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 Columbia Center (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 Columbia Center. 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 Columbia Center ...
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 Columbia Center: Columbia Ctr. (or less commonly used: Columbia Cen., Columbia Cent. or Columbia Cntr.)
You might see Columbia Centre instead of Columbia Center.
You might be interested in other communities that are also named Columbia Center. More information can be found on our Tidbits & Trivia Page for Columbia Center.
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.
For more information about how community names might have been affected by the Board of Geographic Names (BGN), see our page about Placename Rules.
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 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.
Columbia Center is located in Lorain County.
To see how the shape of Ohio's counties may have changed over time, we recommend the Atlas of Historical County Boundaries.
The following counties adjoin and form the boundaries of Lorain County: Ashland, Cuyahoga, Erie, Huron & Medina.
Below are the counties that are near Columbia Center. For each of these counties, we show a sample of those communities that are closest to Columbia Center:
- Lorain County (The home county of Columbia Center)
- The following are listed by their distance from Columbia Center, with the one closest to Columbia Center listed first.
- Eaton Estates
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the west)
- Eaton Estates is located in Lorain County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Eaton Estates
- Fields
(5 miles [8 km] to the northwest)
- Fields is located in Lorain County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Fields
- North Ridgeville
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the northwest)
- Belden
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the southwest)
- Belden is located in Lorain County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Belden
- Grafton
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the southwest)
- Elyria
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the west)
- Avon
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the northwest)
- Sheffield
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the northwest)
- Lagrange
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the southwest)
- Nickelplate ‑ Historic
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the west)
- Nickelplate is located in Lorain County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Nickelplate
- Pheasant Run Village
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the southwest)
- Pheasant Run Village is located in Lorain County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Pheasant Run Village
- Avon Lake
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the north)
- Ashland County
- The following are listed by their distance from Columbia Center, with the one closest to Columbia Center listed first.
- Albion
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the southwest)
- Albion is located in Ashland County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Albion
- Nova
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the southwest)
- Polk
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the southwest)
- Polk is located in Ashland County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Polk
- Population from the 2020 Census: 331 people
- Champaign County
- Rochester
(23 miles [37 km] to the southwest)
- Rochester is located in Champaign County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rochester
- Cuyahoga County
- The following are listed by their distance from Columbia Center, with the one closest to Columbia Center listed first.
- Olmsted Falls
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the north)
- Binola
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the east)
- Binola is located in Cuyahoga County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Binola
- Strongsville
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the east)
- Berea
(5 miles [8 km] to the northeast)
- Bennetts Corners
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the east)
- Bennetts Corners is located in Cuyahoga County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bennetts Corners
- North Olmsted
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the north)
- Middleburg Heights
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the northeast)
- Brook Park
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the northeast)
- North Royalton
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the east)
- Fairview Park
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the north)
- Parma Heights
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the northeast)
- Westlake
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the north)
- Erie County
- The following are listed by their distance from Columbia Center, with the one closest to Columbia Center listed first.
- Birmingham
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the west)
- Florence
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the west)
- Florence is located in Erie County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Florence
- Berlin Heights
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the west)
- Berlinville
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the west)
- Berlinville is located in Erie County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Berlinville
- Shinrock
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the west)
- Shinrock is located in Erie County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Shinrock
- Geauga County
- Bainbridge
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the east)
- Huron County
- The following are listed by their distance from Columbia Center, with the one closest to Columbia Center listed first.
- White Fox
(23 miles [37 km] to the west)
- White Fox is located in Huron County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for White Fox
- Wakeman
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the west)
- West Clarksfield
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the west)
- West Clarksfield is located in Huron County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for West Clarksfield
- New London
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the southwest)
- Collins
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the west)
- Collins is located in Huron County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Collins
- East Townsend
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the west)
- East Townsend is located in Huron County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for East Townsend
- Hartland Station
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the west)
- Hartland Station is located in Huron County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hartland Station
- Hartland
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the west)
- Hartland is located in Huron County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hartland
- Medina County
- The following are listed by their distance from Columbia Center, with the one closest to Columbia Center listed first.
- Valley City Station
(5 miles [8 km] to the south)
- Valley City Station is located in Medina County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Valley City Station
- Valley City
(5 miles [8 km] to the south)
- Brunswick
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the southeast)
- Abbeyville
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the south)
- Abbeyville is located in Medina County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Abbeyville
- Hinckley
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the southeast)
- Litchfield
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the southwest)
- Medina
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the south)
- Risley ‑ Historic
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the southwest)
- Risley is located in Medina County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Risley
- Granger
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the southeast)
- Granger is located in Medina County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Granger
- Windfall
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the southeast)
- Windfall is located in Medina County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Windfall
- Youngs Corners
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the southeast)
- Youngs Corners is located in Medina County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Youngs Corners
- Briarwood Beach ‑ Historic
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the south)
- Briarwood Beach is located in Medina County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Briarwood Beach
- Portage County
- The following are listed by their distance from Columbia Center, with the one closest to Columbia Center listed first.
