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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 Beacon Hill (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 Beacon Hill. 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 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.

Beacon Hill is located in Cowlitz 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 Cowlitz County: Columbia (OR), Clark, Lewis, Skamania & Wahkiakum.

Below are the counties that are near Beacon Hill. For each of these counties, we show a sample of those communities that are closest to Beacon Hill:

  • Cowlitz County     (The home county of Beacon Hill)
    • The following are listed by their distance from Beacon Hill, with the one closest to Beacon Hill listed first.
    • Ostrander
      (Less than 2 miles to the northeast)
      • Ostrander is located in Cowlitz County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ostrander
    • Longview Heights
      (Less than 2 miles to the west)
      • Longview Heights is located in Cowlitz County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Longview Heights
    • Kelso
      (2 miles [3.2 km] to the south)
      • Kelso is located in Cowlitz County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Kelso
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 12,438 people
      • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Kelso <1>
    • Longview
      (2 miles [3.2 km] to the south)
    • Pleasant Hill
      (3 miles [4.8 km] to the north)
      • Pleasant Hill is located in Cowlitz County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Pleasant Hill
    • West Longview
      (3 miles [4.8 km] to the west)
      • West Longview is located in Cowlitz County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for West Longview
    • Coal Creek
      (4 miles [6.4 km] to the west)
      • Coal Creek is located in Cowlitz County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Coal Creek
    • Castle Rock
      (6 miles [9.7 km] to the north)
    • Carrolls
      (7 miles [11.3 km] to the south)
    • Rose Valley
      (7 miles [11.3 km] to the southeast)
      • Rose Valley is located in Cowlitz County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rose Valley
    • Stella
      (9 miles [14.5 km] to the west)
      • Stella is located in Cowlitz County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Stella
    • Bunker Hill
      (10 miles [16.1 km] to the west)
      • Bunker Hill is located in Cowlitz County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bunker Hill
    • Silver Lake
      (11 miles [17.7 km] to the northeast)
  • Clark County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Beacon Hill, with the one closest to Beacon Hill listed first.
    • Woodland
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the southeast)
    • Etna
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the southeast)
      • Etna is located in Clark County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Etna
    • La Center
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the southeast)
    • Ridgefield
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the south)
    • Fargher Lake
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the southeast)
      • Fargher Lake is located in Clark County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Fargher Lake
    • Pioneer
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the southeast)
      • Pioneer is located in Clark County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Pioneer
    • Amboy
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the southeast)
    • Cherry Grove
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the southeast)
      • Cherry Grove is located in Clark County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cherry Grove
    • King Corner
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the southeast)
      • King Corner is located in Clark County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for King Corner
  • Lewis County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Beacon Hill, with the one closest to Beacon Hill listed first.
    • Vader
      (15 miles [24.1 km] to the north)
    • Toledo
      (18 miles [29 km] to the north)
    • Winlock
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the north)
    • Saint Urban
      (23 miles [37 km] to the north)
      • Saint Urban is located in Lewis County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Saint Urban
    • Wilson
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the northeast)
      • Wilson is located in Lewis County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Wilson
    • Ethel
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the north)
    • Napavine
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the north)
    • Salkum
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the northeast)
    • Silver Creek
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the northeast)
    • Curtis
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the north)
    • Onalaska
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the north)
    • Lacamas
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the northeast)
      • Lacamas is located in Lewis County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lacamas
  • Wahkiakum County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Beacon Hill, with the one closest to Beacon Hill listed first.
    • Eagle Cliff
      (14 miles [22.5 km] to the west)
      • Eagle Cliff is located in Wahkiakum County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Eagle Cliff
    • East Cathlamet
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the west)
      • East Cathlamet is located in Wahkiakum County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for East Cathlamet
    • Cathlamet
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the west)
    • Skamokawa
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the west)
  • Clatsop County (OR)
    • The following are listed by their distance from Beacon Hill, with the one closest to Beacon Hill listed first.
    • Westport
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the west)
    • Clifton
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the west)
      • Clifton is located in Clatsop County (OR)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Clifton
    • Brownsmead
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the west)
      • Brownsmead is located in Clatsop County (OR)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Brownsmead
  • Columbia County (OR)
    • The following are listed by their distance from Beacon Hill, with the one closest to Beacon Hill listed first.
    • Rainier
      (5 miles [8 km] to the south)
      • Rainier is located in Columbia County (OR)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rainier
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 2,021 people
      • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Rainier <1>
    • Beaver Springs
      (8 miles [12.9 km] to the south)
      • Beaver Springs is located in Columbia County (OR)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Beaver Springs
    • Prescott
      (8 miles [12.9 km] to the south)
      • Prescott is located in Columbia County (OR)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Prescott
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 63 people
    • Mayger
      (8 miles [12.9 km] to the west)
      • Mayger is located in Columbia County (OR)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mayger
    • Goble
      (11 miles [17.7 km] to the south)
      • Goble is located in Columbia County (OR)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Goble
    • Reuben
      (11 miles [17.7 km] to the south)
      • Reuben is located in Columbia County (OR)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Reuben
    • Quincy
      (11 miles [17.7 km] to the west)
      • Quincy is located in Columbia County (OR)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Quincy
    • Clatskanie
      (14 miles [22.5 km] to the west)
    • Deer Island
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the south)
    • Columbia City
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the south)
    • Pittsburg
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the southwest)
      • Pittsburg is located in Columbia County (OR)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Pittsburg
    • Saint Helens
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the south)
    • Fishhawk ‑ Historic
      (23 miles [37 km] to the southwest)
      • Fishhawk is located in Columbia County (OR)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Fishhawk

For an expanded list of the communities that are closest to Beacon Hill, see our County-by-County Page for Beacon Hill.

