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A Gazetteer for the United States and Canada
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The Commemorative
Quarter for
Virginia

The Commemorative Quarter for Virginia





Outdoor Activities ...

As we travel, we like to pursue some of our interests (such as astronomy).

When in Dorchester, we use the following websites to find information relevant to Dorchester and the surrounding area.

  • Weather ...
  • Astronomy & Satellites ...
    • Whether using binoculars, a small telescope or the naked-eye, the Heavens-Above website can help you to find your way around the night-time sky. In addition to detailed sky charts, their website will help you find planets, asteriods, comets, satellites and their tracks across the sky.
    • To give accurate results, Heavens-Above requires the latitude and longitude of your location. As a starting point, when we link to Heavens-Above, we pass this GPS location for Dorchester:
    • 37.467370, -77.474707
    • Once you're on the Heavens-Above website, you can improve its accuracy by giving a more precise longitude and latitude as your actual position.
    • The Heavens-Above Website, centered on Dorchester
  • Waymarking ...
    • Looking for somewhere out of the ordinary? Find a unique place and want to share it with others? Then it's time to visit Waymarking.com:
    • Waymark.com

Communities Also Named Dorchester ...

We found twenty communities that share the name Dorchester.

There is one other community in Virginia which is also named Dorchester.

Beyond Virginia, we know of another nineteen communities that are located throughout in the United States and Canada. Of these nineteen communities, eighteen are located in the United States and two are in Canada.

  • Communities Located In Virginia ...
    • Wise County
      • This Dorchester is located in Wise County and lies 286 miles [460.3 km]<1> to the west.
      • For more information, please visit our profile page for the Wise County community of Dorchester.
  • Communities Elsewhere In North America ...
    • Colorado
      • Gunnison County
      • This community is historic<2> and although located in Gunnison County, we don't know where within the .
      • For more information, please visit our profile page for the Gunnison County community of Dorchester.
    • Florida
      • Hillsborough County
      • This Dorchester is located in Hillsborough County and lies 717 miles [1,153.9 km]<1> to the south southwest.
      • For more information, please visit our profile page for the Hillsborough County community of Dorchester.
    • Georgia
      • Liberty County
      • This Dorchester is located in Liberty County and lies 450 miles [724.2 km]<1> to the south southwest.
      • For more information, please visit our profile page for the Liberty County community of Dorchester.
      • Richmond County
      • This Dorchester is located in Richmond County and lies 375 miles [603.5 km] to the southwest.
      • For more information, please visit our profile page for the Richmond County community of Dorchester.
    • Illinois
      • Macoupin County
      • This Dorchester is located in Macoupin County and lies 681 miles [1,096 km]<1> to the west northwest.
      • For more information, please visit our profile page for the Macoupin County community of Dorchester.
    • Iowa
      • Allamakee County
      • This Dorchester is located in Allamakee County and lies 844 miles [1,358.3 km]<1> to the northwest.
      • For more information, please visit our profile page for the Allamakee County community of Dorchester.
    • Maryland
      • Charles County
      • This Dorchester is located in Charles County and lies 84 miles [135.2 km]<1> to the north northeast.
      • For more information, please visit our profile page for the Charles County community of Dorchester.
    • Massachusetts
      • Suffolk County
      • This Dorchester is located in Suffolk County and lies 475 miles [764.4 km]<1> to the northeast.
      • For more information, please visit our profile page for the Suffolk County community of Dorchester.
    • Missouri
      • Greene County
      • We found mention of this community, but have little information.<3> For the information that we do have, please visit our profile page for the Missouri community of Dorchester [Greene County].
    • Nebraska
      • Saline County
      • This Dorchester is located in Saline County and lies 1,073 miles [1,726.8 km]<1> to the west northwest.
      • For more information, please visit our profile page for the Saline County community of Dorchester.
    • New Brunswick
      • This Dorchester lies 884 miles [1,422.7 km]<1> to the northeast.
    • New Hampshire
      • Grafton County
      • This Dorchester is located in Grafton County and lies 521 miles [838.5 km]<1> to the north northeast.
      • For more information, please visit our profile page for the Grafton County community of Dorchester.
    • New Jersey
      • Cumberland County
      • This Dorchester is located in Cumberland County and lies 183 miles [294.5 km]<1> to the northeast.
      • For more information, please visit our profile page for the Cumberland County community of Dorchester.
    • North Carolina
      • Forsyth County
      • This Dorchester is located in Forsyth County and lies 184 miles [296.1 km]<1> to the west southwest.
      • For more information, please visit our profile page for the Forsyth County community of Dorchester.
    • Ontario
      • This Dorchester lies 424 miles [682.4 km]<1> to the north northwest.
    • South Carolina
      • Charleston County
      • This Dorchester is located in Charleston County and lies 348 miles [560.1 km]<1> to the south southwest.
      • For more information, please visit our profile page for the Charleston County community of Dorchester.
      • Dorchester County
      • This Dorchester is located in Dorchester County and lies 341 miles [548.8 km] to the south southwest.
      • For more information, please visit our profile page for the Dorchester County community of Dorchester.
    • Texas
      • Grayson County
      • This Dorchester is located in Grayson County and lies 1,111 miles [1,788 km]<1> to the west.
      • For more information, please visit our profile page for the Grayson County community of Dorchester.
    • Wisconsin
      • Clark County
      • This Dorchester is located in Clark County and lies 844 miles [1,358.3 km]<1> to the northwest.
      • For more information, please visit our profile page for the Clark County community of Dorchester.

