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 Brookside (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 Brookside. 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 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.
Brookside is located in Cumberland 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 Cumberland County: Adams, Dauphin, Franklin, Perry & York.
Below are the counties that are near Brookside. For each of these counties, we show a sample of those communities that are closest to Brookside:
- Cumberland County (The home county of Brookside)
- The following are listed by their distance from Brookside, with the one closest to Brookside listed first.
- Lees Cross Roads
(Less than 2 miles to the southwest)
- Lees Cross Roads is located in Cumberland County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lees Cross Roads
- Big Spring
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the north)
- Big Spring is located in Cumberland County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Big Spring
- Huntsdale
(5 miles [8 km] to the east)
- Huntsdale is located in Cumberland County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Huntsdale
- Shippensburg
(5 miles [8 km] to the west)
- Newville
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the north)
- Montsera
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the east)
- Montsera is located in Cumberland County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Montsera
- Bears Crossroads
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the northeast)
- Bears Crossroads is located in Cumberland County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bears Crossroads
- Newburg
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the northwest)
- Washington
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the northwest)
- Washington is located in Cumberland County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Washington
- Barnitz
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the east)
- Barnitz is located in Cumberland County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Barnitz
- Plainfield
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the northeast)
- Hunters Run
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the east)
- Hunters Run is located in Cumberland County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hunters Run
- Adams County
- The following are listed by their distance from Brookside, with the one closest to Brookside listed first.
- Trust
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the south)
- Trust is located in Adams County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Trust
- Bendersville
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the southeast)
- Idaville
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the east)
- Idaville is located in Adams County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Idaville
- Arendtsville
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the southeast)
- Aspers
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the southeast)
- Gardners
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the southeast)
- Gargol
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the east)
- Gargol is located in Adams County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Gargol
- Cashtown
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the south)
- Cashtown is located in Adams County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cashtown
- Biglerville
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the southeast)
- Guernsey
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the southeast)
- Guernsey is located in Adams County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Guernsey
- Cashtown - McKnightstown
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the south)
- Goldenville
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the southeast)
- Goldenville is located in Adams County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Goldenville
- Allegheny County
- Bloomfield
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the northeast)
- Bloomfield is located in Allegheny County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bloomfield
- Population from the 2020 Census: 1,255 people
- Franklin County
- The following are listed by their distance from Brookside, with the one closest to Brookside listed first.
- Mowersville
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the west)
- Mowersville is located in Franklin County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mowersville
- Orrstown
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the west)
- Pinola
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the west)
- Pinola is located in Franklin County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Pinola
- Caledonia Park
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the south)
- Caledonia Park is located in Franklin County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Caledonia Park
- Green Village
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the southwest)
- Green Village is located in Franklin County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Green Village
- Pleasant Hall
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the west)
- Pleasant Hall is located in Franklin County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Pleasant Hall
- Mount Union
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the south)
- Mount Union is located in Franklin County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mount Union
- Brownsville
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the southwest)
- Brownsville is located in Franklin County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Brownsville
- Fayetteville
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the southwest)
- Roxbury
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the west)
- Roxbury is located in Franklin County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Roxbury
- West Fayetteville
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the southwest)
- West Fayetteville is located in Franklin County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for West Fayetteville
- Chambersburg
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the southwest)
- Fulton County
- The following are listed by their distance from Brookside, with the one closest to Brookside listed first.
- Burnt Cabins
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the west)
- Burnt Cabins is located in Fulton County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Burnt Cabins
- Fort Littleton
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the west)
- Knobsville
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the west)
- Knobsville is located in Fulton County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Knobsville
- Clear Ridge
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the west)
- Clear Ridge is located in Fulton County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Clear Ridge
- Huntingdon County
- The following are listed by their distance from Brookside, with the one closest to Brookside listed first.
