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 Ridgedale (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 Ridgedale. 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 doctors and 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.
Ridgedale is located in Monongalia 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 Monongalia County: Fayette (PA), Greene (PA), Marion, Preston, Taylor & Wetzel.
Below are the counties that are near Ridgedale. For each of these counties, we show a sample of those communities that are closest to Ridgedale:
- Monongalia County (The home county of Ridgedale)
- The following are listed by their distance from Ridgedale, with the one closest to Ridgedale listed first.
- Little Falls
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the west)
- Little Falls is located in Monongalia County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Little Falls
- Brookhaven
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the north)
- Brookhaven is located in Monongalia County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Brookhaven
- Morgantown
(5 miles [8 km] to the north)
- Smithtown
(5 miles [8 km] to the west)
- Smithtown is located in Monongalia County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Smithtown
- Westover
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the north)
- Laurel Point
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the northwest)
- Laurel Point is located in Monongalia County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Laurel Point
- Granville
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the northwest)
- Granville is located in Monongalia County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Granville
- Population from the 2020 Census: 3,156 people
- Baker Ridge
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the north)
- Baker Ridge is located in Monongalia County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Baker Ridge
- Star City
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the north)
- Star City is located in Monongalia County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Star City
- Population from the 2020 Census: 1,984 people
- Osage
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the northwest)
- Osage is located in Monongalia County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Osage
- Arnettsville
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the west)
- Arnettsville is located in Monongalia County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Arnettsville
- Georgetown
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the west)
- Georgetown is located in Monongalia County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Georgetown
- Barbour County
- The following are listed by their distance from Ridgedale, with the one closest to Ridgedale listed first.
- Clemtown
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the south)
- Clemtown is located in Barbour County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Clemtown
- Pleasant Creek ‑ Historic
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the south)
- Pleasant Creek is located in Barbour County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Pleasant Creek
- Kasson
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the south)
- Kasson is located in Barbour County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Kasson
- Arden
(23 miles [37 km] to the south)
- Arden is located in Barbour County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Arden
- Adaland
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the south)
- Adaland is located in Barbour County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Adaland
- Valley Furnace
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the south)
- Valley Furnace is located in Barbour County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Valley Furnace
- Berryburg
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the south)
- Berryburg is located in Barbour County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Berryburg
- Meriden
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the south)
- Meriden is located in Barbour County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Meriden
- Philippi
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the south)
- Pepper
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the southwest)
- Pepper is located in Barbour County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Pepper
- Kalamazoo
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the south)
- Kalamazoo is located in Barbour County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Kalamazoo
- Vannoys Mill
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the south)
- Vannoys Mill is located in Barbour County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Vannoys Mill
- Harrison County
- The following are listed by their distance from Ridgedale, with the one closest to Ridgedale listed first.
- Enterprise
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the southwest)
- Enterprise is located in Harrison County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Enterprise
- Saltwell
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the southwest)
- Saltwell is located in Harrison County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Saltwell
- Shinnston
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the southwest)
- Bridgeport
(23 miles [37 km] to the southwest)
- Wyatt
(23 miles [37 km] to the west)
- Wyatt is located in Harrison County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Wyatt
- Haywood
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the southwest)
- Haywood is located in Harrison County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Haywood
- Lumberport
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the southwest)
- Lumberport is located in Harrison County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lumberport
- Population from the 2020 Census: 835 people
- Meadowbrook
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the southwest)
- Meadowbrook is located in Harrison County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Meadowbrook
- Spelter
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the southwest)
- Spelter is located in Harrison County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Spelter
- Despard
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the southwest)
- Despard is located in Harrison County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Despard
- Jimtown
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the southwest)
- Jimtown is located in Harrison County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Jimtown
- Anmoore
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the southwest)
- Marion County
- The following are listed by their distance from Ridgedale, with the one closest to Ridgedale listed first.
- Mount Harmony
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the west)
- Mount Harmony is located in Marion County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mount Harmony
- Neel ‑ Historic
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the south)
- Neel is located in Marion County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Neel
- Canton
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the southwest)
- Canton is located in Marion County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Canton
- Samaria
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the southwest)
- Samaria is located in Marion County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Samaria
- Pleasant View
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the west)
- Pleasant View is located in Marion County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Pleasant View
- Rivesville
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the west)
- Hebron
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the southwest)
- Hebron is located in Marion County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hebron
- Palatine
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the southwest)
- Palatine is located in Marion County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Palatine
- Fairmont
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the west)
- Hoodsville
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the west)
- Hoodsville is located in Marion County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hoodsville
- Colfax
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the southwest)
- Colfax is located in Marion County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Colfax
- Barrackville
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the west)
- Barrackville is located in Marion County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Barrackville
- Population from the 2020 Census: 1,270 people
- Preston County
- The following are listed by their distance from Ridgedale, with the one closest to Ridgedale listed first.
