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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 Gresham (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 Gresham. 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.

Gresham 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 Gresham. For each of these counties, we show a sample of those communities that are closest to Gresham:

  • Multnomah County     (The home county of Gresham)
    • The following are listed by their distance from Gresham, with the one closest to Gresham listed first.
    • Powell Valley
      (2 miles [3.2 km] to the east)
      • Powell Valley is located in Multnomah County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Powell Valley
    • Fairview
      (2 miles [3.2 km] to the north)
    • Wood Village
      (2 miles [3.2 km] to the northeast)
    • Rockwood
      (2 miles [3.2 km] to the northwest)
      • Rockwood is located in Multnomah County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rockwood
    • Troutdale
      (3 miles [4.8 km] to the northeast)
    • Hazelwood
      (4 miles [6.4 km] to the west)
      • Hazelwood is located in Multnomah County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hazelwood
    • Russellville
      (5 miles [8 km] to the west)
      • Russellville is located in Multnomah County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Russellville
    • Maywood Park
      (6 miles [9.7 km] to the northwest)
    • Montavilla
      (6 miles [9.7 km] to the west)
      • Montavilla is located in Multnomah County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Montavilla
    • Corbett
      (7 miles [11.3 km] to the east)
    • Laurelhurst
      (8 miles [12.9 km] to the west)
      • Laurelhurst is located in Multnomah County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Laurelhurst
    • Woodstock
      (8 miles [12.9 km] to the west)
      • Woodstock is located in Multnomah County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Woodstock
  • Clackamas County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Gresham, with the one closest to Gresham listed first.
    • Damascus
      (5 miles [8 km] to the south)
    • Happy Valley
      (5 miles [8 km] to the southwest)
    • Boring
      (6 miles [9.7 km] to the southeast)
    • Sunnyside
      (6 miles [9.7 km] to the southwest)
      • Sunnyside is located in Clackamas County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sunnyside
    • Carver
      (8 miles [12.9 km] to the south)
    • Clackamas
      (9 miles [14.5 km] to the southwest)
    • Johnson City
      (9 miles [14.5 km] to the southwest)
      • Johnson City is located in Clackamas County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Johnson City
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 627 people
    • Eagle Creek
      (10 miles [16.1 km] to the south)
    • Oatfield
      (10 miles [16.1 km] to the southwest)
      • Oatfield is located in Clackamas County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Oatfield
    • Aims
      (11 miles [17.7 km] to the east)
      • Aims is located in Clackamas County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Aims
    • Gladstone
      (11 miles [17.7 km] to the southwest)
    • Jennings Lodge
      (11 miles [17.7 km] to the southwest)
      • Jennings Lodge is located in Clackamas County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Jennings Lodge
  • Columbia County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Gresham, with the one closest to Gresham listed first.
    • Scappoose
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the northwest)
    • Warren
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the northwest)
    • Saint Helens
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the northwest)
  • Hood River County
    • Cascade Locks
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the northeast)
  • Marion County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Gresham, with the one closest to Gresham listed first.
    • Aurora
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the southwest)
    • Butteville Station ‑ Historic
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the southwest)
      • Butteville Station is located in Marion County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Butteville Station
    • Butteville
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the southwest)
      • Butteville is located in Marion County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Butteville
    • Donald
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the southwest)
    • Champoeg ‑ Historic
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the southwest)
      • Champoeg is located in Marion County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Champoeg
    • Hubbard
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the southwest)
  • Washington County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Gresham, with the one closest to Gresham listed first.
    • Metzger
      (15 miles [24.1 km] to the west)
      • Metzger is located in Washington County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Metzger
    • Raleigh Hills
      (15 miles [24.1 km] to the west)
      • Raleigh Hills is located in Washington County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Raleigh Hills
    • West Slope
      (15 miles [24.1 km] to the west)
      • West Slope is located in Washington County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for West Slope
    • Progress
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the west)
      • Progress is located in Washington County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Progress
    • Durham
      (17 miles [27.4 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>
    • Cedar Hills
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the west)
    • Tigard
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the west)
      • 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>
    • Beaverton
      (18 miles [29 km] to the west)
    • Cedar Mill
      (18 miles [29 km] to the west)
    • Marlene Village
      (18 miles [29 km] to the west)
      • Marlene Village is located in Washington County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Marlene Village
    • Bethany
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the west)
      • Bethany is located in Washington County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bethany
    • King City
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the west)
  • Yamhill County
    • Newberg
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the southwest)
  • Clark County (WA)
    • The following are listed by their distance from Gresham, with the one closest to Gresham listed first.
    • Camas
      (6 miles [9.7 km] to the north)
      • 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>
    • Washougal
      (6 miles [9.7 km] to the northeast)
    • Fisher
      (6 miles [9.7 km] to the northwest)
      • Fisher is located in Clark County (WA)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Fisher
    • Cascade Park East
      (7 miles [11.3 km] to the northwest)
    • Cascade Park West
      (8 miles [12.9 km] to the northwest)
      • Cascade Park West is located in Clark County (WA)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cascade Park West
    • Fern Prairie
      (9 miles [14.5 km] to the north)
      • Fern Prairie is located in Clark County (WA)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Fern Prairie
    • Mill Plain
      (9 miles [14.5 km] to the north)
      • Mill Plain is located in Clark County (WA)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mill Plain
    • Sunnyside
      (10 miles [16.1 km] to the north)
      • Sunnyside is located in Clark County (WA)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sunnyside
    • Proebstel
      (11 miles [17.7 km] to the north)
      • Proebstel is located in Clark County (WA)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Proebstel
    • Orchards
      (13 miles [20.9 km] to the north)
    • Walnut Grove
      (13 miles [20.9 km] to the northwest)
      • Walnut Grove is located in Clark County (WA)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Walnut Grove
    • Five Corners
      (14 miles [22.5 km] to the northwest)
      • Five Corners is located in Clark County (WA)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Five Corners
  • Skamania County (WA)
    • The following are listed by their distance from Gresham, with the one closest to Gresham listed first.
    • Cruzatt
      (15 miles [24.1 km] to the northeast)
      • Cruzatt is located in Skamania County (WA)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cruzatt
    • Skamania
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the northeast)
      • Skamania is located in Skamania County (WA)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Skamania
    • North Bonneville
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the northeast)
    • Moffetts Hot Springs
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the northeast)
      • Moffetts Hot Springs is located in Skamania County (WA)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Moffetts Hot Springs
    • Stevenson
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the northeast)

