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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 Brookdale (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 Brookdale. 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 and hospitals 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.

Brookdale is located in Orangeburg County.

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

The following counties adjoin and form the boundaries of Orangeburg County: Aiken, Bamberg, Barnwell, Berkeley, Calhoun, Clarendon, Colleton, Dorchester & Lexington.

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

  • Orangeburg County     (The home county of Brookdale)
    • The following are listed by their distance from Brookdale, with the one closest to Brookdale listed first.
    • Wilkinson Heights
      (Less than 2 miles to the southwest)
      • Wilkinson Heights is located in Orangeburg County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Wilkinson Heights
    • Wren Village
      (Less than 2 miles to the northeast)
      • Wren Village is located in Orangeburg County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Wren Village
    • Stilton
      (2 miles [3.2 km] to the north)
      • Stilton is located in Orangeburg County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Stilton
    • Orangeburg
      (2 miles [3.2 km] to the southwest)
    • Edisto
      (4 miles [6.4 km] to the southwest)
      • Edisto is located in Orangeburg County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Edisto
    • Jamison
      (5 miles [8 km] to the north)
      • Jamison is located in Orangeburg County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Jamison
    • Cordova
      (7 miles [11.3 km] to the southwest)
    • Rowesville
      (9 miles [14.5 km] to the south)
    • Bolen Town
      (11 miles [17.7 km] to the west)
      • Bolen Town is located in Orangeburg County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bolen Town
    • Sixty Six
      (13 miles [20.9 km] to the south)
      • Sixty Six is located in Orangeburg County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sixty Six
    • Bowman
      (13 miles [20.9 km] to the southeast)
    • Cope
      (13 miles [20.9 km] to the southwest)
      • Cope is located in Orangeburg County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cope
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 70 people
      • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Cope <1>
  • Aiken County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Brookdale, with the one closest to Brookdale listed first.
    • Salley
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the west)
    • Perry
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the west)
  • Bamberg County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Brookdale, with the one closest to Brookdale listed first.
    • Bamberg
      (18 miles [29 km] to the southwest)
    • Denmark
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the southwest)
    • Govan
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the southwest)
      • Govan is located in Bamberg County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Govan
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 57 people
    • Ehrhardt
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the south)
    • Olar
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the southwest)
      • Olar is located in Bamberg County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Olar
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 228 people
      • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Olar <1>
  • Barnwell County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Brookdale, with the one closest to Brookdale listed first.
    • Blackville
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the west)
    • Whaley
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the west)
      • Whaley is located in Barnwell County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Whaley
    • Hilda
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the southwest)
    • Reynold
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the west)
      • Reynold is located in Barnwell County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Reynold
  • Calhoun County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Brookdale, with the one closest to Brookdale listed first.
    • Cameron
      (7 miles [11.3 km] to the northeast)
      • Cameron is located in Calhoun County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cameron
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 396 people
    • Saint Matthews
      (11 miles [17.7 km] to the north)
    • Creston
      (11 miles [17.7 km] to the northeast)
      • Creston is located in Calhoun County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Creston
  • Clarendon County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Brookdale, with the one closest to Brookdale listed first.
    • Panola
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the northeast)
      • Panola is located in Clarendon County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Panola
    • Summerton
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the east)
    • Silver
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the northeast)
      • Silver is located in Clarendon County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Silver
  • Colleton County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Brookdale, with the one closest to Brookdale listed first.
    • Johnsville
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the south)
      • Johnsville is located in Colleton County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Johnsville
    • Smoaks
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the south)
  • Dorchester County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Brookdale, with the one closest to Brookdale listed first.
    • Reevesville
      (23 miles [37 km] to the southeast)
    • Saint George
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the southeast)
    • Harleyville
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the southeast)
    • Grover
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the southeast)
  • Lexington County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Brookdale, with the one closest to Brookdale listed first.
    • Swansea
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the northwest)
    • Gaston
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the northwest)
      • Gaston is located in Lexington County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Gaston
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 1,712 people
      • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Gaston <1>
    • Glenn Village
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the northwest)
      • Glenn Village is located in Lexington County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Glenn Village
    • Pelion
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the northwest)
  • Richland County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Brookdale, with the one closest to Brookdale listed first.
    • Gadsden
      (23 miles [37 km] to the north)
    • Weston
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the north)
      • Weston is located in Richland County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Weston
    • Eastover
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the north)
    • Pinewood
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the north)
      • Pinewood is located in Richland County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Pinewood
    • Hopkins
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the north)
    • Bruner
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the north)
      • Bruner is located in Richland County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bruner
  • Sumter County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Brookdale, with the one closest to Brookdale listed first.
    • Pinewood
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the northeast)
    • Sumter Junction
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the northeast)
      • Sumter Junction is located in Sumter County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sumter Junction

