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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 McMurray (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 McMurray. 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 northwest corner of their home county. During their lives, most hospitals were in the next county to the west. 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 west 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.

McMurray 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 McMurray. For each of these counties, we show a sample of those communities that are closest to McMurray:

  • Skagit County     (The home county of McMurray)
    • The following are listed by their distance from McMurray, with the one closest to McMurray listed first.
    • Lake McMurray
      (Less than 2 miles to the southeast)
      • Lake McMurray is located in Skagit County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lake McMurray
    • Montborne
      (4 miles [6.4 km] to the north)
      • Montborne is located in Skagit County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Montborne
    • Big Lake
      (5 miles [8 km] to the north)
      • Big Lake is located in Skagit County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Big Lake
    • Conway
      (5 miles [8 km] to the west)
    • Skagit City
      (7 miles [11.3 km] to the northwest)
      • Skagit City is located in Skagit County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Skagit City
    • Mount Vernon
      (8 miles [12.9 km] to the northwest)
    • Lake Cavanaugh
      (9 miles [14.5 km] to the east)
      • Lake Cavanaugh is located in Skagit County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lake Cavanaugh
    • Clear Lake
      (10 miles [16.1 km] to the north)
      • Clear Lake is located in Skagit County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Clear Lake
    • Burlington
      (11 miles [17.7 km] to the north)
    • Fish Town
      (11 miles [17.7 km] to the west)
      • Fish Town is located in Skagit County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Fish Town
    • Sedro - Woolley
      (13 miles [20.9 km] to the north)
    • La Conner
      (13 miles [20.9 km] to the northwest)
    • Shelter Bay
      (13 miles [20.9 km] to the west)
      • Shelter Bay is located in Skagit County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Shelter Bay
  • Island County
    • The following are listed by their distance from McMurray, with the one closest to McMurray listed first.
    • Juniper Beach
      (9 miles [14.5 km] to the southwest)
      • Juniper Beach is located in Island County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Juniper Beach
    • Camano
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the southwest)
    • Camp Diana
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the southwest)
      • Camp Diana is located in Island County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Camp Diana
    • Oak Harbor
      (18 miles [29 km] to the west)
    • Langley
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the south)
    • Greenbank
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the southwest)
    • Coupeville
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the west)
    • San de Fuca
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the west)
      • San de Fuca is located in Island County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for San de Fuca
    • Clinton
      (23 miles [37 km] to the south)
    • Bay View
      (23 miles [37 km] to the southwest)
      • Bay View is located in Island County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bay View
    • Freeland
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the southwest)
  • Jefferson County
    • The following are listed by their distance from McMurray, with the one closest to McMurray listed first.
    • Marrowstone
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the southwest)
    • Nordland
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the southwest)
    • Port Townsend
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the southwest)
  • King County
    • Northwest Snohomish
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the south)
      • Northwest Snohomish is located in King County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Northwest Snohomish
  • San Juan County
  • Snohomish County
    • The following are listed by their distance from McMurray, with the one closest to McMurray listed first.
    • Lake Ketchum
      (5 miles [8 km] to the southwest)
      • Lake Ketchum is located in Snohomish County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lake Ketchum
    • Bryant
      (6 miles [9.7 km] to the southeast)
      • Bryant is located in Snohomish County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bryant
    • North Stanwood
      (6 miles [9.7 km] to the southwest)
      • North Stanwood is located in Snohomish County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for North Stanwood
    • Silvana
      (7 miles [11.3 km] to the south)
    • Florence
      (7 miles [11.3 km] to the southwest)
      • Florence is located in Snohomish County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Florence
    • Stanwood
      (8 miles [12.9 km] to the southwest)
    • Arlington
      (9 miles [14.5 km] to the southeast)
    • Lakewood
      (11 miles [17.7 km] to the south)
    • Arlington Heights
      (11 miles [17.7 km] to the southeast)
      • Arlington Heights is located in Snohomish County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Arlington Heights
    • Warm Beach
      (11 miles [17.7 km] to the southwest)
      • Warm Beach is located in Snohomish County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Warm Beach
    • Utsalady
      (11 miles [17.7 km] to the west)
      • Utsalady is located in Snohomish County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Utsalady
    • Lake Goodwin
      (12 miles [19.3 km] to the south)
      • Lake Goodwin is located in Snohomish County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lake Goodwin
    • Smokey Point
      (12 miles [19.3 km] to the south)
  • Whatcom County
    • The following are listed by their distance from McMurray, with the one closest to McMurray listed first.
    • Wickersham
      (23 miles [37 km] to the north)
      • Wickersham is located in Whatcom County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Wickersham
    • Saxon
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the north)
      • Saxon is located in Whatcom County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Saxon
    • Acme
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the north)
    • Sudden Valley
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the north)
      • Sudden Valley is located in Whatcom County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sudden Valley
    • Chuckanut Village
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the northwest)
      • Chuckanut Village is located in Whatcom County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Chuckanut Village
    • Clipper
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the north)
      • Clipper is located in Whatcom County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Clipper
    • Geneva
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the north)
      • Geneva is located in Whatcom County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Geneva