- Gladesville
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the southeast)
- Gladesville is located in Preston County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Gladesville
- Masontown
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the east)
- Reedsville
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the east)
- Arthurdale
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the southeast)
- Threefork Bridge
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the southeast)
- Threefork Bridge is located in Preston County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Threefork Bridge
- Independence
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the south)
- Independence is located in Preston County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Independence
- Newburg
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the southeast)
- Rockville
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the northeast)
- Rockville is located in Preston County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rockville
- Kingwood
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the east)
- Tunnelton
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the southeast)
- Heathers Run
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the southeast)
- Heathers Run is located in Preston County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Heathers Run
- Albright
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the east)
- Taylor County
- The following are listed by their distance from Ridgedale, with the one closest to Ridgedale listed first.
- Thornton
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the south)
- Thornton is located in Taylor County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Thornton
- Fetterman
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the south)
- Fetterman is located in Taylor County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Fetterman
- Grafton
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the south)
- West Grafton
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the south)
- West Grafton is located in Taylor County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for West Grafton
- Knottsville
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the south)
- Knottsville is located in Taylor County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Knottsville
- Pruntytown
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the southwest)
- Pruntytown is located in Taylor County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Pruntytown
- Webster
(18 miles [29 km] to the south)
- Webster is located in Taylor County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Webster
- Yates ‑ Historic
(18 miles [29 km] to the south)
- Yates is located in Taylor County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Yates
- Brydon
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the south)
- Brydon is located in Taylor County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Brydon
- Sandy ‑ Historic
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the south)
- Sandy is located in Taylor County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sandy
- Stone House ‑ Historic
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the south)
- Stone House is located in Taylor County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Stone House
- Oreide
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the southwest)
- Oreide is located in Taylor County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Oreide
- Wetzel County
- The following are listed by their distance from Ridgedale, with the one closest to Ridgedale listed first.
- Round Bottom
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the west)
- Round Bottom is located in Wetzel County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Round Bottom
- Hundred
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the west)
- Garrett County (MD)
- The following are listed by their distance from Ridgedale, with the one closest to Ridgedale listed first.
- Hutton
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the east)
- Hutton is located in Garrett County (MD)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hutton
- Friendsville
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the east)
- Oakland
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the east)
- Oakland is located in Garrett County (MD)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Oakland
- Population from the 2020 Census: 1,803 people
- Red House
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the southeast)
- Red House is located in Garrett County (MD)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Red House
- Fayette County (PA)
- The following are listed by their distance from Ridgedale, with the one closest to Ridgedale listed first.
- Point Marion
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the north)
- Morris Crossroads
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the north)
- Morris Crossroads is located in Fayette County (PA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Morris Crossroads
- Winstead
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the north)
- Winstead is located in Fayette County (PA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Winstead
- Atlantic
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the north)
- Atlantic is located in Fayette County (PA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Atlantic
- Fairchance
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the northwest)
- New Geneva
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the north)
- New Geneva is located in Fayette County (PA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for New Geneva
- Smithfield
(18 miles [29 km] to the north)
- Haydentown
(18 miles [29 km] to the northeast)
- Haydentown is located in Fayette County (PA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Haydentown
- Fayette
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the north)
- Fayette is located in Fayette County (PA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Fayette
- Masontown
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the north)
- Woodside
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the north)
- Woodside is located in Fayette County (PA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Woodside
- Shoaf
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the north)
- Shoaf is located in Fayette County (PA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Shoaf
- Greene County (PA)
- The following are listed by their distance from Ridgedale, with the one closest to Ridgedale listed first.
