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 Alum Springs (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 Alum Springs. 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 Alum Springs ...
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 occur.
Another variation: Alumsprings.
- A typical abbreviation for Alum Springs: Alum Spgs. (or less commonly used: Alum Spngs. or Alum Sprngs.)
You might be interested in other communities that are also named Alum Springs. More information can be found on our Tidbits & Trivia Page for Alum Springs.
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 southeast corner of their home county. During their lives, most doctors 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.
Alum Springs is located in Pulaski County.
To see how the shape of Virginia's counties may have changed over time, we recommend the Atlas of Historical County Boundaries.
The following counties adjoin and form the boundaries of Pulaski County: Bland, Carroll, Floyd, Giles, Montgomery & Wythe.
Below are the counties that are near Alum Springs. For each of these counties, we show a sample of those communities that are closest to Alum Springs:
- Pulaski County (The home county of Alum Springs)
- The following are listed by their distance from Alum Springs, with the one closest to Alum Springs listed first.
- Sassin ‑ Historic
(Less than 2 miles to the southeast)
- Sassin is located in Pulaski County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sassin
- Hilton Village
(5 miles [8 km] to the south)
- Hilton Village is located in Pulaski County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hilton Village
- Pulaski
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the south)
- Dublin
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the southeast)
- Wurno
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the southeast)
- Wurno is located in Pulaski County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Wurno
- Newbern
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the southeast)
- Parrott
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the east)
- Parrott is located in Pulaski County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Parrott
- Draper
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the south)
- Cowan
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the east)
- Cowan is located in Pulaski County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cowan
- Fairlawn
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the east)
- Fairlawn is located in Pulaski County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Fairlawn
- Mack Creek Village
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the southeast)
- Mack Creek Village is located in Pulaski County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mack Creek Village
- Snowville
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the southeast)
- Snowville is located in Pulaski County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Snowville
- Bland County
- The following are listed by their distance from Alum Springs, with the one closest to Alum Springs listed first.
- Mechanicsburg
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the west)
- Mechanicsburg is located in Bland County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mechanicsburg
- Round Bottom
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the northwest)
- Round Bottom is located in Bland County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Round Bottom
- Bland
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the west)
- Rocky Gap
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the west)
- Rocky Gap is located in Bland County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rocky Gap
- Hicksville
(18 miles [29 km] to the west)
- Hicksville is located in Bland County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hicksville
- Bastian
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the west)
- Carroll County
- The following are listed by their distance from Alum Springs, with the one closest to Alum Springs listed first.
- Sylvatus
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the south)
- Sylvatus is located in Carroll County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sylvatus
- Shorts Creek
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the south)
- Shorts Creek is located in Carroll County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Shorts Creek
- Sheep Town
(23 miles [37 km] to the south)
- Sheep Town is located in Carroll County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sheep Town
- Star
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the south)
- Star is located in Carroll County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Star
- Dugspur
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the southeast)
- Oak Grove
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the south)
- Oak Grove is located in Carroll County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Oak Grove
- Hillsville
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the south)
- Woodlawn
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the south)
- Craig County
- The following are listed by their distance from Alum Springs, with the one closest to Alum Springs listed first.
- Captain
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the northeast)
- Captain is located in Craig County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Captain
- Huffman
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the northeast)
- Huffman is located in Craig County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Huffman
- Simmonsville
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the northeast)
- Simmonsville is located in Craig County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Simmonsville
- Floyd County
- The following are listed by their distance from Alum Springs, with the one closest to Alum Springs listed first.
- Indian Valley
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the southeast)
- Duncan
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the southeast)
- Duncan is located in Floyd County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Duncan
- Sowers
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the southeast)
- Sowers is located in Floyd County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sowers
- Terrys Fork
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the east)
- Terrys Fork is located in Floyd County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Terrys Fork
- Giles County
- The following are listed by their distance from Alum Springs, with the one closest to Alum Springs listed first.
- Poplar Hill
(5 miles [8 km] to the northeast)
- Poplar Hill is located in Giles County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Poplar Hill
- Thessalia
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the north)
- Thessalia is located in Giles County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Thessalia
- Shumate
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the north)
- Shumate is located in Giles County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Shumate
- Narrows
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the north)
- Bluff City
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the north)
- Bluff City is located in Giles County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bluff City
- Pearisburg
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the north)
- Eggleston
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the northeast)
- Goodwins Ferry
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the northeast)
- Goodwins Ferry is located in Giles County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Goodwins Ferry
- Pembroke
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the northeast)
- Glen Lyn
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the north)
- Glen Lyn is located in Giles County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Glen Lyn
- Population from the 2020 Census: 97 people
- Lurich
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the north)
- Lurich is located in Giles County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lurich
- Rich Creek
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the north)
- Montgomery County
- The following are listed by their distance from Alum Springs, with the one closest to Alum Springs listed first.
