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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 Harbor Heights (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 Harbor Heights. 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.

Name Variations for Harbor Heights ...

When searching records, keep in mind that names and their spelling can change over time. Our sources include documents like maps, railroad schedules, Travel, Express and Shipping Guides. Many of these documents date from the 1800's and it's common to find spelling differences.

Although we can't give a definitive list, hopefully the following will give you a feel for the variations that might occur.

For example, a typical abbreviation for Harbor Heights: Harbor Hts. (in Canada, 'Hgts.' is the more common abbreviation.)

You might be interested in other communities that are also named Harbor Heights. More information can be found on our Tidbits & Trivia Page for Harbor Heights.

If you have information about these names (such as the reason for the change, date of change, the origin of the name), please Contact Us.

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.

Harbor Heights is located in Pierce 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 Pierce County: King, Kitsap, Kittitas, Lewis, Mason, Thurston & Yakima.

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

  • Pierce County     (The home county of Harbor Heights)
    • The following are listed by their distance from Harbor Heights, with the one closest to Harbor Heights listed first.
    • Gig Harbor
      (Less than 2 miles to the northeast)
    • Artondale
      (2 miles [3.2 km] to the southwest)
      • Artondale is located in Pierce County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Artondale
    • Cromwell
      (3 miles [4.8 km] to the southwest)
      • Cromwell is located in Pierce County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cromwell
    • Rosedale
      (3 miles [4.8 km] to the west)
      • Rosedale is located in Pierce County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rosedale
    • Wauna
      (4 miles [6.4 km] to the northwest)
      • Wauna is located in Pierce County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Wauna
    • Ruston
      (4 miles [6.4 km] to the southeast)
      • Ruston is located in Pierce County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ruston
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 848 people
    • Fox Island
      (5 miles [8 km] to the south)
    • University Place
      (6 miles [9.7 km] to the south)
    • Fircrest
      (6 miles [9.7 km] to the southeast)
    • Dash Point
      (7 miles [11.3 km] to the east)
      • Dash Point is located in Pierce County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Dash Point
    • Gertrude
      (8 miles [12.9 km] to the southwest)
      • Gertrude is located in Pierce County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Gertrude
    • Home
      (8 miles [12.9 km] to the southwest)
      • Home is located in Pierce County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Home
  • Jefferson County
  • King County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Harbor Heights, with the one closest to Harbor Heights listed first.
    • Tahlequah
      (3 miles [4.8 km] to the east)
      • Tahlequah is located in King County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Tahlequah
    • Magnolia Beach
      (6 miles [9.7 km] to the northeast)
      • Magnolia Beach is located in King County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Magnolia Beach
    • Vashon
      (10 miles [16.1 km] to the northeast)
    • Buenna
      (11 miles [17.7 km] to the east)
      • Buenna is located in King County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Buenna
    • Federal Way
      (12 miles [19.3 km] to the east)
    • Redondo
      (12 miles [19.3 km] to the east)
      • Redondo is located in King County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Redondo
    • Milton
      (13 miles [20.9 km] to the east)
    • Woodmont Beach
      (13 miles [20.9 km] to the east)
      • Woodmont Beach is located in King County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Woodmont Beach
    • Zenith
      (13 miles [20.9 km] to the east)
      • Zenith is located in King County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Zenith
    • Des Moines
      (13 miles [20.9 km] to the northeast)
    • Normandy Park
      (13 miles [20.9 km] to the northeast)
    • Vashon Heights
      (13 miles [20.9 km] to the northeast)
      • Vashon Heights is located in King County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Vashon Heights
  • Kitsap County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Harbor Heights, with the one closest to Harbor Heights listed first.
    • Burley
      (6 miles [9.7 km] to the north)
    • Olalla
      (7 miles [11.3 km] to the north)
    • Bethel
      (11 miles [17.7 km] to the north)
    • South Colby
      (13 miles [20.9 km] to the north)
      • South Colby is located in Kitsap County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for South Colby
    • Southworth
      (13 miles [20.9 km] to the north)
      • Southworth is located in Kitsap County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Southworth
    • Colby
      (14 miles [22.5 km] to the north)
      • Colby is located in Kitsap County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Colby
    • East Port Orchard
      (14 miles [22.5 km] to the north)
      • East Port Orchard is located in Kitsap County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for East Port Orchard
    • Gorst
      (14 miles [22.5 km] to the north)
    • Parkwood
      (14 miles [22.5 km] to the north)
      • Parkwood is located in Kitsap County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Parkwood
    • South Park Village
      (14 miles [22.5 km] to the north)
    • Colchester
      (15 miles [24.1 km] to the north)
      • Colchester is located in Kitsap County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Colchester
    • Port Orchard
      (15 miles [24.1 km] to the north)
  • Mason County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Harbor Heights, with the one closest to Harbor Heights listed first.
    • Allyn
      (11 miles [17.7 km] to the west)
    • Grapeview
      (11 miles [17.7 km] to the west)
    • Belfair
      (14 miles [22.5 km] to the northwest)
    • Bayshore
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the west)
      • Bayshore is located in Mason County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bayshore
    • Tahuya
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the west)
    • Union ‑ Historic
      (23 miles [37 km] to the west)
      • Union is located in Mason County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Union
    • Shelton
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the west)
    • Hoodsport
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the west)
    • Lilliwaup
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the west)
    • Potlatch
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the west)
    • Skokomish
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the west)
      • Skokomish is located in Mason County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Skokomish
    • New Kamilche
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the southwest)
      • New Kamilche is located in Mason County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for New Kamilche
  • Thurston County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Harbor Heights, with the one closest to Harbor Heights listed first.
    • Puget
      (15 miles [24.1 km] to the southwest)
      • Puget is located in Thurston County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Puget
    • Tanglewilde
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the southwest)
      • Tanglewilde is located in Thurston County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Tanglewilde
    • Nisqually Indian Community
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the south)
    • Lacey
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the southwest)
      • Lacey is located in Thurston County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lacey
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 54,178 people
      • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Lacey <1>
    • Kellys Korner
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the south)
      • Kellys Korner is located in Thurston County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Kellys Korner
    • North Yelm
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the south)
      • North Yelm is located in Thurston County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for North Yelm
    • Olympia
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the southwest)
    • Yelm
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the south)
      • Yelm is located in Thurston County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Yelm
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 9,591 people
      • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Yelm <1>
    • Tumwater
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the southwest)
    • East Olympia
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the southwest)
    • Rainier
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the south)

