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 Willamette (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 Willamette. 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 doctors and 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.
Willamette 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 Willamette. For each of these counties, we show a sample of those communities that are closest to Willamette:
- Clackamas County (The home county of Willamette)
- The following are listed by their distance from Willamette, with the one closest to Willamette listed first.
- Canemah
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the east)
- Canemah is located in Clackamas County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Canemah
- West Linn
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the northeast)
- Stafford
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the northwest)
- Stafford is located in Clackamas County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Stafford
- Mount Pleasant
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the east)
- Mount Pleasant is located in Clackamas County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mount Pleasant
- Oregon City
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the east)
- Marylhurst
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the north)
- Christie ‑ Historic
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the north)
- Christie is located in Clackamas County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Christie
- Lake Oswego
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the north)
- Gladstone
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the northeast)
- Jennings Lodge
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the northeast)
- Jennings Lodge is located in Clackamas County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Jennings Lodge
- Park Place
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the northeast)
- Park Place is located in Clackamas County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Park Place
- Rivergrove
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the northwest)
- Rivergrove is located in Clackamas County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rivergrove
- Population from the 2020 Census: 318 people
- Columbia County
- Scappoose
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the north)
- Marion County
- The following are listed by their distance from Willamette, with the one closest to Willamette listed first.
- Butteville Station ‑ Historic
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the southwest)
- Butteville Station is located in Marion County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Butteville Station
- Aurora
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the southwest)
- Butteville
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the southwest)
- Butteville is located in Marion County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Butteville
- Donald
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the southwest)
- Champoeg ‑ Historic
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the southwest)
- Champoeg is located in Marion County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Champoeg
- Hubbard
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the southwest)
- Woodburn
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the southwest)
- Saint Paul
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the southwest)
- McKee
(18 miles [29 km] to the south)
- McKee is located in Marion County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for McKee
- Gervais
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the southwest)
- Mount Angel
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the south)
- Scotts Mills
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the south)
- Multnomah County
- The following are listed by their distance from Willamette, with the one closest to Willamette listed first.
- Milwaukie
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the north)
- Fulton ‑ Historic
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the north)
- Fulton is located in Multnomah County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Fulton
- Hillsdale
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the north)
- Hillsdale is located in Multnomah County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hillsdale
- Woodstock
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the north)
- Woodstock is located in Multnomah County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Woodstock
- Laurelhurst
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the north)
- Laurelhurst is located in Multnomah County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Laurelhurst
- Montavilla
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the north)
- Montavilla is located in Multnomah County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Montavilla
- Portland
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the north)
- Albina
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the north)
- Albina is located in Multnomah County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Albina
- Hazelwood
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the northeast)
- Hazelwood is located in Multnomah County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hazelwood
- Russellville
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the northeast)
- Russellville is located in Multnomah County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Russellville
- Maywood Park
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the north)
- Gresham
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the northeast)
- Polk County
- Lincoln
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the southwest)
- Lincoln is located in Polk County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lincoln
- Washington County
- The following are listed by their distance from Willamette, with the one closest to Willamette listed first.
- Durham
(5 miles [8 km] to the northwest)
- King City
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the northwest)
- Tigard
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the northwest)
- Metzger
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the northwest)
- Metzger is located in Washington County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Metzger
- Sherwood
(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
- Middleton
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the west)
- Middleton is located in Washington County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Middleton
- 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
- Beaverton
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the northwest)
- Kinton ‑ Historic
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the northwest)
- Kinton is located in Washington County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Kinton
- 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
- Cedar Hills
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the northwest)
- Yamhill County
- The following are listed by their distance from Willamette, with the one closest to Willamette listed first.
- Newberg
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the west)
- Dundee
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the west)
- Dayton
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the southwest)
- Lafayette
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the west)
- Cove Orchard
(23 miles [37 km] to the west)
- Cove Orchard is located in Yamhill County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cove Orchard
- Carlton
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the west)
- Saint Joseph
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the west)
- Saint Joseph is located in Yamhill County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Saint Joseph
- Yamhill
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the west)
- Eola Village
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the southwest)
- Eola Village is located in Yamhill County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Eola Village
- Hopewell
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the southwest)
- McMinnville
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the west)
- Whiteson
(28 miles [45.1 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 Willamette, with the one closest to Willamette listed first.
