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 Fern (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 Fern. 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 southwest 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 south.
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 south 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.
Fern is located in Pleasants County.
To see how the shape of West Virginia's counties may have changed over time, we recommend the Atlas of Historical County Boundaries.
The following counties adjoin and form the boundaries of Pleasants County: Washington (OH), Ritchie, Tyler & Wood.
Below are the counties that are near Fern. For each of these counties, we show a sample of those communities that are closest to Fern:
- Pleasants County (The home county of Fern)
- The following are listed by their distance from Fern, with the one closest to Fern listed first.
- Adlai
(Less than 2 miles to the south)
- Adlai is located in Pleasants County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Adlai
- Hebron
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the east)
- Hebron is located in Pleasants County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hebron
- Algeria ‑ Historic
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the north)
- Algeria is located in Pleasants County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Algeria
- Sugar Valley
(5 miles [8 km] to the north)
- Sugar Valley is located in Pleasants County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sugar Valley
- DeLong
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the northwest)
- DeLong is located in Pleasants County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for DeLong
- Saint Marys
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the northwest)
- Schultz
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the west)
- Schultz is located in Pleasants County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Schultz
- Belmont
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the west)
- Belmont is located in Pleasants County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Belmont
- Population from the 2020 Census: 853 people
- Horseneck
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the west)
- Horseneck is located in Pleasants County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Horseneck
- Willow Island
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the west)
- Willow Island is located in Pleasants County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Willow Island
- Calhoun County
- The following are listed by their distance from Fern, with the one closest to Fern listed first.
- Freed
(23 miles [37 km] to the south)
- Freed is located in Calhoun County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Freed
- Big Bend
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the south)
- Big Bend is located in Calhoun County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Big Bend
- Grantsville
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the south)
- Doddridge County
- The following are listed by their distance from Fern, with the one closest to Fern listed first.
- Duckworth
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the southeast)
- Duckworth is located in Doddridge County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Duckworth
- West Union
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the east)
- Avondale
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the east)
- Avondale is located in Doddridge County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Avondale
- Smithburg
(18 miles [29 km] to the east)
- Smithburg is located in Doddridge County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Smithburg
- Grove
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the southeast)
- Grove is located in Doddridge County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Grove
- Roberts
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the east)
- Roberts is located in Doddridge County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Roberts
- Market
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the southeast)
- Market is located in Doddridge County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Market
- New Milton
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the east)
- Doak
(23 miles [37 km] to the east)
- Doak is located in Doddridge County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Doak
- Avon
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the southeast)
- Avon is located in Doddridge County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Avon
- Coldwater
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the southeast)
- Coldwater is located in Doddridge County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Coldwater
- Saint Clara
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the southeast)
- Saint Clara is located in Doddridge County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Saint Clara
- Gilmer County
- The following are listed by their distance from Fern, with the one closest to Fern listed first.
- Newberne
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the southeast)
- Newberne is located in Gilmer County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Newberne
- Conings
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the southeast)
- Conings is located in Gilmer County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Conings
- Alice
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the southeast)
- Alice is located in Gilmer County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Alice
- Troy
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the southeast)
- Troy is located in Gilmer County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Troy
- De Kalb
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the south)
- De Kalb is located in Gilmer County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for De Kalb
- Baldwin
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the southeast)
- Baldwin is located in Gilmer County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Baldwin
- Harrison County
- The following are listed by their distance from Fern, with the one closest to Fern listed first.
- Salem
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the east)
- Bristol
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the east)
- Lewis County
- The following are listed by their distance from Fern, with the one closest to Fern listed first.
- Hurst
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the southeast)
- Hurst is located in Lewis County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hurst
- Vadis
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the southeast)
- Vadis is located in Lewis County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Vadis
- Alum Bridge
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the southeast)
- Alum Bridge is located in Lewis County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Alum Bridge
- Marshall County
- Kent
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the north)
- Kent is located in Marshall County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Kent
- Ritchie County
- The following are listed by their distance from Fern, with the one closest to Fern listed first.
- League
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the southwest)
- League is located in Ritchie County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for League
- Ellenboro
(5 miles [8 km] to the south)
- Pennsboro
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the southeast)
- Mountain
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the east)
- Hannahdale
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the south)
- Hannahdale is located in Ritchie County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hannahdale
- Stanley
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the east)
- Stanley is located in Ritchie County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Stanley
- Cornwallis
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the south)
- Cornwallis is located in Ritchie County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cornwallis
- Harrisville
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the south)
- Toll Gate
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the southeast)
- Toll Gate is located in Ritchie County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Toll Gate
- Cairo
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the southwest)
- Pullman
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the southeast)
- Pullman is located in Ritchie County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Pullman
- Population from the 2020 Census: 135 people
- Cokeleys
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the south)
- Cokeleys is located in Ritchie County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cokeleys
- Tyler County
- The following are listed by their distance from Fern, with the one closest to Fern listed first.
