RoadsideThoughts
A Gazetteer for the United States and Canada
Home >> State of Virginia >> Richmond County >> Ethel >> Tidbits & TriviaIndex...

Outdoor Activities ...

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

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

  • 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 Ethel:
    • 37.996244, -76.780793
    • 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.
    • Open the Heavens-Above website centered on Ethel
  • Bird Watching ...
    • We enjoy finding new spots for bird watching and we use the eBird website for local sighting reports and to help identify hotspots.
    • The eBird website is organized on a county-by-county basis. We have selected Richmond County as the starting point when you click on the link below:
    • Open the eBird sighting report for Richmond County
    • Since Ethel is near Westmoreland County and also Essex County, we have provided a link to their eBird sighting reports:
    • Open the eBird sighting report for Westmoreland County
    • Open the eBird sighting report for Essex County
  • 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:
    • Open the Waymark.com report for Ethel

Communities Also Named Ethel ...

We found twenty communities that are also named Ethel.

Within Virginia, the name Ethel is unique.

Beyond Virginia, we know of twenty communities that are located in the United States and Canada. Of these twenty communities, nineteen are located in the United States and one is in Canada.

  • Communities Elsewhere In North America ...
    • Alabama
      • Pike County
      • We found mention of this community, but have little information.<1> For the information that we do have, please visit our profile page for the Alabama community of Ethel [Pike County].
    • Arkansas
      • Arkansas County
      • This Ethel is located in Arkansas County and lies 840 miles [1,351.8 km]<2> to the west southwest of the Ethel that is located in Richmond County.
      • For more information, please visit our profile page for the Arkansas County community of Ethel.
    • Florida
      • Lake County
      • This Ethel is located in Lake County and lies 689 miles [1,108.8 km]<2> to the south southwest of the Ethel that is located in Richmond County.
      • For more information, please visit our profile page for the Lake County community of Ethel.
    • Georgia
      • Emanuel County
      • We found mention of this community, but have little information.<1> For the information that we do have, please visit our profile page for the Georgia community of Ethel [Emanuel County].
      • Hall County
      • This community is historic<3> and although located in Hall County, we don't know where within the county.
      • For more information, please visit our profile page for the Hall County community of Ethel.
    • Indiana
      • Orange County
      • This Ethel is located in Orange County and lies 529 miles [851.3 km]<2> to the west of the Ethel that is located in Richmond County.
      • For more information, please visit our profile page for the Orange County community of Ethel.
    • Kansas
      • Coffey County
      • This community is historic<3> and although located in Coffey County, we don't know where within the county.
      • For more information, please visit our profile page for the Coffey County community of Ethel.
    • Kentucky
      • Clay County
      • We found mention of this community, but have little information.<1> For the information that we do have, please visit our profile page for the Kentucky community of Ethel [Clay County].
    • Louisiana
      • East Feliciana Parish
      • This Ethel is located in East Feliciana Parish and lies 955 miles [1,536.9 km]<2> to the west southwest of the Ethel that is located in Richmond County.
      • For more information, please visit our profile page for the East Feliciana Parish community of Ethel.
    • Michigan
      • Alger County
      • We found mention of this community, but have little information.<1> For the information that we do have, please visit our profile page for the Michigan community of Ethel [Alger County].
    • Mississippi
      • Attala County
      • This Ethel is located in Attala County and lies 787 miles [1,266.6 km]<2> to the west southwest of the Ethel that is located in Richmond County.
      • For more information, please visit our profile page for the Attala County community of Ethel.
    • Missouri
      • Macon County
      • This Ethel is located in Macon County and lies 865 miles [1,392.1 km]<2> to the west northwest of the Ethel that is located in Richmond County.
      • For more information, please visit our profile page for the Macon County community of Ethel.
    • Ohio
      • Monroe County
      • We found mention of this community, but have little information.<1> For the information that we do have, please visit our profile page for the Ohio community of Ethel [Monroe County].
    • Oklahoma
      • Pushmataha County
      • This Ethel is located in Pushmataha County and lies 1,076 miles [1,731.7 km]<2> to the west of the Ethel that is located in Richmond County.
      • For more information, please visit our profile page for the Pushmataha County community of Ethel.
    • Ontario
      • This Ethel lies 457 miles [735.5 km]<2> to the north northwest of the Ethel that is located in Richmond County.
    • Tennessee
      • Roane County
      • This community is historic<3> and we have very little information. For the information that we do have, please visit our profile page for the Tennessee community of Ethel [Roane County].
    • Texas
      • Grayson County
      • This Ethel is located in Grayson County and lies 1,162 miles [1,870.1 km]<2> to the west of the Ethel that is located in Richmond County.
      • For more information, please visit our profile page for the Grayson County community of Ethel.
    • Washington
      • Benton County
      • This Ethel is located in Benton County and lies 2,236 miles [3,598.5 km]<2> to the west northwest of the Ethel that is located in Richmond County.
      • For more information, please visit our profile page for the Benton County community of Ethel.
      • Lewis County
      • This Ethel is located in Lewis County and lies 2,385 miles [3,838.3 km] to the west northwest of the Ethel that is located in Richmond County.
      • For more information, please visit our profile page for the Lewis County community of Ethel.
    • West Virginia
      • Logan County
      • This Ethel is located in Logan County and lies 279 miles [449 km]<2> to the west of the Ethel that is located in Richmond County.
      • For more information, please visit our profile page for the Logan County community of Ethel.

