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 Shelter Bay (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 Shelter Bay. 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 and 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.
Shelter Bay 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 Shelter Bay. For each of these counties, we show a sample of those communities that are closest to Shelter Bay:
- Skagit County (The home county of Shelter Bay)
- The following are listed by their distance from Shelter Bay, with the one closest to Shelter Bay listed first.
- Swinomish Village
(Less than 2 miles to the north)
- Swinomish Village is located in Skagit County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Swinomish Village
- La Conner
(Less than 2 miles to the northeast)
- Fish Town
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the southeast)
- Fish Town is located in Skagit County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Fish Town
- Snee Oosh
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the northwest)
- Snee Oosh is located in Skagit County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Snee Oosh
- Similk Beach
(5 miles [8 km] to the northwest)
- Similk Beach is located in Skagit County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Similk Beach
- Skagit City
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the east)
- Skagit City is located in Skagit County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Skagit City
- Bay View
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the north)
- Bay View is located in Skagit County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bay View
- Conway
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the east)
- Mount Vernon
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the east)
- Alexander Beach
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the northwest)
- Alexander Beach is located in Skagit County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Alexander Beach
- Burlington
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the northeast)
- Anacortes
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the northwest)
- Big Lake
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the east)
- Big Lake is located in Skagit County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Big Lake
- Island County
- The following are listed by their distance from Shelter Bay, with the one closest to Shelter Bay listed first.
- Oak Harbor
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the southwest)
- Juniper Beach
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the southeast)
- Juniper Beach is located in Island County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Juniper Beach
- Coupeville
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the southwest)
- San de Fuca
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the southwest)
- San de Fuca is located in Island County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for San de Fuca
- Camano
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the south)
- Camp Diana
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the south)
- Camp Diana is located in Island County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Camp Diana
- Greenbank
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the south)
- Langley
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the south)
- Bay View
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the south)
- Bay View is located in Island County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bay View
- Freeland
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the south)
- Clinton
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the south)
- Jefferson County
- The following are listed by their distance from Shelter Bay, with the one closest to Shelter Bay listed first.
- Port Townsend
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the southwest)
- Marrowstone
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the south)
- Nordland
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the south)
- Irondale ‑ Historic
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the southwest)
- Irondale is located in Jefferson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Irondale
- Port Hadlock - Irondale
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the southwest)
- Port Hadlock
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the southwest)
- Adelma Beach
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the southwest)
- Adelma Beach is located in Jefferson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Adelma Beach
- Chimacum
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the southwest)
- Gardiner
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the southwest)
- San Juan County
- The following are listed by their distance from Shelter Bay, with the one closest to Shelter Bay listed first.
- Decatur Island
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the northwest)
- Lopez Island
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the northwest)
- Lopez Island is located in San Juan County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lopez Island
- Lopez
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the northwest)
- Lopez is located in San Juan County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lopez
- Olga
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the northwest)
- Orcas
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the northwest)
- Shaw Island
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the northwest)
- Shaw Island is located in San Juan County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Shaw Island
- Argyle
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the west)
- Argyle is located in San Juan County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Argyle
- Friday Harbor
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the northwest)
- False Bay
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the west)
- Deer Harbor
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the northwest)
- Eastsound
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the northwest)
- Snohomish County
- The following are listed by their distance from Shelter Bay, with the one closest to Shelter Bay listed first.
- Utsalady
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the south)
- Utsalady is located in Snohomish County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Utsalady
- Lake Ketchum
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the southeast)
- Lake Ketchum is located in Snohomish County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lake Ketchum
- North Stanwood
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the southeast)
- North Stanwood is located in Snohomish County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for North Stanwood
- Stanwood
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the southeast)
- Florence
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the southeast)
- Florence is located in Snohomish County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Florence
- Warm Beach
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the southeast)
- Warm Beach is located in Snohomish County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Warm Beach
- Silvana
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the southeast)
- McKees Beach
(18 miles [29 km] to the south)
- McKees Beach is located in Snohomish County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for McKees Beach
- Bryant
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the southeast)
- Bryant is located in Snohomish County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bryant
- Lake Goodwin
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the southeast)
- Lake Goodwin is located in Snohomish County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lake Goodwin
- Arlington
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the southeast)
- Cathan
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the southeast)
- Cathan is located in Snohomish County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cathan
- Lakewood
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the southeast)
- Whatcom County
- The following are listed by their distance from Shelter Bay, with the one closest to Shelter Bay listed first.
