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 Buena Vista (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 Buena Vista. 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 southeast corner of their home county. During their lives, most hospitals and doctors were in the next county to the east. 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 east 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.
Buena Vista is located in Butler 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 Butler County: Allegheny, Armstrong, Beaver, Clarion, Lawrence, Mercer, Venango & Westmoreland.
Below are the counties that are near Buena Vista. For each of these counties, we show a sample of those communities that are closest to Buena Vista:
- Butler County (The home county of Buena Vista)
- The following are listed by their distance from Buena Vista, with the one closest to Buena Vista listed first.
- Karns City
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the northeast)
- Chicora
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the southeast)
- Millerstown
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the southeast)
- Millerstown is located in Butler County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Millerstown
- Kepples Corners
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the east)
- Kepples Corners is located in Butler County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Kepples Corners
- Fairview
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the northeast)
- Fairview is located in Butler County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Fairview
- Population from the 2020 Census: 186 people
- Petrolia
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the northeast)
- Petrolia is located in Butler County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Petrolia
- Population from the 2020 Census: 197 people
- Hooker
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the northwest)
- Hooker is located in Butler County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hooker
- Greece City
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the west)
- Greece City is located in Butler County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Greece City
- North Oakland
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the south)
- North Oakland is located in Butler County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for North Oakland
- Saint Joe
(5 miles [8 km] to the south)
- Saint Joe is located in Butler County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Saint Joe
- Bruin
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the northeast)
- Bruin is located in Butler County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bruin
- Population from the 2020 Census: 489 people
- West Sunbury
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the west)
- Allegheny County
- The following are listed by their distance from Buena Vista, with the one closest to Buena Vista listed first.
- Culmerville
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the south)
- Culmerville is located in Allegheny County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Culmerville
- Curtisville
(23 miles [37 km] to the south)
- Curtisville is located in Allegheny County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Curtisville
- Sligo
(23 miles [37 km] to the south)
- Sligo is located in Allegheny County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sligo
- Karns
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the south)
- Karns is located in Allegheny County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Karns
- Brackenridge
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the south)
- Natrona
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the south)
- Natrona is located in Allegheny County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Natrona
- Russellton
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the south)
- Tarentum
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the south)
- Gibsonia
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the southwest)
- Rural Ridge
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the south)
- Indianola
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the south)
- Bradford Woods
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the southwest)
- Bradford Woods is located in Allegheny County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bradford Woods
- Population from the 2020 Census: 1,135 people
- Armstrong County
- The following are listed by their distance from Buena Vista, with the one closest to Buena Vista listed first.
- Kaylor
(5 miles [8 km] to the east)
- Kaylor is located in Armstrong County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Kaylor
- Fredericksburg
(5 miles [8 km] to the northeast)
- Fredericksburg is located in Armstrong County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Fredericksburg
- Bradys Bend
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the east)
- Bradys Bend is located in Armstrong County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bradys Bend
- Queenstown
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the east)
- Queenstown is located in Armstrong County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Queenstown
- Parker
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the northeast)
- Laird Crossing
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the southeast)
- Laird Crossing is located in Armstrong County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Laird Crossing
- Wattersonville
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the east)
- Wattersonville is located in Armstrong County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Wattersonville
- Cowansville
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the southeast)
- Shadyside Village
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the southeast)
- Shadyside Village is located in Armstrong County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Shadyside Village
- Shadyside Village has also been known as:
- Buffalo Creek
- Yellow Dog Village
- Worthington
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the southeast)
- Rimer
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the east)
- Rimer is located in Armstrong County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rimer
- Tidal
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the east)
- Tidal is located in Armstrong County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Tidal
- Beaver County
- The following are listed by their distance from Buena Vista, with the one closest to Buena Vista listed first.
- Goehring
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the southwest)
- Goehring is located in Beaver County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Goehring
- Lillyville
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the west)
- Lillyville is located in Beaver County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lillyville
- Wurtemburg
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the west)
- Wurtemburg is located in Beaver County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Wurtemburg
- Barrisville
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the southwest)
- Barrisville is located in Beaver County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Barrisville
- Ellwood City
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the west)
- Frisco
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the west)
- Frisco is located in Beaver County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Frisco
- North Sewickley
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the west)
- North Sewickley is located in Beaver County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for North Sewickley
- Knob
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the southwest)
- Knob is located in Beaver County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Knob
- Wallace City
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the southwest)
- Wallace City is located in Beaver County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Wallace City
- Koppel
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the west)
- Thompson
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the west)
- Thompson is located in Beaver County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Thompson
- Clarion County
- The following are listed by their distance from Buena Vista, with the one closest to Buena Vista listed first.