- Blairs Mills
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the northwest)
- Blairs Mills is located in Huntingdon County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Blairs Mills
- Neelyton
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the west)
- Neelyton is located in Huntingdon County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Neelyton
- Shade Gap
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the west)
- Orbisonia
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the northwest)
- Rockhill
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the northwest)
- Rockhill is located in Huntingdon County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rockhill
- Population from the 2020 Census: 361 people
- Rockhill has also been known as:
- Rockhill Furnace
- Shirleysburg
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the northwest)
- Maddensville
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the west)
- Maddensville is located in Huntingdon County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Maddensville
- Pogue
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the west)
- Pogue is located in Huntingdon County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Pogue
- Aughwick
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the northwest)
- Aughwick is located in Huntingdon County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Aughwick
- Selea
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the west)
- Selea is located in Huntingdon County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Selea
- Juniata County
- The following are listed by their distance from Brookside, with the one closest to Brookside listed first.
- Waterloo
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the northwest)
- Waterloo is located in Juniata County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Waterloo
- Perulack
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the northwest)
- Perulack is located in Juniata County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Perulack
- East Rutherford
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the northwest)
- East Rutherford is located in Juniata County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for East Rutherford
- Peru Mills
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the northwest)
- Peru Mills is located in Juniata County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Peru Mills
- McCullochs Mills
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the north)
- McCullochs Mills is located in Juniata County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for McCullochs Mills
- Reeds Gap
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the northwest)
- Reeds Gap is located in Juniata County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Reeds Gap
- Doyles Mills
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the north)
- Doyles Mills is located in Juniata County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Doyles Mills
- Old Port
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the north)
- Old Port is located in Juniata County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Old Port
- Mifflin County
- Newton Hamilton
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the northwest)
- Newton Hamilton is located in Mifflin County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Newton Hamilton
- Population from the 2020 Census: 198 people
- Perry County
- The following are listed by their distance from Brookside, with the one closest to Brookside listed first.
- New Germantown
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the northwest)
- Centre
(18 miles [29 km] to the north)
- Centre is located in Perry County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Centre
- Cisna Run
(18 miles [29 km] to the north)
- Cisna Run is located in Perry County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cisna Run
- Landisburg
(18 miles [29 km] to the north)
- Alinda
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the north)
- Alinda is located in Perry County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Alinda
- Bixler
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the north)
- Bixler is located in Perry County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bixler
- Kistler
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the north)
- Kistler is located in Perry County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Kistler
- Falling Spring
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the northeast)
- Falling Spring is located in Perry County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Falling Spring
- Elliottsburg
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the north)
- Elliottsburg is located in Perry County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Elliottsburg
- Ickesburg
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the north)
- Ickesburg is located in Perry County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ickesburg
- Mecks Corner
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the northeast)
- Mecks Corner is located in Perry County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mecks Corner
- Blain
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the northeast)
- York County
- The following are listed by their distance from Brookside, with the one closest to Brookside listed first.
- Uniontown
(18 miles [29 km] to the east)
- Uniontown is located in York County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Uniontown
- Dillsburg
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the east)
- Mount Top
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the east)
- Mount Top is located in York County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mount Top
- Siddonsburg
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the east)
- Siddonsburg is located in York County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Siddonsburg
- Wellsville
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the east)
- Andersontown
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the east)
- Andersontown is located in York County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Andersontown
- Roler
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the east)
- Roler is located in York County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Roler
- Rossville
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the east)
- Rossville is located in York County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rossville
- Harmony Grove
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the east)
- Harmony Grove is located in York County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Harmony Grove
- Alpine
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the east)
- Alpine is located in York County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Alpine
- Davidsburg
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the east)
- Davidsburg is located in York County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Davidsburg
- Nauvoo
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the east)
- Nauvoo is located in York County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Nauvoo
- Carroll County (MD)
- Harney
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the southeast)
- Harney is located in Carroll County (MD)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Harney
- Frederick County (MD)
- The following are listed by their distance from Brookside, with the one closest to Brookside listed first.
- Emmitsburg
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the south)
- Sabillasville
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the south)
- Washington County (MD)
- The following are listed by their distance from Brookside, with the one closest to Brookside listed first.
- Highfield - Cascade
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the south)
- Highfield - Cascade is located in Washington County (MD)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Highfield - Cascade
- Pen Mar
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the south)
- Pen Mar is located in Washington County (MD)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Pen Mar
- Pen Mar has also been known as:
- Pen Mar Park
- Hill Village
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the south)
- Hill Village is located in Washington County (MD)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hill Village
- Leitersburg
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the south)
- Leitersburg is located in Washington County (MD)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Leitersburg
- Smithsburg
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the south)
For an expanded list of the communities that are closest to Brookside, see our County-by-County Page for Brookside.
