RoadsideThoughts
A Gazetteer for the United States and Canada
Home >> Commonwealth of Pennsylvania >> Allegheny County >> Avalon >> Tidbits & TriviaIndex...

Outdoor Activities ...

As we travel, we like to pursue some of our interests (such as astronomy and bird watching).

When in Avalon, we use the following websites to find information relevant to Avalon and the surrounding area.

  • Astronomy & Satellites ...
    • Whether using binoculars, a small telescope or the naked-eye, the Heavens-Above website can help you to find your way around the night-time sky. In addition to detailed sky charts, their website will help you find planets, asteriods, comets, satellites and their tracks across the sky.
    • To give accurate results, Heavens-Above requires the latitude and longitude of your location. As a starting point, when we link to Heavens-Above, we pass this GPS location for Avalon:
    • 40.500435, -80.067990
    • Once you're on the Heavens-Above website, you can improve its accuracy by giving a more precise longitude and latitude as your actual position.
    • Open the Heavens-Above website centered on Avalon
  • Bird Watching ...
    • We enjoy finding new spots for bird watching and we use the eBird website for local sighting reports and to help identify hotspots.
    • The eBird website is organized on a county-by-county basis. We have selected Allegheny County as the starting point when you click on the link below:
    • Open the eBird sighting report for Allegheny County
    • Since Avalon is near Beaver County and also Washington County, we have provided a link to their eBird sighting reports:
    • Open the eBird sighting report for Beaver County
    • Open the eBird sighting report for Washington County
  • Waymarking ...
    • Looking for somewhere out of the ordinary? Find a unique place and want to share it with others? Then it's time to visit Waymarking.com:
    • Open the Waymark.com report for Avalon

Communities Also Named Avalon ...

We found 25 communities that are also named Avalon.

Within Pennsylvania, the name Avalon is unique.

Beyond Pennsylvania, we know of 25 communities that are located in the United States.

