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The Commemorative Quarter for Utah





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 American Fork (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 American Fork. 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 American Fork ...

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.

Although we can't give a definitive list, hopefully the following will give you a feel for the variations that might have occurred.

Over the years, American Fork had several name changes:

  • Prior to its current name of American Fork, it was known as Lake City.
  • Before changing to Lake City, it was named McArthursville.
  • The city of American Fork was originally named McArthursville

  • A typical abbreviation for American Fork: American Frk.

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.

A Few Details for American Fork ...

While it's still very early in our research, we found that:

  • American Fork was established in 1850.
  • It was incorporated on June 4, 1853.

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.

American Fork is located in Utah County.

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

The following counties adjoin and form the boundaries of Utah County: Carbon, Duchesne, Juab, Salt Lake, Sanpete, Tooele & Wasatch.

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

  • Utah County     (The home county of American Fork)
    • The following are listed by their distance from American Fork, with the one closest to American Fork listed first.
    • Pleasant Grove
      (3 miles [4.8 km] to the east)
    • Highland
      (3 miles [4.8 km] to the north)
      • Note: The GPS coordinates that we are using for Highland have been provided by the GNIS.<2> The coordinates still need to be verified.
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Highland
      • Highland is located in Utah County
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 19,241 people
      • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Highland <1>
    • Cedar Hills
      (3 miles [4.8 km] to the northeast)
      • Note: The GPS coordinates that we are using for Cedar Hills have been provided by the GNIS.<2> The coordinates still need to be verified.
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cedar Hills
      • Cedar Hills is located in Utah County
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 9,985 people
      • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Cedar Hills <1>
    • Lehi
      (4 miles [6.4 km] to the northwest)
      • Note: The GPS coordinates that we are using for Lehi have been provided by the GNIS.<2> The coordinates still need to be verified.
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lehi
      • Lehi is located in Utah County
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 73,383 people
      • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Lehi <1>
    • Lindon
      (4 miles [6.4 km] to the southeast)
      • Note: The GPS coordinates that we are using for Lindon have been provided by the GNIS.<2> The coordinates still need to be verified.
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lindon
      • Lindon is located in Utah County
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 11,462 people
      • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Lindon <1>
    • Alpine
      (5 miles [8 km] to the north)
    • Bunker
      (5 miles [8 km] to the southeast)
    • Vineyard
      (5 miles [8 km] to the southeast)
      • Note: The GPS coordinates that we are using for Vineyard have been provided by the GNIS.<2> The coordinates still need to be verified.
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Vineyard
      • Vineyard is located in Utah County
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 12,570 people
    • Saratoga Springs
      (6 miles [9.7 km] to the southwest)
    • Geneva ‑ Historic
      (7 miles [11.3 km] to the southeast)
      • Note: We haven't been able to verify our GPS coordinates for Geneva. Although the coordinates have been estimated, they should be in the vicinity.<3>
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Geneva
      • Geneva is located in Utah County
      • Google driving directions:
      • From your current location to Geneva
      • From American Fork to Geneva
    • Orem
      (7 miles [11.3 km] to the southeast)
    • Christmas City
      (8 miles [12.9 km] to the southeast)
      • Note: The GPS coordinates that we are using for Christmas City have been provided by the GNIS.<2> The coordinates still need to be verified.
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Christmas City
      • Christmas City is located in Utah County
    • Olmstead
      (8 miles [12.9 km] to the southeast)
      • Note: We haven't been able to verify our GPS coordinates for Olmstead. Although the coordinates have been estimated, they should be in the vicinity.<3>
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Olmstead
      • Olmstead is located in Utah County
      • Google driving directions:
      • From your current location to Olmstead
      • From American Fork to Olmstead
  • Juab County
  • Salt Lake County
    • The following are listed by their distance from American Fork, with the one closest to American Fork listed first.
    • Draper
      (10 miles [16.1 km] to the north)
    • Willow Fort ‑ Historic
      (10 miles [16.1 km] to the north)
    • Canyon Oak Village
      (11 miles [17.7 km] to the north)
      • Note: The GPS coordinates that we are using for Canyon Oak Village have been provided by the GNIS.<2> The coordinates still need to be verified.
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Canyon Oak Village
      • Canyon Oak Village is located in Salt Lake County
    • Summerhill Village
      (11 miles [17.7 km] to the north)
