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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 Sunset (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 Sunset. 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.

Sunset is located in Clackamas 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 Clackamas County: Hood River, Marion, Multnomah, Wasco, Washington & Yamhill.

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

  • Clackamas County     (The home county of Sunset)
    • The following are listed by their distance from Sunset, with the one closest to Sunset listed first.
    • West Linn
      (Less than 2 miles to the northwest)
    • Canemah
      (Less than 2 miles to the south)
      • Canemah is located in Clackamas County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Canemah
    • Mount Pleasant
      (Less than 2 miles to the southeast)
      • Mount Pleasant is located in Clackamas County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mount Pleasant
    • Jennings Lodge
      (2 miles [3.2 km] to the north)
      • Jennings Lodge is located in Clackamas County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Jennings Lodge
    • Gladstone
      (2 miles [3.2 km] to the northeast)
    • Park Place
      (2 miles [3.2 km] to the northeast)
      • Park Place is located in Clackamas County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Park Place
    • Marylhurst
      (2 miles [3.2 km] to the northwest)
    • Oregon City
      (2 miles [3.2 km] to the southeast)
    • Willamette
      (2 miles [3.2 km] to the southwest)
      • Willamette is located in Clackamas County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Willamette
    • Christie ‑ Historic
      (3 miles [4.8 km] to the north)
      • Christie is located in Clackamas County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Christie
    • Oak Grove
      (3 miles [4.8 km] to the north)
    • Johnson City
      (3 miles [4.8 km] to the northeast)
      • Johnson City is located in Clackamas County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Johnson City
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 627 people
  • Columbia County
    • Scappoose
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the northwest)
  • Marion County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Sunset, with the one closest to Sunset listed first.
    • Aurora
      (10 miles [16.1 km] to the southwest)
    • Butteville Station ‑ Historic
      (10 miles [16.1 km] to the southwest)
      • Butteville Station is located in Marion County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Butteville Station
    • Butteville
      (12 miles [19.3 km] to the southwest)
      • Butteville is located in Marion County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Butteville
    • Donald
      (13 miles [20.9 km] to the southwest)
    • Hubbard
      (14 miles [22.5 km] to the southwest)
    • Champoeg ‑ Historic
      (15 miles [24.1 km] to the southwest)
      • Champoeg is located in Marion County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Champoeg
    • Woodburn
      (18 miles [29 km] to the southwest)
    • McKee
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the southwest)
      • McKee is located in Marion County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for McKee
    • Saint Paul
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the southwest)
    • Mount Angel
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the south)
    • Gervais
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the southwest)
    • Scotts Mills
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the south)
  • Multnomah County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Sunset, with the one closest to Sunset listed first.
    • Milwaukie
      (5 miles [8 km] to the north)
    • Fulton ‑ Historic
      (7 miles [11.3 km] to the north)
      • Fulton is located in Multnomah County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Fulton
    • Hillsdale
      (8 miles [12.9 km] to the north)
      • Hillsdale is located in Multnomah County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hillsdale
    • Woodstock
      (8 miles [12.9 km] to the north)
      • Woodstock is located in Multnomah County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Woodstock
    • Laurelhurst
      (11 miles [17.7 km] to the north)
      • Laurelhurst is located in Multnomah County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Laurelhurst
    • Montavilla
      (11 miles [17.7 km] to the north)
      • Montavilla is located in Multnomah County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Montavilla
    • Portland
      (11 miles [17.7 km] to the north)
    • Russellville
      (11 miles [17.7 km] to the north)
      • Russellville is located in Multnomah County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Russellville
    • Hazelwood
      (11 miles [17.7 km] to the northeast)
      • Hazelwood is located in Multnomah County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hazelwood
    • Albina
      (12 miles [19.3 km] to the north)
      • Albina is located in Multnomah County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Albina
    • Maywood Park
      (13 miles [20.9 km] to the north)
    • Gresham
      (13 miles [20.9 km] to the northeast)
      • Gresham is located in Multnomah County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Gresham
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 110,031 people
      • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Gresham <1>
  • Washington County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Sunset, with the one closest to Sunset listed first.
    • Durham
      (6 miles [9.7 km] to the west)
      • 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>
    • Metzger
      (8 miles [12.9 km] to the northwest)
      • Metzger is located in Washington County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Metzger
    • Tigard
      (8 miles [12.9 km] to the northwest)
      • 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>
    • King City
      (8 miles [12.9 km] to the west)
    • Progress
      (9 miles [14.5 km] to the northwest)
      • Progress is located in Washington County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Progress
    • Raleigh Hills
      (10 miles [16.1 km] to the northwest)
      • Raleigh Hills is located in Washington County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Raleigh Hills
    • Sherwood
      (10 miles [16.1 km] to the west)
    • West Slope
      (11 miles [17.7 km] to the northwest)
      • West Slope is located in Washington County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for West Slope
    • Middleton
      (11 miles [17.7 km] to the west)
      • Middleton is located in Washington County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Middleton
    • Beaverton
      (12 miles [19.3 km] to the northwest)
    • Cedar Hills
      (12 miles [19.3 km] to the northwest)
    • Kinton ‑ Historic
      (12 miles [19.3 km] to the west)
      • Kinton is located in Washington County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Kinton
  • Yamhill County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Sunset, with the one closest to Sunset listed first.
    • Newberg
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the west)
    • Dundee
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the west)
    • Dayton
      (23 miles [37 km] to the southwest)
    • Lafayette
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the west)
    • Cove Orchard
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the west)
      • Cove Orchard is located in Yamhill County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cove Orchard
    • Carlton
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the west)
    • Saint Joseph
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the west)
      • Saint Joseph is located in Yamhill County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Saint Joseph
    • Yamhill
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the west)
    • Eola Village
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the southwest)
      • Eola Village is located in Yamhill County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Eola Village
    • Hopewell
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the southwest)
    • McMinnville
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the west)
    • Whiteson
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the southwest)
      • Whiteson is located in Yamhill County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Whiteson
  • Clark County (WA)
    • The following are listed by their distance from Sunset, with the one closest to Sunset listed first.
    • Cascade Park East
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the north)
    • Cascade Park West
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the north)
      • Cascade Park West is located in Clark County (WA)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cascade Park West
    • Fisher
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the north)
      • Fisher is located in Clark County (WA)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Fisher
    • Vancouver
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the north)
    • Camas
      (19 miles [30.6 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>
    • Mill Plain
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the north)
      • Mill Plain is located in Clark County (WA)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mill Plain
    • Minnehaha
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the north)
      • Minnehaha is located in Clark County (WA)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Minnehaha
    • Washougal
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the northeast)
    • Hazel Dell
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the north)
    • Walnut Grove
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the north)
      • Walnut Grove is located in Clark County (WA)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Walnut Grove
    • Five Corners
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the north)
      • Five Corners is located in Clark County (WA)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Five Corners
    • Fern Prairie
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the northeast)
      • Fern Prairie is located in Clark County (WA)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Fern Prairie
  • Skamania County (WA)
    • Cruzatt
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the northeast)
      • 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 Sunset, see our County-by-County Page for Sunset.

