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 West Saint Helens (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 West Saint Helens. 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 West Saint Helens ...
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 West Saint Helens: W. St. Helens
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.
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.
West Saint Helens is located in Columbia 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 Columbia County: Clatsop, Multnomah, Washington, Clark (WA), Cowlitz (WA) & Wahkiakum (WA).
Below are the counties that are near West Saint Helens. For each of these counties, we show a sample of those communities that are closest to West Saint Helens:
- Columbia County (The home county of West Saint Helens)
- The following are listed by their distance from West Saint Helens, with the one closest to West Saint Helens listed first.
- Saint Helens
(Less than 2 miles to the east)
- Columbia City
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the north)
- Warren
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the south)
- Deer Island
(5 miles [8 km] to the north)
- Scappoose
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the south)
- Reuben
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the north)
- Reuben is located in Columbia County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Reuben
- Goble
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the north)
- Goble is located in Columbia County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Goble
- Prescott
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the north)
- Prescott is located in Columbia County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Prescott
- Population from the 2020 Census: 63 people
- Beaver Springs
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the northwest)
- Beaver Springs is located in Columbia County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Beaver Springs
- Pittsburg
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the west)
- Pittsburg is located in Columbia County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Pittsburg
- Rainier
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the north)
- Vernonia
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the west)
- Multnomah County
- The following are listed by their distance from West Saint Helens, with the one closest to West Saint Helens listed first.
- Burlington
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the south)
- Burlington is located in Multnomah County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Burlington
- Vanport City ‑ Historic
(18 miles [29 km] to the south)
- Vanport City is located in Multnomah County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Vanport City
- Albina
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the south)
- Albina is located in Multnomah County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Albina
- Portland
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the south)
- Laurelhurst
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the southeast)
- Laurelhurst is located in Multnomah County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Laurelhurst
- Maywood Park
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the southeast)
- Hillsdale
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the south)
- Hillsdale is located in Multnomah County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hillsdale
- Montavilla
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the southeast)
- Montavilla is located in Multnomah County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Montavilla
- Russellville
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the southeast)
- Russellville is located in Multnomah County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Russellville
- Fulton ‑ Historic
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the south)
- Fulton is located in Multnomah County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Fulton
- Hazelwood
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the southeast)
- Hazelwood is located in Multnomah County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hazelwood
- Rockwood
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the southeast)
- Rockwood is located in Multnomah County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rockwood
- Washington County
- The following are listed by their distance from West Saint Helens, with the one closest to West Saint Helens listed first.
- Mountaindale
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the southwest)
- Mountaindale is located in Washington County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mountaindale
- North Plains
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the southwest)
- Bethany
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the south)
- Bethany is located in Washington County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bethany
- West Union
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the south)
- West Union is located in Washington County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for West Union
- Oak Hills
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the south)
- Oak Hills is located in Washington County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Oak Hills
- Rockcreek
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the south)
- Rockcreek is located in Washington County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rockcreek
- Banks
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the southwest)
- Buxton
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the southwest)
- Christie ‑ Historic
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the southwest)
- Christie is located in Washington County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Christie
- Christie has also been known as:
- Carstens
- Manning
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the southwest)
- Cedar Mill
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the south)
- Hillsboro
(23 miles [37 km] to the south)
- Clark County (WA)
- The following are listed by their distance from West Saint Helens, with the one closest to West Saint Helens listed first.
- Woodland
(5 miles [8 km] to the northeast)
- Ridgefield
(5 miles [8 km] to the southeast)
- La Center
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the east)
- Pioneer
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the east)
- Pioneer is located in Clark County (WA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Pioneer
- Sara
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the southeast)
- Sara is located in Clark County (WA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sara
- King Corner
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the east)
- King Corner is located in Clark County (WA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for King Corner
- Felida
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the southeast)
- Felida is located in Clark County (WA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Felida
- Cherry Grove
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the east)
- Cherry Grove is located in Clark County (WA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cherry Grove
- Etna
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the northeast)
- Etna is located in Clark County (WA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Etna
- Dollar's Corner
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the southeast)
- Dollar's Corner is located in Clark County (WA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Dollar's Corner
- Mount Vista
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the southeast)
- Mount Vista is located in Clark County (WA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mount Vista
- Lake Shore
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the southeast)
- Lake Shore is located in Clark County (WA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lake Shore
- Cowlitz County (WA)
- The following are listed by their distance from West Saint Helens, with the one closest to West Saint Helens listed first.