Cemeteries Near Beacon Hill ...

Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of Beacon Hill.

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 Beacon Hill - one of the links might be able to help.

If not found below, our Cemetery List for Beacon Hill covers a larger area, with the cemeteries listed in alphabetical order.

The following cemeteries are listed based on their distance from Beacon Hill, with the one closest to Beacon Hill listed first.

  • Catlin Cemetery
    (Less than 2 miles to the south)
  • Cowlitz View Memorial Gardens
    (Less than 2 miles to the southeast)
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cowlitz View Memorial Gardens
    • To give a relative sense of its location, the Cowlitz View Memorial Gardens is a very large cemetery that is located in Kelso.
    • The Cowlitz View Memorial Gardens has also been known as:
    • IOOF Cemetery
    • IOOF Cemetery
    • Kelso IOOF Cemetery
    • Jump to Find-A-Grave: FG ID #281134 <3>
  • Green Hills Memorial Gardens
    (Less than 2 miles to the southeast)
  • Stockport Cemetery
    (2 miles [3.2 km] to the northeast)
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Stockport Cemetery
    • To give a relative sense of its location, the Stockport Cemetery is located outside and to the south of Pleasant Hill.
    • The Stockport Cemetery has also been known as:
    • Pleasant Hill Cemetery
    • Jump to Find-A-Grave: FG ID #545650 <3>
  • Longview Memorial Park
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the west)
  • Mt. Solo Cemetery
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the west)
  • Smith - Tucker Cemetery
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the north)
  • Dibblee House
    (5 miles [8 km] to the south)
  • Green Mtn. Cemetery
    (6 miles [9.7 km] to the southwest)
  • Hudson Cemetery
    (6 miles [9.7 km] to the southwest)
  • Knights of Pythias Cemetery
    (6 miles [9.7 km] to the south)
  • Whittle & Hubbard Cemetery
    (6 miles [9.7 km] to the north)
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Whittle & Hubbard Cemetery
    • To give a relative sense of its location, the Whittle & Hubbard Cemetery is a large cemetery that is located outside and to the west of Castle Rock.
    • The Whittle & Hubbard Cemetery has also been known as:
    • Hubbard Cemetery
    • Meadowview Cemetery
    • Whittle and Hubbard Cemetery
    • Jump to Find-A-Grave: FG ID #77115 <3>
  • Continue List   (65 more) ...
    • Rose Valley Cemetery
      (6 miles [9.7 km] to the southeast)
    • Jackson Cemetery
      (6 miles [9.7 km] to the north)
    • Woodbine Cemetery
      (7 miles [11.3 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.<4>

While we didn't find Beacon Hill in the Atlas, the following 1895 communities would have been found near the current location of Beacon Hill.

These communities are listed based on their distance from Beacon Hill, with the one closest to Beacon Hill listed first.

  • Lexington
    (Less than 2 miles to the northeast)
    • Lexington is located in Cowlitz County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lexington
  • Kelso
    (2 miles [3.2 km] to the south)
    • Kelso is located in Cowlitz County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Kelso
    • Population from the 2020 Census: 12,438 people
    • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Kelso <1>
  • Rainier
    (5 miles [8 km] to the south)
    • Rainier is located in Columbia County (OR)
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rainier
    • Population from the 2020 Census: 2,021 people
    • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Rainier <1>
  • Castle Rock
    (6 miles [9.7 km] to the north)
  • Carrolls
    (7 miles [11.3 km] to the south)
  • Mayger
    (8 miles [12.9 km] to the west)
    • Mayger is located in Columbia County (OR)
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mayger
  • Stella
    (9 miles [14.5 km] to the west)
    • Stella is located in Cowlitz County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Stella
  • Reuben
    (11 miles [17.7 km] to the south)
    • Reuben is located in Columbia County (OR)
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Reuben
  • Goble
    (11 miles [17.7 km] to the south)
    • Goble is located in Columbia County (OR)
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Goble
  • Silver Lake
    (11 miles [17.7 km] to the northeast)
  • Apiary ‑ Historic
    (12 miles [19.3 km] to the southwest)
    • Apiary is located in Columbia County (OR)
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Apiary
  • Kalama
    (12 miles [19.3 km] to the south)
  • Continue List   (15 more) ...
    • Oak Point
      (12 miles [19.3 km] to the west)
      • Oak Point is located in Cowlitz County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Oak Point
    • Sightly
      (13 miles [20.9 km] to the northeast)
      • Sightly is located in Cowlitz County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sightly
    • Toutle
      (13 miles [20.9 km] to the northeast)

We've also created an expanded list of communities that existed in the 1890's and were located in the area around Beacon Hill. See our List of 1890's Communities around Beacon Hill.

Newspapers Published in Beacon Hill ...

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 74 newspapers that have been published in the area around Beacon Hill.

Although we're unaware of any newspapers that were published in the immediate area of Beacon Hill, there are papers which were published within 29 miles [46.7 km]<2>. A list of those papers, sorted by paper name, can be found on the Extended Newspaper List for Beacon Hill.

Websites to Help With Your Genealogy Research ...

When we do our genealogical research, we like to 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 Beacon Hill:

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>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- Beacon Hill) to Point B. In other words: 'As the crow flies'.
<3>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.
<4>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 Beacon Hill, please let us know so that we can improve our accuracy.