RoadsideThoughts
A Gazetteer for the United States and Canada
Home >> Commonwealth of Pennsylvania >> Greene County >> West Point Marion >> Genealogy HelperIndex...

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 West Point Marion (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 West Point Marion. 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.

Name Variations for West Point Marion ...

When searching records, keep in mind that names and their spelling can change over time. Our sources include documents like maps, railroad schedules, Travel, Express and Shipping Guides. Many of these documents date from the 1800's and it's common to find spelling differences.

For example, a typical abbreviation for West Point Marion: W. Pt. Marion

If you have information about these names (such as the reason for the change, date of change, the origin of the name), please Contact Us.

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 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 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.

West Point Marion is located in Greene 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 Greene County: Fayette, Washington, Marshall (WV), Monongalia (WV) & Wetzel (WV).

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

  • Greene County     (The home county of West Point Marion)
    • The following are listed by their distance from West Point Marion, with the one closest to West Point Marion listed first.
    • Dilliner
      (Less than 2 miles to the northwest)
      • Dilliner is located in Greene County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Dilliner
    • Greensboro
      (3 miles [4.8 km] to the north)
    • Dunkard
      (3 miles [4.8 km] to the west)
      • Dunkard is located in Greene County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Dunkard
    • Mount Morris
      (8 miles [12.9 km] to the west)
    • Nemacolin
      (9 miles [14.5 km] to the north)
      • Nemacolin is located in Greene County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Nemacolin
    • Ceylon
      (9 miles [14.5 km] to the northwest)
      • Ceylon is located in Greene County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ceylon
    • Fairdale
      (10 miles [16.1 km] to the north)
      • Fairdale is located in Greene County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Fairdale
    • Carmichaels
      (11 miles [17.7 km] to the north)
    • Cumberland Village
      (11 miles [17.7 km] to the north)
      • Cumberland Village is located in Greene County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cumberland Village
    • Stringtown
      (11 miles [17.7 km] to the north)
      • Stringtown is located in Greene County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Stringtown
    • Fordyce
      (11 miles [17.7 km] to the northwest)
      • Fordyce is located in Greene County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Fordyce
    • Khedive
      (12 miles [19.3 km] to the northwest)
      • Khedive is located in Greene County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Khedive
    • Kirby
      (12 miles [19.3 km] to the west)
      • Kirby is located in Greene County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Kirby
  • Fayette County
    • The following are listed by their distance from West Point Marion, with the one closest to West Point Marion listed first.
    • Point Marion
      (Less than 2 miles to the southeast)
    • Winstead
      (Less than 2 miles to the northwest)
      • Winstead is located in Fayette County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Winstead
    • Morris Crossroads
      (2 miles [3.2 km] to the east)
      • Morris Crossroads is located in Fayette County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Morris Crossroads
    • Atlantic
      (2 miles [3.2 km] to the north)
      • Atlantic is located in Fayette County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Atlantic
    • New Geneva
      (3 miles [4.8 km] to the north)
      • New Geneva is located in Fayette County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for New Geneva
    • Fayette
      (5 miles [8 km] to the north)
      • Fayette is located in Fayette County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Fayette
    • Smithfield
      (6 miles [9.7 km] to the northeast)
    • Masontown
      (7 miles [11.3 km] to the north)
    • Haydentown
      (7 miles [11.3 km] to the northeast)
      • Haydentown is located in Fayette County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Haydentown
    • Woodside
      (7 miles [11.3 km] to the northeast)
      • Woodside is located in Fayette County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Woodside
    • Shoaf
      (8 miles [12.9 km] to the northeast)
      • Shoaf is located in Fayette County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Shoaf
    • Fairchance
      (8 miles [12.9 km] to the west)
    • Highhouse
      (9 miles [14.5 km] to the northeast)
      • Highhouse is located in Fayette County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Highhouse
  • Somerset County
    • The following are listed by their distance from West Point Marion, with the one closest to West Point Marion listed first.
    • Addison
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the east)
    • Confluence
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the east)
    • Draketown
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the east)
      • Draketown is located in Somerset County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Draketown
    • Ursina
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the east)
      • Ursina is located in Somerset County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ursina
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 211 people
  • Washington County
    • The following are listed by their distance from West Point Marion, with the one closest to West Point Marion listed first.
    • Millsboro
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the north)
    • Fredericktown - Millsboro
      (18 miles [29 km] to the north)
    • Blainsburg
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the north)
      • Blainsburg is located in Washington County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Blainsburg
    • Deemston