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

Cemeteries Near Harbor Heights ...

Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of Harbor Heights.

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 Harbor Heights - one of the links might be able to help.

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

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

  • Haven of Rest Cemetery
    (Less than 2 miles to the northwest)
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Haven of Rest Cemetery
    • Former name for Haven of Rest Cemetery:
    • Perkins Cemetery
  • Artondale Cemetery
    (Less than 2 miles to the southwest)
  • Gig Harbor Cemetery
    (2 miles [3.2 km] to the north)
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Gig Harbor Cemetery
    • To give a relative sense of its location, the Gig Harbor Cemetery is located outside and to the north of Gig Harbor.
    • The Gig Harbor Cemetery has also been known as:
    • Cresent Valley Cemetery
  • Rosedale Cemetery
    (2 miles [3.2 km] to the west)
  • Cromwell Cemetery
    (3 miles [4.8 km] to the southwest)
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cromwell Cemetery
    • The Cromwell Cemetery has also been known as:
    • Hales Passage Cemetery
    • Hales Passage Scandinavian Lutheran Cemetery
    • Jump to Find-A-Grave: FG ID #2259125 <2>
  • Fox Island Cemetery
    (5 miles [8 km] to the southwest)
  • Minter Cemetery
    (6 miles [9.7 km] to the northwest)
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Minter Cemetery
    • To give a relative sense of its location, the Minter Cemetery is located 2 miles [3.2 km]<3> to the west of Wauna.
    • The Minter Cemetery has also been known as:
    • Elgin Cemetery
  • New Tacoma Cemetery
    (8 miles [12.9 km] to the south)
  • Penbrock Cemetery
    (8 miles [12.9 km] to the northeast)
  • Lakebay Cemetery
    (9 miles [14.5 km] to the southwest)
  • German Lutheran Cemetery
    (9 miles [14.5 km] to the southwest)
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for German Lutheran Cemetery
    • The German Lutheran Cemetery has also been known as:
    • Lakebay German Evangelical Lutheran Cemetery
    • Old German Evangelical Lutheran Cemetery
  • Hillcrest Cemetery
    (9 miles [14.5 km] to the southwest)
  • Continue List   (105 more) ...
    • Byrd Cemetery
      (9 miles [14.5 km] to the south)
    • Old Pioneer Cemetery
      (9 miles [14.5 km] to the southeast)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Old Pioneer Cemetery
      • The Old Pioneer Cemetery has also been known as:
      • Rigney Cemetery
    • Calvary Cemetery
      (9 miles [14.5 km] to the southeast)

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 Harbor Heights in the Atlas, the following 1895 communities would have been found near the current location of Harbor Heights.

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

  • Gig Harbor
    (Less than 2 miles to the northeast)
  • Artondale
    (2 miles [3.2 km] to the southwest)
    • Artondale is located in Pierce County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Artondale
  • Wollochet
    (3 miles [4.8 km] to the south)
    • Wollochet is located in Pierce County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Wollochet
  • Rosedale
    (3 miles [4.8 km] to the west)
    • Rosedale is located in Pierce County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rosedale
  • Purdy
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the north)
    • Purdy is located in Pierce County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Purdy
  • Fox Island
    (5 miles [8 km] to the south)
  • Minter
    (5 miles [8 km] to the northwest)
    • Minter is located in Pierce County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Minter
  • Olalla
    (7 miles [11.3 km] to the north)
  • Tacoma
    (8 miles [12.9 km] to the southeast)
  • Vaughn
    (8 miles [12.9 km] to the west)
    • Vaughn is located in Pierce County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Vaughn
  • Lakebay
    (9 miles [14.5 km] to the southwest)
  • Meridian
    (9 miles [14.5 km] to the southwest)
    • Meridian is located in Pierce County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Meridian
  • Continue List   (14 more) ...
    • Steilacoom
      (10 miles [16.1 km] to the south)
    • Excelsior
      (10 miles [16.1 km] to the southeast)
      • Excelsior is located in Pierce County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Excelsior
    • Maury
      (10 miles [16.1 km] to the northeast)
      • Maury is located in King County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Maury

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

Newspapers Published in Harbor Heights ...

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 182 newspapers that have been published in the area around Harbor Heights.

Although we're unaware of any newspapers that were published in the immediate area of Harbor Heights, there are papers which were published within 14 miles [22.5 km]<3>. A list of those papers, sorted by paper name, can be found on the Extended Newspaper List for Harbor Heights.

Websites to Help With Your Genealogy Research ...

When we do our genealogical research, we begin with the websites from Cyndi's List, FamilySearch and Genealogy Trails. These websites either 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 Harbor Heights:

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 'point-to-point' distance. A straight line distance ignores obstructions like rivers, canyons, lakes, et cetera - it's truly a line from Point A (ie- Harbor Heights) 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 Harbor Heights, please let us know so that we can improve our accuracy.