- Kalama
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the north)
- Carrolls
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the north)
- Ariel
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the northeast)
- Rose Valley
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the north)
- Rose Valley is located in Cowlitz County (WA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rose Valley
- Kelso
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the north)
- Kelso is located in Cowlitz County (WA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Kelso
- Population from the 2020 Census: 12,438 people
- Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Kelso <1>
- Longview
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the north)
- West Longview
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the north)
- West Longview is located in Cowlitz County (WA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for West Longview
- Longview Heights
(23 miles [37 km] to the north)
- Longview Heights is located in Cowlitz County (WA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Longview Heights
- Ostrander
(23 miles [37 km] to the north)
- Ostrander is located in Cowlitz County (WA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ostrander
- Coal Creek
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the north)
- Coal Creek is located in Cowlitz County (WA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Coal Creek
- Pleasant Hill
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the north)
- Pleasant Hill is located in Cowlitz County (WA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Pleasant Hill
- Stella
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the northwest)
- Stella is located in Cowlitz County (WA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Stella
- Wahkiakum County (WA)
- Eagle Cliff
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the northwest)
- Eagle Cliff is located in Wahkiakum County (WA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Eagle Cliff
For an expanded list of the communities that are closest to West Saint Helens, see our County-by-County Page for West Saint Helens.
Cemeteries Near West Saint Helens ...
Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of West Saint Helens.
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 West Saint Helens - one of the links might be able to help.
If not found below, our Cemetery List for West Saint Helens covers a larger area, with the cemeteries listed in alphabetical order.
The following cemeteries are listed based on their distance from West Saint Helens, with the one closest to West Saint Helens listed first.
- Masonic Cemetery
(Less than 2 miles to the north)
- Bethany Memorial Cemetery
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the southwest)
- Lutheran Cemetery
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the southwest)
- Bayview Memorial Cemetery
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the south)
- Old Yankton Cemetery
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the west)
- Yankton - Hillcrest Cemetery
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the west)
- Kinder Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the north)
- Columbia Memorial Gardens Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the southwest)
- IOOF Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the northeast)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for IOOF Cemetery
- To give a relative sense of its location, the IOOF Cemetery is a large cemetery that is located in Woodland (WA).
- The IOOF Cemetery has also been known as:
- Odd Fellows Cemetery
- Jump to Find-A-Grave: FG ID #1986229 <2>
- Gore Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the northwest)
- Bethel Evangelical Methodist Church Cemetery
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the southeast)
- Martins Bluff Cemetery
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the north)
- Continue List (141 more) ...
- St. Wenceslaus Catholic Church Cemetery
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the south)
- Fairview Cemetery
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the south)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Fairview Cemetery
- The Fairview Cemetery has also been known as:
- Johnson's Cemetery
- Scappoose Pioneer Cemetery
- Jump to Find-A-Grave: FG ID #38764 <2>
- Mt. Zion Cemetery
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the east)
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 West Saint Helens in the Atlas, the following 1895 communities would have been found near the current location of West Saint Helens.
These communities are listed based on their distance from West Saint Helens, with the one closest to West Saint Helens listed first.
- Saint Helens
(Less than 2 miles to the east)
- Columbia City
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the north)
- Warren
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the south)
- Caples
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the north)
- Caples is located in Cowlitz County (WA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Caples
- Ridgefield
(5 miles [8 km] to the southeast)
- Woodland
(5 miles [8 km] to the northeast)
- Deer Island
(5 miles [8 km] to the north)
- Scappoose
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the south)
- La Center
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the east)
- Pioneer
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the east)
- Pioneer is located in Clark County (WA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Pioneer
- Hayes
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the northeast)
- Hayes is located in Clark County (WA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hayes
- Sara
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the southeast)
- Sara is located in Clark County (WA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sara
- Continue List (13 more) ...
- Reuben
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the north)
- Reuben is located in Columbia County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Reuben
- Kalama
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the north)
- Goble
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the north)
- Goble is located in Columbia County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Goble
We've also created an expanded list of communities that existed in the 1890's and were located in the area around West Saint Helens. See our List of 1890's Communities around West Saint Helens.
Newspapers Published in West Saint Helens ...
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 84 newspapers that have been published in the area around West Saint Helens.
Although we're unaware of any newspapers that were published in the immediate area of West Saint Helens, there are papers which were published within 20 miles [32.2 km]<4>. A list of those papers, sorted by paper name, can be found on the Extended Newspaper List for West Saint Helens.
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 West Saint Helens:
- Websites specific to Oregon
- Pages specific to Columbia County
- Genealogy information for nearby counties
- Multnomah County
- Washington County
- Clark County
- Cowlitz County
- Wahkiakum County
- Cemetery Information and Directories for Oregon
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 West Saint Helens, 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 drawn from Point A (ie- West Saint Helens) to Point B. In other words: 'As the crow flies'. |