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 Backbone (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 Backbone. 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 northeast corner of their home county. During their lives, most hospitals and doctors 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.
Backbone is located in Alleghany 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 Alleghany County: Bath, Botetourt, Craig, Rockbridge, Greenbrier (WV) & Monroe (WV).
Below are the counties that are near Backbone. For each of these counties, we show a sample of those communities that are closest to Backbone:
- Alleghany County (The home county of Backbone)
- The following are listed by their distance from Backbone, with the one closest to Backbone listed first.
- Moss Run
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the east)
- Moss Run is located in Alleghany County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Moss Run
- Rich Patch
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the east)
- Rich Patch is located in Alleghany County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rich Patch
- Low Moor
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the east)
- Selma
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the east)
- Selma is located in Alleghany County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Selma
- Clifton Forge
(18 miles [29 km] to the east)
- Iron Gate
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the east)
- Iron Gate is located in Alleghany County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Iron Gate
- Population from the 2020 Census: 352 people
- Griffith
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the east)
- Griffith is located in Alleghany County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Griffith
- Bath County
- The following are listed by their distance from Backbone, with the one closest to Backbone listed first.
- Greenwood ‑ Historic
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the northeast)
- Greenwood is located in Bath County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Greenwood
- Carloover
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the northeast)
- Carloover is located in Bath County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Carloover
- Healing Springs
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the northeast)
- Healing Springs is located in Bath County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Healing Springs
- Cowardin ‑ Historic
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the northeast)
- Cowardin is located in Bath County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cowardin
- Mitchelltown
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the northeast)
- Mitchelltown is located in Bath County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mitchelltown
- Mountain Grove
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the northeast)
- Mountain Grove is located in Bath County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mountain Grove
- Warm Springs
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the northeast)
- Bath Alum
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the northeast)
- Bath Alum is located in Bath County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bath Alum
- Botetourt County
- The following are listed by their distance from Backbone, with the one closest to Backbone listed first.
- Oriskany
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the southeast)
- Strom
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the east)
- Strom is located in Botetourt County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Strom
- Haden
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the east)
- Haden is located in Botetourt County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Haden
- Glen Wilton
(18 miles [29 km] to the east)
- Glen Wilton is located in Botetourt County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Glen Wilton
- Gala
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the east)
- Gala is located in Botetourt County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Gala
- Haymakertown
(23 miles [37 km] to the southeast)
- Haymakertown is located in Botetourt County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Haymakertown
- Salisbury
(23 miles [37 km] to the southeast)
- Salisbury is located in Botetourt County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Salisbury
- Fincastle
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the southeast)
- Salt Petre Cave
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the southeast)
- Salt Petre Cave is located in Botetourt County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Salt Petre Cave
- Salt Petre Cave has also been known as:
- Salt Peter Cave
- Saltpetre
- Botetourt ‑ Historic
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the southeast)
- Botetourt is located in Botetourt County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Botetourt
- Amsterdam
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the southeast)
- Amsterdam is located in Botetourt County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Amsterdam
- Springwood
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the southeast)
- Springwood is located in Botetourt County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Springwood
- Daleville
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the southeast)
- Covington City
- Covington
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the east)
- Craig County
- The following are listed by their distance from Backbone, with the one closest to Backbone listed first.
- New Castle
(18 miles [29 km] to the south)
- Abbott
(23 miles [37 km] to the south)
- Abbott is located in Craig County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Abbott
- Simmonsville
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the south)
- Simmonsville is located in Craig County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Simmonsville
- Captain
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the southwest)
- Captain is located in Craig County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Captain
- Giles County
- Kire
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the southwest)
- Kire is located in Giles County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Kire
- Roanoke County
- The following are listed by their distance from Backbone, with the one closest to Backbone listed first.
- Catawba
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the south)
- Moomaw ‑ Historic
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the south)
- Moomaw is located in Roanoke County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Moomaw
- Mason Cove
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the south)
- Mason Cove is located in Roanoke County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mason Cove
- Greenbrier County (WV)
- The following are listed by their distance from Backbone, with the one closest to Backbone listed first.
- Tuckahoe
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the west)
- Tuckahoe is located in Greenbrier County (WV)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Tuckahoe
- Wild Meadow
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the northwest)
- Wild Meadow is located in Greenbrier County (WV)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Wild Meadow
- White Sulphur Springs
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the west)
- Brink ‑ Historic
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the northwest)
- Brink is located in Greenbrier County (WV)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Brink
- Anthony
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the northwest)
- Anthony is located in Greenbrier County (WV)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Anthony
- Caldwell
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the west)
- Neola
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the north)
- Neola is located in Greenbrier County (WV)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Neola
- Clendenenville
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the northwest)
- Clendenenville is located in Greenbrier County (WV)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Clendenenville
- Lewisburg
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the west)
- Frankford
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the northwest)
- Frankford is located in Greenbrier County (WV)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Frankford
- Spring Creek
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the northwest)
- Spring Creek is located in Greenbrier County (WV)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Spring Creek
- Fairlea
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the west)
- Ronceverte
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the west)
- Monroe County (WV)
- The following are listed by their distance from Backbone, with the one closest to Backbone listed first.