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

Cemeteries Near McMurray ...

Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of McMurray.

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

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

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

  • Scandinavian Cemetery
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the west)
    • 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>
  • Skagit City Cemetery
    (5 miles [8 km] to the west)
  • Our Saviours Lutheran Church Cemetery
    (7 miles [11.3 km] to the southwest)
  • Pleasant View Cemetery
    (8 miles [12.9 km] to the south)
  • Mt. Vernon Cemetery
    (8 miles [12.9 km] to the northwest)
  • Hawthorne Memorial Park
    (9 miles [14.5 km] to the northwest)
  • Arlington Municipal Cemetery
    (10 miles [16.1 km] to the southeast)
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Arlington Municipal Cemetery
    • The Arlington Municipal Cemetery has also been known as:
    • Arlington Cemetery
    • Harwood Cemetery
  • Clear Lake Cemetery
    (10 miles [16.1 km] to the north)
  • Camano Island Pioneer Cemetery
    (11 miles [17.7 km] to the southwest)
  • Camano Lutheran Cemetery
    (11 miles [17.7 km] to the southwest)
  • Pleasant Ridge Cemetery
    (11 miles [17.7 km] to the northwest)
  • Green Hills Memorial Cemetery
    (12 miles [19.3 km] to the north)
  • Continue List   (23 more) ...
    • Union Cemetery
      (13 miles [20.9 km] to the north)
    • Marysville Cemetery
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the south)
    • Lyman Cemetery
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the northeast)

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>

The Rand McNally Atlas shows that in 1895, McMurray had a post office and railroad service.

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

  • Montborne
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the north)
    • Montborne is located in Skagit County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Montborne
  • Big Lake
    (5 miles [8 km] to the north)
    • Big Lake is located in Skagit County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Big Lake
  • Bryant
    (6 miles [9.7 km] to the southeast)
    • Bryant is located in Snohomish County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bryant
  • Florence
    (7 miles [11.3 km] to the southwest)
    • Florence is located in Snohomish County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Florence
  • Norman
    (7 miles [11.3 km] to the south)
    • Norman is located in Snohomish County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Norman
  • Silvana
    (7 miles [11.3 km] to the south)
  • Skagit City
    (7 miles [11.3 km] to the northwest)
    • Skagit City is located in Skagit County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Skagit City
  • Stanwood
    (8 miles [12.9 km] to the southwest)
  • Mount Vernon
    (8 miles [12.9 km] to the northwest)
  • Arlington
    (9 miles [14.5 km] to the southeast)
  • Trafton
    (9 miles [14.5 km] to the southeast)
    • Trafton is located in Snohomish County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Trafton
  • Clear Lake
    (10 miles [16.1 km] to the north)
    • Clear Lake is located in Skagit County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Clear Lake
  • Continue List   (16 more) ...
    • Avon ‑ Historic
      (10 miles [16.1 km] to the northwest)
      • Avon is located in Skagit County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Avon
    • Burlington
      (11 miles [17.7 km] to the north)
    • Edgecomb
      (12 miles [19.3 km] to the south)
      • Edgecomb is located in Snohomish County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Edgecomb

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

Newspapers Published in McMurray ...

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 86 newspapers that have been published in the area around McMurray.

Although we're unaware of any newspapers that were published in the immediate area of McMurray, there are papers which were published within 22 miles [35.4 km]<4>. A list of those papers, sorted by paper name, can be found on the Extended Newspaper List for McMurray.

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 professional and volunteer 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 McMurray:

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 McMurray, 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' (or point-to-point) distance. A straight line distance ignores things like rivers, canyons, lakes, et cetera - it's truly a line from Point A (ie- McMurray) to Point B. In other words: 'As the crow flies'.