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 South 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 South 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.
Name Variations for South Bay ...
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 South Bay: S. Bay
You might be interested in other communities that are also named South Bay. More information can be found on our Tidbits & Trivia Page for South Bay.
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 northwest 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 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.
South Bay 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 South Bay. For each of these counties, we show a sample of those communities that are closest to South Bay:
- Thurston County (The home county of South Bay)
- The following are listed by their distance from South Bay, with the one closest to South Bay listed first.
- Lacey
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the south)
- Tanglewilde
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the southeast)
- Tanglewilde is located in Thurston County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Tanglewilde
- Olympia
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the southwest)
- Puget
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the northeast)
- Puget is located in Thurston County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Puget
- Tumwater
(5 miles [8 km] to the southwest)
- East Olympia
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the south)
- Kellys Korner
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the southeast)
- Kellys Korner is located in Thurston County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Kellys Korner
- Nisqually Indian Community
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the southeast)
- North Yelm
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the southeast)
- North Yelm is located in Thurston County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for North Yelm
- Yelm
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the southeast)
- Littlerock
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the southwest)
- McIntosh
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the south)
- McIntosh is located in Thurston County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for McIntosh
- Rainier
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the southeast)
- Grays Harbor County
- The following are listed by their distance from South Bay, with the one closest to South Bay listed first.
- McCleary Junction
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the west)
- McCleary Junction is located in Grays Harbor County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for McCleary Junction
- McCleary
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the west)
- Sine
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the west)
- Sine is located in Grays Harbor County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sine
- Garden City
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the west)
- Garden City is located in Grays Harbor County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Garden City
- Porter
(23 miles [37 km] to the southwest)
- Porter is located in Grays Harbor County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Porter
- Malone - Porter
(23 miles [37 km] to the west)
- Malone - Porter is located in Grays Harbor County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Malone - Porter
- Chehalis Village
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the southwest)
- Chehalis Village is located in Grays Harbor County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Chehalis Village
- Oakville
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the southwest)
- Malone
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the west)
- Cedarville
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the southwest)
- Cedarville is located in Grays Harbor County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cedarville
- Elma
(27 miles [43.5 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>
- Satsop
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the west)
- Satsop is located in Grays Harbor County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Satsop
- King County
- The following are listed by their distance from South Bay, with the one closest to South Bay listed first.
- Tahlequah
(23 miles [37 km] to the northeast)
- Tahlequah is located in King County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Tahlequah
- Magnolia Beach
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the northeast)
- Magnolia Beach is located in King County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Magnolia Beach
- Milton
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the northeast)
- Buenna
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the northeast)
- Buenna is located in King County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Buenna
- Federal Way
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the northeast)
- Pacific
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the northeast)
- Redondo
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the northeast)
- Redondo is located in King County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Redondo
- Kitsap County
- The following are listed by their distance from South Bay, with the one closest to South Bay listed first.
- Burley
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the northeast)
- Olalla
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the northeast)
- Bethel
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the north)
- Lewis County
- The following are listed by their distance from South Bay, with the one closest to South Bay listed first.
- Fords Prairie
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the south)
- Fords Prairie is located in Lewis County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Fords Prairie
- Galvin
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the south)
- Centralia
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the south)
- Chehalis
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the south)
- Mason County
- The following are listed by their distance from South Bay, with the one closest to South Bay listed first.
- New Kamilche
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the west)
- New Kamilche is located in Mason County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for New Kamilche
- Bayshore
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the northwest)
- Bayshore is located in Mason County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bayshore
- Shelton
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the northwest)
- Grapeview
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the north)
- Allyn
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the north)
- Skokomish
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the northwest)
- Skokomish is located in Mason County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Skokomish
- Tahuya
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the northwest)
- Union ‑ Historic
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the northwest)
- Union is located in Mason County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Union
- Mohrweis
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the northwest)
- Mohrweis is located in Mason County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mohrweis
- Belfair
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the north)
- Potlatch
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the northwest)
- Hoodsport
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the northwest)
- Matlock
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the west)
- Matlock is located in Mason County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Matlock
- Pierce County
- The following are listed by their distance from South Bay, with the one closest to South Bay listed first.
