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 Blowing Rock (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 Blowing Rock. 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 southwest corner of their home county. During their lives, most doctors and hospitals were in the next county to the west. 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 west 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.
Blowing Rock is located in Dickenson 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 Dickenson County: Pike (KY), Buchanan, Russell & Wise.
Below are the counties that are near Blowing Rock. For each of these counties, we show a sample of those communities that are closest to Blowing Rock:
- Dickenson County (The home county of Blowing Rock)
- The following are listed by their distance from Blowing Rock, with the one closest to Blowing Rock listed first.
- Clintwood
(5 miles [8 km] to the south)
- Tarpon
(5 miles [8 km] to the southeast)
- Tarpon is located in Dickenson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Tarpon
- Clinchco
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the southeast)
- Haysi
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the east)
- Omaha
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the south)
- Omaha is located in Dickenson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Omaha
- Darwin
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the south)
- Darwin is located in Dickenson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Darwin
- Nora
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the southeast)
- Nora is located in Dickenson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Nora
- Aily
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the southeast)
- Aily is located in Dickenson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Aily
- Herald
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the south)
- Herald is located in Dickenson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Herald
- Bucu
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the southeast)
- Bucu is located in Dickenson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bucu
- Carrie
(18 miles [29 km] to the southeast)
- Carrie is located in Dickenson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Carrie
- Buchanan County
- The following are listed by their distance from Blowing Rock, with the one closest to Blowing Rock listed first.
- Leemaster
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the east)
- Leemaster is located in Buchanan County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Leemaster
- Big Rock
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the northeast)
- Big Rock is located in Buchanan County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Big Rock
- Grundy
(18 miles [29 km] to the east)
- Royal City
(18 miles [29 km] to the east)
- Royal City is located in Buchanan County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Royal City
- Vansant
(18 miles [29 km] to the east)
- Janey
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the east)
- Janey is located in Buchanan County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Janey
- Council
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the southeast)
- Council is located in Buchanan County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Council
- Rowe
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the east)
- Rowe is located in Buchanan County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rowe
- Mavisdale
(23 miles [37 km] to the east)
- Mavisdale is located in Buchanan County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mavisdale
- Kelsa
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the northeast)
- Kelsa is located in Buchanan County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Kelsa
- Matney
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the east)
- Matney is located in Buchanan County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Matney
- Paynesville
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the east)
- Paynesville is located in Buchanan County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Paynesville
- Norton City
- Norton
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the southwest)
- Russell County
- The following are listed by their distance from Blowing Rock, with the one closest to Blowing Rock listed first.
- Dante
(18 miles [29 km] to the southeast)
- Dante is located in Russell County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Dante
- Bickley Mill
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the south)
- Bickley Mill is located in Russell County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bickley Mill
- Castlewood
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the south)
- Artrip
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the southeast)
- Artrip is located in Russell County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Artrip
- Carterton
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the southeast)
- Carterton is located in Russell County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Carterton
- Cleveland
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the southeast)
- Cleveland is located in Russell County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cleveland
- Population from the 2020 Census: 170 people
- Russell
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the east)
- Russell is located in Russell County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Russell
- Jessees Mill
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the southeast)
- Jessees Mill is located in Russell County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Jessees Mill
- Kiser ‑ Historic
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the southeast)
- Kiser is located in Russell County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Kiser
- Spring City
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the southeast)
- Spring City is located in Russell County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Spring City
- Dickensonville
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the southeast)
- Dickensonville is located in Russell County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Dickensonville
- Dye
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the east)
- Dye is located in Russell County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Dye
- Scott County
- The following are listed by their distance from Blowing Rock, with the one closest to Blowing Rock listed first.
- Dungannon
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the south)
- Dungannon is located in Scott County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Dungannon
- Population from the 2020 Census: 299 people
- Grigbys Store
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the south)
- Grigbys Store is located in Scott County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Grigbys Store
- Lano
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the south)
- Lano is located in Scott County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lano
- Wise County
- The following are listed by their distance from Blowing Rock, with the one closest to Blowing Rock listed first.
- Haddonfield
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the southwest)
- Haddonfield is located in Wise County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Haddonfield
- Pound
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the southwest)
- Almira
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the southwest)
- Almira is located in Wise County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Almira
- Coeburn
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the south)
- Wise
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the southwest)
- Hamilton town
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the southwest)
- Hamilton town is located in Wise County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hamilton town
- Virginia City
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the south)
- Virginia City is located in Wise County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Virginia City
- Esserville
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the southwest)
- Esserville is located in Wise County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Esserville
- Dwina
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the south)
- Dwina is located in Wise County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Dwina
- Saint Paul
(23 miles [37 km] to the south)
- Blackwood
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the southwest)
- Blackwood is located in Wise County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Blackwood
- Kent Junction
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the southwest)
- Kent Junction is located in Wise County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Kent Junction
- Floyd County (KY)
- The following are listed by their distance from Blowing Rock, with the one closest to Blowing Rock listed first.