      • Note: The GPS coordinates that we are using for Summerhill Village have been provided by the GNIS.<2> The coordinates still need to be verified.
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Summerhill Village
      • Summerhill Village is located in Salt Lake County
    • Bluffdale
      (11 miles [17.7 km] to the northwest)
    • Cobblestone Village
      (12 miles [19.3 km] to the north)
      • Note: The GPS coordinates that we are using for Cobblestone Village have been provided by the GNIS.<2> The coordinates still need to be verified.
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cobblestone Village
      • Cobblestone Village is located in Salt Lake County
    • Dimple Dell Village
      (12 miles [19.3 km] to the north)
      • Note: The GPS coordinates that we are using for Dimple Dell Village have been provided by the GNIS.<2> The coordinates still need to be verified.
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Dimple Dell Village
      • Dimple Dell Village is located in Salt Lake County
    • Riverton Majestic Village
      (12 miles [19.3 km] to the northwest)
      • Note: The GPS coordinates that we are using for Riverton Majestic Village have been provided by the GNIS.<2> The coordinates still need to be verified.
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Riverton Majestic Village
      • Riverton Majestic Village is located in Salt Lake County
    • Riverton
      (12 miles [19.3 km] to the northwest)
    • Raintree Village
      (13 miles [20.9 km] to the north)
      • Note: The GPS coordinates that we are using for Raintree Village have been provided by the GNIS.<2> The coordinates still need to be verified.
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Raintree Village
      • Raintree Village is located in Salt Lake County
    • Sandy
      (13 miles [20.9 km] to the north)
      • Note: The GPS coordinates that we are using for Sandy have been provided by the GNIS.<2> The coordinates still need to be verified.
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sandy
      • Sandy is located in Salt Lake County
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 94,871 people
      • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Sandy <1>
    • Sunset Meadows Village
      (13 miles [20.9 km] to the north)
      • Note: The GPS coordinates that we are using for Sunset Meadows Village have been provided by the GNIS.<2> The coordinates still need to be verified.
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sunset Meadows Village
      • Sunset Meadows Village is located in Salt Lake County
    • Lane Village
      (13 miles [20.9 km] to the northwest)
      • Note: The GPS coordinates that we are using for Lane Village have been provided by the GNIS.<2> The coordinates still need to be verified.
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lane Village
      • Lane Village is located in Salt Lake County
  • Summit County
  • Tooele County
  • Wasatch County
    • The following are listed by their distance from American Fork, with the one closest to American Fork listed first.
    • Charleston
      (18 miles [29 km] to the east)
      • Note: The GPS coordinates that we are using for Charleston have been provided by the GNIS.<2> The coordinates still need to be verified.
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Charleston
      • Charleston is located in Wasatch County
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 496 people
    • Mound City
      (18 miles [29 km] to the northeast)
    • Wallsburg
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the east)
    • Midway
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the northeast)
      • Note: The GPS coordinates that we are using for Midway have been provided by the GNIS.<2> The coordinates still need to be verified.
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Midway
      • Midway is located in Wasatch County
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 5,465 people
      • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Midway <1>
    • Interlaken
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the northeast)
    • Daniel
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the east)
    • Independence
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the east)
    • Heber City
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the northeast)
    • Jordanelle
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the northeast)
    • Cranmer
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the northeast)
      • Note: We haven't been able to verify our GPS coordinates for Cranmer. Although the coordinates have been estimated, they should be in the vicinity.<3>
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cranmer
      • Cranmer is located in Wasatch County
      • Google driving directions:
      • From your current location to Cranmer
      • From American Fork to Cranmer
    • Hailstone ‑ Historic
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the northeast)
    • Keetley ‑ Historic
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the northeast)
      • Note: We haven't been able to verify our GPS coordinates for Keetley. Although the coordinates have been estimated, they should be in the vicinity.<3>
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Keetley
      • Keetley is located in Wasatch County
      • Google driving directions:
      • From your current location to Keetley
      • From American Fork to Keetley
    • Hideout
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the northeast)
      • Note: The GPS coordinates that we are using for Hideout have been provided by the GNIS.<2> The coordinates still need to be verified.
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hideout
      • Hideout is located in Wasatch County
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 1,254 people

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

Cemeteries Near American Fork ...

Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of American Fork.

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.

If you need information about a burial or interment, photos, transcripts, how to contact the cemetery or local authorities, please visit our selection of Genealogy Websites (see below).

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

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

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.<5>

The Rand McNally Atlas shows that American Fork had a population of 722 people in 1895 with a post office and railroad service. In 2020, American Fork had a population of 33,896 people.

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

  • Pleasant Grove
    (3 miles [4.8 km] to the east)
  • Lehi
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the northwest)
    • Note: The GPS coordinates that we are using for Lehi have been provided by the GNIS.<2> The coordinates still need to be verified.
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lehi
    • Lehi is located in Utah County
    • Population from the 2020 Census: 73,383 people
    • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Lehi <1>
  • Alpine
    (5 miles [8 km] to the north)
  • Lakeview
    (9 miles [14.5 km] to the southeast)
  • Draper
    (10 miles [16.1 km] to the north)
  • Jordan
    (11 miles [17.7 km] to the northwest)
    • Note: The GPS coordinates that we are using for Jordan have been provided by the GNIS.<2> The coordinates still need to be verified.
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Jordan
    • Jordan is located in Salt Lake County
  • Provo
    (12 miles [19.3 km] to the southeast)
  • Sandy
    (13 miles [20.9 km] to the north)
    • Note: The GPS coordinates that we are using for Sandy have been provided by the GNIS.<2> The coordinates still need to be verified.
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sandy
    • Sandy is located in Salt Lake County
    • Population from the 2020 Census: 94,871 people
    • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Sandy <1>
  • Herriman
    (15 miles [24.1 km] to the northwest)
  • Cedar Fort
    (16 miles [25.7 km] to the west)
  • Alta
    (16 miles [25.7 km] to the northeast)
  • Fairfield
    (17 miles [27.4 km] to the southwest)
  • Continue List   (15 more) ...
    • Union
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the north)
      • Note: The GPS coordinates that we are using for Union have been provided by the GNIS.<2> The coordinates still need to be verified.
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Union
      • Union is located in Salt Lake County
    • Lake Shore
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the south)
      • Note: The GPS coordinates that we are using for Lake Shore have been provided by the GNIS.<2> The coordinates still need to be verified.
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lake Shore
      • Lake Shore is located in Utah County
    • Springville
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the southeast)

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

Newspapers Published in the Vicinity of American Fork ...

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 40 newspapers that have been published in the area around American Fork.

We have organized these newspapers into two lists:

  • A Local Newspaper List - focusing on the papers published in the immediate area of American Fork. There are actually two parts to this list - papers printed in the immediate area of American Fork and those printed in the larger area surrounding American Fork.
  • An Extended Newspaper List - a longer list, sorted by paper name and containing those papers published within 12 miles [19.3 km]<6> of American Fork.

Websites to Help With Your Genealogy Research ...

When we do our genealogical research, we first turn to 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 American Fork:

The official website for American Fork: www.afcity.com/

The official website for Utah County: www.co.utah.ut.us/

The official website for State of Utah: https://www.utah.gov/

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 location has been supplied by the Geographic Names Information System - which is maintained by the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS). While these values should be definitive, we found that accuracy can vary and you should double-check the location if accuracy is required.
<3>An 'estimated' location is one where we have been given GPS coordinates, but are unable to verify the accuracy of those coordinates. That said, we have some confidence that we have placed the marker near the actual location. A typical reason for being unable to verify a location is that it might be on private property or maybe historic and gone without an obvious trace.
<4>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.
<5>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 American Fork, please let us know so that we can improve our accuracy.
<6>Our distances are not driving distances, but are calculated as a 'straight-line' distance. A straight line distance ignores obstructions like rivers, canyons, lakes, et cetera - it's truly a line drawn from Point A (ie- American Fork) to Point B.Our distance measurements begin at a specific point in American Fork. The point we use is located at these GPS coordinates - Latitude: 40.3768, Longitude: -111.7959    









 

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In closing, please keep in mind that we can not guarantee the accuracy or timeliness of the information on this website, so use with care. We encourage you to double-check the information that is critical to you.

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This page was last modified/updated: 29 Apr 2025