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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 Capitol Hill (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 Capitol Hill. 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 and hospitals 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.

Capitol Hill is located in Multnomah County.

To see how the shape of Oregon's counties may have changed over time, we recommend the Atlas of Historical County Boundaries.

The following counties adjoin and form the boundaries of Multnomah County: Clackamas, Columbia, Hood River, Washington, Clark (WA) & Skamania (WA).

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

  • Multnomah County     (The home county of Capitol Hill)
    • The following are listed by their distance from Capitol Hill, with the one closest to Capitol Hill listed first.
    • Hillsdale
      (Less than 2 miles to the north)
      • Hillsdale is located in Multnomah County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hillsdale
    • Fulton ‑ Historic
      (Less than 2 miles to the east)
      • Fulton is located in Multnomah County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Fulton
    • Milwaukie
      (3 miles [4.8 km] to the east)
    • Portland
      (3 miles [4.8 km] to the north)
    • Woodstock
      (4 miles [6.4 km] to the east)
      • Woodstock is located in Multnomah County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Woodstock
    • Albina
      (5 miles [8 km] to the north)
      • Albina is located in Multnomah County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Albina
    • Laurelhurst
      (5 miles [8 km] to the northeast)
      • Laurelhurst is located in Multnomah County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Laurelhurst
    • Montavilla
      (6 miles [9.7 km] to the northeast)
      • Montavilla is located in Multnomah County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Montavilla
    • Russellville
      (7 miles [11.3 km] to the northeast)
      • Russellville is located in Multnomah County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Russellville
    • Maywood Park
      (8 miles [12.9 km] to the northeast)
    • Vanport City ‑ Historic
      (9 miles [14.5 km] to the north)
      • Vanport City is located in Multnomah County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Vanport City
    • Hazelwood
      (9 miles [14.5 km] to the northeast)
      • Hazelwood is located in Multnomah County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hazelwood
    • Rockwood
      (11 miles [17.7 km] to the east)
      • Rockwood is located in Multnomah County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rockwood
  • Clackamas County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Capitol Hill, with the one closest to Capitol Hill listed first.
    • Lake Oswego
      (3 miles [4.8 km] to the south)
    • Christie ‑ Historic
      (4 miles [6.4 km] to the southeast)
      • Christie is located in Clackamas County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Christie
    • Oak Grove
      (4 miles [6.4 km] to the southeast)
    • Rivergrove
      (5 miles [8 km] to the south)
      • Rivergrove is located in Clackamas County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rivergrove
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 318 people
    • Marylhurst
      (5 miles [8 km] to the southeast)
    • Oatfield
      (5 miles [8 km] to the southeast)
      • Oatfield is located in Clackamas County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Oatfield
    • Stafford
      (6 miles [9.7 km] to the south)
      • Stafford is located in Clackamas County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Stafford
    • Jennings Lodge
      (6 miles [9.7 km] to the southeast)
      • Jennings Lodge is located in Clackamas County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Jennings Lodge
    • Clackamas
      (7 miles [11.3 km] to the southeast)
    • Gladstone
      (7 miles [11.3 km] to the southeast)
    • Johnson City
      (7 miles [11.3 km] to the southeast)
      • Johnson City is located in Clackamas County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Johnson City
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 627 people
    • West Linn
      (7 miles [11.3 km] to the southeast)
    • Tualatin
      (7 miles [11.3 km] to the southwest)
  • Columbia County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Capitol Hill, with the one closest to Capitol Hill listed first.
    • Scappoose
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the northwest)
    • Warren
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the north)
    • Saint Helens
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the north)
    • Columbia City
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the north)
  • Marion County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Capitol Hill, with the one closest to Capitol Hill listed first.
    • Butteville Station ‑ Historic
      (15 miles [24.1 km] to the south)
      • Butteville Station is located in Marion County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Butteville Station
    • Butteville
      (15 miles [24.1 km] to the southwest)
      • Butteville is located in Marion County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Butteville
    • Aurora
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the south)
    • Champoeg ‑ Historic
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the southwest)
      • Champoeg is located in Marion County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Champoeg
    • Donald
      (18 miles [29 km] to the south)
    • Hubbard
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the south)
    • Saint Paul
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the southwest)
    • Woodburn
      (23 miles [37 km] to the south)
    • McKee
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the south)
      • McKee is located in Marion County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for McKee
    • Gervais
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the south)
    • Mount Angel
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the south)
    • Downs
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the south)
      • Downs is located in Marion County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Downs
    • Scotts Mills
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the south)
  • Washington County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Capitol Hill, with the one closest to Capitol Hill listed first.
    • West Slope
      (3 miles [4.8 km] to the northwest)
      • West Slope is located in Washington County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for West Slope
    • Metzger
      (3 miles [4.8 km] to the southwest)
      • Metzger is located in Washington County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Metzger
    • Raleigh Hills
      (3 miles [4.8 km] to the west)
      • Raleigh Hills is located in Washington County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Raleigh Hills
    • Tigard
      (4 miles [6.4 km] to the southwest)
      • Tigard is located in Washington County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Tigard
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 56,049 people
      • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Tigard <1>
    • Progress
      (4 miles [6.4 km] to the west)
      • Progress is located in Washington County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Progress
    • Cedar Hills
      (5 miles [8 km] to the northwest)
    • Durham
      (5 miles [8 km] to the southwest)
      • Durham is located in Washington County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Durham
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 1,908 people
      • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Durham <1>
    • Beaverton
      (5 miles [8 km] to the west)
    • Cedar Mill
      (6 miles [9.7 km] to the northwest)
    • Marlene Village
      (6 miles [9.7 km] to the northwest)
      • Marlene Village is located in Washington County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Marlene Village
    • King City
      (6 miles [9.7 km] to the southwest)
    • Oak Hills
      (8 miles [12.9 km] to the northwest)
      • Oak Hills is located in Washington County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Oak Hills
    • Aloha
      (8 miles [12.9 km] to the west)
  • Yamhill County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Capitol Hill, with the one closest to Capitol Hill listed first.
    • Newberg
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the southwest)
    • Dundee
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the southwest)
    • Cove Orchard
      (23 miles [37 km] to the west)
      • Cove Orchard is located in Yamhill County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cove Orchard
    • Dayton
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the southwest)
    • Lafayette
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the southwest)
    • Yamhill
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the west)
    • Carlton
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the southwest)
    • Saint Joseph
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the southwest)
      • Saint Joseph is located in Yamhill County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Saint Joseph
    • McMinnville
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the southwest)
    • Eola Village
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the southwest)
      • Eola Village is located in Yamhill County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Eola Village
  • Clark County (WA)
    • The following are listed by their distance from Capitol Hill, with the one closest to Capitol Hill listed first.
    • Vancouver
      (12 miles [19.3 km] to the north)
    • Cascade Park West
      (12 miles [19.3 km] to the northeast)
      • Cascade Park West is located in Clark County (WA)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cascade Park West
    • Fisher
      (12 miles [19.3 km] to the northeast)
      • Fisher is located in Clark County (WA)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Fisher
    • Minnehaha
      (13 miles [20.9 km] to the north)
      • Minnehaha is located in Clark County (WA)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Minnehaha
    • Cascade Park East
      (13 miles [20.9 km] to the northeast)
    • Hazel Dell
      (14 miles [22.5 km] to the north)
    • Walnut Grove
      (14 miles [22.5 km] to the north)
      • Walnut Grove is located in Clark County (WA)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Walnut Grove
    • Lake Shore
      (15 miles [24.1 km] to the north)
      • Lake Shore is located in Clark County (WA)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lake Shore
    • Mill Plain
      (15 miles [24.1 km] to the northeast)
      • Mill Plain is located in Clark County (WA)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mill Plain
    • Barberton
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the north)
      • Barberton is located in Clark County (WA)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Barberton
    • Felida
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the north)
      • Felida is located in Clark County (WA)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Felida
    • Five Corners
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the north)
      • Five Corners is located in Clark County (WA)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Five Corners
    • Camas
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the northeast)
      • Camas is located in Clark County (WA)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Camas
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 25,981 people
      • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Camas <1>
  • Skamania County (WA)
    • Cruzatt
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the east)
      • Cruzatt is located in Skamania County (WA)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cruzatt