- Fisher
(18 miles [29 km] to the northeast)
- Fisher is located in Clark County (WA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Fisher
- Cascade Park East
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the north)
- Cascade Park West
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the north)
- Cascade Park West is located in Clark County (WA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cascade Park West
- Vancouver
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the north)
- Minnehaha
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the north)
- Minnehaha is located in Clark County (WA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Minnehaha
- Camas
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the northeast)
- Hazel Dell
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the north)
- Mill Plain
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the north)
- Mill Plain is located in Clark County (WA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mill Plain
- Walnut Grove
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the north)
- Walnut Grove is located in Clark County (WA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Walnut Grove
- Washougal
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the northeast)
- Five Corners
(23 miles [37 km] to the north)
- Five Corners is located in Clark County (WA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Five Corners
- Lake Shore
(23 miles [37 km] to the north)
- Lake Shore is located in Clark County (WA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lake Shore
- Skamania County (WA)
- Cruzatt
(30 miles [48.3 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 Willamette, see our County-by-County Page for Willamette.
Cemeteries Near Willamette ...
Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of Willamette.
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 Willamette - one of the links might be able to help.
If not found below, our Cemetery List for Willamette covers a larger area, with the cemeteries listed in alphabetical order.
The following cemeteries are listed based on their distance from Willamette, with the one closest to Willamette listed first.
- Canema Pioneer Cemetery
(Less than 2 miles to the east)
- Robert Bird Cemetery
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the west)
- Stafford Baptist Church Cemetery
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the west)
- Oswego Pioneer Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the north)
- St. Patricks Historic Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the south)
- St. Pauls Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the east)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for St. Pauls Cemetery
- The St. Pauls Cemetery has also been known as:
- St. John the Apostle Catholic Cemetery
- St. Johns Cemetery
- Jump to Find-A-Grave: FG ID #259244 <2>
- Mountain View Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the east)
- IOOF Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the east)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for IOOF Cemetery
- The IOOF Cemetery has also been known as:
- Masonic Cemetery
- Marylhurst Convent Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the north)
- Meridian Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the west)
- Meridian Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the west)
- Sacred Heart Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the north)
- Continue List (233 more) ...
- Straight Pioneer Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the northeast)
- Baker Prairie Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the south)
- Zion Memorial Park
(5 miles [8 km] to the south)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Zion Memorial Park
- The Zion Memorial Park has also been known as:
- Mt. Zion Memorial Park Cemetery
- Mt. Zion Memorial Park
- Zion Cemetery
- Zion Memorial Park Cemetery
- Jump to Find-A-Grave: FG ID #39590 <2>
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 Willamette in the Atlas, the following 1895 communities would have been found near the current location of Willamette.
These communities are listed based on their distance from Willamette, with the one closest to Willamette listed first.
- Canemah
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the east)
- Canemah is located in Clackamas County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Canemah
- Stafford
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the northwest)
- Stafford is located in Clackamas County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Stafford
- New Era ‑ Historic
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the south)
- New Era is located in Clackamas County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for New Era
- Oregon City
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the east)
- Park Place
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the northeast)
- Park Place is located in Clackamas County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Park Place
- Gladstone
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the northeast)
- Wilsonville
(5 miles [8 km] to the west)
- Canby
(5 miles [8 km] to the south)
- Tualatin
(5 miles [8 km] to the northwest)
- Barlow
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the south)
- Barlow is located in Clackamas County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Barlow
- Population from the 2020 Census: 147 people
- Carus
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the southeast)
- Carus is located in Clackamas County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Carus
- Clackamas
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the northeast)
- Continue List (15 more) ...
- Milwaukie
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the north)
- Fulton ‑ Historic
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the north)
- Fulton is located in Multnomah County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Fulton
- West Portland
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the northwest)
- West Portland is located in Multnomah County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for West Portland
We've also created an expanded list of communities that existed in the 1890's and were located in the area around Willamette. See our List of 1890's Communities around Willamette.
Newspapers Published in the Vicinity of Willamette ...
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 67 newspapers that have been published in the area around Willamette.
We have organized these newspapers into two lists:
- A Local Newspaper List - focusing on the papers published in the immediate area of Willamette. There are actually two parts to this list - papers printed in the immediate area of Willamette and those printed in the larger area surrounding Willamette.
- An Extended Newspaper List - a longer list, sorted by paper name and containing those papers published within 10 miles [16.1 km]<4> of Willamette.
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 Willamette:
- Websites specific to Oregon
- Pages specific to Clackamas County
- Genealogy information for nearby counties
- Columbia County
- Marion County
- Multnomah County
- Polk County
- Washington County
- Yamhill County
- Clark County
- Skamania 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 Willamette, 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 drawn from Point A (ie- Willamette) to Point B. In other words: 'As the crow flies'. |