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

Cemeteries Near Gresham ...

Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of Gresham.

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

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

The following cemeteries are listed based on their distance from Gresham, with the one closest to Gresham listed first.

  • Escobar Cemetery
    (Less than 2 miles to the southeast)
  • Forest Lawn Memorial Park
    (Less than 2 miles to the southeast)
  • Gresham Pioneer Cemetery
    (Less than 2 miles to the southeast)
  • St. Joseph Cemetery
    (Less than 2 miles to the southwest)
  • Mountain View Cemetery
    (2 miles [3.2 km] to the northeast)
  • Douglas Cemetery
    (3 miles [4.8 km] to the northeast)
  • Knight Cemetery
    (5 miles [8 km] to the north)
  • Willamette National Cemetery
    (5 miles [8 km] to the southwest)
  • Williamette National Cemetery
    (5 miles [8 km] to the southwest)
  • Deardorf Cemetery
    (5 miles [8 km] to the southwest)
  • Pleasant Home Cemetery
    (5 miles [8 km] to the southeast)
  • Powell Grove Cemetery
    (5 miles [8 km] to the northwest)
  • Continue List   (184 more) ...
    • Lincoln Memorial Park
      (6 miles [9.7 km] to the southwest)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lincoln Memorial Park
      • To give a relative sense of its location, the Lincoln Memorial Park is a very large cemetery that is located in Portland.
      • The Lincoln Memorial Park has also been known as:
      • Lincoln Memorial Cemetery
      • Mt. Scott Park Cemetery
      • Jump to Find-A-Grave: FG ID #39045 <2>
    • Sunnyside Pioneer Cemetery
      (6 miles [9.7 km] to the southwest)
    • Damascus Pioneer 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>

The Rand McNally Atlas shows that in 1895, Gresham had a post office and no railroad service. In 2020, Gresham had a population of 110,031 people.

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

  • Powell Valley
    (2 miles [3.2 km] to the east)
    • Powell Valley is located in Multnomah County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Powell Valley
  • Fairview
    (2 miles [3.2 km] to the north)
  • Rockwood
    (2 miles [3.2 km] to the northwest)
    • Rockwood is located in Multnomah County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rockwood
  • Sycamore
    (3 miles [4.8 km] to the southwest)
    • Sycamore is located in Multnomah County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sycamore
  • Troutdale
    (3 miles [4.8 km] to the northeast)
  • Damascus
    (5 miles [8 km] to the south)
  • Pleasant Home
    (5 miles [8 km] to the southeast)
    • Pleasant Home is located in Multnomah County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Pleasant Home
  • Clarnie
    (5 miles [8 km] to the northwest)
    • Clarnie is located in Multnomah County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Clarnie
  • Russellville
    (5 miles [8 km] to the west)
    • Russellville is located in Multnomah County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Russellville
  • Lents
    (6 miles [9.7 km] to the west)
    • Lents is located in Multnomah County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lents
  • Sunnyside
    (6 miles [9.7 km] to the southwest)
    • Sunnyside is located in Clackamas County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sunnyside
  • Fisher
    (6 miles [9.7 km] to the northwest)
    • Fisher is located in Clark County (WA)
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Fisher
  • Continue List   (22 more) ...
    • Washougal
      (6 miles [9.7 km] to the northeast)
    • Montavilla
      (6 miles [9.7 km] to the west)
      • Montavilla is located in Multnomah County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Montavilla
    • Woodstock
      (8 miles [12.9 km] to the west)
      • Woodstock is located in Multnomah County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Woodstock

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

Newspapers Published in the Vicinity of Gresham ...

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 210 newspapers that have been published in the area around Gresham.

We have organized these newspapers into two lists:

  • A Local Newspaper List - focusing on the papers published in the immediate area of Gresham. There are actually two parts to this list - papers printed in the immediate area of Gresham and those printed in the larger area surrounding Gresham.
  • An Extended Newspaper List - a longer list, sorted by paper name and containing those papers published within 11 miles [17.7 km]<4> of Gresham.

Websites to Help With Your Genealogy Research ...

When we do our genealogical research, we begin 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 Gresham:

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