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 Allen (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 Allen. 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 southeast 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 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 east 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.
Allen is located in Skagit County.
To see how the shape of Washington's counties may have changed over time, we recommend the Atlas of Historical County Boundaries.
The following counties adjoin and form the boundaries of Skagit County: Chelan, Island, Okanogan, San Juan, Snohomish & Whatcom.
Below are the counties that are near Allen. For each of these counties, we show a sample of those communities that are closest to Allen:
- Skagit County (The home county of Allen)
- The following are listed by their distance from Allen, with the one closest to Allen listed first.
- Bow
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the north)
- Burlington
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the southeast)
- Edison
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the northwest)
- Edison is located in Skagit County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Edison
- Bay View
(5 miles [8 km] to the southwest)
- Bay View is located in Skagit County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bay View
- Sedro - Woolley
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the east)
- Mount Vernon
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the south)
- Alger
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the north)
- Alger is located in Skagit County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Alger
- Clear Lake
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the southeast)
- Clear Lake is located in Skagit County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Clear Lake
- Skagit City
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the south)
- Skagit City is located in Skagit County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Skagit City
- Swinomish Village
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the southwest)
- Swinomish Village is located in Skagit County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Swinomish Village
- Big Lake
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the southeast)
- Big Lake is located in Skagit County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Big Lake
- Anacortes
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the west)
- Island County
- The following are listed by their distance from Allen, with the one closest to Allen listed first.
- Juniper Beach
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the south)
- Juniper Beach is located in Island County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Juniper Beach
- Oak Harbor
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the southwest)
- Camano
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the south)
- San de Fuca
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the southwest)
- San de Fuca is located in Island County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for San de Fuca
- Coupeville
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the southwest)
- Camp Diana
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the south)
- Camp Diana is located in Island County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Camp Diana
- Greenbank
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the south)
- San Juan County
- The following are listed by their distance from Allen, with the one closest to Allen listed first.
- Decatur Island
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the west)
- Olga
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the west)
- Lopez Island
(23 miles [37 km] to the west)
- Lopez Island is located in San Juan County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lopez Island
- Lopez
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the west)
- Lopez is located in San Juan County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lopez
- Orcas
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the west)
- Shaw Island
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the west)
- Shaw Island is located in San Juan County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Shaw Island
- Eastsound
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the northwest)
- Argyle
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the west)
- Argyle is located in San Juan County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Argyle
- Deer Harbor
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the west)
- Friday Harbor
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the west)
- Snohomish County
- The following are listed by their distance from Allen, with the one closest to Allen listed first.
- Lake Ketchum
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the south)
- Lake Ketchum is located in Snohomish County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lake Ketchum
- North Stanwood
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the south)
- North Stanwood is located in Snohomish County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for North Stanwood
- Stanwood
(18 miles [29 km] to the south)
- Utsalady
(18 miles [29 km] to the south)
- Utsalady is located in Snohomish County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Utsalady
- Florence
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the south)
- Florence is located in Snohomish County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Florence
- Bryant
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the southeast)
- Bryant is located in Snohomish County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bryant
- Silvana
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the south)
- Warm Beach
(23 miles [37 km] to the south)
- Warm Beach is located in Snohomish County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Warm Beach
- Arlington
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the southeast)
- Lake Goodwin
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the south)
- Lake Goodwin is located in Snohomish County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lake Goodwin
- Lakewood
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the south)
- Arlington Heights
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the southeast)
- Arlington Heights is located in Snohomish County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Arlington Heights
- Whatcom County
- The following are listed by their distance from Allen, with the one closest to Allen listed first.