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the north)
      • Deemston is located in Washington County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Deemston
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 696 people
    • West Brownsville
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the north)
      • West Brownsville is located in Washington County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for West Brownsville
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 960 people
    • Centerville
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the north)
      • Centerville is located in Washington County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Centerville
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 3,133 people
    • Daisytown
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the north)
    • Beallsville
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the northwest)
    • Marianna
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the northwest)
    • California
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the north)
    • Coal Center
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the north)
    • Bissell
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the northwest)
      • Bissell is located in Washington County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bissell
    • Elco
      (23 miles [37 km] to the north)
      • Elco is located in Washington County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Elco
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 305 people
  • Westmoreland County
    • The following are listed by their distance from West Point Marion, with the one closest to West Point Marion listed first.
    • Gibsonton
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the north)
      • Gibsonton is located in Westmoreland County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Gibsonton
    • North Belle Vernon
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the north)
      • North Belle Vernon is located in Westmoreland County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for North Belle Vernon
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 1,842 people
    • Monessen
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the north)
    • Smithton
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the north)
    • Webster
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the north)
      • Webster is located in Westmoreland County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Webster
    • Scottdale
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the northeast)
  • Garrett County (MD)
    • Friendsville
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the east)
  • Harrison County (WV)
    • Enterprise
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the southwest)
      • Enterprise is located in Harrison County (WV)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Enterprise
  • Marion County (WV)
    • The following are listed by their distance from West Point Marion, with the one closest to West Point Marion listed first.
    • Hoodsville
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the southwest)
      • Hoodsville is located in Marion County (WV)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hoodsville
    • Pleasant View
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the southwest)
      • Pleasant View is located in Marion County (WV)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Pleasant View
    • Mount Harmony
      (18 miles [29 km] to the southwest)
      • Mount Harmony is located in Marion County (WV)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mount Harmony
    • Rivesville
      (18 miles [29 km] to the southwest)
    • Grant Town
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the southwest)
      • Grant Town is located in Marion County (WV)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Grant Town
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 590 people
    • Canton
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the southwest)
      • Canton is located in Marion County (WV)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Canton
    • Fairview
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the southwest)
      • Fairview is located in Marion County (WV)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Fairview
      • Estimated population in 2021: 373 people
    • Samaria
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the south)
      • Samaria is located in Marion County (WV)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Samaria
    • Barrackville
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the southwest)
      • Barrackville is located in Marion County (WV)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Barrackville
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 1,270 people
    • Fairmont
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the southwest)
      • Fairmont is located in Marion County (WV)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Fairmont
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 18,370 people
      • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Fairmont <1>
    • Palatine
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the southwest)
      • Palatine is located in Marion County (WV)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Palatine
    • Neel ‑ Historic
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the south)
      • Neel is located in Marion County (WV)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Neel
    • Garden Village
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the southwest)
      • Garden Village is located in Marion County (WV)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Garden Village
  • Monongalia County (WV)
    • The following are listed by their distance from West Point Marion, with the one closest to West Point Marion listed first.
    • Canyon
      (4 miles [6.4 km] to the south)
      • Canyon is located in Monongalia County (WV)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Canyon
    • Cheat Lake
      (5 miles [8 km] to the southeast)
      • Cheat Lake is located in Monongalia County (WV)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cheat Lake
    • Baker Ridge
      (5 miles [8 km] to the southwest)