- Chuckanut Village
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the north)
- Chuckanut Village is located in Whatcom County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Chuckanut Village
- Wickersham
(23 miles [37 km] to the northeast)
- Wickersham is located in Whatcom County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Wickersham
- Lummi Island
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the north)
- Sudden Valley
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the north)
- Sudden Valley is located in Whatcom County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sudden Valley
- Bellingham
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the north)
- Geneva
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the north)
- Geneva is located in Whatcom County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Geneva
- Saxon
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the northeast)
- Saxon is located in Whatcom County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Saxon
- Silver Beach
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the north)
- Silver Beach is located in Whatcom County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Silver Beach
- Acme
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the northeast)
- Lummi
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the north)
- Lummi is located in Whatcom County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lummi
- Marietta
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the north)
- Marietta is located in Whatcom County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Marietta
- Clipper
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the northeast)
- Clipper is located in Whatcom County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Clipper
For an expanded list of the communities that are closest to Shelter Bay, see our County-by-County Page for Shelter Bay.
Cemeteries Near Shelter Bay ...
Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of Shelter Bay.
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 Shelter Bay - one of the links might be able to help.
If not found below, our Cemetery List for Shelter Bay covers a larger area, with the cemeteries listed in alphabetical order.
The following cemeteries are listed based on their distance from Shelter Bay, with the one closest to Shelter Bay listed first.
- Pleasant Ridge Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the east)
- Fern Hill Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the northwest)
- Maple Leaf Cemetery
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the southwest)
- Skagit City Cemetery
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the east)
- Grandview Cemetery
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the northwest)
- Bay View Cemetery
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the north)
- Camano Island Pioneer Cemetery
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the south)
- Mt. Vernon Cemetery
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the east)
- Hawthorne Memorial Park
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the northeast)
- Camano Lutheran Cemetery
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the south)
- Scandinavian Cemetery
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the southeast)
- 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>
- Green Hills Memorial Cemetery
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the northeast)
- Continue List (22 more) ...
- Our Saviours Lutheran Church Cemetery
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the southeast)
- Eden Cemetery
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the northwest)
- Bow Cemetery
(13 miles [20.9 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>
While we didn't find Shelter Bay in the Atlas, the following 1895 communities would have been found near the current location of Shelter Bay.
These communities are listed based on their distance from Shelter Bay, with the one closest to Shelter Bay listed first.
- La Conner
(Less than 2 miles to the northeast)
- Whitney
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the northeast)
- Whitney is located in Skagit County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Whitney
- Gibraltar
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the northwest)
- Gibraltar is located in Skagit County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Gibraltar
- Fredonia
(5 miles [8 km] to the northeast)
- Fredonia is located in Skagit County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Fredonia
- Skagit City
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the east)
- Skagit City is located in Skagit County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Skagit City
- Avon ‑ Historic
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the northeast)
- Avon is located in Skagit County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Avon
- Bay View
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the north)
- Bay View is located in Skagit County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bay View
- Oak Harbor
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the southwest)
- Mount Vernon
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the east)
- Anacortes
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the northwest)
- Burlington
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the northeast)
- Stanwood
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the southeast)
- Continue List (14 more) ...
- Guemes
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the northwest)
- Guemes is located in Skagit County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Guemes
- Big Lake
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the east)
- Big Lake is located in Skagit County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Big Lake
- San de Fuca
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the southwest)
- San de Fuca is located in Island County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for San de Fuca
We've also created an expanded list of communities that existed in the 1890's and were located in the area around Shelter Bay. See our List of 1890's Communities around Shelter Bay.
Newspapers Published in Shelter Bay ...
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 49 newspapers that have been published in the area around Shelter Bay.
Although we're unaware of any newspapers that were published in the immediate area of Shelter Bay, 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 Shelter Bay.
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 Shelter Bay:
- Websites specific to Washington
- Pages specific to Skagit County
- Genealogy information for nearby counties
- Island County
- Jefferson County
- San Juan County
- Snohomish County
- Whatcom 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 Shelter Bay, 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- Shelter Bay) to Point B. In other words: 'As the crow flies'. |