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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 Ardara (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 Ardara. 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 northeast 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 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 east 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.

Ardara is located in Westmoreland County.

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

The following counties adjoin and form the boundaries of Westmoreland County: Allegheny, Armstrong, Butler, Cambria, Fayette, Indiana & Somerset.

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

  • Westmoreland County     (The home county of Ardara)
    • The following are listed by their distance from Ardara, with the one closest to Ardara listed first.
    • Larimer
      (Less than 2 miles to the southeast)
      • Larimer is located in Westmoreland County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Larimer
    • North Irwin
      (Less than 2 miles to the southeast)
      • North Irwin is located in Westmoreland County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for North Irwin
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 780 people
    • Trafford
      (2 miles [3.2 km] to the northwest)
    • Irwin
      (2 miles [3.2 km] to the southeast)
      • Irwin is located in Westmoreland County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Irwin
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 3,716 people
      • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Irwin <1>
    • Shafton
      (2 miles [3.2 km] to the southeast)
      • Shafton is located in Westmoreland County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Shafton
    • Manor
      (3 miles [4.8 km] to the east)
      • Manor is located in Westmoreland County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Manor
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 3,322 people
      • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Manor <1>
    • Westmoreland City
      (3 miles [4.8 km] to the southeast)
      • Westmoreland City is located in Westmoreland County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Westmoreland City
    • Harrison City
      (4 miles [6.4 km] to the east)
    • Rillton
      (4 miles [6.4 km] to the south)
    • Claridge
      (5 miles [8 km] to the east)
    • Penn
      (5 miles [8 km] to the east)
      • Penn is located in Westmoreland County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Penn
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 461 people
    • Murrysville
      (5 miles [8 km] to the north)
    • Adamsburg
      (5 miles [8 km] to the southeast)
      • Adamsburg is located in Westmoreland County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Adamsburg
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 161 people
  • Allegheny County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Ardara, with the one closest to Ardara listed first.
    • Pitcairn
      (3 miles [4.8 km] to the northwest)
    • Wall
      (3 miles [4.8 km] to the northwest)
      • Wall is located in Allegheny County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Wall
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 553 people
    • East McKeesport
      (4 miles [6.4 km] to the northwest)
    • Wilmerding
      (4 miles [6.4 km] to the northwest)
    • North Versailles
      (4 miles [6.4 km] to the west)
    • White Oak
      (4 miles [6.4 km] to the west)
    • Monroeville
      (5 miles [8 km] to the northwest)
    • Turtle Creek
      (5 miles [8 km] to the northwest)
    • Boston
      (5 miles [8 km] to the southwest)
    • Versailles
      (5 miles [8 km] to the southwest)
      • Versailles is located in Allegheny County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Versailles
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 1,452 people
    • Riverton
      (5 miles [8 km] to the west)
      • Riverton is located in Allegheny County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Riverton
    • Chalfant
      (6 miles [9.7 km] to the northwest)
      • Chalfant is located in Allegheny County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Chalfant
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 765 people
    • Buena Vista
      (6 miles [9.7 km] to the southwest)
      • Buena Vista is located in Allegheny County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Buena Vista
  • Armstrong County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Ardara, with the one closest to Ardara listed first.
    • Edmon
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the northeast)
      • Edmon is located in Armstrong County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Edmon
    • Apollo
      (18 miles [29 km] to the northeast)
      • Apollo is located in Armstrong County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Apollo
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 1,507 people
      • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Apollo <1>
    • North Apollo
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the northeast)
    • Orchard Hills
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the northeast)
      • Orchard Hills is located in Armstrong County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Orchard Hills
    • Leechburg
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the north)
    • Freeport
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the north)
    • Spring Church
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the northeast)
    • Aladdin
      (23 miles [37 km] to the north)
      • Aladdin is located in Armstrong County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Aladdin
    • Olivet
      (23 miles [37 km] to the northeast)
      • Olivet is located in Armstrong County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Olivet
    • Neale
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the north)
      • Neale is located in Armstrong County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Neale
    • Cochrans Mills
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the northeast)
      • Cochrans Mills is located in Armstrong County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cochrans Mills
    • McVille
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the north)
      • McVille is located in Armstrong County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for McVille
    • Tunnelville ‑ Historic
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the northeast)
      • Tunnelville is located in Armstrong County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Tunnelville
  • Beaver County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Ardara, with the one closest to Ardara listed first.
    • Ambridge
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the northwest)
    • South Heights
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the northwest)
      • South Heights is located in Beaver County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for South Heights
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 437 people
  • Butler County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Ardara, with the one closest to Ardara listed first.
    • Ekastown
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the north)
      • Ekastown is located in Butler County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ekastown
    • Monroe
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the north)
      • Monroe is located in Butler County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Monroe
    • Valencia
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the northwest)
    • Leasureville
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the north)
      • Leasureville is located in Butler County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Leasureville
    • Glade Mills
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the north)
      • Glade Mills is located in Butler County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Glade Mills