      • Baker Ridge is located in Monongalia County (WV)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Baker Ridge
    • Maidsville
      (5 miles [8 km] to the southwest)
      • Maidsville is located in Monongalia County (WV)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Maidsville
    • Bowlby
      (6 miles [9.7 km] to the west)
      • Bowlby is located in Monongalia County (WV)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bowlby
    • Osage
      (7 miles [11.3 km] to the southwest)
      • Osage is located in Monongalia County (WV)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Osage
    • Star City
      (7 miles [11.3 km] to the southwest)
      • Star City is located in Monongalia County (WV)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Star City
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 1,984 people
    • Westover
      (7 miles [11.3 km] to the southwest)
      • Westover is located in Monongalia County (WV)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Westover
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 4,220 people
      • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Westover <1>
    • Brookhaven
      (8 miles [12.9 km] to the south)
      • Brookhaven is located in Monongalia County (WV)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Brookhaven
    • Morgantown
      (8 miles [12.9 km] to the south)
      • Morgantown is located in Monongalia County (WV)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Morgantown
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 30,847 people
      • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Morgantown <1>
    • Granville
      (8 miles [12.9 km] to the southwest)
      • Granville is located in Monongalia County (WV)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Granville
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 3,156 people
    • Cassville
      (9 miles [14.5 km] to the southwest)
      • Cassville is located in Monongalia County (WV)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cassville
    • Laurel Point
      (9 miles [14.5 km] to the southwest)
      • Laurel Point is located in Monongalia County (WV)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Laurel Point
  • Preston County (WV)
    • The following are listed by their distance from West Point Marion, with the one closest to West Point Marion listed first.
    • Rockville
      (13 miles [20.9 km] to the southeast)
      • Rockville is located in Preston County (WV)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rockville
    • Masontown
      (14 miles [22.5 km] to the southeast)
    • Brandonville
      (15 miles [24.1 km] to the east)
      • Brandonville is located in Preston County (WV)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Brandonville
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 105 people
    • Bruceton Mills
      (15 miles [24.1 km] to the east)
    • Clifton Mills
      (15 miles [24.1 km] to the east)
      • Clifton Mills is located in Preston County (WV)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Clifton Mills
    • Little Sandy
      (15 miles [24.1 km] to the southeast)
      • Little Sandy is located in Preston County (WV)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Little Sandy
    • Reedsville
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the south)
    • Arthurdale
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the south)
    • Gladesville
      (18 miles [29 km] to the south)
      • Gladesville is located in Preston County (WV)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Gladesville
    • Morgans Glade
      (18 miles [29 km] to the southeast)
      • Morgans Glade is located in Preston County (WV)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Morgans Glade
    • Hazelton
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the east)
    • Threefork Bridge
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the south)
      • Threefork Bridge is located in Preston County (WV)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Threefork Bridge
    • Lenox
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the southeast)
      • Lenox is located in Preston County (WV)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lenox
  • Taylor County (WV)
    • The following are listed by their distance from West Point Marion, with the one closest to West Point Marion listed first.
    • Fetterman
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the south)
      • Fetterman is located in Taylor County (WV)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Fetterman
    • Thornton
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the south)
      • Thornton is located in Taylor County (WV)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Thornton
    • Grafton
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the south)
      • Grafton is located in Taylor County (WV)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Grafton
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 4,968 people
      • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Grafton <1>
    • West Grafton
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the south)
      • West Grafton is located in Taylor County (WV)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for West Grafton
    • Knottsville
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the south)
      • Knottsville is located in Taylor County (WV)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Knottsville
    • Pruntytown
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the south)
      • Pruntytown is located in Taylor County (WV)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Pruntytown
    • Oreide
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the southwest)
      • Oreide is located in Taylor County (WV)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Oreide
  • Wetzel County (WV)
    • The following are listed by their distance from West Point Marion, with the one closest to West Point Marion listed first.
    • Round Bottom
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the west)
      • Round Bottom is located in Wetzel County (WV)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Round Bottom
    • Hundred
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the west)