- Weeksbury
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the northwest)
- Weeksbury is located in Floyd County (KY)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Weeksbury
- Melvin
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the northwest)
- Melvin is located in Floyd County (KY)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Melvin
- Beaver
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the northwest)
- Beaver is located in Floyd County (KY)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Beaver
- Wheelwright Junction
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the northwest)
- Wheelwright Junction is located in Floyd County (KY)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Wheelwright Junction
- Wheelwright
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the northwest)
- Wheelwright is located in Floyd County (KY)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Wheelwright
- Population from the 2020 Census: 487 people
- Bypro
(18 miles [29 km] to the northwest)
- Galveston
(18 miles [29 km] to the northwest)
- Galveston is located in Floyd County (KY)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Galveston
- Teaberry
(18 miles [29 km] to the northwest)
- Teaberry is located in Floyd County (KY)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Teaberry
- Hi Hat
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the northwest)
- Osborn
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the northwest)
- Osborn is located in Floyd County (KY)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Osborn
- Grethel
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the northwest)
- Grethel is located in Floyd County (KY)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Grethel
- McDowell
(23 miles [37 km] to the northwest)
- Knott County (KY)
- The following are listed by their distance from Blowing Rock, with the one closest to Blowing Rock listed first.
- Kite
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the west)
- Kite is located in Knott County (KY)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Kite
- Raven
(23 miles [37 km] to the northwest)
- Raven is located in Knott County (KY)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Raven
- Pine Top
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the west)
- Pine Top is located in Knott County (KY)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Pine Top
- Pippa Passes
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the west)
- Pippa Passes is located in Knott County (KY)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Pippa Passes
- Population from the 2020 Census: 606 people
- Mousie
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the northwest)
- Mousie is located in Knott County (KY)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mousie
- Garner
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the west)
- Garner is located in Knott County (KY)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Garner
- Littcarr
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the west)
- Littcarr is located in Knott County (KY)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Littcarr
- Redfox
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the west)
- Redfox is located in Knott County (KY)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Redfox
- Leburn
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the west)
- Letcher County (KY)
- The following are listed by their distance from Blowing Rock, with the one closest to Blowing Rock listed first.
- Burdine
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the west)
- Burdine is located in Letcher County (KY)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Burdine
- Jenkins
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the west)
- McRoberts
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the west)
- McRoberts is located in Letcher County (KY)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for McRoberts
- Cromona
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the west)
- Cromona is located in Letcher County (KY)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cromona
- Fleming - Neon
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the west)
- Fleming - Neon is located in Letcher County (KY)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Fleming - Neon
- Population from the 2020 Census: 610 people
- Hemphill
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the west)
- Hemphill is located in Letcher County (KY)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hemphill
- Hemphill has also been known as:
- Jackhorn
- Neon
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the west)
- Tolliver Town
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the west)
- Tolliver Town is located in Letcher County (KY)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Tolliver Town
- Seco
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the west)
- Seco is located in Letcher County (KY)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Seco
- Whitaker
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the west)
- Whitaker is located in Letcher County (KY)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Whitaker
- Deane
(18 miles [29 km] to the west)
- Deane is located in Letcher County (KY)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Deane
- Millstone
(18 miles [29 km] to the west)
- Millstone is located in Letcher County (KY)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Millstone
- Pike County (KY)
- The following are listed by their distance from Blowing Rock, with the one closest to Blowing Rock listed first.
- Ashcamp
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the north)
- Ashcamp is located in Pike County (KY)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ashcamp
- Hellier
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the northwest)
- Hellier is located in Pike County (KY)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hellier
- Lookout
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the north)
- Lookout is located in Pike County (KY)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lookout
- Elkhorn City
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the northeast)
- Rockhouse
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the north)
- Rockhouse is located in Pike County (KY)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rockhouse
- Cedarville
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the northeast)
- Cedarville is located in Pike County (KY)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cedarville
- Belcher
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the north)
- Belcher is located in Pike County (KY)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Belcher
- Draffin
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the north)
- Draffin is located in Pike County (KY)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Draffin
- Dorton
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the northwest)
- Marrowbone
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the north)
- Marrowbone is located in Pike County (KY)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Marrowbone
- Jonancy
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the northwest)
- Jonancy is located in Pike County (KY)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Jonancy
- Myra
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the northwest)
- Myra is located in Pike County (KY)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Myra
- McDowell County (WV)
- Paynesville
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the east)
- Paynesville is located in McDowell County (WV)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Paynesville
- Mingo County (WV)
- The following are listed by their distance from Blowing Rock, with the one closest to Blowing Rock listed first.