Curious and Interesting Names Near Dorchester ...

As we travel, we always see a community with a name that gives pause. While there are names which are interesting or familiar, some catch our attention or strike our fancy. We always wonder about such a name. If time permits and the community is not too far, we'll usually try to make a side-trip.

  • Cedar Farm
    (Less than 2 miles to the west)
    • Note: The GPS coordinates that we are using for Cedar Farm have been provided by the GNIS.<4> The coordinates still need to be verified.
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cedar Farm
    • Cedar Farm is located in Richmond City
  • Cherry Gardens
    (Less than 2 miles to the northeast)
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cherry Gardens
    • Cherry Gardens is located in Richmond County
  • Chimney Corner
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the southeast)
    • Note: The GPS coordinates that we are using for Chimney Corner have been provided by the GNIS.<4> The coordinates still need to be verified.
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Chimney Corner
    • Chimney Corner is located in Chesterfield County
  • Crescent Park
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the southeast)
    • Note: The GPS coordinates that we are using for Crescent Park have been provided by the GNIS.<4> The coordinates still need to be verified.
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Crescent Park
    • Crescent Park is located in Chesterfield County
  • Fairpines
    (3 miles [4.8 km] to the southwest)
    • Note: The GPS coordinates that we are using for Fairpines have been provided by the GNIS.<4> The coordinates still need to be verified.
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Fairpines
    • Fairpines is located in Chesterfield County
  • Fawnbrook
    (Less than 2 miles to the west)
    • Note: The GPS coordinates that we are using for Fawnbrook have been provided by the GNIS.<4> The coordinates still need to be verified.
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Fawnbrook
    • Fawnbrook is located in Richmond County
  • Granite
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the north)
    • Note: The GPS coordinates that we are using for Granite have been provided by the GNIS.<4> The coordinates still need to be verified.
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Granite
    • Granite is located in Richmond City
  • Indian Springs
    (3 miles [4.8 km] to the south)
    • Note: The GPS coordinates that we are using for Indian Springs have been provided by the GNIS.<4> The coordinates still need to be verified.
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Indian Springs
    • Indian Springs is located in Chesterfield County
  • Kings Forest
    (3 miles [4.8 km] to the southwest)
    • Note: The GPS coordinates that we are using for Kings Forest have been provided by the GNIS.<4> The coordinates still need to be verified.
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Kings Forest
    • Kings Forest is located in Chesterfield County
  • Land O'Pines
    (3 miles [4.8 km] to the southwest)
    • Note: The GPS coordinates that we are using for Land O'Pines have been provided by the GNIS.<4> The coordinates still need to be verified.
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Land O'Pines
    • Land O'Pines is located in Chesterfield County
  • Lower Rocketts
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the northeast)
    • Note: The GPS coordinates that we are using for Lower Rocketts have been provided by the GNIS.<4> The coordinates still need to be verified.
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lower Rocketts
    • Lower Rocketts is located in Richmond County
  • Pebble Spring
    (2 miles [3.2 km] to the south)
    • Note: The GPS coordinates that we are using for Pebble Spring have been provided by the GNIS.<4> The coordinates still need to be verified.
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Pebble Spring
    • Pebble Spring is located in Chesterfield County
  • Piney Knolls
    (Less than 2 miles to the northwest)
    • Note: The GPS coordinates that we are using for Piney Knolls have been provided by the GNIS.<4> The coordinates still need to be verified.
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Piney Knolls
    • Piney Knolls is located in Richmond County
  • Woodland Park
    (3 miles [4.8 km] to the north)
    • Note: The GPS coordinates that we are using for Woodland Park have been provided by the GNIS.<4> The coordinates still need to be verified.
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Woodland Park
    • Woodland Park is located in Richmond County

