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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 Bland (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 Bland. 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 southwest corner of their home county. During their lives, most hospitals and doctors were in the next county to the west. 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 west 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.

Bland is located in Bell County.

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

The following counties adjoin and form the boundaries of Bell County: Burnet, Coryell, Falls, Lampasas, McLennan, Milam & Williamson.

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

  • Bell County     (The home county of Bland)
    • The following are listed by their distance from Bland, with the one closest to Bland listed first.
    • Moffat
      (2 miles [3.2 km] to the east)
      • Moffat is located in Bell County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Moffat
    • Morgan's Point Resort
      (5 miles [8 km] to the southeast)
    • Brookhaven
      (6 miles [9.7 km] to the west)
      • Brookhaven is located in Bell County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Brookhaven
    • Pendleton
      (9 miles [14.5 km] to the east)
    • Nolanville
      (10 miles [16.1 km] to the southwest)
    • Belton
      (11 miles [17.7 km] to the south)
    • Troy
      (12 miles [19.3 km] to the east)
    • Temple
      (12 miles [19.3 km] to the southeast)
    • Harker Heights
      (13 miles [20.9 km] to the southwest)
    • Walker Village
      (13 miles [20.9 km] to the southwest)
      • Walker Village is located in Bell County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Walker Village
    • Killeen
      (15 miles [24.1 km] to the southwest)
    • Chaffee Village
      (15 miles [24.1 km] to the west)
      • Chaffee Village is located in Bell County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Chaffee Village
  • Bosque County
    • Valley Mills
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the north)
  • Coryell County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Bland, with the one closest to Bland listed first.
    • The Grove
      (4 miles [6.4 km] to the north)
      • The Grove is located in Coryell County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for The Grove
    • Flat
      (9 miles [14.5 km] to the northwest)
    • Leon Junction
      (10 miles [16.1 km] to the northwest)
    • Mason Crossing ‑ Historic
      (11 miles [17.7 km] to the west)
      • Mason Crossing is located in Coryell County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mason Crossing
    • Lime City
      (12 miles [19.3 km] to the north)
      • Lime City is located in Coryell County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lime City
    • Mound
      (12 miles [19.3 km] to the northwest)
    • Oglesby
      (14 miles [22.5 km] to the north)
    • McGregor
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the north)
    • Saint Elijah Village
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the west)
      • Saint Elijah Village is located in Coryell County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Saint Elijah Village
    • Fort Gates
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the northwest)
      • Fort Gates is located in Coryell County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Fort Gates
    • Comanche Village I
      (18 miles [29 km] to the west)
      • Comanche Village I is located in Coryell County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Comanche Village I
    • Comanche Village II
      (18 miles [29 km] to the west)
      • Comanche Village II is located in Coryell County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Comanche Village II
  • Falls County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Bland, with the one closest to Bland listed first.
    • Bruceville - Eddy
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the northeast)
      • Bruceville - Eddy is located in Falls County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bruceville - Eddy
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 1,704 people
    • Blevins
      (18 miles [29 km] to the east)
      • Blevins is located in Falls County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Blevins
    • Durango
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the east)
      • Durango is located in Falls County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Durango
    • Mooreville
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the east)
      • Mooreville is located in Falls County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mooreville
    • Westphalia
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the east)
      • Westphalia is located in Falls County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Westphalia
    • Barclay
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the east)
      • Barclay is located in Falls County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Barclay
    • North Prairie
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the east)
      • North Prairie is located in Falls County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for North Prairie
    • Chilton
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the east)
    • Lott
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the east)
    • Zipperlandville ‑ Historic
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the east)
      • Zipperlandville is located in Falls County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Zipperlandville
      • Zipperlandville has also been known as:
      • Zipperlen
      • Zipperlenville
    • Golinda
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the northeast)
      • Golinda is located in Falls County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Golinda
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 610 people
    • Satin
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the east)
  • Lampasas County
    • Kempner
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the west)
  • McLennan County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Bland, with the one closest to Bland listed first.
    • Moody
      (11 miles [17.7 km] to the northeast)
      • Moody is located in McLennan County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Moody
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 1,433 people
      • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Moody <1>
    • Eddy
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the east)
    • Bruceville
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the northeast)
    • Lorena
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the northeast)
      • Lorena is located in McLennan County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lorena
    • Crawford
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the north)
    • Hewitt
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the northeast)
      • Hewitt is located in McLennan County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hewitt
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 15,113 people
      • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Hewitt <1>
    • Woodway
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the northeast)
    • Rosenthal
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the northeast)
      • Rosenthal is located in McLennan County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rosenthal
    • Speegleville
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the northeast)
      • Speegleville is located in McLennan County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Speegleville
    • Robinson
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the northeast)
    • Beverly Hills
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the northeast)
      • Beverly Hills is located in McLennan County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Beverly Hills
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 1,980 people
  • Milam County
    • Val Verde
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the southeast)
      • Val Verde is located in Milam County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Val Verde
  • Williamson County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Bland, with the one closest to Bland listed first.
    • Schwertner
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the south)
    • Jarrell
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the south)
    • Florence
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the southwest)