Cemeteries Near Brookside ...
Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of Brookside.
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 Brookside - one of the links might be able to help.
If not found below, our Cemetery List for Brookside covers a larger area, with the cemeteries listed in alphabetical order.
The following cemeteries are listed based on their distance from Brookside, with the one closest to Brookside listed first.
- Gods Acre Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the west)
- Newville Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the north)
- Green Spring Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the northwest)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Green Spring Cemetery
- The Green Spring Cemetery has also been known as:
- Irishtown Cemetery
- Spring Hill Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the west)
- John Graham Memorial Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the north)
- Veterans Memorial Park
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the west)
- Prospect Cemetery
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the north)
- Hanna Cemetery
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the northwest)
- Mt. Tabor Cemetery
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the southeast)
- Myers Cemetery
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the west)
- Goodyear Cemetery
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the east)
- Mt. Holly Springs Cemetery
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the east)
- Continue List (215 more) ...
- Cumberland Valley Memorial Gardens
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the northeast)
- Greenmount Cemetery
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the southeast)
- McClures Gap Cemetery
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the north)
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 Brookside in the Atlas, the following 1895 communities would have been found near the current location of Brookside.
These communities are listed based on their distance from Brookside, with the one closest to Brookside listed first.
- Walnut Bottom
(Less than 2 miles to the northeast)
- Walnut Bottom is located in Cumberland County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Walnut Bottom
- Lees Cross Roads
(Less than 2 miles to the southwest)
- Lees Cross Roads is located in Cumberland County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lees Cross Roads
- Hays Grove
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the east)
- Hays Grove is located in Cumberland County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hays Grove
- Stoughstown
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the north)
- Stoughstown is located in Cumberland County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Stoughstown
- Big Spring
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the north)
- Big Spring is located in Cumberland County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Big Spring
- Oakville
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the northwest)
- Oakville is located in Cumberland County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Oakville
- Cleversburg
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the southwest)
- Cleversburg is located in Cumberland County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cleversburg
- Longsdorf
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the east)
- Longsdorf is located in Cumberland County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Longsdorf
- Dickinson
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the northeast)
- Dickinson is located in Cumberland County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Dickinson
- Shippensburg
(5 miles [8 km] to the west)
- Huntsdale
(5 miles [8 km] to the east)
- Huntsdale is located in Cumberland County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Huntsdale
- Green Spring
(5 miles [8 km] to the northwest)
- Green Spring is located in Cumberland County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Green Spring
- Continue List (16 more) ...
- Pine Grove Furnace
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the southeast)
- Pine Grove Furnace is located in Cumberland County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Pine Grove Furnace
- Newville
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the north)
- Middle Spring
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the west)
- Middle Spring is located in Cumberland County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Middle Spring
We've also created an expanded list of communities that existed in the 1890's and were located in the area around Brookside. See our List of 1890's Communities around Brookside.
Newspapers Published in Brookside ...
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 78 newspapers that have been published in the area around Brookside.
Although we're unaware of any newspapers that were published in the immediate area of Brookside, there are papers which were published within 16 miles [25.7 km]<4>. A list of those papers, sorted by paper name, can be found on the Extended Newspaper List for Brookside.
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 Brookside:
- Websites specific to Pennsylvania
- Pages specific to Cumberland County
- Genealogy information for nearby counties
- Adams County
- Allegheny County
- Franklin County
- Fulton County
- Huntingdon County
- Juniata County
- Mifflin County
- Perry County
- York County
- Carroll County
- Frederick County
- Washington County
- Cemetery Information and Directories for Pennsylvania
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 Brookside, please let us know so that we can improve our accuracy. |
| <4> | Our distances are not driving distances, but are calculated as a 'point-to-point' distance. A straight line distance ignores things like rivers, canyons, lakes, et cetera - it's truly a line drawn from Point A (ie- Brookside) to Point B. In other words: 'As the crow flies'. |