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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 Lake 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 Lake 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.

Name Variations for Lake Forest ...

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 Lake Forest: Lk. Forest

You might be interested in other communities that are also named Lake Forest. More information can be found on our Tidbits & Trivia Page for Lake Forest.

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 northeast corner of their home county. During their lives, most 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.

Lake Forest is located in Tarrant 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 Tarrant County: Dallas, Denton, Ellis, Johnson, Parker & Wise.

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

  • Tarrant County     (The home county of Lake Forest)
    • The following are listed by their distance from Lake Forest, with the one closest to Lake Forest listed first.
    • Pelican Bay
      (Less than 2 miles to the south)
      • Pelican Bay is located in Tarrant County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Pelican Bay
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 2,100 people
    • Pecan Acres
      (2 miles [3.2 km] to the northeast)
      • Pecan Acres is located in Tarrant County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Pecan Acres
    • Eagle Mountain
      (5 miles [8 km] to the southeast)
      • Eagle Mountain is located in Tarrant County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Eagle Mountain
    • Lakeside
      (8 miles [12.9 km] to the south)
      • Lakeside is located in Tarrant County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lakeside
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 1,586 people
    • Haslet
      (10 miles [16.1 km] to the east)
    • Lake Worth
      (10 miles [16.1 km] to the southeast)
    • Saginaw
      (11 miles [17.7 km] to the southeast)
    • Blue Mound
      (12 miles [19.3 km] to the southeast)
    • Sansom Park
      (12 miles [19.3 km] to the southeast)
    • White Settlement
      (13 miles [20.9 km] to the south)
    • River Oaks
      (13 miles [20.9 km] to the southeast)
    • Westworth Village
      (14 miles [22.5 km] to the southeast)
      • Westworth Village is located in Tarrant County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Westworth Village
    • Westworth Village
      (14 miles [22.5 km] to the southeast)
  • Dallas County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Lake Forest, with the one closest to Lake Forest listed first.
    • Grapevine
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the east)
    • Estelle
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the east)
      • Estelle is located in Dallas County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Estelle
    • Coppell
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the east)
  • Denton County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Lake Forest, with the one closest to Lake Forest listed first.
    • Elizabethtown
      (14 miles [22.5 km] to the east)
      • Elizabethtown is located in Denton County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Elizabethtown
    • Justin
      (15 miles [24.1 km] to the northeast)
    • Roanoke
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the east)
    • Northlake
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the northeast)
    • Marshall Creek
      (18 miles [29 km] to the east)
      • Marshall Creek is located in Denton County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Marshall Creek
    • DISH
      (18 miles [29 km] to the northeast)
      • DISH is located in Denton County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for DISH
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 442 people
    • Trophy Club
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the east)
    • Westlake
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the east)
    • Corral City
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the northeast)
      • Corral City is located in Denton County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Corral City
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 52 people
    • Ponder
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the northeast)
    • Stony
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the northeast)
      • Stony is located in Denton County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Stony
    • Southlake
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the east)
    • Argyle
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the northeast)
  • Hood County
    • Cresson
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the south)
  • Jack County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Lake Forest, with the one closest to Lake Forest listed first.
    • Gibtown
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the west)
      • Gibtown is located in Jack County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Gibtown
    • Westbrook
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the west)
      • Westbrook is located in Jack County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Westbrook
  • Johnson County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Lake Forest, with the one closest to Lake Forest listed first.
    • Crowley
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the south)
    • Burleson
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the south)
  • Parker County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Lake Forest, with the one closest to Lake Forest listed first.
    • Azle
      (3 miles [4.8 km] to the south)
      • Azle is located in Parker County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Azle
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 13,607 people
      • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Azle <1>
    • Reno
      (3 miles [4.8 km] to the west)
      • Reno is located in Parker County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Reno
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 3,473 people
    • Sanctuary
      (4 miles [6.4 km] to the southwest)
      • Sanctuary is located in Parker County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sanctuary
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 327 people
    • Springtown
      (9 miles [14.5 km] to the west)
    • Carter
      (13 miles [20.9 km] to the west)
      • Carter is located in Parker County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Carter
    • Goshen
      (13 miles [20.9 km] to the west)
      • Goshen is located in Parker County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Goshen
    • Dicey
      (14 miles [22.5 km] to the southwest)
      • Dicey is located in Parker County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Dicey
    • Willow Park
      (15 miles [24.1 km] to the southwest)
    • Agnes
      (15 miles [24.1 km] to the west)
      • Agnes is located in Parker County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Agnes
    • Hudson Oaks
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the southwest)
    • Aledo
      (18 miles [29 km] to the south)
    • Annetta North
      (18 miles [29 km] to the southwest)
      • Annetta North is located in Parker County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Annetta North
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 583 people
    • Annetta
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the southwest)
      • Annetta is located in Parker County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Annetta
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 3,319 people
  • Wise County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Lake Forest, with the one closest to Lake Forest listed first.
    • Briar
      (3 miles [4.8 km] to the northwest)
      • Briar is located in Wise County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Briar
    • Newark
      (4 miles [6.4 km] to the northeast)
    • Aurora
      (7 miles [11.3 km] to the north)
    • Rhome
      (7 miles [11.3 km] to the northeast)
    • Boyd
      (9 miles [14.5 km] to the north)
    • New Fairview
      (11 miles [17.7 km] to the north)
      • New Fairview is located in Wise County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for New Fairview
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 1,557 people
      • Former name for New Fairview:
      • Fairview
    • Herman
      (14 miles [22.5 km] to the north)
      • Herman is located in Wise County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Herman
    • Bluett
      (15 miles [24.1 km] to the north)
      • Bluett is located in Wise County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bluett
    • Paradise
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the northwest)
    • Decatur
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the north)
    • Boonsville
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the west)
      • Boonsville is located in Wise County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Boonsville
    • Bridgeport
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the northwest)
    • Lake Bridgeport
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the northwest)
      • Lake Bridgeport is located in Wise County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lake Bridgeport
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 405 people