- East Brady
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the east)
- Catfish
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the east)
- Catfish is located in Clarion County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Catfish
- Phillipston
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the east)
- Phillipston is located in Clarion County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Phillipston
- Bela
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the northeast)
- Bela is located in Clarion County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bela
- West Freedom
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the northeast)
- West Freedom is located in Clarion County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for West Freedom
- Foxburg
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the north)
- Saint Petersburg
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the northeast)
- Toby
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the northeast)
- Toby is located in Clarion County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Toby
- Rimersburg
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the east)
- Lawsonham
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the east)
- Lawsonham is located in Clarion County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lawsonham
- Alum Rock
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the northeast)
- Alum Rock is located in Clarion County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Alum Rock
- Callensburg
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the northeast)
- Callensburg is located in Clarion County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Callensburg
- Population from the 2020 Census: 191 people
- Lawrence County
- The following are listed by their distance from Buena Vista, with the one closest to Buena Vista listed first.
- Grant City
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the west)
- Grant City is located in Lawrence County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Grant City
- Harlansburg
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the west)
- Harlansburg is located in Lawrence County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Harlansburg
- Rose Point
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the west)
- Rose Point is located in Lawrence County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rose Point
- Energy
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the west)
- Energy is located in Lawrence County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Energy
- McCaslin
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the west)
- McCaslin is located in Lawrence County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for McCaslin
- Altman
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the west)
- Altman is located in Lawrence County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Altman
- Ellport
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the west)
- Ellport is located in Lawrence County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ellport
- Population from the 2020 Census: 1,102 people
- Volant
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the west)
- South New Castle
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the west)
- South New Castle is located in Lawrence County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for South New Castle
- Population from the 2020 Census: 659 people
- New Castle
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the west)
- New Wilmington
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the west)
- Wampum
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the west)
- Mercer County
- The following are listed by their distance from Buena Vista, with the one closest to Buena Vista listed first.
- Courtneys Mills
(18 miles [29 km] to the northwest)
- Courtneys Mills is located in Mercer County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Courtneys Mills
- Enterprise
(18 miles [29 km] to the northwest)
- Enterprise is located in Mercer County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Enterprise
- North Liberty
(18 miles [29 km] to the northwest)
- North Liberty is located in Mercer County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for North Liberty
- Swamproot
(18 miles [29 km] to the northwest)
- Swamproot is located in Mercer County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Swamproot
- Kilgore
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the northwest)
- Kilgore is located in Mercer County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Kilgore
- Perrys Corners
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the northwest)
- Perrys Corners is located in Mercer County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Perrys Corners
- Leesburg
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the northwest)
- Leesburg is located in Mercer County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Leesburg
- Perrine Corners
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the northwest)
- Perrine Corners is located in Mercer County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Perrine Corners
- Jackson Center
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the northwest)
- Millburn
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the northwest)
- Millburn is located in Mercer County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Millburn
- Mercer
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the northwest)
- North Sandy
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the northwest)
- North Sandy is located in Mercer County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for North Sandy
- Venango County
- The following are listed by their distance from Buena Vista, with the one closest to Buena Vista listed first.
- Eakin Corner
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the north)
- Eakin Corner is located in Venango County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Eakin Corner
- Clintonville
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the north)
- Nectarine
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the northwest)
- Nectarine is located in Venango County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Nectarine
- Emlenton
(18 miles [29 km] to the north)
- Barkeyville
(18 miles [29 km] to the northwest)
- Bullion
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the north)
- Bullion is located in Venango County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bullion
- Saint George
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the north)
- Saint George is located in Venango County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Saint George
- Nickleville
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the north)
- Nickleville is located in Venango County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Nickleville
- Pearl
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the north)
- Pearl is located in Venango County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Pearl
- Coal City
(23 miles [37 km] to the north)
- Coal City is located in Venango County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Coal City
- Henderson Station
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the northwest)
- Henderson Station is located in Venango County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Henderson Station
- Cranberry
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the north)
- Cranberry is located in Venango County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cranberry
- Westmoreland County
- The following are listed by their distance from Buena Vista, with the one closest to Buena Vista listed first.