- Dunkard
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the north)
- Dunkard is located in Greene County (PA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Dunkard
- Dilliner
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the north)
- Dilliner is located in Greene County (PA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Dilliner
- Mount Morris
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the northwest)
- Greensboro
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the north)
- Kirby
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the northwest)
- Kirby is located in Greene County (PA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Kirby
- Ceylon
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the north)
- Ceylon is located in Greene County (PA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ceylon
- Fordyce
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the north)
- Fordyce is located in Greene County (PA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Fordyce
- Nemacolin
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the north)
- Nemacolin is located in Greene County (PA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Nemacolin
- Gump
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the northwest)
- Gump is located in Greene County (PA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Gump
- Spraggs
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the northwest)
- Spraggs is located in Greene County (PA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Spraggs
- Fairdale
(23 miles [37 km] to the north)
- Fairdale is located in Greene County (PA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Fairdale
- Khedive
(23 miles [37 km] to the north)
- Khedive is located in Greene County (PA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Khedive
- Washington County (PA)
- Millsboro
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the north)
For an expanded list of the communities that are closest to Ridgedale, see our County-by-County Page for Ridgedale.
Cemeteries Near Ridgedale ...
Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of Ridgedale.
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 Ridgedale - one of the links might be able to help.
If not found below, our Cemetery List for Ridgedale covers a larger area, with the cemeteries listed in alphabetical order.
The following cemeteries are listed based on their distance from Ridgedale, with the one closest to Ridgedale listed first.
- Mt. Calvary Cemetery
(Less than 2 miles to the northwest)
- Goshen Cemetery
(Less than 2 miles to the west)
- McBee Cemetery
(Less than 2 miles to the southwest)
- Fairview Cemetery
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the north)
- Ida Jane Memorial Park
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the northeast)
- Summers Cemetery
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the northeast)
- Mt. Pleasant Cemetery
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the northeast)
- Robe Cemetery
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the northwest)
- Summers Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the southwest)
- Brown Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the south)
- Nicholson Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the northeast)
- Nuce Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the north)
- Continue List (491 more) ...
- Pisgah Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the west)
- Hope Halleck UMC Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the south)
- East Oak Grove Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 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.<3>
While we didn't find Ridgedale in the Atlas, the following 1895 communities would have been found near the current location of Ridgedale.
These communities are listed based on their distance from Ridgedale, with the one closest to Ridgedale listed first.
- Clinton Furnace
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the southwest)
- Clinton Furnace is located in Monongalia County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Clinton Furnace
- Uffington
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the northwest)
- Uffington is located in Monongalia County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Uffington
- Little Falls
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the west)
- Little Falls is located in Monongalia County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Little Falls
- Halleck
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the south)
- Halleck is located in Monongalia County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Halleck
- Dellslow
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the northeast)
- Dellslow is located in Monongalia County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Dellslow
- Morgantown
(5 miles [8 km] to the north)
- Gladesville
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the southeast)
- Gladesville is located in Preston County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Gladesville
- Laurel Point
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the northwest)
- Laurel Point is located in Monongalia County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Laurel Point
- Lowsville
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the west)
- Lowsville is located in Monongalia County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lowsville
- Opekiska
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the west)
- Opekiska is located in Monongalia County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Opekiska
- Catawba
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the west)
- Catawba is located in Marion County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Catawba
- Mount Harmony
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the west)
- Mount Harmony is located in Marion County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mount Harmony
- Continue List (15 more) ...
- Forksburg
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the southwest)
- Forksburg is located in Marion County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Forksburg
- Reedsville
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the east)
- Masontown
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the east)
We've also created an expanded list of communities that existed in the 1890's and were located in the area around Ridgedale. See our List of 1890's Communities around Ridgedale.
Newspapers Published in Ridgedale ...
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 66 newspapers that have been published in the area around Ridgedale.
Although we're unaware of any newspapers that were published in the immediate area of Ridgedale, there are papers which were published within 11 miles [17.7 km]<4>. A list of those papers, sorted by paper name, can be found on the Extended Newspaper List for Ridgedale.
Websites to Help With Your Genealogy Research ...
When we do our genealogical research, we like to start with the websites from Cyndi's List, FamilySearch and Genealogy Trails. These websites either 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 Ridgedale:
- Websites specific to West Virginia
- Pages specific to Monongalia County
- Genealogy information for nearby counties
- Barbour County
- Harrison County
- Marion County
- Preston County
- Taylor County
- Wetzel County
- Garrett County
- Fayette County
- Greene 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> | 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 Ridgedale, 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' distance. A straight line distance ignores obstructions like rivers, canyons, lakes, et cetera - it's truly a line drawn from Point A (ie- Ridgedale) to Point B. In other words: 'As the crow flies'. |