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

Cemeteries Near Brookdale ...

Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of Brookdale.

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

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

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

  • Belleville Memorial Cemetery
    (Less than 2 miles to the northeast)
  • Sunnyside Cemetery
    (2 miles [3.2 km] to the west)
  • First Baptist Cemetery
    (2 miles [3.2 km] to the southwest)
  • Bull Swamp Cemetery
    (2 miles [3.2 km] to the northeast)
  • Orangeburg Memorial Cemetery
    (3 miles [4.8 km] to the west)
  • Memorial Park Cemetery
    (3 miles [4.8 km] to the west)
  • Mt. Calvary Cemetery
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the west)
  • Mt. Calvary Cemetery
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the west)
  • Hubbard Cemetery
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the north)
  • Four Holes Baptist Church Cemetery
    (5 miles [8 km] to the east)
  • Crestview Cemetery
    (5 miles [8 km] to the northwest)
  • Prospect Cemetery
    (5 miles [8 km] to the north)
  • Continue List   (233 more) ...

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 Brookdale in the Atlas, the following 1895 communities would have been found near the current location of Brookdale.

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

  • Stilton
    (2 miles [3.2 km] to the north)
    • Stilton is located in Orangeburg County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Stilton
  • Felder
    (5 miles [8 km] to the south)
    • Felder is located in Orangeburg County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Felder
  • Jamison
    (5 miles [8 km] to the north)
    • Jamison is located in Orangeburg County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Jamison
  • Rowesville
    (9 miles [14.5 km] to the south)
  • Saint Matthews
    (11 miles [17.7 km] to the north)
  • Sixty Six
    (13 miles [20.9 km] to the south)
    • Sixty Six is located in Orangeburg County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sixty Six
  • Bowman
    (13 miles [20.9 km] to the southeast)
  • Elloree
    (14 miles [22.5 km] to the east)
  • Felderville
    (16 miles [25.7 km] to the east)
    • Felderville is located in Orangeburg County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Felderville
  • Boiling Spring ‑ Historic
    (16 miles [25.7 km] to the west)
    • Boiling Spring is located in Orangeburg County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Boiling Spring
  • Branchville
    (17 miles [27.4 km] to the south)
  • North
    (17 miles [27.4 km] to the northwest)
    • North is located in Orangeburg County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for North
    • Population from the 2020 Census: 699 people
    • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for North <1>
  • Continue List   (13 more) ...
    • Bamberg
      (18 miles [29 km] to the southwest)
    • Parler
      (18 miles [29 km] to the east)
      • Parler is located in Orangeburg County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Parler
    • Fifty Eight ‑ Historic
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the south)
      • Fifty Eight is located in Orangeburg County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Fifty Eight

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

Newspapers Published in Brookdale ...

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 37 newspapers that have been published in the area around Brookdale.

Although we're unaware of any newspapers that were published in the immediate area of Brookdale, there are papers which were published within 22 miles [35.4 km]<4>. A list of those papers, sorted by paper name, can be found on the Extended Newspaper List for Brookdale.

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 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 Brookdale:

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