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

Cemeteries Near Capitol Hill ...

Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of Capitol Hill.

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 Capitol Hill - one of the links might be able to help.

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

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

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

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

  • Bertha ‑ Historic
    (Less than 2 miles to the north)
    • Bertha is located in Multnomah County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bertha
  • Hillsdale
    (Less than 2 miles to the north)
    • Hillsdale is located in Multnomah County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hillsdale
  • West Portland
    (Less than 2 miles to the southwest)
    • West Portland is located in Multnomah County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for West Portland
  • Fulton ‑ Historic
    (Less than 2 miles to the east)
    • Fulton is located in Multnomah County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Fulton
  • South Portland ‑ Historic
    (Less than 2 miles to the northeast)
    • South Portland is located in Multnomah County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for South Portland
  • Sellwood
    (2 miles [3.2 km] to the east)
    • Sellwood is located in Multnomah County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sellwood
  • Garden Home
    (2 miles [3.2 km] to the west)
    • Garden Home is located in Washington County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Garden Home
  • Milwaukie
    (3 miles [4.8 km] to the east)
  • Sylvan
    (3 miles [4.8 km] to the northwest)
    • Sylvan is located in Multnomah County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sylvan
  • East Portland
    (3 miles [4.8 km] to the northeast)
    • East Portland is located in Multnomah County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for East Portland
  • Portland
    (3 miles [4.8 km] to the north)
  • Woodstock
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the east)
    • Woodstock is located in Multnomah County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Woodstock
  • Continue List   (15 more) ...
    • Progress
      (4 miles [6.4 km] to the west)
      • Progress is located in Washington County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Progress
    • Albina
      (5 miles [8 km] to the north)
      • Albina is located in Multnomah County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Albina
    • Beaverton
      (5 miles [8 km] to the west)

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

Newspapers Published in Capitol Hill ...

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 230 newspapers that have been published in the area around Capitol Hill.

Although we're unaware of any newspapers that were published in the immediate area of Capitol Hill, there are papers which were published within 8 miles [12.9 km]<4>. A list of those papers, sorted by paper name, can be found on the Extended Newspaper List for Capitol Hill.

Websites to Help With Your Genealogy Research ...

When we do our genealogical research, we first turn to 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 Capitol Hill:

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 Capitol Hill, 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 obstructions like rivers, canyons, lakes, et cetera - it's truly a line from Point A (ie- Capitol Hill) to Point B. In other words: 'As the crow flies'.