How Far From Dorchester to ...

We spend a lot of time looking through Gazetteers that were published in the late 1800's and early 1900's. Many of the Gazetteers include the distance from a community such as Dorchester to various places of note, such as the White House.

With a nod to our favorite Gazetteers, the straight-line distance beginning in Dorchester and extending to:

  • Richmond, which is the State Capital of Virginia, lies just to the north northeast (NNE).
  • The White House (Washington, DC) is 101 miles [162.5 km]<1> to the north northeast (NNE). If you could drive a straight line from Dorchester to White House, with an average speed<5>of 63 miles [101.4 km] per hour, it would take less than two hours to make the trip. A comfortable walk of 2.2 miles [3.5 km] per hour would take 6 days. A horse and buggy averaging 3.2 miles [5.1 km] per hour would take three full days.
  • The shortest distance<6> to Jerusalem (specifically the Temple Mount and the Dome of the Rock) is 5,977 miles [9,619 km] and it lies to the northeast (NE).<7>
  • The distance to the Great Mosque of Mecca (specifically the Ka'bah - or Kaaba ) is 6,677 miles [10,745.6 km] and it lies to the east northeast (ENE).<8>
  • The distance to Saint Peter's Basilica (The Vatican) is 4,556 miles [7,332.2 km] and it lies to the northeast (NE).<9>

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

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

Footnotes ...

<1>Our distances are not driving distances, but are calculated as a 'straight-line' distance. A straight line distance ignores things like rivers, canyons, lakes, et cetera - it's truly a line from Point A (ie- Dorchester) to Point B.Our distance measurements begin at a specific point in Dorchester. The point we use is located at these GPS coordinates - Latitude: 37.4674, Longitude: -77.4747       In this case, the coordinates for Dorchester have been provided by the Geographic Names Information System (GNIS).
<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 Dorchester, please let us know so that we can improve our accuracy.
<3>If we encounter the name of what might be a community, our methodology is to add that name to our Gazetteer as a placeholder. As we find more information about that community, it will be added to our Gazetteer.

Just as a reminder: Our definition of a community is rather broad and includes those places (or areas) where several families lived and had a name which identified that place. For example, you might hear somebody say that they are going over to Bird Creek to see Pete ... Bird Creek is just a gas station and a couple of homes at the crossroads. While it might not be on the map, everybody in the area knows it by that name.

Places of interest include buildings at a crossroad, several families clustered in a hollow or maybe the location of a way station. It also includes places like mines, lumber camps, ferry crossings, etc. The community might still exist, is now gone or only existed for just a short period of time.

Also keep in mind that Dorchester could have been on the original document by mistake, misspelled, the original/alternate name of a community that we've listed elsewhere or was placed in the wrong . Sometimes a post office or train station would have a different name than the community where it's located, so two names might be referring to the same community - we're working to straighten it all out.
<4>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.
<5>While we have tried to pick reasonable speeds, the rate of travel is very theoretical - obstacles like fences, hills, lakes, river crossings and rest stops have been ignored. When we say 'Days' of travel, we're assuming 8 hours of travel per day.
<6>The shortest line can be visualized by stretching a string on a Globe from Point A to Point B - this is known as a Great Circle Route. Where you might expect the shortest route from Dorchester to the Middle East to be East and South, the Great Circle Route actually lies to the North and East.
<7>The calculated bearing (or angle) to Jerusalem is 308.224 degrees.
<8>The calculated bearing (or angle) to Mecca is 303.601 degrees.
<9>The calculated bearing (or angle) to the Vatican is 305.43 degrees.




 

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This page was last modified/updated: 22 Apr 2025