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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 Charleston (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 Charleston. 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.

Charleston is located in Kitsap 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 Kitsap County: Island, Jefferson, King, Mason & Pierce.

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

  • Kitsap County     (The home county of Charleston)
    • The following are listed by their distance from Charleston, with the one closest to Charleston listed first.
    • Navy Yard City
      (Less than 2 miles to the southwest)
      • Navy Yard City is located in Kitsap County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Navy Yard City
    • Bremerton
      (Less than 2 miles to the northeast)
    • Port Orchard
      (Less than 2 miles to the southeast)
    • Sheridan
      (2 miles [3.2 km] to the northeast)
      • Sheridan is located in Kitsap County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sheridan
    • East Port Orchard
      (2 miles [3.2 km] to the southeast)
      • East Port Orchard is located in Kitsap County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for East Port Orchard
    • Retsil
      (2 miles [3.2 km] to the southeast)
      • Retsil is located in Kitsap County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Retsil
    • Tracyton
      (3 miles [4.8 km] to the north)
      • Tracyton is located in Kitsap County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Tracyton
    • Erlands Point - Kitsap Lake
      (3 miles [4.8 km] to the northwest)
    • Parkwood
      (3 miles [4.8 km] to the southeast)
      • Parkwood is located in Kitsap County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Parkwood
    • Gorst
      (3 miles [4.8 km] to the southwest)
    • Chico
      (4 miles [6.4 km] to the northwest)
      • Chico is located in Kitsap County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Chico
    • Bethel
      (4 miles [6.4 km] to the south)
    • South Park Village
      (4 miles [6.4 km] to the southeast)
  • Jefferson County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Charleston, with the one closest to Charleston listed first.
    • Brinnon
      (13 miles [20.9 km] to the northwest)
    • Quilcene
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the northwest)
    • Beaver Valley
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the north)
      • Beaver Valley is located in Jefferson County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Beaver Valley
    • Port Ludlow
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the north)
    • Leland
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the northwest)
      • Leland is located in Jefferson County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Leland
  • King County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Charleston, with the one closest to Charleston listed first.
    • Vashon Heights
      (9 miles [14.5 km] to the southeast)
      • Vashon Heights is located in King County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Vashon Heights
    • Alki
      (11 miles [17.7 km] to the east)
      • Alki is located in King County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Alki
    • Vashon
      (12 miles [19.3 km] to the southeast)
    • White Center
      (14 miles [22.5 km] to the east)
      • White Center is located in King County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for White Center
    • Magnolia Beach
      (14 miles [22.5 km] to the southeast)
      • Magnolia Beach is located in King County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Magnolia Beach
    • Seattle
      (15 miles [24.1 km] to the east)
    • Van Asselt
      (15 miles [24.1 km] to the east)
      • Van Asselt is located in King County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Van Asselt
    • Fremont
      (15 miles [24.1 km] to the northeast)
      • Fremont is located in King County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Fremont
    • Burien
      (15 miles [24.1 km] to the southeast)
    • Seahurst
      (15 miles [24.1 km] to the southeast)
      • Seahurst is located in King County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Seahurst
    • Riverton-Boulevard Park
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the east)
    • Crown Hill
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the northeast)
      • Crown Hill is located in King County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Crown Hill
    • Columbia City
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the east)
      • Columbia City is located in King County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Columbia City
  • Mason County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Charleston, with the one closest to Charleston listed first.
    • Belfair
      (10 miles [16.1 km] to the southwest)
    • Allyn
      (14 miles [22.5 km] to the southwest)
    • Grapeview
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the southwest)
    • Tahuya
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the southwest)
    • Lilliwaup
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the west)
    • Hoodsport
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the southwest)
    • Union ‑ Historic
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the southwest)
      • Union is located in Mason County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Union
    • Potlatch
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the southwest)
    • Skokomish
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the southwest)
      • Skokomish is located in Mason County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Skokomish
    • Bayshore
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the southwest)
      • Bayshore is located in Mason County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bayshore
  • Pierce County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Charleston, with the one closest to Charleston listed first.
    • Wauna
      (12 miles [19.3 km] to the south)
      • Wauna is located in Pierce County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Wauna
    • Rosedale
      (15 miles [24.1 km] to the south)
      • Rosedale is located in Pierce County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rosedale
    • Vaughn
      (15 miles [24.1 km] to the south)
      • Vaughn is located in Pierce County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Vaughn
    • Gig Harbor
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the south)
    • Artondale
      (18 miles [29 km] to the south)
      • Artondale is located in Pierce County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Artondale
    • Cromwell
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the south)
      • Cromwell is located in Pierce County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cromwell
    • Ruston
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the south)
      • Ruston is located in Pierce County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ruston
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 848 people
    • Home
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the south)
      • Home is located in Pierce County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Home
    • Dash Point
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the southeast)
      • Dash Point is located in Pierce County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Dash Point
    • Fox Island
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the south)
    • Lakebay
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the south)
    • Herron Island
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the south)
    • Fircrest
      (23 miles [37 km] to the south)
  • Snohomish County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Charleston, with the one closest to Charleston listed first.
    • Woodway
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the northeast)
      • Woodway is located in Snohomish County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Woodway
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 1,391 people
    • Edmonds
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the northeast)
    • Esperance
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the northeast)
      • Esperance is located in Snohomish County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Esperance
    • Mountlake Terrace
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the northeast)
    • Brier
      (23 miles [37 km] to the northeast)
      • Brier is located in Snohomish County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Brier
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 6,955 people
      • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Brier <1>
    • Lynnwood
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the northeast)
    • Alderwood Manor
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the northeast)
      • Alderwood Manor is located in Snohomish County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Alderwood Manor
    • Canyon Park
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the northeast)
      • Canyon Park is located in Snohomish County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Canyon Park
    • Picnic Point - North Lynnwood
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the northeast)
    • Harbour Pointe
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the northeast)
      • Harbour Pointe is located in Snohomish County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Harbour Pointe
    • Martha Lake
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the northeast)
      • Martha Lake is located in Snohomish County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Martha Lake
    • Lake Stickney
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the northeast)
      • Lake Stickney is located in Snohomish County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lake Stickney
    • North Creek
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the northeast)
      • North Creek is located in Snohomish County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for North Creek
  • Thurston County
    • Puget
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the south)
      • Puget is located in Thurston County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Puget