- Wickersham
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the northeast)
- Wickersham is located in Whatcom County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Wickersham
- Chuckanut Village
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the northwest)
- Chuckanut Village is located in Whatcom County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Chuckanut Village
- Sudden Valley
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the north)
- Sudden Valley is located in Whatcom County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sudden Valley
- Saxon
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the northeast)
- Saxon is located in Whatcom County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Saxon
- Geneva
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the north)
- Geneva is located in Whatcom County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Geneva
- Acme
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the northeast)
- Bellingham
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the north)
- Silver Beach
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the north)
- Silver Beach is located in Whatcom County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Silver Beach
- Clipper
(18 miles [29 km] to the northeast)
- Clipper is located in Whatcom County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Clipper
- Lummi Island
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the northwest)
- Marietta
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the northwest)
- Marietta is located in Whatcom County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Marietta
- Deming
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the north)
For an expanded list of the communities that are closest to Allen, see our County-by-County Page for Allen.
Cemeteries Near Allen ...
Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of Allen.
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 Allen - one of the links might be able to help.
If not found below, our Cemetery List for Allen covers a larger area, with the cemeteries listed in alphabetical order.
The following cemeteries are listed based on their distance from Allen, with the one closest to Allen listed first.
- Bow Cemetery
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the northwest)
- Green Hills Memorial Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the southeast)
- Bay View Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the west)
- Mt. Vernon Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the south)
- Hawthorne Memorial Park
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the southeast)
- Clear Lake Cemetery
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the southeast)
- Union Cemetery
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the east)
- Pleasant Ridge Cemetery
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the south)
- Grandview Cemetery
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the west)
- Fern Hill Cemetery
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the southwest)
- Skagit City Cemetery
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the south)
- Eden Cemetery
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the west)
- Continue List (30 more) ...
- Lyman Cemetery
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the east)
- Saxon Cemetery
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the northeast)
- Scandinavian Cemetery
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the south)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Scandinavian Cemetery
- The Scandinavian Cemetery has also been known as:
- Old Milltown Cemetery
- Old Milltown Lutheran Cemetery
- Scandinavian Lutheran Cemetery
- Jump to Find-A-Grave: FG ID #2168007 <2>
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 Allen in the Atlas, the following 1895 communities would have been found near the current location of Allen.
These communities are listed based on their distance from Allen, with the one closest to Allen listed first.
- Burlington
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the southeast)
- Bay View
(5 miles [8 km] to the southwest)
- Bay View is located in Skagit County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bay View
- Fredonia
(5 miles [8 km] to the southwest)
- Fredonia is located in Skagit County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Fredonia
- Avon ‑ Historic
(5 miles [8 km] to the south)
- Avon is located in Skagit County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Avon
- Whitney
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the southwest)
- Whitney is located in Skagit County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Whitney
- Mount Vernon
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the south)
- Samish
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the northwest)
- Samish is located in Skagit County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Samish
- Clear Lake
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the southeast)
- Clear Lake is located in Skagit County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Clear Lake
- Alger
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the north)
- Alger is located in Skagit County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Alger
- Prairie
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the northeast)
- Prairie is located in Skagit County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Prairie
- Skagit City
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the south)
- Skagit City is located in Skagit County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Skagit City
- La Conner
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the southwest)
- Continue List (13 more) ...
- Big Lake
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the southeast)
- Big Lake is located in Skagit County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Big Lake
- Anacortes
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the west)
- Gibraltar
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the southwest)
- Gibraltar is located in Skagit County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Gibraltar
We've also created an expanded list of communities that existed in the 1890's and were located in the area around Allen. See our List of 1890's Communities around Allen.
Newspapers Published in Allen ...
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 78 newspapers that have been published in the area around Allen.
Although we're unaware of any newspapers that were published in the immediate area of Allen, there are papers which were published within 24 miles [38.6 km]<4>. A list of those papers, sorted by paper name, can be found on the Extended Newspaper List for Allen.
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 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 Allen:
- Websites specific to Washington
- Pages specific to Skagit County
- Genealogy information for nearby counties
- Island County
- San Juan County
- Snohomish County
- Whatcom County
- Cemetery Information and Directories for Washington
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 Allen, please let us know so that we can improve our accuracy. |
| <4> | 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- Allen) to Point B. In other words: 'As the crow flies'. |