    • Saxonburg
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the north)
    • Mars
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the northwest)
      • Mars is located in Butler County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mars
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 1,608 people
      • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Mars <1>
    • Frazier Mill
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the north)
      • Frazier Mill is located in Butler County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Frazier Mill
    • Seven Fields
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the northwest)
      • Seven Fields is located in Butler County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Seven Fields
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 2,740 people
    • Dennys Mills
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the north)
      • Dennys Mills is located in Butler County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Dennys Mills
    • Fox Run
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the northwest)
      • Fox Run is located in Butler County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Fox Run
    • Myoma
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the northwest)
      • Myoma is located in Butler County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Myoma
    • Callery
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the northwest)
  • Fayette County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Ardara, with the one closest to Ardara listed first.
    • Banning
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the south)
      • Banning is located in Fayette County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Banning
    • Arnold City
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the south)
      • Arnold City is located in Fayette County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Arnold City
    • Fairhope
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the south)
      • Fairhope is located in Fayette County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Fairhope
    • Fuller
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the south)
      • Fuller is located in Fayette County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Fuller
    • Lynnwood
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the south)
      • Lynnwood is located in Fayette County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lynnwood
    • Whitsett
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the south)
      • Whitsett is located in Fayette County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Whitsett
    • Belle Vernon
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the southwest)
    • Brownstown
      (18 miles [29 km] to the south)
      • Brownstown is located in Fayette County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Brownstown
    • Fayette City
      (18 miles [29 km] to the south)
      • Fayette City is located in Fayette County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Fayette City
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 569 people
    • Lynn
      (18 miles [29 km] to the south)
      • Lynn is located in Fayette County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lynn
    • Perryopolis
      (18 miles [29 km] to the south)
    • Redstone
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the south)
      • Redstone is located in Fayette County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Redstone
    • Laurelville
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the southeast)
      • Laurelville is located in Fayette County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Laurelville
  • Indiana County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Ardara, with the one closest to Ardara listed first.
    • White
      (18 miles [29 km] to the northeast)
      • White is located in Indiana County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for White
    • Bow
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the east)
      • Bow is located in Indiana County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bow
    • Clarksburg
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the northeast)
    • Saltsburg
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the northeast)
    • Blairsville
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the east)
    • Jacksonville
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the northeast)
      • Jacksonville is located in Indiana County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Jacksonville
    • West Lebanon
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the northeast)
      • West Lebanon is located in Indiana County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for West Lebanon
    • Aultman
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the northeast)
      • Aultman is located in Indiana County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Aultman
    • Black Lick
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the east)
      • Black Lick is located in Indiana County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Black Lick
    • Parkwood
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the northeast)
      • Parkwood is located in Indiana County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Parkwood
    • Josephine
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the east)
      • Josephine is located in Indiana County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Josephine
    • Palmertown
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the east)
    • Shelocta
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the northeast)
  • Washington County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Ardara, with the one closest to Ardara listed first.
    • Ellsworth
      (13 miles [20.9 km] to the southwest)
      • Ellsworth is located in Washington County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ellsworth
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 960 people
    • Black Diamond
      (14 miles [22.5 km] to the southwest)
      • Black Diamond is located in Washington County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Black Diamond
    • Donora
      (14 miles [22.5 km] to the southwest)
      • Donora is located in Washington County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Donora
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 4,546 people
      • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Donora <1>
    • Monongahela
      (14 miles [22.5 km] to the southwest)
    • Riverview
      (14 miles [22.5 km] to the southwest)
      • Riverview is located in Washington County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Riverview
    • Finleyville
      (15 miles [24.1 km] to the southwest)
    • Gastonville
      (15 miles [24.1 km] to the southwest)
      • Gastonville is located in Washington County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Gastonville
    • New Eagle
      (15 miles [24.1 km] to the southwest)
    • Baidland
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the southwest)
      • Baidland is located in Washington County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Baidland
    • Charleroi
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the southwest)
    • North Charleroi
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the southwest)
      • North Charleroi is located in Washington County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for North Charleroi
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 1,258 people
    • Sudan
      (18 miles [29 km] to the southwest)
      • Sudan is located in Washington County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sudan
    • Twilight
      (18 miles [29 km] to the southwest)
      • Twilight is located in Washington County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Twilight
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 224 people

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

Cemeteries Near Ardara ...

Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of Ardara.

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

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

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

  • Old Brush Creek Cemetery
    (Less than 2 miles to the southwest)
  • Penn Lincoln Memorial Park
    (Less than 2 miles to the west)
  • Pennsylvania Lincoln Memorial Park
    (Less than 2 miles to the west)
  • St. Patrick's Cemetery
    (3 miles [4.8 km] to the southwest)
  • Immaculate Conception Cemetery
    (3 miles [4.8 km] to the southeast)
  • Union Cemetery
    (3 miles [4.8 km] to the southeast)
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Union Cemetery
    • The Union Cemetery has also been known as:
    • Irwin Union Cemetery
  • Fairview Cemetery
    (3 miles [4.8 km] to the northwest)
  • Grandview Cemetery
    (3 miles [4.8 km] to the west)
  • New St. Joseph Cemetery
    (3 miles [4.8 km] to the west)
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for New St. Joseph Cemetery
    • The New St. Joseph Cemetery has also been known as:
    • St. Joseph Catholic Cemetery
    • St. Joseph Cemetery
    • St. Josephs Cemetery
    • Jump to Find-A-Grave: FG ID #46108 <2>
  • St. Johns Cemetery
    (3 miles [4.8 km] to the west)
  • St. Nicholas Cemetery
    (3 miles [4.8 km] to the west)
  • Holy Family Cemetery
    (3 miles [4.8 km] to the west)
  • Continue List   (432 more) ...
    • St. Marys Cemetery
      (3 miles [4.8 km] to the west)
    • Rippel Road Jewish Cemetery
      (4 miles [6.4 km] to the southwest)
    • Brush Creek Cemetery
      (4 miles [6.4 km] to the southeast)

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, Ardara had railroad service and no post office.

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

  • Stewartsville
    (Less than 2 miles to the southwest)
    • Stewartsville is located in Westmoreland County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Stewartsville
  • Oakville
    (Less than 2 miles to the southeast)
    • Oakville is located in Westmoreland County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Oakville
  • Circleville
    (2 miles [3.2 km] to the south)
    • Circleville is located in Westmoreland County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Circleville
  • Irwin
    (2 miles [3.2 km] to the southeast)
    • Irwin is located in Westmoreland County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Irwin
    • Population from the 2020 Census: 3,716 people
    • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Irwin <1>
  • Shafton
    (2 miles [3.2 km] to the southeast)
    • Shafton is located in Westmoreland County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Shafton
  • Emblem
    (3 miles [4.8 km] to the southwest)
    • Emblem is located in Allegheny County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Emblem
  • Wall
    (3 miles [4.8 km] to the northwest)
    • Wall is located in Allegheny County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Wall
    • Population from the 2020 Census: 553 people
  • Taylor
    (3 miles [4.8 km] to the northwest)
    • Taylor is located in Allegheny County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Taylor
  • Greenock
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the southwest)
    • Greenock is located in Allegheny County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Greenock
  • Alpsville
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the southwest)
    • Alpsville is located in Allegheny County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Alpsville
  • Rillton
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the south)
  • Harrison City
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the east)
  • Continue List   (19 more) ...
    • Wilmerding
      (4 miles [6.4 km] to the northwest)
    • Boston
      (5 miles [8 km] to the southwest)
    • Shaner
      (5 miles [8 km] to the south)
      • Shaner is located in Westmoreland County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Shaner

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

Newspapers Published in Ardara ...

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 95 newspapers that have been published in the area around Ardara.

Although we're unaware of any newspapers that were published in the immediate area of Ardara, there are papers which were published within 9 miles [14.5 km]<4>. A list of those papers, sorted by paper name, can be found on the Extended Newspaper List for Ardara.

Websites to Help With Your Genealogy Research ...

When we do our genealogical research, we like to start with the websites from Cyndi's List, FamilySearch and Genealogy Trails. These 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 Ardara:

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