- Plum Run
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the northeast)
- Plum Run is located in Tyler County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Plum Run
- Meadville
(5 miles [8 km] to the northeast)
- Meadville is located in Tyler County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Meadville
- McKim
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the east)
- McKim is located in Tyler County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for McKim
- Adonis
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the north)
- Adonis is located in Tyler County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Adonis
- Friendly
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the north)
- Friendly is located in Tyler County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Friendly
- Population from the 2020 Census: 120 people
- Middlebourne
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the northeast)
- Blue
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the northeast)
- Blue is located in Tyler County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Blue
- Sistersville
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the north)
- Big Moses
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the east)
- Big Moses is located in Tyler County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Big Moses
- Paden City
(18 miles [29 km] to the north)
- Iuka
(18 miles [29 km] to the northeast)
- Iuka is located in Tyler County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Iuka
- Sandusky
(18 miles [29 km] to the northeast)
- Sandusky is located in Tyler County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sandusky
- Wetzel County
- The following are listed by their distance from Fern, with the one closest to Fern listed first.
- Minnie
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the northeast)
- Minnie is located in Wetzel County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Minnie
- Ross
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the northeast)
- Ross is located in Wetzel County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ross
- Childs
(23 miles [37 km] to the northeast)
- Childs is located in Wetzel County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Childs
- New Martinsville
(23 miles [37 km] to the northeast)
- Pine Grove
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the northeast)
- Barker
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the northeast)
- Barker is located in Wetzel County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Barker
- Bane
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the northeast)
- Bane is located in Wetzel County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bane
- Bebee
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the northeast)
- Bebee is located in Wetzel County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bebee
- Marion
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the northeast)
- Marion is located in Wetzel County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Marion
- Smithfield
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the east)
- Fallen Timber ‑ Historic
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the northeast)
- Fallen Timber is located in Wetzel County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Fallen Timber
- Proctor
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the northeast)
- Wirt County
- The following are listed by their distance from Fern, with the one closest to Fern listed first.
- Freeport
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the southwest)
- Freeport is located in Wirt County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Freeport
- Greencastle
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the southwest)
- Greencastle is located in Wirt County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Greencastle
- Newark
(23 miles [37 km] to the southwest)
- Newark is located in Wirt County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Newark
- Elizabeth
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the southwest)
- Burning Springs
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the southwest)
- Burning Springs is located in Wirt County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Burning Springs
- Palestine
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the southwest)
- Palestine is located in Wirt County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Palestine
- Creston
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the south)
- Creston is located in Wirt County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Creston
- Wood County
- The following are listed by their distance from Fern, with the one closest to Fern listed first.
- Dallison
(18 miles [29 km] to the west)
- Dallison is located in Wood County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Dallison
- Parkers Towne
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the west)
- Parkers Towne is located in Wood County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Parkers Towne
- Valley Mills
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the west)
- Valley Mills is located in Wood County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Valley Mills
- Williamstown
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the west)
- Boaz
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the west)
- Boaz is located in Wood County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Boaz
- Kanawha
(23 miles [37 km] to the southwest)
- Kanawha is located in Wood County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Kanawha
- North Hills
(23 miles [37 km] to the west)
- North Hills is located in Wood County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for North Hills
- Population from the 2020 Census: 766 people
- Leachtown
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the southwest)
- Leachtown is located in Wood County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Leachtown
- Slate
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the southwest)
- Slate is located in Wood County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Slate
- Vienna
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the west)
- Mineral Acres
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the southwest)
- Mineral Acres is located in Wood County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mineral Acres
- Mineral Wells
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the southwest)
- Monroe County (OH)
- The following are listed by their distance from Fern, with the one closest to Fern listed first.
- Fly
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the north)
- Fly is located in Monroe County (OH)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Fly
- Sardis
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the northeast)
- Antioch
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the north)
- Antioch is located in Monroe County (OH)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Antioch
- Population from the 2020 Census: 79 people
- Graysville
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the north)
- Graysville is located in Monroe County (OH)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Graysville
- Population from the 2020 Census: 71 people
- Plainview
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the north)
- Plainview is located in Monroe County (OH)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Plainview
- Benwood
(23 miles [37 km] to the north)
- Benwood is located in Monroe County (OH)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Benwood
- Edwina
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the north)
- Edwina is located in Monroe County (OH)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Edwina
- Laings
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the north)
- Laings is located in Monroe County (OH)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Laings
- Stafford
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the northwest)
- Stafford is located in Monroe County (OH)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Stafford
- Population from the 2020 Census: 74 people
- Mount Carrick
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the north)
- Mount Carrick is located in Monroe County (OH)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mount Carrick
- Woodsfield
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the north)
- Coats
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the north)
- Coats is located in Monroe County (OH)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Coats
- Noble County (OH)
- The following are listed by their distance from Fern, with the one closest to Fern listed first.