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

Cemeteries Near Bland ...

Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of Bland.

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

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

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

  • St. Paul Lutheran Cemetery
    (2 miles [3.2 km] to the northeast)
  • St. Pauls Cemetery
    (2 miles [3.2 km] to the northeast)
  • Trimmier Family Cemetery
    (2 miles [3.2 km] to the northwest)
  • Moffat Cemetery
    (3 miles [4.8 km] to the east)
  • White Hall Cemetery
    (3 miles [4.8 km] to the east)
  • St. Paul Cemetery
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the north)
  • Buckhorn Cemetery
    (5 miles [8 km] to the northeast)
  • Moody - Leon Cemetery
    (5 miles [8 km] to the northeast)
  • Flint Creek Cemetery
    (5 miles [8 km] to the northwest)
  • Graham Cemetery
    (5 miles [8 km] to the north)
  • Bellwood Memorial Park
    (6 miles [9.7 km] to the southeast)
  • Cedar Creek Cemetery
    (7 miles [11.3 km] to the southeast)
  • Continue List   (152 more) ...
    • Seaton Cemetery
      (8 miles [12.9 km] to the northwest)
    • Pendleton Cemetery
      (8 miles [12.9 km] to the east)
    • McDowell Cemetery
      (9 miles [14.5 km] to the south)

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

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

  • Moffat
    (2 miles [3.2 km] to the east)
    • Moffat is located in Bell County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Moffat
  • The Grove
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the north)
    • The Grove is located in Coryell County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for The Grove
  • Brookhaven
    (6 miles [9.7 km] to the west)
    • Brookhaven is located in Bell County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Brookhaven
  • Pendleton
    (9 miles [14.5 km] to the east)
  • Whitson
    (9 miles [14.5 km] to the northeast)
    • Whitson is located in Coryell County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Whitson
  • Nolanville
    (10 miles [16.1 km] to the southwest)
  • Leon Junction
    (10 miles [16.1 km] to the northwest)
  • Belton
    (11 miles [17.7 km] to the south)
  • Moody
    (11 miles [17.7 km] to the northeast)
    • Moody is located in McLennan County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Moody
    • Population from the 2020 Census: 1,433 people
    • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Moody <1>
  • Temple
    (12 miles [19.3 km] to the southeast)
  • Troy
    (12 miles [19.3 km] to the east)
  • Mound
    (12 miles [19.3 km] to the northwest)
  • Continue List   (14 more) ...
    • Lime City
      (12 miles [19.3 km] to the north)
      • Lime City is located in Coryell County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lime City
    • Pecan Grove ‑ Historic
      (13 miles [20.9 km] to the north)
      • Pecan Grove is located in Coryell County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Pecan Grove
    • Oglesby
      (14 miles [22.5 km] to the north)

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

Newspapers Published in Bland ...

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 91 newspapers that have been published in the area around Bland.

Although we're unaware of any newspapers that were published in the immediate area of Bland, there are papers which were published within 30 miles [48.3 km]<4>. A list of those papers, sorted by paper name, can be found on the Extended Newspaper List for Bland.

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 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 Bland:

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