- Aurora
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the east)
- Camelot Village
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the east)
- Camelot Village is located in Portage County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Camelot Village
- Streetsboro
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the east)
- Sugar Bush Knolls
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the east)
- Sugar Bush Knolls is located in Portage County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sugar Bush Knolls
- Population from the 2020 Census: 195 people
- Summit County
- The following are listed by their distance from Columbia Center, with the one closest to Columbia Center listed first.
- Richfield
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the east)
- Bath Center
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the southeast)
- Bath Center is located in Summit County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bath Center
- Bath
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the southeast)
- Boston
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the east)
- Boston is located in Summit County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Boston
- Boston has also been known as:
- Boston Mill
- Helltown
- Montrose
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the southeast)
- Montrose is located in Summit County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Montrose
- Paxton
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the southeast)
- Paxton is located in Summit County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Paxton
- Pigeon Creek
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the southeast)
- Pigeon Creek is located in Summit County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Pigeon Creek
- Emmons Corner
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the east)
- Emmons Corner is located in Summit County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Emmons Corner
- Northfield Center
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the east)
- Northfield Center is located in Summit County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Northfield Center
- Northfield
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the east)
- Copley
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the southeast)
- Fairlawn
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the southeast)
- Wayne County
- The following are listed by their distance from Columbia Center, with the one closest to Columbia Center listed first.
- Burbank
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the south)
- Creston
(23 miles [37 km] to the south)
- Aukerman
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the south)
- Aukerman is located in Wayne County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Aukerman
- Rittman
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the south)
- Sterling
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the south)
- West Salem
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the south)
- Doylestown
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the southeast)
- Congress
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the south)
- Congress is located in Wayne County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Congress
- Population from the 2020 Census: 177 people
- Marshallville
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the south)
For an expanded list of the communities that are closest to Columbia Center, see our County-by-County Page for Columbia Center.
Cemeteries Near Columbia Center ...
Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of Columbia Center.
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 Columbia Center - one of the links might be able to help.
If not found below, our Cemetery List for Columbia Center covers a larger area, with the cemeteries listed in alphabetical order.
The following cemeteries are listed based on their distance from Columbia Center, with the one closest to Columbia Center listed first.
- Columbia Twp. Cemetery
(Less than 2 miles to the northeast)
- Myrtle Hill Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the south)
- Beebetown Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the southeast)
- Strongsville Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the east)
- St. Marys Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the northeast)
- Chestnut Grove Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the north)
- St. Pauls Evangelical Lutheran Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the south)
- Adams Street Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the northeast)
- St. Marys Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the northeast)
- Sunset Memorial Park
(5 miles [8 km] to the north)
- Fields Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the northwest)
- North Street Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the southwest)
- Continue List (391 more) ...
- St. Martin of Tours Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the south)
- Rest Acre Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the south)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rest Acre Cemetery
- The Rest Acre Cemetery has also been known as:
- Emanuel Cemetery
- Lester Cemetery
- New Law Cemetery
- Reuter Cemetery
- Zion Lutheran Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the south)
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 Columbia Center in the Atlas, the following 1895 communities would have been found near the current location of Columbia Center.
These communities are listed based on their distance from Columbia Center, with the one closest to Columbia Center listed first.
- Columbia Station
(Less than 2 miles to the west)
- North Eaton
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the west)
- North Eaton is located in Lorain County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for North Eaton
- Beebetown ‑ Historic
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the southeast)
- Beebetown is located in Medina County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Beebetown
- West View
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the north)
- West View is located in Cuyahoga County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for West View
- Olmsted Falls
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the north)
- Strongsville
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the east)
- Binola
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the east)
- Binola is located in Cuyahoga County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Binola
- Berea
(5 miles [8 km] to the northeast)
- Fields
(5 miles [8 km] to the northwest)
- Fields is located in Lorain County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Fields
- Brunswick
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the southeast)
- Shawville ‑ Historic
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the northwest)
- Shawville is located in Lorain County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Shawville
- Grafton
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the southwest)
- Continue List (13 more) ...
- Belden
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the southwest)
- Belden is located in Lorain County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Belden
- Bement
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the north)
- Bement is located in Cuyahoga County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bement
- Bennetts Corners
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the east)
- Bennetts Corners is located in Cuyahoga County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bennetts Corners
We've also created an expanded list of communities that existed in the 1890's and were located in the area around Columbia Center. See our List of 1890's Communities around Columbia Center.
Newspapers Published in Columbia Center ...
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 485 newspapers that have been published in the area around Columbia Center.
Although we're unaware of any newspapers that were published in the immediate area of Columbia Center, there are papers which were published within 17 miles [27.4 km]<4>. A list of those papers, sorted by paper name, can be found on the Extended Newspaper List for Columbia Center.
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 Columbia Center:
- Websites specific to Ohio
- Pages specific to Lorain County
- Genealogy information for nearby counties
- Ashland County
- Champaign County
- Cuyahoga County
- Erie County
- Geauga County
- Huron County
- Medina County
- Portage County
- Summit County
- Wayne County
- Cemetery Information and Directories for Ohio
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 Columbia Center, 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- Columbia Center) to Point B. In other words: 'As the crow flies'. |