- Prices Fork
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the east)
- Prices Fork is located in Montgomery County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Prices Fork
- Childress
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the southeast)
- Childress is located in Montgomery County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Childress
- Merrimac
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the east)
- Merrimac is located in Montgomery County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Merrimac
- Christiansburg
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the east)
- McBryde Village
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the east)
- McBryde Village is located in Montgomery County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for McBryde Village
- Riner
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the east)
- Sundance Village
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the east)
- Sundance Village is located in Montgomery County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sundance Village
- Blacksburg
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the east)
- Mount Tabor Village
(23 miles [37 km] to the east)
- Mount Tabor Village is located in Montgomery County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mount Tabor Village
- Oak Grove
(23 miles [37 km] to the east)
- Oak Grove is located in Montgomery County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Oak Grove
- Old Farm Village
(23 miles [37 km] to the east)
- Old Farm Village is located in Montgomery County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Old Farm Village
- Raintree Village
(23 miles [37 km] to the east)
- Raintree Village is located in Montgomery County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Raintree Village
- Radford City
- The following are listed by their distance from Alum Springs, with the one closest to Alum Springs listed first.
- New Town
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the east)
- New Town is located in Radford City
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for New Town
- Radford
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the east)
- Sunset Village
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the east)
- Sunset Village is located in Radford City
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sunset Village
- Radford Village
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the east)
- Radford Village is located in Radford City
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Radford Village
- Simpkins Village
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the east)
- Simpkins Village is located in Radford City
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Simpkins Village
- Mill Village
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the east)
- Mill Village is located in Radford City
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mill Village
- Tazewell County
- The following are listed by their distance from Alum Springs, with the one closest to Alum Springs listed first.
- Bluefield
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the west)
- Falls Mills
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the west)
- Falls Mills is located in Tazewell County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Falls Mills
- Saint Clair
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the west)
- Saint Clair is located in Tazewell County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Saint Clair
- Yards
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the west)
- Yards is located in Tazewell County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Yards
- Little Town
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the west)
- Little Town is located in Tazewell County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Little Town
- Shawver Mill
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the west)
- Shawver Mill is located in Tazewell County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Shawver Mill
- Wythe County
- The following are listed by their distance from Alum Springs, with the one closest to Alum Springs listed first.
- Locust Hill
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the southwest)
- Locust Hill is located in Wythe County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Locust Hill
- Max Meadows
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the southwest)
- Fort Chiswell
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the southwest)
- Fort Chiswell is located in Wythe County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Fort Chiswell
- Kent
(18 miles [29 km] to the southwest)
- Kent is located in Wythe County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Kent
- Siloam
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the southwest)
- Siloam is located in Wythe County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Siloam
- Wytheville
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the southwest)
- Austinville
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the south)
- Ivanhoe
(23 miles [37 km] to the south)
- Crockett
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the southwest)
- Rowe Crossroads
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the southwest)
- Rowe Crossroads is located in Wythe County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rowe Crossroads
- Logan County (WV)
- Rich Creek
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the north)
- Rich Creek is located in Logan County (WV)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rich Creek
- Mercer County (WV)
- The following are listed by their distance from Alum Springs, with the one closest to Alum Springs listed first.
- Willowton
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the north)
- Willowton is located in Mercer County (WV)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Willowton
- Oakvale
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the northwest)
- Oakvale is located in Mercer County (WV)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Oakvale
- Population from the 2020 Census: 109 people
- East River ‑ Historic
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the northwest)
- East River is located in Mercer County (WV)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for East River
- Blake ‑ Historic
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the northwest)
- Blake is located in Mercer County (WV)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Blake
- Elgood
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the northwest)
- Elgood is located in Mercer County (WV)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Elgood
- Athens
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the northwest)
- Edison
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the northwest)
- Edison is located in Mercer County (WV)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Edison
- El Centro ‑ Historic
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the northwest)
- El Centro is located in Mercer County (WV)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for El Centro
- Oak Grove
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the northwest)
- Oak Grove is located in Mercer County (WV)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Oak Grove
- Princeton
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the northwest)
- Bethel ‑ Historic
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the west)
- Bethel is located in Mercer County (WV)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bethel
- Johnston Town
(23 miles [37 km] to the northwest)
- Johnston Town is located in Mercer County (WV)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Johnston Town
- Monroe County (WV)
- The following are listed by their distance from Alum Springs, with the one closest to Alum Springs listed first.