- Harriettsville
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the northwest)
- Harriettsville is located in Noble County (OH)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Harriettsville
- Crooked Tree
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the northwest)
- Crooked Tree is located in Noble County (OH)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Crooked Tree
- Dexter City
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the northwest)
- Dexter City is located in Noble County (OH)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Dexter City
- Population from the 2020 Census: 124 people
- Washington County (OH)
- The following are listed by their distance from Fern, with the one closest to Fern listed first.
- Wade
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the northwest)
- Wade is located in Washington County (OH)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Wade
- Deucher
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the northwest)
- Deucher is located in Washington County (OH)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Deucher
- Grandview
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the north)
- Grandview is located in Washington County (OH)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Grandview
- Ward ‑ Historic
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the northwest)
- Ward is located in Washington County (OH)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ward
- Newell Run
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the west)
- Newell Run is located in Washington County (OH)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Newell Run
- Matamoras
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the north)
- Matamoras is located in Washington County (OH)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Matamoras
- Population from the 2020 Census: 860 people
- Steel Run
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the northwest)
- Steel Run is located in Washington County (OH)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Steel Run
- Yankeeburg
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the west)
- Yankeeburg is located in Washington County (OH)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Yankeeburg
- Muskingum ‑ Historic
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the northwest)
- Muskingum is located in Washington County (OH)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Muskingum
- Sandhill
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the west)
- Sandhill is located in Washington County (OH)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sandhill
- Gasville
(18 miles [29 km] to the northwest)
- Gasville is located in Washington County (OH)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Gasville
- Dalzell
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the northwest)
- Dalzell is located in Washington County (OH)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Dalzell
For an expanded list of the communities that are closest to Fern, see our County-by-County Page for Fern.
Cemeteries Near Fern ...
Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of Fern.
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 Fern - one of the links might be able to help.
If not found below, our Cemetery List for Fern covers a larger area, with the cemeteries listed in alphabetical order.
The following cemeteries are listed based on their distance from Fern, with the one closest to Fern listed first.
- Maple Lane Cemetery
(Less than 2 miles to the northeast)
- Pine Grove Cemetery
(Less than 2 miles to the northeast)
- Shawnee Cemetery
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the north)
- Nine Mile Cemetery
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the west)
- Mt. Pleasant Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the northwest)
- Hebron Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the northwest)
- Pine Grove Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the southwest)
- Craig Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the north)
- Cloverdale Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the west)
- Douglas Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the southwest)
- Ellenboro Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the south)
- Union Chapel Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the northeast)
- Continue List (600 more) ...
- Beech Run Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the north)
- Fairmont Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the south)
- Mt. Nebo Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the north)
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.<2>
While we didn't find Fern in the Atlas, the following 1895 communities would have been found near the current location of Fern.
These communities are listed based on their distance from Fern, with the one closest to Fern listed first.
- Adlai
(Less than 2 miles to the south)
- Adlai is located in Pleasants County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Adlai
- Briggs
(Less than 2 miles to the south)
- Briggs is located in Washington County (OH)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Briggs
- Finch
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the south)
- Finch is located in Ritchie County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Finch
- Hebron
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the east)
- Hebron is located in Pleasants County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hebron
- Highland
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the south)
- Highland is located in Ritchie County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Highland
- Twiggs
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the northeast)
- Twiggs is located in Pleasants County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Twiggs
- Maxwell
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the west)
- Maxwell is located in Pleasants County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Maxwell
- League
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the southwest)
- League is located in Ritchie County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for League
- Algeria ‑ Historic
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the north)
- Algeria is located in Pleasants County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Algeria
- Union Mills
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the northwest)
- Union Mills is located in Pleasants County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Union Mills
- Sugar Valley
(5 miles [8 km] to the north)
- Sugar Valley is located in Pleasants County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sugar Valley
- Ellenboro
(5 miles [8 km] to the south)
- Continue List (14 more) ...
- Meadville
(5 miles [8 km] to the northeast)
- Meadville is located in Tyler County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Meadville
- Wasp
(5 miles [8 km] to the north)
- Wasp is located in Pleasants County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Wasp
- Pennsboro
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the southeast)
We've also created an expanded list of communities that existed in the 1890's and were located in the area around Fern. See our List of 1890's Communities around Fern.
Newspapers Published in Fern ...
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 44 newspapers that have been published in the area around Fern.
Although we're unaware of any newspapers that were published in the immediate area of Fern, there are papers which were published within 15 miles [24.1 km]<3>. A list of those papers, sorted by paper name, can be found on the Extended Newspaper List for Fern.
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 Fern:
- Websites specific to West Virginia
- Pages specific to Pleasants County
- Genealogy information for nearby counties
- Calhoun County
- Doddridge County
- Gilmer County
- Harrison County
- Lewis County
- Marshall County
- Ritchie County
- Tyler County
- Wetzel County
- Wirt County
- Wood County
- Monroe County
- Noble County
- Washington County
- Cemetery Information and Directories for West Virginia
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> | 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 Fern, please let us know so that we can improve our accuracy. |
| <3> | 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 drawn from Point A (ie- Fern) to Point B. In other words: 'As the crow flies'. |