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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 Michigan 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 Michigan 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 doctors 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.

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

  • Thurston County     (The home county of Michigan Hill)
    • The following are listed by their distance from Michigan Hill, with the one closest to Michigan Hill listed first.
    • Independence
      (2 miles [3.2 km] to the northwest)
      • Independence is located in Thurston County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Independence
    • Rochester
      (3 miles [4.8 km] to the north)
    • Grand Mound
      (4 miles [6.4 km] to the northeast)
    • Bordeaux ‑ Historic
      (8 miles [12.9 km] to the north)
      • Bordeaux is located in Thurston County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bordeaux
    • Littlerock
      (9 miles [14.5 km] to the northeast)
    • Bucoda
      (11 miles [17.7 km] to the east)
    • Tenino
      (13 miles [20.9 km] to the northeast)
    • McIntosh
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the east)
      • McIntosh is located in Thurston County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for McIntosh
    • East Olympia
      (18 miles [29 km] to the northeast)
    • Tumwater
      (18 miles [29 km] to the northeast)
    • Rainier
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the east)
    • Olympia
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the northeast)
  • Cowlitz County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Michigan Hill, with the one closest to Michigan Hill listed first.
    • Ryderwood
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the south)
      • Ryderwood is located in Cowlitz County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ryderwood
    • Olequa
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the south)
      • Olequa is located in Cowlitz County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Olequa
  • Grays Harbor County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Michigan Hill, with the one closest to Michigan Hill listed first.
    • Chehalis Village
      (3 miles [4.8 km] to the northwest)
      • Chehalis Village is located in Grays Harbor County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Chehalis Village
    • Oakville
      (7 miles [11.3 km] to the northwest)
    • Cedarville
      (10 miles [16.1 km] to the northwest)
      • Cedarville is located in Grays Harbor County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cedarville
    • Porter
      (14 miles [22.5 km] to the northwest)
      • Porter is located in Grays Harbor County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Porter
    • Malone - Porter
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the northwest)
      • Malone - Porter is located in Grays Harbor County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Malone - Porter
    • Malone
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the northwest)
    • Sine
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the northwest)
      • Sine is located in Grays Harbor County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sine
    • McCleary
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the northwest)
    • McCleary Junction
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the north)
      • McCleary Junction is located in Grays Harbor County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for McCleary Junction
    • Elma
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the northwest)
      • 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>
    • Garden City
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the northwest)
      • Garden City is located in Grays Harbor County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Garden City
    • Satsop
      (23 miles [37 km] to the northwest)
      • Satsop is located in Grays Harbor County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Satsop
  • Lewis County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Michigan Hill, with the one closest to Michigan Hill listed first.
    • Galvin
      (4 miles [6.4 km] to the southeast)
    • Fords Prairie
      (6 miles [9.7 km] to the southeast)
      • Fords Prairie is located in Lewis County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Fords Prairie
    • Fayette
      (8 miles [12.9 km] to the south)
      • Fayette is located in Lewis County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Fayette
    • Centralia
      (8 miles [12.9 km] to the southeast)
    • Adna
      (10 miles [16.1 km] to the south)
    • Chehalis
      (10 miles [16.1 km] to the southeast)
    • Claquato
      (10 miles [16.1 km] to the southeast)
      • Claquato is located in Lewis County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Claquato
    • Newaukum
      (12 miles [19.3 km] to the southeast)
      • Newaukum is located in Lewis County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Newaukum
    • Doty
      (12 miles [19.3 km] to the southwest)
    • Curtis
      (13 miles [20.9 km] to the south)
    • Napavine
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the southeast)
    • Pe Ell
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the southwest)
  • Mason County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Michigan Hill, with the one closest to Michigan Hill listed first.
    • New Kamilche
      (23 miles [37 km] to the north)
      • New Kamilche is located in Mason County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for New Kamilche
    • Shelton
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the north)
  • Pacific County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Michigan Hill, with the one closest to Michigan Hill listed first.
    • Lebam
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the southwest)
    • Menlo
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the southwest)
      • Menlo is located in Pacific County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Menlo
    • Raymond
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the west)
  • Pierce County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Michigan Hill, with the one closest to Michigan Hill listed first.
    • McKenna
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the northeast)
    • Mock City
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the northeast)
      • Mock City is located in Pierce County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mock City
    • Roy
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the northeast)
      • Roy is located in Pierce County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Roy
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 823 people
      • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Roy <1>

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

Cemeteries Near Michigan Hill ...

Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of Michigan 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 Michigan Hill - one of the links might be able to help.

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

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

  • Finnish Cemetery
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the west)
  • Grand Mound Cemetery
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the northeast)
  • Mountain View Cemetery
    (6 miles [9.7 km] to the southeast)
  • Greenwood Memorial Park
    (6 miles [9.7 km] to the southeast)
  • Oakville Pioneer Cemetery
    (6 miles [9.7 km] to the northwest)
  • Washington Lawn Cemetery
    (7 miles [11.3 km] to the southeast)
  • Claquato Cemetery
    (9 miles [14.5 km] to the south)
  • Greenwood Cemetery
    (11 miles [17.7 km] to the southeast)
  • Sylvan Cemetery
    (12 miles [19.3 km] to the southwest)
  • Fern Hill Cemetery
    (12 miles [19.3 km] to the southeast)
  • Forest Cemetery
    (12 miles [19.3 km] to the east)
  • Sharon Cemetery
    (14 miles [22.5 km] to the northwest)
  • Continue List   (27 more) ...
    • Union Cemetery
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the northeast)
    • Mills & Mills Memorial Park
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the northeast)
      • 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>
    • McLane Cemetery
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the north)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for McLane Cemetery
      • The McLane Cemetery has also been known as:
      • Mud Bay 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 Michigan Hill in the Atlas, the following 1895 communities would have been found near the current location of Michigan Hill.

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

  • Rochester
    (3 miles [4.8 km] to the north)
  • Grand Mound
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the northeast)
  • Oakville
    (7 miles [11.3 km] to the northwest)
  • Fayette
    (8 miles [12.9 km] to the south)
    • Fayette is located in Lewis County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Fayette
  • Centralia
    (8 miles [12.9 km] to the southeast)
  • Littlerock
    (9 miles [14.5 km] to the northeast)
  • Claquato
    (10 miles [16.1 km] to the southeast)
    • Claquato is located in Lewis County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Claquato
  • Chehalis
    (10 miles [16.1 km] to the southeast)
  • Cedarville
    (10 miles [16.1 km] to the northwest)
    • Cedarville is located in Grays Harbor County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cedarville
  • Bucoda
    (11 miles [17.7 km] to the east)
  • Newaukum
    (12 miles [19.3 km] to the southeast)
    • Newaukum is located in Lewis County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Newaukum
  • Tenino
    (13 miles [20.9 km] to the northeast)
  • Continue List   (13 more) ...
    • Porter
      (14 miles [22.5 km] to the northwest)
      • Porter is located in Grays Harbor County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Porter
    • Plumb
      (15 miles [24.1 km] to the northeast)
      • Plumb is located in Thurston County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Plumb
    • Belmore
      (15 miles [24.1 km] to the northeast)
      • Belmore is located in Thurston County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Belmore

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

Newspapers Published in Michigan 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 116 newspapers that have been published in the area around Michigan Hill.

Although we're unaware of any newspapers that were published in the immediate area of Michigan Hill, there are papers which were published within 27 miles [43.5 km]<4>. A list of those papers, sorted by paper name, can be found on the Extended Newspaper List for Michigan Hill.

Websites to Help With Your Genealogy Research ...

When we do our genealogical research, we first visit 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 Michigan 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>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 Michigan Hill, 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- Michigan Hill) to Point B. In other words: 'As the crow flies'.