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

Cemeteries Near Lake Forest ...

Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of Lake 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 Lake Forest - one of the links might be able to help.

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

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

  • Nelson Cemetery
    (2 miles [3.2 km] to the west)
  • Azleland Memorial Park
    (2 miles [3.2 km] to the west)
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Azleland Memorial Park
    • To give a relative sense of its location, the Azleland Memorial Park is a large cemetery that is located 3 miles [4.8 km]<2> to the north of Azle.
    • Jump to Find-A-Grave: FG ID #814160 <3>
  • Pope Cemetery
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the north)
  • Smith - Frazier Cemetery
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the south)
  • Reynolds Cemetery
    (5 miles [8 km] to the southwest)
  • Stokes Cemetery
    (5 miles [8 km] to the northwest)
  • Jay Bird / Union Grove Cemetery
    (5 miles [8 km] to the west)
  • Bud Clark Cemetery
    (7 miles [11.3 km] to the southwest)
  • Aurora Cemetery
    (7 miles [11.3 km] to the north)
  • Boyd Cemetery
    (8 miles [12.9 km] to the north)
  • Keeter Cemetery
    (8 miles [12.9 km] to the northwest)
  • Opal Cemetery
    (8 miles [12.9 km] to the northwest)
  • Continue List   (133 more) ...
    • Newsom Cemetery
      (9 miles [14.5 km] to the southwest)
    • Arkansas Cemetery
      (10 miles [16.1 km] to the northwest)
    • Deep Creek Cemetery
      (11 miles [17.7 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.<4>

While we didn't find Lake Forest in the Atlas, the following 1895 communities would have been found near the current location of Lake Forest.

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

  • Azle
    (3 miles [4.8 km] to the south)
    • Azle is located in Parker County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Azle
    • Population from the 2020 Census: 13,607 people
    • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Azle <1>
  • Briar
    (3 miles [4.8 km] to the northwest)
    • Briar is located in Wise County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Briar
  • Avondale
    (5 miles [8 km] to the east)
    • Avondale is located in Tarrant County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Avondale
  • Rhome
    (7 miles [11.3 km] to the northeast)
  • Aurora
    (7 miles [11.3 km] to the north)
  • Keeter
    (7 miles [11.3 km] to the northwest)
    • Keeter is located in Wise County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Keeter
  • Springtown
    (9 miles [14.5 km] to the west)
  • Haslet
    (10 miles [16.1 km] to the east)
  • Saginaw
    (11 miles [17.7 km] to the southeast)
  • Carter
    (13 miles [20.9 km] to the west)
    • Carter is located in Parker County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Carter
  • Cottondale
    (13 miles [20.9 km] to the northwest)
    • Cottondale is located in Wise County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cottondale
  • Dicey
    (14 miles [22.5 km] to the southwest)
    • Dicey is located in Parker County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Dicey
  • Continue List   (16 more) ...
    • Herman
      (14 miles [22.5 km] to the north)
      • Herman is located in Wise County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Herman
    • Justin
      (15 miles [24.1 km] to the northeast)
    • Drop
      (15 miles [24.1 km] to the northeast)
      • Drop is located in Denton County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Drop

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

Newspapers Published in Lake 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 209 newspapers that have been published in the area around Lake Forest.

Although we're unaware of any newspapers that were published in the immediate area of Lake Forest, there are papers which were published within 28 miles [45.1 km]<2>. A list of those papers, sorted by paper name, can be found on the Extended Newspaper List for Lake 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 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 Lake Forest:

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>Our distances are not driving distances, but are calculated as a 'straight-line' (or point-to-point) distance. A straight line distance ignores obstructions like rivers, canyons, lakes, et cetera - it's truly a line from Point A (ie- Lake Forest) to Point B. In other words: 'As the crow flies'.
<3>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.
<4>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 Lake Forest, please let us know so that we can improve our accuracy.