  • Communities Elsewhere In North America ...
    • California
      • Los Angeles County
      • This Avalon is located in Los Angeles County and lies 2,151 miles [3,461.7 km]<1> to the west of the Avalon that is located in Allegheny County.
      • For more information, please visit our profile page for the Los Angeles County community of Avalon.
    • Delaware
      • New Castle County
      • This Avalon is located in New Castle County and lies 240 miles [386.2 km]<1> to the east southeast of the Avalon that is located in Allegheny County.
      • For more information, please visit our profile page for the New Castle County community of Avalon.
    • Georgia
      • Chatham County
      • We found mention of this community, but have little information.<2> For the information that we do have, please visit our profile page for the Georgia community of Avalon [Chatham County].
      • Clayton County
      • This Avalon is located in Clayton County and lies 537 miles [864.2 km]<1> to the south southwest of the Avalon that is located in Allegheny County.
      • For more information, please visit our profile page for the Clayton County community of Avalon.
      • Dougherty County
      • This Avalon is located in Dougherty County and lies 657 miles [1,057.3 km] to the south southwest of the Avalon that is located in Allegheny County.
      • For more information, please visit our profile page for the Dougherty County community of Avalon.
      • Franklin County
      • We found mention of this community, but have little information. For the information that we do have, please visit our profile page for the Georgia community of Avalon [Franklin County].
      • Newton County
      • This Avalon is located in Newton County and lies 525 miles [844.9 km] to the south southwest of the Avalon that is located in Allegheny County.
      • For more information, please visit our profile page for the Newton County community of Avalon.
      • Stephens County
      • This Avalon is located in Stephens County and lies 448 miles [721 km] to the south southwest of the Avalon that is located in Allegheny County.
      • For more information, please visit our profile page for the Stephens County community of Avalon.
    • Indiana
      • Allen County
      • This Avalon is located in Allen County and lies 268 miles [431.3 km]<1> to the west of the Avalon that is located in Allegheny County.
      • For more information, please visit our profile page for the Allen County community of Avalon.
    • Louisiana
      • East Baton Rouge Parish
      • This Avalon is located in East Baton Rouge Parish and lies 926 miles [1,490.3 km]<1> to the southwest of the Avalon that is located in Allegheny County.
      • For more information, please visit our profile page for the East Baton Rouge Parish community of Avalon.
      • Saint Mary Parish
      • This Avalon is located in Saint Mary Parish and lies 977 miles [1,572.3 km] to the southwest of the Avalon that is located in Allegheny County.
      • For more information, please visit our profile page for the Saint Mary Parish community of Avalon.
    • Maryland
      • Baltimore County
      • This Avalon is located in Baltimore County and lies 197 miles [317 km]<1> to the east southeast of the Avalon that is located in Allegheny County.
      • For more information, please visit our profile page for the Baltimore County community of Avalon.
      • Talbot County
      • This Avalon is located in Talbot County and lies 233 miles [375 km] to the east southeast of the Avalon that is located in Allegheny County.
      • For more information, please visit our profile page for the Talbot County community of Avalon.
    • Minnesota
      • Nicollet County
      • This Avalon is located in Nicollet County and lies 756 miles [1,216.7 km]<1> to the west northwest of the Avalon that is located in Allegheny County.
      • For more information, please visit our profile page for the Nicollet County community of Avalon.
    • Mississippi
      • Carroll County
      • This Avalon is located in Carroll County and lies 725 miles [1,166.8 km]<1> to the southwest of the Avalon that is located in Allegheny County.
      • For more information, please visit our profile page for the Carroll County community of Avalon.
    • Missouri
      • Livingston County
      • This Avalon is located in Livingston County and lies 708 miles [1,139.4 km]<1> to the west of the Avalon that is located in Allegheny County.
      • For more information, please visit our profile page for the Livingston County community of Avalon.
    • Nevada
      • Mineral County
      • This community is historic<3> and we have very little information. For the information that we do have, please visit our profile page for the Nevada community of Avalon [Mineral County].
    • New Jersey
      • Cape May County
      • We found mention of this community, but have little information.<2> For the information that we do have, please visit our profile page for the New Jersey community of Avalon [Cape May County].
    • New Mexico
      • Eddy County
      • This Avalon is located in Eddy County and lies 1,444 miles [2,323.9 km]<1> to the west southwest of the Avalon that is located in Allegheny County.
      • For more information, please visit our profile page for the Eddy County community of Avalon.
    • Ohio
      • Butler County
      • This Avalon is located in Butler County and lies 237 miles [381.4 km]<1> to the west southwest of the Avalon that is located in Allegheny County.
      • For more information, please visit our profile page for the Butler County community of Avalon.
      • Perry County
      • This Avalon is located in Perry County and lies 133 miles [214 km] to the west southwest of the Avalon that is located in Allegheny County.
      • For more information, please visit our profile page for the Perry County community of Avalon.
    • Texas
      • Ellis County
      • This Avalon is located in Ellis County and lies 1,089 miles [1,752.6 km]<1> to the west southwest of the Avalon that is located in Allegheny County.
      • For more information, please visit our profile page for the Ellis County community of Avalon.
    • Virginia
      • Chesapeake City
      • This Avalon is located in Chesapeake City and lies 326 miles [524.6 km]<1> to the southeast of the Avalon that is located in Allegheny County.
      • For more information, please visit our profile page for the Chesapeake City community of Avalon.
      • Northumberland County
      • This Avalon is located in Northumberland County and lies 264 miles [424.9 km] to the southeast of the Avalon that is located in Allegheny County.
      • For more information, please visit our profile page for the Northumberland County community of Avalon.
    • Wisconsin
      • Rock County
      • This Avalon is located in Rock County and lies 477 miles [767.7 km]<1> to the west northwest of the Avalon that is located in Allegheny County.
      • For more information, please visit our profile page for the Rock County community of Avalon.

Curious and Interesting Names Near Avalon ...

As we travel, we always see a community with a name that gives pause. While there are names which are interesting or familiar, some catch our attention or strike our fancy. We always wonder about such a name. If time permits and the community is not too far, we'll usually try to make a side-trip.

  • City View
    (3 miles [4.8 km] to the southeast)
    • City View is located in Allegheny County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for City View
  • Evergreen
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the east)
    • Evergreen is located in Allegheny County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Evergreen
  • Fairywood
    (3 miles [4.8 km] to the south)
  • Fineview
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the southeast)
    • Fineview is located in Allegheny County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Fineview
  • Forest Grove
    (3 miles [4.8 km] to the southwest)
    • Forest Grove is located in Allegheny County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Forest Grove
  • Fox Ridge
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the northeast)
    • Fox Ridge is located in Allegheny County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Fox Ridge
  • Highcliff
    (2 miles [3.2 km] to the northeast)
    • Highcliff is located in Allegheny County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Highcliff
  • Ivory Avenue
    (2 miles [3.2 km] to the east)
    • Ivory Avenue is located in Allegheny County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ivory Avenue
  • Laurel Gardens
    (2 miles [3.2 km] to the northeast)
    • Laurel Gardens is located in Allegheny County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Laurel Gardens
  • Marshall Shadeland
    (2 miles [3.2 km] to the southeast)
    • Marshall Shadeland is located in Allegheny County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Marshall Shadeland
  • Moon Run
    (3 miles [4.8 km] to the southwest)
  • Perrysville
    (3 miles [4.8 km] to the northeast)
    • Perrysville is located in Allegheny County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Perrysville
  • Continue List   (4 more) ...
    • Spring Garden
      (4 miles [6.4 km] to the southeast)
      • Spring Garden is located in Allegheny County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Spring Garden
    • Summer Hill
      (3 miles [4.8 km] to the east)
      • Summer Hill is located in Allegheny County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Summer Hill
    • Windgap
      (3 miles [4.8 km] to the south)
      • Windgap is located in Allegheny County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Windgap
    • Woods Run
      (3 miles [4.8 km] to the southeast)
      • Woods Run is located in Allegheny County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Woods Run