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

Cemeteries Near West Point Marion ...

Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of West Point Marion.

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 West Point Marion - one of the links might be able to help.

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

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

  • Pt. Marion Cemetery
    (Less than 2 miles to the south)
  • Evergreen Memorial Park
    (Less than 2 miles to the south)
  • Cagey Cemetery
    (Less than 2 miles to the north)
  • Mt. Moriah Cemetery
    (Less than 2 miles to the north)
  • Wolfs Cemetery
    (Less than 2 miles to the northwest)
  • Ft. Martin Cemetery
    (2 miles [3.2 km] to the southwest)
  • Eden UMC Cemetery
    (2 miles [3.2 km] to the south)
  • Forks of Cheat Baptist Church Cemetery
    (2 miles [3.2 km] to the southeast)
  • Cedar Grove Cemetery
    (2 miles [3.2 km] to the north)
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cedar Grove Cemetery
    • To give a relative sense of its location, the Cedar Grove Cemetery is a large cemetery that is located outside and to the northeast of Atlantic.
    • Jump to Find-A-Grave: FG ID #44539 <2>
  • Garlow Cemetery
    (3 miles [4.8 km] to the southwest)
  • Everley Cemetery
    (3 miles [4.8 km] to the southwest)
  • Hoard Cemetery
    (3 miles [4.8 km] to the southwest)
  • Continue List   (471 more) ...
    • Sunnyside Cemetery
      (3 miles [4.8 km] to the south)
    • Fairview Cemetery
      (3 miles [4.8 km] to the west)
    • Monongahela Cemetery
      (4 miles [6.4 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 West Point Marion in the Atlas, the following 1895 communities would have been found near the current location of West Point Marion.

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

  • Point Marion
    (Less than 2 miles to the southeast)
  • Winstead
    (Less than 2 miles to the northwest)
    • Winstead is located in Fayette County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Winstead
  • Dilliner
    (Less than 2 miles to the northwest)
    • Dilliner is located in Greene County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Dilliner
  • Stewartstown
    (2 miles [3.2 km] to the south)
    • Stewartstown is located in Monongalia County (WV)
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Stewartstown
  • Morris Crossroads
    (2 miles [3.2 km] to the east)
    • Morris Crossroads is located in Fayette County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Morris Crossroads
  • New Geneva
    (3 miles [4.8 km] to the north)
    • New Geneva is located in Fayette County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for New Geneva
  • Dunkard
    (3 miles [4.8 km] to the west)
    • Dunkard is located in Greene County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Dunkard
  • Mapletown
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the northwest)
    • Mapletown is located in Greene County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mapletown
  • Wiley
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the northwest)
    • Wiley is located in Greene County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Wiley
  • Maidsville
    (5 miles [8 km] to the southwest)
    • Maidsville is located in Monongalia County (WV)
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Maidsville
  • Old Frame
    (5 miles [8 km] to the northeast)
    • Old Frame is located in Fayette County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Old Frame
  • Fayette
    (5 miles [8 km] to the north)
    • Fayette is located in Fayette County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Fayette
  • Continue List   (13 more) ...
    • Bald Hill
      (5 miles [8 km] to the west)
      • Bald Hill is located in Greene County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bald Hill
    • Bowlby
      (6 miles [9.7 km] to the west)
      • Bowlby is located in Monongalia County (WV)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bowlby
    • Easton
      (6 miles [9.7 km] to the south)
      • Easton is located in Monongalia County (WV)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Easton

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

Newspapers Published in West Point Marion ...

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 42 newspapers that have been published in the area around West Point Marion.

Although we're unaware of any newspapers that were published in the immediate area of West Point Marion, there are papers which were published within 8 miles [12.9 km]<4>. A list of those papers, sorted by paper name, can be found on the Extended Newspaper List for West Point Marion.

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 helpful 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 West Point Marion:

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 West Point Marion, 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 things like rivers, canyons, lakes, et cetera - it's truly a line from Point A (ie- West Point Marion) to Point B. In other words: 'As the crow flies'.