- Peterstown
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the north)
- Ballard
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the north)
- Ballard is located in Monroe County (WV)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ballard
- Assurance
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the north)
- Assurance is located in Monroe County (WV)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Assurance
- Wikel
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the north)
- Wikel is located in Monroe County (WV)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Wikel
- Wayside
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the north)
- Wayside is located in Monroe County (WV)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Wayside
- Summers County (WV)
- The following are listed by their distance from Alum Springs, with the one closest to Alum Springs listed first.
- Mercers Saltworks ‑ Historic
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the north)
- Mercers Saltworks is located in Summers County (WV)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mercers Saltworks
- Pipestem
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the north)
- Forest Hill
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the north)
- True
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the north)
- True is located in Summers County (WV)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for True
- Buck
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the north)
- Buck is located in Summers County (WV)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Buck
For an expanded list of the communities that are closest to Alum Springs, see our County-by-County Page for Alum Springs.
Cemeteries Near Alum Springs ...
Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of Alum Springs.
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 Alum Springs - one of the links might be able to help.
If not found below, our Cemetery List for Alum Springs covers a larger area, with the cemeteries listed in alphabetical order.
The following cemeteries are listed based on their distance from Alum Springs, with the one closest to Alum Springs listed first.
- Walkers Creek Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the northwest)
- Thornsprings Methodist Church Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the southeast)
- Shannon - King Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the northeast)
- Pinehurst Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the south)
- Oakwood Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the south)
- New Dublin Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the east)
- Thessalia Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the north)
- Dublin Cemetery
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the southeast)
- Highland Memory Gardens
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the southeast)
- Anderson - Vickers Cemetery
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the east)
- Highland Emmanuel Cemetery
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the east)
- Staffordsville Cemetery
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the northeast)
- Continue List (477 more) ...
- Eatons Chapel Cemetery
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the northeast)
- Newbern Cemetery
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the southeast)
- Wesley Chapel Cemetery
(8 miles [12.9 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 Alum Springs in the Atlas, the following 1895 communities would have been found near the current location of Alum Springs.
These communities are listed based on their distance from Alum Springs, with the one closest to Alum Springs listed first.
- Sassin ‑ Historic
(Less than 2 miles to the southeast)
- Sassin is located in Pulaski County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sassin
- Poplar Hill
(5 miles [8 km] to the northeast)
- Poplar Hill is located in Giles County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Poplar Hill
- Wabash ‑ Historic
(5 miles [8 km] to the northeast)
- Wabash is located in Giles County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Wabash
- Altoona Mines ‑ Historic
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the southwest)
- Altoona Mines is located in Pulaski County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Altoona Mines
- Thessalia
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the north)
- Thessalia is located in Giles County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Thessalia
- Pulaski
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the south)
- Dublin
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the southeast)
- Staffordsville
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the northeast)
- Staffordsville is located in Giles County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Staffordsville
- Mechanicsburg
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the west)
- Mechanicsburg is located in Bland County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mechanicsburg
- Newbern
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the southeast)
- Bane
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the northeast)
- Bane is located in Giles County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bane
- Prospectdale
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the north)
- Prospectdale is located in Giles County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Prospectdale
- Continue List (13 more) ...
- Holly Brook
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the west)
- Holly Brook is located in Bland County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Holly Brook
- Trigg
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the northeast)
- Trigg is located in Giles County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Trigg
- Shumate
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the north)
- Shumate is located in Giles County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Shumate
We've also created an expanded list of communities that existed in the 1890's and were located in the area around Alum Springs. See our List of 1890's Communities around Alum Springs.
Newspapers Published in Alum Springs ...
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 18 newspapers that have been published in the area around Alum Springs.
Although we're unaware of any newspapers that were published in the immediate area of Alum Springs, there are papers which were published within 17 miles [27.4 km]<4>. A list of those papers, sorted by paper name, can be found on the Extended Newspaper List for Alum Springs.
Websites to Help With Your Genealogy Research ...
When we do our genealogical research, we first visit the websites from Cyndi's List, FamilySearch and Genealogy Trails. These professional and volunteer 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 Alum Springs:
- Websites specific to Virginia
- Pages specific to Pulaski County
- Genealogy information for nearby counties
- Bland County
- Carroll County
- Craig County
- Floyd County
- Giles County
- Montgomery County
- Radford City
- Tazewell County
- Wythe County
- Logan County
- Mercer County
- Monroe County
- Summers County
- Cemetery Information and Directories for Virginia
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 Alum Springs, 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 obstructions like rivers, canyons, lakes, et cetera - it's truly a line drawn from Point A (ie- Alum Springs) to Point B. In other words: 'As the crow flies'. |