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 Fir Tree (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 Fir Tree. 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 hospitals and doctors 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.
Fir Tree is located in Thurston 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 Thurston County: Grays Harbor, Lewis, Mason & Pierce.
Below are the counties that are near Fir Tree. For each of these counties, we show a sample of those communities that are closest to Fir Tree:
- Thurston County (The home county of Fir Tree)
- The following are listed by their distance from Fir Tree, with the one closest to Fir Tree listed first.
- Kellys Korner
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the north)
- Kellys Korner is located in Thurston County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Kellys Korner
- East Olympia
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the west)
- Lacey
(5 miles [8 km] to the north)
- Nisqually Indian Community
(5 miles [8 km] to the northeast)
- Tanglewilde
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the north)
- Tanglewilde is located in Thurston County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Tanglewilde
- Tumwater
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the northwest)
- McIntosh
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the south)
- McIntosh is located in Thurston County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for McIntosh
- Rainier
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the southeast)
- Olympia
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the northwest)
- Tenino
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the southwest)
- North Yelm
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the east)
- North Yelm is located in Thurston County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for North Yelm
- Yelm
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the east)
- Bucoda
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the south)
- Grays Harbor County
- The following are listed by their distance from Fir Tree, with the one closest to Fir Tree listed first.
- Chehalis Village
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the southwest)
- Chehalis Village is located in Grays Harbor County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Chehalis Village
- Oakville
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the west)
- McCleary
(23 miles [37 km] to the west)
- Sine
(23 miles [37 km] to the west)
- Sine is located in Grays Harbor County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sine
- Cedarville
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the west)
- Cedarville is located in Grays Harbor County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cedarville
- McCleary Junction
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the west)
- McCleary Junction is located in Grays Harbor County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for McCleary Junction
- Porter
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the west)
- Porter is located in Grays Harbor County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Porter
- Garden City
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the west)
- Garden City is located in Grays Harbor County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Garden City
- Malone - Porter
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the west)
- Malone - Porter is located in Grays Harbor County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Malone - Porter
- Malone
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the west)
- Elma
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the west)
- Elma is located in Grays Harbor County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Elma
- Population from the 2020 Census: 3,378 people
- Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Elma <1>
- King County
- The following are listed by their distance from Fir Tree, with the one closest to Fir Tree listed first.
- Tahlequah
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the northeast)
- Tahlequah is located in King County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Tahlequah
- Milton
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the northeast)
- Lewis County
- The following are listed by their distance from Fir Tree, with the one closest to Fir Tree listed first.
- Centralia
(18 miles [29 km] to the southwest)
- Fords Prairie
(18 miles [29 km] to the southwest)
- Fords Prairie is located in Lewis County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Fords Prairie
- Galvin
(18 miles [29 km] to the southwest)
- Chehalis
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the south)
- Newaukum
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the south)
- Newaukum is located in Lewis County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Newaukum
- Claquato
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the southwest)
- Claquato is located in Lewis County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Claquato
- Napavine
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the south)
- Onalaska
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the south)
- Adna
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the southwest)
- Fayette
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the southwest)
- Fayette is located in Lewis County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Fayette
- Lacamas
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the south)
- Lacamas is located in Lewis County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lacamas
- Cinebar
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the southeast)
- Curtis
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the southwest)
- Mason County
- The following are listed by their distance from Fir Tree, with the one closest to Fir Tree listed first.
- New Kamilche
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the northwest)
- New Kamilche is located in Mason County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for New Kamilche
- Bayshore
(23 miles [37 km] to the northwest)
- Bayshore is located in Mason County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bayshore
- Shelton
(23 miles [37 km] to the northwest)
- Grapeview
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the north)
- Allyn
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the north)
- Pierce County
- The following are listed by their distance from Fir Tree, with the one closest to Fir Tree listed first.
