‑ Historic
      (12 miles [19.3 km] to the west)
      • Bushnell is located in Swain County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bushnell
    • Wesser
      (14 miles [22.5 km] to the southwest)
      • Wesser is located in Swain County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Wesser
    • Nantahala
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the southwest)
      • Nantahala is located in Swain County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Nantahala
  • Transylvania County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Whittier, with the one closest to Whittier listed first.
    • Balsam Grove
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the southeast)
    • Sapphire
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the southeast)
  • Blount County (TN)
    • The following are listed by their distance from Whittier, with the one closest to Whittier listed first.
    • Red Bank
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the northwest)
      • Red Bank is located in Blount County (TN)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Red Bank
    • Townsend
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the northwest)
  • Cocke County (TN)
    • The following are listed by their distance from Whittier, with the one closest to Whittier listed first.
    • Cosby
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the north)
    • Hartford
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the northeast)
    • Birdsville ‑ Historic
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the north)
      • Birdsville is located in Cocke County (TN)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Birdsville
    • Naillon ‑ Historic
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the northeast)
      • Naillon is located in Cocke County (TN)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Naillon
  • Sevier County (TN)
    • The following are listed by their distance from Whittier, with the one closest to Whittier listed first.
    • Elkmont ‑ Historic
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the northwest)
      • Elkmont is located in Sevier County (TN)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Elkmont
    • Chalet Village
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the northwest)
      • Chalet Village is located in Sevier County (TN)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Chalet Village
    • Gatlinburg
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the northwest)
    • Pittman Center
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the north)
      • Pittman Center is located in Sevier County (TN)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Pittman Center
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 545 people
    • Starkeytown
      (23 miles [37 km] to the northwest)
      • Starkeytown is located in Sevier County (TN)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Starkeytown
      • Estimated population in 2014: 431 people
    • Wear Valley
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the northwest)
      • Wear Valley is located in Sevier County (TN)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Wear Valley
    • Pigeon Forge
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the northwest)
    • East Fork
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the north)
      • East Fork is located in Sevier County (TN)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for East Fork
    • Middle Creek
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the north)
      • Middle Creek is located in Sevier County (TN)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Middle Creek
    • Waldens Creek
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the northwest)
      • Waldens Creek is located in Sevier County (TN)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Waldens Creek
    • Harrisburg
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the north)
      • Harrisburg is located in Sevier County (TN)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Harrisburg
      • Estimated population in 2014: 6,219 people

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

Cemeteries Near Whittier ...

Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of Whittier.

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

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

The following cemeteries are listed based on their distance from Whittier, with the one closest to Whittier 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.<3>

The Rand McNally Atlas shows that in 1895, Whittier had a post office and railroad service.

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

  • Birdtown
    (2 miles [3.2 km] to the north)
    • Birdtown is located in Swain County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Birdtown
  • Wilmot
    (3 miles [4.8 km] to the southeast)
    • Wilmot is located in Jackson County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Wilmot
  • Cherokee
    (3 miles [4.8 km] to the northeast)
  • Oconaluftee Indian Village
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the northeast)
  • Bryson City
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the west)
  • Dillsboro
    (7 miles [11.3 km] to the southeast)
  • Sylva
    (8 miles [12.9 km] to the southeast)
    • Sylva is located in Jackson County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sylva
    • Population from the 2020 Census: 2,739 people
    • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Sylva <1>
  • Beta
    (9 miles [14.5 km] to the east)
    • Beta is located in Jackson County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Beta
  • Leatherman
    (10 miles [16.1 km] to the south)
    • Leatherman is located in Macon County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Leatherman
  • Webster
    (10 miles [16.1 km] to the southeast)
    • Webster is located in Jackson County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Webster
    • Population from the 2020 Census: 386 people
  • Addie
    (11 miles [17.7 km] to the east)
    • Addie is located in Jackson County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Addie
  • Judson ‑ Historic
    (11 miles [17.7 km] to the west)
    • Judson is located in Swain County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Judson
  • Continue List   (14 more) ...
    • Bushnell ‑ Historic
      (12 miles [19.3 km] to the west)
      • Bushnell is located in Swain County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bushnell
    • Cullowhee
      (13 miles [20.9 km] to the southeast)
    • Fallcliff
      (15 miles [24.1 km] to the southeast)
      • Fallcliff is located in Jackson County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Fallcliff

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

Newspapers Published in Whittier ...

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 33 newspapers that have been published in the area around Whittier.

Although we're unaware of any newspapers that were published in the immediate area of Whittier, there are papers which were published within 21 miles [33.8 km]<4>. A list of those papers, sorted by paper name, can be found on the Extended Newspaper List for Whittier.

Websites to Help With Your Genealogy Research ...

When we do our genealogical research, we like to start with the websites from Cyndi's List, FamilySearch and Genealogy Trails. These websites either 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 Whittier:

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