Cemeteries Near Sunset ...

Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of Sunset.

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

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

The following cemeteries are listed based on their distance from Sunset, with the one closest to Sunset 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 Sunset in the Atlas, the following 1895 communities would have been found near the current location of Sunset.

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

  • Canemah
    (Less than 2 miles to the south)
    • Canemah is located in Clackamas County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Canemah
  • Oregon City
    (2 miles [3.2 km] to the southeast)
  • Park Place
    (2 miles [3.2 km] to the northeast)
    • Park Place is located in Clackamas County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Park Place
  • Gladstone
    (2 miles [3.2 km] to the northeast)
  • Stafford
    (3 miles [4.8 km] to the west)
    • Stafford is located in Clackamas County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Stafford
  • New Era ‑ Historic
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the south)
    • New Era is located in Clackamas County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for New Era
  • Clackamas
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the northeast)
  • Milwaukie
    (5 miles [8 km] to the north)
  • Carus
    (6 miles [9.7 km] to the southeast)
    • Carus is located in Clackamas County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Carus
  • Sunnyside
    (6 miles [9.7 km] to the northeast)
    • Sunnyside is located in Clackamas County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sunnyside
  • Wilsonville
    (7 miles [11.3 km] to the west)
  • Fulton ‑ Historic
    (7 miles [11.3 km] to the north)
    • Fulton is located in Multnomah County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Fulton
  • Continue List   (13 more) ...
    • Canby
      (7 miles [11.3 km] to the southwest)
      • Canby is located in Clackamas County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Canby
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 18,027 people
      • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Canby <1>
    • Tualatin
      (7 miles [11.3 km] to the west)
    • Sellwood
      (7 miles [11.3 km] to the north)
      • Sellwood is located in Multnomah County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sellwood

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

Newspapers Published in Sunset ...

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 68 newspapers that have been published in the area around Sunset.

Although we're unaware of any newspapers that were published in the immediate area of Sunset, there are papers which were published within 10 miles [16.1 km]<4>. A list of those papers, sorted by paper name, can be found on the Extended Newspaper List for Sunset.

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 Sunset:

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 Sunset, 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 from Point A (ie- Sunset) to Point B. In other words: 'As the crow flies'.