How Far From Avalon to ...

We spend a lot of time looking through Gazetteers, Almanacs & Directories that were published in the late 1800's and early 1900's. Many of the Gazetteers include the distance from a community such as Avalon to various places of note, such as the White House.

With a nod to our favorite Gazetteers, the straight-line distance beginning in Avalon and extending to:

  • Pittsburgh, which is the Seat of Allegheny County, lies just to the Southeast.
  • Harrisburg, which is the State Capital of Pennsylvania, lies 168 miles [270.4 km]<1> to the east (E). If you could drive a straight line from Avalon to Harrisburg, with an average speed<4>of 63 miles [101.4 km] per hour, it would take about three hours to make the trip. A comfortable walk of 2.2 miles [3.5 km] per hour would take 10 days. A horse and buggy averaging 3.2 miles [5.1 km] per hour would take 7 days.
  • The White House (Washington, DC) is 195 miles [313.8 km] to the southeast (SE). Driving would take a little over three hours, a buggy would take 8 days and walking would take 11 days.
  • The shortest distance<5> to Jerusalem (specifically the Temple Mount and the Dome of the Rock) is 5,954 miles [9,582 km] and it lies to the northeast (NE).<6>
  • The distance to the Great Mosque of Mecca (specifically the Ka'bah - or Kaaba ) is 6,672 miles [10,737.5 km] and it lies to the northeast (NE).<7>
  • The distance to Saint Peter's Basilica (The Vatican) is 4,548 miles [7,319.3 km] and it lies to the northeast (NE).<8>'

Footnotes ...

<1>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- Avalon) to Point B. In other words: 'As the crow flies'.
<2>If we encounter the name of what might be a community, our methodology is to add that name to our Gazetteer as a placeholder. As we find more information about that community, it will be added to our Gazetteer.

Just as a reminder: Our definition of a community is rather broad and includes those places (or areas) where several families lived and had a name which identified that place. For example, you might hear somebody say that they are going over to Mile's to see Pete ... Mile's is just a gas station and a couple of homes at the crossroads. While it might not be on the map, everybody in the area knows it by that name.

Places of interest include buildings at a crossroad, several families clustered in a hollow or maybe the location of a way station. It also includes places like mines, lumber camps, ferry crossings, etc. The community might still exist, is now gone or only existed for just a short period of time.

Also keep in mind that Avalon could have been on the original document by mistake, misspelled, the original/alternate name of a community that we've listed elsewhere or was placed in the wrong county. Sometimes a post office or train station would have a different name than the community where it's located, so two names might be referring to the same community - we're working to straighten it all out.
<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 Avalon, please let us know so that we can improve our accuracy.
<4>While we have tried to pick reasonable speeds, the rate of travel is very theoretical - obstacles like fences, hills, lakes, river crossings and rest stops have been ignored. When we say 'Days' of travel, we're assuming 8 hours of travel per day.
<5>The shortest line can be visualized by stretching a string on a Globe from Point A to Point B - this is known as a Great Circle Route. Where you might expect the shortest route from Avalon to the Middle East to be East and South, the Great Circle Route actually lies to the North and East.Our distance measurements begin at a specific point in Avalon. The point we use is located at these GPS coordinates - Latitude: 40.5004, Longitude: -80.0680       In this case, the coordinates for Avalon have been provided by the Geographic Names Information System (GNIS).
<6>The calculated bearing (or angle) to Jerusalem is 309.628 degrees.
<7>The calculated bearing (or angle) to Mecca is 305.659 degrees.
<8>The calculated bearing (or angle) to the Vatican is 305.435 degrees.