- Anderson Island
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the northeast)
- Anderson Island is located in Pierce County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Anderson Island
- DuPont
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the east)
- Longbranch
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the northeast)
- Meridian
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the northeast)
- Meridian is located in Pierce County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Meridian
- Fort Lewis
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the east)
- Herron Island
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the north)
- Lakebay
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the north)
- Gertrude
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the northeast)
- Gertrude is located in Pierce County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Gertrude
- Steilacoom
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the northeast)
- Tillicum
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the east)
- Tillicum is located in Pierce County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Tillicum
- Home
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the north)
- Home is located in Pierce County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Home
- Mock City
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the southeast)
- Mock City is located in Pierce County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mock City
- Lake City
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the east)
- Lake City is located in Pierce County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lake City
For an expanded list of the communities that are closest to South Bay, see our County-by-County Page for South Bay.
Cemeteries Near South Bay ...
Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of South 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 South Bay - one of the links might be able to help.
If not found below, our Cemetery List for South Bay covers a larger area, with the cemeteries listed in alphabetical order.
The following cemeteries are listed based on their distance from South Bay, with the one closest to South Bay listed first.
- Mt. Tabor Cemetery
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the south)
- Woodlawn Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the south)
- McLane Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the southwest)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for McLane Cemetery
- The McLane Cemetery has also been known as:
- Mud Bay Cemetery
- Mills & Mills Memorial Park
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the southwest)
- 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
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the southwest)
- Anderson Island Cemetery
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the northeast)
- Ross Family Cemetery
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the east)
- Longbranch Cemetery
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the northeast)
- Hillcrest Cemetery
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the northeast)
- German Lutheran Cemetery
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the northeast)
- 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
- Squaxin Cemetery
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the west)
- Ft. Lewis Cemetery
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the east)
- Continue List (67 more) ...
- Lakebay Cemetery
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the north)
- Miller Cemetery
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the northwest)
- Steilacoom Masonic Cemetery
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the east)
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 South Bay in the Atlas, the following 1895 communities would have been found near the current location of South Bay.
These communities are listed based on their distance from South Bay, with the one closest to South Bay listed first.
- Olympia
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the southwest)
- Lacey
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the south)
- Puget
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the northeast)
- Puget is located in Thurston County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Puget
- Tumwater
(5 miles [8 km] to the southwest)
- Belmore
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the southwest)
- Belmore is located in Thurston County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Belmore
- Longbranch
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the northeast)
- Plumb
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the south)
- Plumb is located in Thurston County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Plumb
- Meridian
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the northeast)
- Meridian is located in Pierce County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Meridian
- New Kamilche
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the west)
- New Kamilche is located in Mason County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for New Kamilche
- Steilacoom
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the northeast)
- Lakebay
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the north)
- Kamilche
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the west)
- Kamilche is located in Mason County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Kamilche
- Continue List (13 more) ...
- Littlerock
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the southwest)
- Yelm
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the southeast)
- Lake City
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the east)
- Lake City is located in Pierce County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lake City
We've also created an expanded list of communities that existed in the 1890's and were located in the area around South Bay. See our List of 1890's Communities around South Bay.
Newspapers Published in South 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 143 newspapers that have been published in the area around South Bay.
Although we're unaware of any newspapers that were published in the immediate area of South Bay, there are papers which were published within 21 miles [33.8 km]<4>. A list of those papers, sorted by paper name, can be found on the Extended Newspaper List for South Bay.
Websites to Help With Your Genealogy Research ...
When we do our genealogical research, we first turn to 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 South Bay:
- Websites specific to Washington
- Pages specific to Thurston County
- Genealogy information for nearby counties
- Grays Harbor County
- King County
- Kitsap 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 South Bay, 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 obstructions like rivers, canyons, lakes, et cetera - it's truly a line drawn from Point A (ie- South Bay) to Point B. In other words: 'As the crow flies'. |