- Blackberry City
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the northeast)
- Blackberry City is located in Mingo County (WV)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Blackberry City
- Sprigg
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the northeast)
- Sprigg is located in Mingo County (WV)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sprigg
- Thacker
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the northeast)
- Thacker is located in Mingo County (WV)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Thacker
For an expanded list of the communities that are closest to Blowing Rock, see our County-by-County Page for Blowing Rock.
Cemeteries Near Blowing Rock ...
Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of Blowing Rock.
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 Blowing Rock - one of the links might be able to help.
If not found below, our Cemetery List for Blowing Rock covers a larger area, with the cemeteries listed in alphabetical order.
The following cemeteries are listed based on their distance from Blowing Rock, with the one closest to Blowing Rock listed first.
- Newberry Cemetery
(Less than 2 miles to the east)
- Moore Cemetery
(Less than 2 miles to the southeast)
- Stone Cemetery
(Less than 2 miles to the southeast)
- Vanover Cemetery
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the southwest)
- Dutton Cemetery
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the southwest)
- Mullins Cemetery
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the south)
- Hawkins Cemetery
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the southeast)
- Mullins Cemetery
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the southeast)
- Rakes Cemetery
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the southeast)
- Anderson Cemetery
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the southeast)
- Wallace Cemetery
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the east)
- Hall Cemetery
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the east)
- Continue List (974 more) ...
- Childers Cemetery
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the north)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Childers Cemetery
- The Childers Cemetery has also been known as:
- Johnny Bear Cemetery
- Johnny Bear Childers Cemetery
- Jump to Find-A-Grave: FG ID #2192030 <2>
- Farmers Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the southwest)
- Company Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the southwest)
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 Blowing Rock in the Atlas, the following 1895 communities would have been found near the current location of Blowing Rock.
These communities are listed based on their distance from Blowing Rock, with the one closest to Blowing Rock listed first.
- Ashcamp
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the north)
- Ashcamp is located in Pike County (KY)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ashcamp
- Clintwood
(5 miles [8 km] to the south)
- Tarpon
(5 miles [8 km] to the southeast)
- Tarpon is located in Dickenson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Tarpon
- Lookout
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the north)
- Lookout is located in Pike County (KY)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lookout
- Venters
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the north)
- Venters is located in Pike County (KY)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Venters
- Dorton
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the northwest)
- Stratton
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the southeast)
- Stratton is located in Dickenson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Stratton
- Beefhide
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the west)
- Beefhide is located in Letcher County (KY)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Beefhide
- Pound
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the southwest)
- Colley
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the southeast)
- Colley is located in Dickenson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Colley
- Aily
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the southeast)
- Aily is located in Dickenson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Aily
- Robinson Creek
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the northwest)
- Robinson Creek is located in Pike County (KY)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Robinson Creek
- Continue List (16 more) ...
- Mouthcard
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the northeast)
- Mouthcard is located in Pike County (KY)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mouthcard
- Fishtrap
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the north)
- Fishtrap is located in Pike County (KY)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Fishtrap
- Hurricane
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the south)
- Hurricane is located in Wise County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hurricane
We've also created an expanded list of communities that existed in the 1890's and were located in the area around Blowing Rock. See our List of 1890's Communities around Blowing Rock.
Newspapers Published in Blowing Rock ...
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 17 newspapers that have been published in the area around Blowing Rock.
Although we're unaware of any newspapers that were published in the immediate area of Blowing Rock, there are papers which were published within 14 miles [22.5 km]<4>. A list of those papers, sorted by paper name, can be found on the Extended Newspaper List for Blowing Rock.
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 Blowing Rock:
- Websites specific to Virginia
- Pages specific to Dickenson County
- Genealogy information for nearby counties
- Buchanan County
- Norton City
- Russell County
- Scott County
- Wise County
- Floyd County
- Knott County
- Letcher County
- Pike County
- McDowell County
- Mingo 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 Blowing Rock, please let us know so that we can improve our accuracy. |
| <4> | Our distances are not driving distances, but are calculated as a 'point-to-point' distance. A straight line distance ignores things like rivers, canyons, lakes, et cetera - it's truly a line from Point A (ie- Blowing Rock) to Point B. In other words: 'As the crow flies'. |