Curious and Interesting Names Near Ethel ...

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.

  • Acorn
    (7 miles [11.3 km] to the east)
    • Acorn is located in Westmoreland County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Acorn
  • Bull Neck
    (7 miles [11.3 km] to the east)
    • Bull Neck is located in Westmoreland County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bull Neck
  • Farmers Fork
    (2 miles [3.2 km] to the north)
    • Farmers Fork is located in Richmond County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Farmers Fork
  • Germans Corner
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the west)
    • Germans Corner is located in Richmond County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Germans Corner
  • Havelock
    (3 miles [4.8 km] to the northwest)
    • Havelock is located in Richmond County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Havelock
  • Hogans Hill
    (6 miles [9.7 km] to the east)
    • Hogans Hill is located in Westmoreland County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hogans Hill
  • Indian Field
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the southeast)
    • Indian Field is located in Richmond County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Indian Field
  • Island Farm
    (6 miles [9.7 km] to the south)
    • Island Farm is located in Essex County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Island Farm
  • Jacks Fork
    (7 miles [11.3 km] to the southwest)
    • Jacks Fork is located in Essex County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Jacks Fork
  • Jenkins Landing
    (7 miles [11.3 km] to the west)
    • Jenkins Landing is located in Essex County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Jenkins Landing
  • Lukes Island ‑ Historic
    (7 miles [11.3 km] to the northwest)
    • Lukes Island is located in Richmond County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lukes Island
  • Mount Holly
    (7 miles [11.3 km] to the northeast)
    • Mount Holly is located in Westmoreland County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mount Holly
  • Continue List   (7 more) ...
    • Newland
      (6 miles [9.7 km] to the northwest)
      • Newland is located in Richmond County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Newland
    • Oak Row
      (7 miles [11.3 km] to the northwest)
      • Oak Row is located in Richmond County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Oak Row
    • Piney Grove
      (2 miles [3.2 km] to the north)
      • Piney Grove is located in Richmond County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Piney Grove
    • Plant Patch Ferry
      (Less than 2 miles to the southwest)
      • Plant Patch Ferry is located in Richmond County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Plant Patch Ferry
    • Red Hill
      (7 miles [11.3 km] to the south)
      • Red Hill is located in Essex County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Red Hill
    • Rich Neck
      (6 miles [9.7 km] to the east)
      • Rich Neck is located in Richmond County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rich Neck
    • Threeway
      (4 miles [6.4 km] to the east)
      • Threeway is located in Westmoreland County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Threeway

How Far From Ethel to ...

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

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

  • Warsaw, which is the Seat of Richmond County, lies just to the South Southeast.
  • Richmond, which is the State Capital of Virginia, lies 47 miles [75.6 km]<2> to the southwest (SW). If you could walk a straight line from Ethel to Richmond, with an average speed<4> of 2.2 miles [3.5 km] per hour, it would take about three full days to make the trip. A horse and buggy averaging 3.2 miles [5.1 km] per hour would take most of two days.
  • The White House (Washington, DC) is 63 miles [101.4 km] to the north northwest (NNW). Driving, with an average speed of 63 miles [101.4 km] per hour, would take less than an hour, a buggy would take about three full days and walking would take most of three days.
  • The shortest distance<5> to Jerusalem (specifically the Temple Mount and the Dome of the Rock) is 5,925 miles [9,535.4 km] and it lies to the northeast (NE).<6>
  • The distance to the Great Mosque of Mecca (specifically the Ka'bah - or Kaaba ) is 6,625 miles [10,661.9 km] and it lies to the east northeast (ENE).<7>
  • The distance to Saint Peter's Basilica (The Vatican) is 4,504 miles [7,248.5 km] and it lies to the northeast (NE).<8>'

Footnotes ...

<1>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 Ethel 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 county. 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.
<2>Our distances are not driving distances, but are calculated as a '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- Ethel) to Point B. In other words: 'As the crow flies'.
<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 Ethel, please let us know so that we can improve our accuracy.
<4>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.
<5>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 Ethel to the Middle East to be East and South, the Great Circle Route actually lies to the North and East.Our distance measurements begin at a specific point in Ethel. The point we use is located at these GPS coordinates - Latitude: 37.9962, Longitude: -76.7808       In this case, the coordinates for Ethel have been provided by the Geographic Names Information System (GNIS).
<6>The calculated bearing (or angle) to Jerusalem is 307.794 degrees.
<7>The calculated bearing (or angle) to Mecca is 303.192 degrees.
<8>The calculated bearing (or angle) to the Vatican is 304.952 degrees.