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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 Arna Valley (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 Arna Valley. 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 Arna Valley ...

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.

For example, a typical abbreviation for Arna Valley: Arna Vly. (or less commonly used: Arna Vally. or Arna Vlly.)

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.

Cemeteries Near Arna Valley ...

Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of Arna Valley.

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 Arna Valley covers a larger area, with the cemeteries listed in alphabetical order.

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

  • Lomax Cemetery
    (Less than 2 miles to the northwest)
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for the Lomax Cemetery
    • Note: The GPS coordinates that we are using for the Lomax Cemetery have been provided by the GNIS.<1> The coordinates still need to be verified.
  • Ivy Hill Cemetery
    (Less than 2 miles to the south)
  • Syphax Family Graveyard
    (Less than 2 miles to the north)
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for the Syphax Family Graveyard
    • Note: The GPS coordinates that we are using for the Syphax Family Graveyard have been provided by the GNIS.<1> The coordinates still need to be verified.
  • Berry - Whitehead Family Graveyard
    (Less than 2 miles to the northwest)
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for the Berry - Whitehead Family Graveyard
    • Note: The GPS coordinates that we are using for the Berry - Whitehead Family Graveyard have been provided by the GNIS.<1> The coordinates still need to be verified.
  • Corbett Family Graveyard
    (Less than 2 miles to the northwest)
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for the Corbett Family Graveyard
    • Note: The GPS coordinates that we are using for the Corbett Family Graveyard have been provided by the GNIS.<1> The coordinates still need to be verified.
  • Deuterman Family Graveyard
    (Less than 2 miles to the west)
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for the Deuterman Family Graveyard
    • Note: The GPS coordinates that we are using for the Deuterman Family Graveyard have been provided by the GNIS.<1> The coordinates still need to be verified.
  • Shuters Hill Cemetery
    (2 miles [3.2 km] to the south)
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for the Shuters Hill Cemetery
    • Note: The GPS coordinates that we are using for the Shuters Hill Cemetery have been provided by the GNIS.<1> The coordinates still need to be verified.
  • Columbia Gardens Cemetery
    (2 miles [3.2 km] to the northwest)
  • Arlington National Cemetery
    (2 miles [3.2 km] to the north)
  • Tomb of the Unknowns
    (2 miles [3.2 km] to the north)
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for the Tomb of the Unknowns
    • Note: The GPS coordinates that we are using for the Tomb of the Unknowns have been provided by the GNIS.<1> The coordinates still need to be verified.
  • Mary Randolph Grave
    (2 miles [3.2 km] to the north)
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for the Mary Randolph Grave
    • Note: The GPS coordinates that we are using for the Mary Randolph Grave have been provided by the GNIS.<1> The coordinates still need to be verified.
  • Custis Burying Ground
    (2 miles [3.2 km] to the north)
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for the Custis Burying Ground
    • Note: The GPS coordinates that we are using for the Custis Burying Ground have been provided by the GNIS.<1> The coordinates still need to be verified.
  • Continue List   (381 more) ...
    • Mills Family Graveyard
      (2 miles [3.2 km] to the northwest)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for the Mills Family Graveyard
      • Note: The GPS coordinates that we are using for the Mills Family Graveyard have been provided by the GNIS.<1> The coordinates still need to be verified.
    • Shelley Graveyard
      (2 miles [3.2 km] to the northwest)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for the Shelley Graveyard
      • Note: The GPS coordinates that we are using for the Shelley Graveyard have been provided by the GNIS.<1> The coordinates still need to be verified.
    • Ball - Carlin Family Graveyard
      (2 miles [3.2 km] to the northwest)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for the Ball - Carlin Family Graveyard
      • Note: The GPS coordinates that we are using for the Ball - Carlin Family Graveyard have been provided by the GNIS.<1> The coordinates still need to be verified.