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

Cemeteries Near Charleston ...

Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of Charleston.

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 Charleston - one of the links might be able to help.

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

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

  • Ivy Green Cemetery
    (Less than 2 miles to the northeast)
  • Miller - Woodlawn Memorial Park
    (Less than 2 miles to the northwest)
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Miller - Woodlawn Memorial Park
    • To give a relative sense of its location, the Miller - Woodlawn Memorial Park is a very large cemetery that is located outside and to the west of Bremerton.
    • The Miller - Woodlawn Memorial Park has also been known as:
    • Woodlawn Memorial Park
    • Jump to Find-A-Grave: FG ID #77128 <2>
  • Forest Lawn Cemetery
    (Less than 2 miles to the west)
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Forest Lawn Cemetery
    • To give a relative sense of its location, the Forest Lawn Cemetery is a very large cemetery that is located outside and to the west of Bremerton.
    • Jump to Find-A-Grave: FG ID #76807 <2>
  • K P Cemetery
    (2 miles [3.2 km] to the southeast)
  • Sunset Lane Cemetery
    (2 miles [3.2 km] to the southeast)
  • Veterans Home Cemetery
    (2 miles [3.2 km] to the southeast)
  • Tracyton Cemetery
    (3 miles [4.8 km] to the north)
  • Silverdale Pioneer Cemetery
    (7 miles [11.3 km] to the north)
  • Fraola Cemetery
    (7 miles [11.3 km] to the southeast)
  • Sedgwick Cemetery
    (7 miles [11.3 km] to the southeast)
  • Ft. Blakely Cemetery
    (7 miles [11.3 km] to the northeast)
  • Pearson Cemetery
    (9 miles [14.5 km] to the north)
  • Continue List   (82 more) ...

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>

The Rand McNally Atlas shows that in 1895, Charleston had a post office and no railroad service.

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

  • Tracyton
    (3 miles [4.8 km] to the north)
    • Tracyton is located in Kitsap County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Tracyton
  • Crystal Springs
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the northeast)
    • Crystal Springs is located in Kitsap County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Crystal Springs
  • Chico
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the northwest)
    • Chico is located in Kitsap County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Chico
  • Colby
    (5 miles [8 km] to the east)
    • Colby is located in Kitsap County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Colby
  • Silverdale
    (6 miles [9.7 km] to the north)
  • Brownsville
    (6 miles [9.7 km] to the north)
    • Brownsville is located in Kitsap County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Brownsville
  • Port Blakely ‑ Historic
    (7 miles [11.3 km] to the east)
    • Port Blakely is located in Kitsap County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Port Blakely
  • Seabeck
    (9 miles [14.5 km] to the northwest)
  • Crosby
    (9 miles [14.5 km] to the west)
    • Crosby is located in Kitsap County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Crosby
  • Olalla
    (10 miles [16.1 km] to the southeast)
  • Pearson
    (10 miles [16.1 km] to the north)
    • Pearson is located in Kitsap County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Pearson
  • Purdy
    (11 miles [17.7 km] to the south)
    • Purdy is located in Pierce County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Purdy
  • Continue List   (18 more) ...
    • Bangor
      (11 miles [17.7 km] to the north)
      • Bangor is located in Kitsap County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bangor
    • Port Madison
      (11 miles [17.7 km] to the northeast)
      • Port Madison is located in Kitsap County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Port Madison
    • Vashon
      (12 miles [19.3 km] to the southeast)

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

Newspapers Published in the Vicinity of Charleston ...

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 Charleston.

We have organized these newspapers into two lists:

  • A Local Newspaper List - focusing on the papers published in the immediate area of Charleston. There are actually two parts to this list - papers printed in the immediate area of Charleston and those printed in the larger area surrounding Charleston.
  • An Extended Newspaper List - a longer list, sorted by paper name and containing those papers published within 14 miles [22.5 km]<3> of Charleston.

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 Charleston:

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>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 drawn from Point A (ie- Charleston) to Point B. In other words: 'As the crow flies'.
<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 Charleston, please let us know so that we can improve our accuracy.