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 The Forest (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 The Forest. 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 northeast 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 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 east 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.
The Forest is located in Richland 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 Richland County: Calhoun, Fairfield, Kershaw, Lexington, Newberry & Sumter.
Below are the counties that are near The Forest. For each of these counties, we show a sample of those communities that are closest to The Forest:
- Richland County (The home county of The Forest)
- The following are listed by their distance from The Forest, with the one closest to The Forest listed first.
- Dutch Village
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the northwest)
- Dutch Village is located in Richland County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Dutch Village
- Saint Andrews
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the southeast)
- Saint Andrews is located in Richland County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Saint Andrews
- Ballentine
(5 miles [8 km] to the northwest)
- Cedar Creek
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the north)
- Cedar Creek is located in Richland County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cedar Creek
- Belmont
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the east)
- Lake Murray of Richland
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the west)
- White Rock
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the northwest)
- Columbia
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the southeast)
- Brickyard Village
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the east)
- Brickyard Village is located in Richland County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Brickyard Village
- Forest Acres
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the southeast)
- Forest Acres is located in Richland County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Forest Acres
- Population from the 2020 Census: 10,269 people
- Hollywood
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the southeast)
- Hollywood is located in Richland County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hollywood
- Arcadia Lakes
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the east)
- Arcadia Lakes is located in Richland County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Arcadia Lakes
- Population from the 2020 Census: 874 people
- Dentsville
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the east)
- Aiken County
- Seivern
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the southwest)
- Seivern is located in Aiken County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Seivern
- Fairfield County
- The following are listed by their distance from The Forest, with the one closest to The Forest listed first.
- Rock Hill
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the northwest)
- Rock Hill is located in Fairfield County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rock Hill
- Rion
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the north)
- Jenkinsville
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the northwest)
- Smallwood
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the northeast)
- Smallwood is located in Fairfield County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Smallwood
- Ridgeway
(18 miles [29 km] to the northeast)
- Winnsboro Mills
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the north)
- Winnsboro Mills is located in Fairfield County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Winnsboro Mills
- Winnsboro
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the north)
- Monticello
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the northwest)
- Monticello is located in Fairfield County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Monticello
- Adger
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the north)
- Adger is located in Fairfield County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Adger
- White Oak
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the north)
- Blair
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the northwest)
- Woodward
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the north)
- Woodward is located in Fairfield County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Woodward
- Kershaw County
- The following are listed by their distance from The Forest, with the one closest to The Forest listed first.
- Elgin
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the east)
- Lugoff
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the east)
- Spring Village
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the east)
- Spring Village is located in Kershaw County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Spring Village
- Lancaster County
- Springdale
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the south)
- Lexington County
- The following are listed by their distance from The Forest, with the one closest to The Forest listed first.
- Seven Oaks
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the south)
- Irmo
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the west)
- Irmo is located in Lexington County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Irmo
- Population from the 2020 Census: 12,734 people
- Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Irmo <1>
- Oak Grove
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the south)
- Oak Grove is located in Lexington County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Oak Grove
- West Columbia
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the southeast)
- Arthur
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the south)
- Arthur is located in Lexington County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Arthur
- Springdale
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the south)
- Springdale is located in Lexington County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Springdale
- Population from the 2020 Census: 2,732 people
- Cayce
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the southeast)
- Lexington
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the southwest)
- Chapin
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the northwest)
- Pineridge
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the south)
- Pineridge is located in Lexington County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Pineridge
- Population from the 2020 Census: 2,419 people
- South Congaree
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the south)
- South Congaree is located in Lexington County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for South Congaree
- Population from the 2020 Census: 2,485 people
- Styx ‑ Historic
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the south)
- Styx is located in Lexington County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Styx
- Red Bank
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the southwest)
- Red Bank is located in Lexington County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Red Bank
- Newberry County
- The following are listed by their distance from The Forest, with the one closest to The Forest listed first.