- Hollywood
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the southwest)
- Hollywood is located in Monroe County (WV)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hollywood
- Hillsdale
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the southwest)
- Hillsdale is located in Monroe County (WV)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hillsdale
- Union
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the southwest)
- Union is located in Monroe County (WV)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Union
- Population from the 2020 Census: 539 people
- Wolfcreek
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the west)
- Wolfcreek is located in Monroe County (WV)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Wolfcreek
- Creamery
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the west)
- Creamery is located in Monroe County (WV)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Creamery
- Pocahontas County (WV)
- The following are listed by their distance from Backbone, with the one closest to Backbone listed first.
- Hillsboro
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the north)
- Watoga ‑ Historic
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the north)
- Watoga is located in Pocahontas County (WV)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Watoga
- Buckeye
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the north)
- Huntersville
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the north)
- Summers County (WV)
- Riffe
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the west)
- Riffe is located in Summers County (WV)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Riffe
For an expanded list of the communities that are closest to Backbone, see our County-by-County Page for Backbone.
Cemeteries Near Backbone ...
Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of Backbone.
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 Backbone - one of the links might be able to help.
If not found below, our Cemetery List for Backbone covers a larger area, with the cemeteries listed in alphabetical order.
The following cemeteries are listed based on their distance from Backbone, with the one closest to Backbone listed first.
- Lewis Tunnel Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the southwest)
- Helmintoller Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the east)
- Hoke Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the north)
- Carter Cemetery
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the south)
- Cedar Hill Cemetery
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the east)
- Humphries Cemetery
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the southeast)
- Mallow Cemetery
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the east)
- Smith Cemetery
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the northeast)
- Catholic Cemetery
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the southwest)
- Rowan Memorial Home Cemetery
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the southwest)
- Simmons Cemetery
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the southeast)
- Dowdy Cemetery
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the southwest)
- Continue List (124 more) ...
- Hooks Cemetery
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the east)
- Mountain View Cemetery
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the southwest)
- Rose Hill Cemetery
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the east)
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.<2>
The Rand McNally Atlas shows that in 1895, Backbone had a post office and railroad service.
These communities are listed based on their distance from Backbone, with the one closest to Backbone listed first.
- Moss Run
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the east)
- Moss Run is located in Alleghany County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Moss Run
- Alleghany
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the west)
- Alleghany is located in Alleghany County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Alleghany
- Callaghan
(5 miles [8 km] to the northeast)
- Callaghan is located in Alleghany County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Callaghan
- Tuckahoe
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the west)
- Tuckahoe is located in Greenbrier County (WV)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Tuckahoe
- Mapledale
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the northwest)
- Mapledale is located in Greenbrier County (WV)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mapledale
- White Sulphur Springs
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the west)
- Sweet Chalybeate
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the southwest)
- Sweet Chalybeate is located in Alleghany County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sweet Chalybeate
- Alvon
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the north)
- Alvon is located in Greenbrier County (WV)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Alvon
- Mallow
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the east)
- Mallow is located in Alleghany County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mallow
- Potts Creek
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the south)
- Potts Creek is located in Alleghany County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Potts Creek
- Sweet Springs
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the southwest)
- Sweet Springs is located in Monroe County (WV)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sweet Springs
- Glace
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the southwest)
- Glace is located in Monroe County (WV)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Glace
- Continue List (15 more) ...
- Sue
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the north)
- Sue is located in Greenbrier County (WV)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sue
- Caldwell
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the west)
- Rich Patch
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the east)
- Rich Patch is located in Alleghany County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rich Patch
We've also created an expanded list of communities that existed in the 1890's and were located in the area around Backbone. See our List of 1890's Communities around Backbone.
Newspapers Published in Backbone ...
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 36 newspapers that have been published in the area around Backbone.
Although we're unaware of any newspapers that were published in the immediate area of Backbone, there are papers which were published within 18 miles [29 km]<3>. A list of those papers, sorted by paper name, can be found on the Extended Newspaper List for Backbone.
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 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 Backbone:
- Websites specific to Virginia
- Pages specific to Alleghany County
- Genealogy information for nearby counties
- Bath County
- Botetourt County
- Covington City
- Craig County
- Giles County
- Roanoke County
- Greenbrier County
- Monroe County
- Pocahontas 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> | 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 Backbone, please let us know so that we can improve our accuracy. |
| <3> | Our distances are not driving distances, but are calculated as a 'straight-line' (or point-to-point) distance. A straight line distance ignores things like rivers, canyons, lakes, et cetera - it's truly a line drawn from Point A (ie- Backbone) to Point B. In other words: 'As the crow flies'. |