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

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

  • Baileys Crossroads
    (2 miles [3.2 km] to the west)
    • Note: The GPS coordinates that we are using for Baileys Crossroads have been provided by the GNIS.<1> The coordinates still need to be verified.
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Baileys Crossroads
    • Baileys Crossroads is located in Fairfax County
    • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Baileys Crossroads <4>
  • Alexandria
    (3 miles [4.8 km] to the southeast)
  • Lincolnia
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the southwest)
    • Note: The GPS coordinates that we are using for Lincolnia have been provided by the GNIS.<1> The coordinates still need to be verified.
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lincolnia
    • Lincolnia is located in Fairfax County
  • Franconia
    (5 miles [8 km] to the southwest)
    • Note: The GPS coordinates that we are using for Franconia have been provided by the GNIS.<1> The coordinates still need to be verified.
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Franconia
    • Franconia is located in Fairfax County
    • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Franconia <4>
  • Annandale
    (6 miles [9.7 km] to the west)
    • Note: The GPS coordinates that we are using for Annandale have been provided by the GNIS.<1> The coordinates still need to be verified.
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Annandale
    • Annandale is located in Fairfax County
    • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Annandale <4>
  • Springfield
    (7 miles [11.3 km] to the southwest)
  • Silver Hill
    (7 miles [11.3 km] to the east)
    • Note: The GPS coordinates that we are using for Silver Hill have been provided by the GNIS.<1> The coordinates still need to be verified.
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Silver Hill
    • Silver Hill is located in Prince George's County (MD)
  • Ravensworth
    (8 miles [12.9 km] to the west)
    • Note: The GPS coordinates that we are using for Ravensworth have been provided by the GNIS.<1> The coordinates still need to be verified.
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ravensworth
    • Ravensworth is located in Fairfax County
  • Mount Vernon
    (8 miles [12.9 km] to the south)
  • Friendly
    (8 miles [12.9 km] to the southeast)
    • Note: The GPS coordinates that we are using for Friendly have been provided by the GNIS.<1> The coordinates still need to be verified.
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Friendly
    • Friendly is located in Prince George's County (MD)
  • Suitland
    (8 miles [12.9 km] to the east)
    • Note: The GPS coordinates that we are using for Suitland have been provided by the GNIS.<1> The coordinates still need to be verified.
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Suitland
    • Suitland is located in Prince George's County (MD)
    • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Suitland <4>
  • Langley
    (8 miles [12.9 km] to the northwest)
    • Note: We haven't been able to verify our GPS coordinates for Langley. Although the coordinates have been estimated, they should be in the vicinity.<5>
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Langley
    • Langley is located in Fairfax County
  • Continue List   (17 more) ...
    • Lewinsville
      (8 miles [12.9 km] to the northwest)
      • Note: The GPS coordinates that we are using for Lewinsville have been provided by the GNIS.<1> The coordinates still need to be verified.
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lewinsville
      • Lewinsville is located in Fairfax County
    • Dunn Loring
      (8 miles [12.9 km] to the northwest)
      • Note: The GPS coordinates that we are using for Dunn Loring have been provided by the GNIS.<1> The coordinates still need to be verified.
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Dunn Loring
      • Dunn Loring is located in Fairfax County
      • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Dunn Loring <4>
    • Merrifield
      (8 miles [12.9 km] to the west)
      • Note: The GPS coordinates that we are using for Merrifield have been provided by the GNIS.<1> The coordinates still need to be verified.
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Merrifield
      • Merrifield is located in Fairfax County
      • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Merrifield <4>

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

Newspapers Published in Arna Valley ...

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 93 newspapers that have been published in the area around Arna Valley.

Although we're unaware of any newspapers that were published in the immediate area of Arna Valley, there are papers which were published within 5 miles [8 km]<6>. A list of those papers, sorted by paper name, can be found on the Extended Newspaper List for Arna Valley.

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 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 Arna Valley:

Unfortunately, we don't know of a website for Arna Valley. If you can help, please contact us through our Feedback Page.

The official website for Arlington County: www.co.arlington.va.us/

The official website for State of Virginia: https://www.virginia.gov/

Footnotes ...

<1>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.
<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 Arna Valley, please let us know so that we can improve our accuracy.
<4>While we're fans and frequent users of TripAdvisor, you should know that we're also members of the TripAdvisor affiliate program.
<5>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.
<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- Arna Valley) to Point B.Our distance measurements begin at a specific point in Arna Valley. The point we use is located at these GPS coordinates - Latitude: 38.8443, Longitude: -77.0764       In this case, the coordinates for Arna Valley have been provided by the Geographic Names Information System (GNIS).




 

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This page was last modified/updated: 31 Mar 2025