- Bagdad
(23 miles [37 km] to the south)
- Bagdad is located in Westmoreland County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bagdad
- Hyde Park
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the south)
- West Leechburg
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the south)
- West Leechburg is located in Westmoreland County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for West Leechburg
- Population from the 2020 Census: 1,211 people
- Weinel Crossroads
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the south)
- Weinel Crossroads is located in Westmoreland County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Weinel Crossroads
- Arnold
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the south)
- East Vandergrift
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the south)
- East Vandergrift is located in Westmoreland County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for East Vandergrift
- Population from the 2020 Census: 631 people
- Lower Burrell
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the south)
- Vandergrift
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the south)
- New Kensington
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the south)
- Oklahoma
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the south)
- Oklahoma is located in Westmoreland County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Oklahoma
- Population from the 2020 Census: 739 people
- Parnassus
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the south)
- Parnassus is located in Westmoreland County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Parnassus
For an expanded list of the communities that are closest to Buena Vista, see our County-by-County Page for Buena Vista.
Cemeteries Near Buena Vista ...
Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of Buena Vista.
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 Buena Vista - one of the links might be able to help.
If not found below, our Cemetery List for Buena Vista covers a larger area, with the cemeteries listed in alphabetical order.
The following cemeteries are listed based on their distance from Buena Vista, with the one closest to Buena Vista listed first.
- Bear Creek Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the northeast)
- Fairview Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the northeast)
- White Oak Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the east)
- Whitmire Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the southwest)
- Crawford Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the east)
- Shakley Family Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the northeast)
- Fletcher Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the northeast)
- St. Marys Cemetery
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the east)
- West Sunbury Cemetery
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the west)
- St. Peters Cemetery
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the southwest)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for St. Peters Cemetery
- The St. Peters Cemetery has also been known as:
- St. Peter's Parish Family RC Cemetery
- Jump to Find-A-Grave: FG ID #46247 <2>
- North Side Cemetery
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the southwest)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for North Side Cemetery
- The North Side Cemetery has also been known as:
- Calvary Cemetery
- Northside Cemetery
- Jump to Find-A-Grave: FG ID #44515 <2>
- North Cemetery
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the southwest)
- Continue List (228 more) ...
- B'nai Abraham Cemetery
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the southwest)
- Gruenwalt Cemetery
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the south)
- St. Eusebius Cemetery
(9 miles [14.5 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 Buena Vista in the Atlas, the following 1895 communities would have been found near the current location of Buena Vista.
These communities are listed based on their distance from Buena Vista, with the one closest to Buena Vista listed first.
- Millerstown
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the southeast)
- Millerstown is located in Butler County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Millerstown
- Chicora
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the southeast)
- Karns City
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the northeast)
- Greece City
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the west)
- Greece City is located in Butler County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Greece City
- Petrolia
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the northeast)
- Petrolia is located in Butler County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Petrolia
- Population from the 2020 Census: 197 people
- Hooker
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the northwest)
- Hooker is located in Butler County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hooker
- North Oakland
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the south)
- North Oakland is located in Butler County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for North Oakland
- Saint Joe
(5 miles [8 km] to the south)
- Saint Joe is located in Butler County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Saint Joe
- Kaylor
(5 miles [8 km] to the east)
- Kaylor is located in Armstrong County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Kaylor
- Rattigan
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the southeast)
- Rattigan is located in Butler County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rattigan
- Bruin
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the northeast)
- Bruin is located in Butler County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bruin
- Population from the 2020 Census: 489 people
- West Sunbury
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the west)
- Continue List (13 more) ...
- Carbon Center
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the south)
- Carbon Center is located in Butler County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Carbon Center
- Fenelton
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the south)
- Adams
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the east)
- Adams is located in Armstrong County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Adams
We've also created an expanded list of communities that existed in the 1890's and were located in the area around Buena Vista. See our List of 1890's Communities around Buena Vista.
Newspapers Published in Buena Vista ...
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 34 newspapers that have been published in the area around Buena Vista.
Although we're unaware of any newspapers that were published in the immediate area of Buena Vista, there are papers which were published within 14 miles [22.5 km]<4>. A list of those papers, sorted by paper name, can be found on the Extended Newspaper List for Buena Vista.
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 Buena Vista:
- Websites specific to Pennsylvania
- Pages specific to Butler County
- Genealogy information for nearby counties
- Allegheny County
- Armstrong County
- Beaver County
- Clarion County
- Lawrence County
- Mercer County
- Venango County
- Westmoreland 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 Buena Vista, 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- Buena Vista) to Point B. In other words: 'As the crow flies'. |