- Mock City
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the east)
- Mock City is located in Pierce County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mock City
- McKenna
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the east)
- Roy
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the east)
- DuPont
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the northeast)
- Fort Lewis
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the northeast)
- Anderson Island
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the north)
- Anderson Island is located in Pierce County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Anderson Island
- Tillicum
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the northeast)
- Tillicum is located in Pierce County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Tillicum
- Steilacoom
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the northeast)
- Longbranch
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the north)
- Meridian
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the north)
- Meridian is located in Pierce County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Meridian
- Lake City
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the northeast)
- Lake City is located in Pierce County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lake City
- Gertrude
(18 miles [29 km] to the north)
- Gertrude is located in Pierce County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Gertrude
- Clover Park
(18 miles [29 km] to the northeast)
- Clover Park is located in Pierce County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Clover Park
For an expanded list of the communities that are closest to Fir Tree, see our County-by-County Page for Fir Tree.
Cemeteries Near Fir Tree ...
Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of Fir Tree.
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 Fir Tree - one of the links might be able to help.
If not found below, our Cemetery List for Fir Tree covers a larger area, with the cemeteries listed in alphabetical order.
The following cemeteries are listed based on their distance from Fir Tree, with the one closest to Fir Tree listed first.
- Woodlawn Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the north)
- Rainier Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the southeast)
- Mt. Tabor Cemetery
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the northwest)
- Mills & Mills Memorial Park
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the northwest)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mills & Mills Memorial Park
- To give a relative sense of its location, the Mills & Mills Memorial Park is located outside and to the southwest of Tumwater.
- The Mills & Mills Memorial Park has also been known as:
- Olympic Memorial Garden Cemetery
- Jump to Find-A-Grave: FG ID #76974 <2>
- Union Cemetery
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the west)
- Forest Cemetery
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the south)
- Ross Family Cemetery
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the northeast)
- Yelm Rainier Cemetery
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the east)
- McLane Cemetery
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the northwest)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for McLane Cemetery
- The McLane Cemetery has also been known as:
- Mud Bay Cemetery
- Roy Cemetery
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the east)
- King Hill Pioneer Cemetery
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the east)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for King Hill Pioneer Cemetery
- The King Hill Pioneer Cemetery has also been known as:
- King Hill Indian Cemetery
- Ft. Lewis Cemetery
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the northeast)
- Continue List (66 more) ...
- Grand Mound Cemetery
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the southwest)
- Anderson Island Cemetery
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the north)
- Smith Cemetery
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the east)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Smith Cemetery
- The Smith Cemetery has also been known as:
- Henry Smith Cemetery
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 Fir Tree in the Atlas, the following 1895 communities would have been found near the current location of Fir Tree.
These communities are listed based on their distance from Fir Tree, with the one closest to Fir Tree listed first.
- Plumb
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the southwest)
- Plumb is located in Thurston County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Plumb
- Lacey
(5 miles [8 km] to the north)
- McIntosh
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the south)
- McIntosh is located in Thurston County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for McIntosh
- Tumwater
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the northwest)
- Tenino
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the southwest)
- Olympia
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the northwest)
- Yelm
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the east)
- Belmore
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the west)
- Belmore is located in Thurston County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Belmore
- Littlerock
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the west)
- Bucoda
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the south)
- Roy
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the east)
- Puget
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the north)
- Puget is located in Thurston County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Puget
- Continue List (15 more) ...
- Grand Mound
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the southwest)
- Hillhurst
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the northeast)
- Hillhurst is located in Pierce County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hillhurst
- Rochester
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the southwest)
We've also created an expanded list of communities that existed in the 1890's and were located in the area around Fir Tree. See our List of 1890's Communities around Fir Tree.
Newspapers Published in Fir Tree ...
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 170 newspapers that have been published in the area around Fir Tree.
Although we're unaware of any newspapers that were published in the immediate area of Fir Tree, there are papers which were published within 23 miles [37 km]<4>. A list of those papers, sorted by paper name, can be found on the Extended Newspaper List for Fir Tree.
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 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 Fir Tree:
- Websites specific to Washington
- Pages specific to Thurston County
- Genealogy information for nearby counties
- Grays Harbor County
- King County
- Lewis County
- Mason County
- Pierce 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 Fir Tree, please let us know so that we can improve our accuracy. |
| <4> | Our distances are not driving distances, but are calculated as a 'point-to-point' distance. A straight line distance ignores things like rivers, canyons, lakes, et cetera - it's truly a line drawn from Point A (ie- Fir Tree) to Point B. In other words: 'As the crow flies'. |