- Peak
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the northwest)
- Little Mountain
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the northwest)
- Slighs
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the northwest)
- Slighs is located in Newberry County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Slighs
- Pomaria
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the northwest)
- Prosperity
(23 miles [37 km] to the west)
- Sondleys ‑ Historic
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the northwest)
- Sondleys is located in Newberry County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sondleys
- Union
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the northwest)
- Union is located in Newberry County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Union
- Stoney Hill
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the west)
- Stoney Hill is located in Newberry County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Stoney Hill
- Glymphville
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the northwest)
- Glymphville is located in Newberry County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Glymphville
- Newberry
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the northwest)
- Orangeburg County
- Woodford
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the south)
- Woodford is located in Orangeburg County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Woodford
- Population from the 2020 Census: 169 people
For an expanded list of the communities that are closest to The Forest, see our County-by-County Page for The Forest.
Cemeteries Near The Forest ...
Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of The Forest.
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 The Forest - one of the links might be able to help.
If not found below, our Cemetery List for The Forest covers a larger area, with the cemeteries listed in alphabetical order.
The following cemeteries are listed based on their distance from The Forest, with the one closest to The Forest listed first.
- Upper Pine Grove Cemetery
(Less than 2 miles to the west)
- Lower Pine Grove Cemetery
(Less than 2 miles to the south)
- Pine Grove AME Church Cemetery
(Less than 2 miles to the south)
- Bush River Memorial Gardens
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the southwest)
- St. Andrews Cemetery
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the south)
- Graveyard Hill Cemetery
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the east)
- Golden Cemetery
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the northwest)
- Cory Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the northeast)
- St. Pauls AME Church Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the northwest)
- St. Pauls Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the northwest)
- Zion Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the south)
- Woodridge Memorial Park
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the south)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Woodridge Memorial Park
- To give a relative sense of its location, the Woodridge Memorial Park is a large cemetery that is located in Columbia.
- Jump to Find-A-Grave: FG ID #1969374 <2>
- Continue List (313 more) ...
- Gate of Heaven Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the east)
- Mespiah Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the northeast)
- New Taylor Chapel AME Church
(5 miles [8 km] to the northeast)
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 The Forest in the Atlas, the following 1895 communities would have been found near the current location of The Forest.
These communities are listed based on their distance from The Forest, with the one closest to The Forest listed first.
- Leaphart
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the south)
- Leaphart is located in Lexington County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Leaphart
- Irmo
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the west)
- Irmo is located in Lexington County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Irmo
- Population from the 2020 Census: 12,734 people
- Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Irmo <1>
- Ballentine
(5 miles [8 km] to the northwest)
- Bookman
(5 miles [8 km] to the north)
- Bookman is located in Richland County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bookman
- Spring Hill
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the south)
- Spring Hill is located in Lexington County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Spring Hill
- Lever ‑ Historic
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the north)
- Lever is located in Richland County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lever
- Arthur
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the south)
- Arthur is located in Lexington County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Arthur
- Columbia
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the southeast)
- Pleasant ‑ Historic
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the northeast)
- Pleasant is located in Richland County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Pleasant
- White Rock
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the northwest)
- Cayce
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the southeast)
- Wallaceville
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the northwest)
- Wallaceville is located in Fairfield County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Wallaceville
- Continue List (13 more) ...
- Jennings
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the north)
- Jennings is located in Fairfield County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Jennings
- Killian
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the east)
- Killian is located in Richland County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Killian
- Pineridge
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the south)
- Pineridge is located in Lexington County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Pineridge
- Population from the 2020 Census: 2,419 people
We've also created an expanded list of communities that existed in the 1890's and were located in the area around The Forest. See our List of 1890's Communities around The Forest.
Newspapers Published in The Forest ...
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 180 newspapers that have been published in the area around The Forest.
Although we're unaware of any newspapers that were published in the immediate area of The Forest, there are papers which were published within 9 miles [14.5 km]<4>. A list of those papers, sorted by paper name, can be found on the Extended Newspaper List for The Forest.
Websites to Help With Your Genealogy Research ...
When we do our genealogical research, we start 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 The Forest:
- Websites specific to South Carolina
- Pages specific to Richland County
- Genealogy information for nearby counties
- Aiken County
- Fairfield County
- Kershaw County
- Lancaster County
- Lexington County
- Newberry County
- Orangeburg County
- Cemetery Information and Directories for South Carolina
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 The Forest, 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 drawn from Point A (ie- The Forest) to Point B. In other words: 'As the crow flies'. |