RoadsideThoughts
A Gazetteer for the United States and Canada
Home >> State of Minnesota >> Nicollet County >> Avalon >> Genealogy HelperIndex...

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 Avalon (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 Avalon. 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 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.

Avalon is located in Nicollet County.

To see how the shape of Minnesota's counties may have changed over time, we recommend the Atlas of Historical County Boundaries.

The following counties adjoin and form the boundaries of Nicollet County: Blue Earth, Brown, Le Sueur, Renville & Sibley.

Below are the counties that are near Avalon. For each of these counties, we show a sample of those communities that are closest to Avalon:

  • Nicollet County     (The home county of Avalon)
    • The following are listed by their distance from Avalon, with the one closest to Avalon listed first.
    • North Mankato
      (Less than 2 miles to the southeast)
    • Oshawa
      (8 miles [12.9 km] to the north)
      • Oshawa is located in Nicollet County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Oshawa
    • Nicollet
      (8 miles [12.9 km] to the northwest)
    • Saint Peter
      (10 miles [16.1 km] to the northeast)
    • Courtland
      (15 miles [24.1 km] to the west)
    • New Sweden
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the northwest)
      • New Sweden is located in Nicollet County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for New Sweden
    • Lafayette
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the northwest)
  • Blue Earth County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Avalon, with the one closest to Avalon listed first.
    • Mankato
      (3 miles [4.8 km] to the east)
      • Mankato is located in Blue Earth County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mankato
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 43,435 people
      • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Mankato <1>
    • Skyline
      (3 miles [4.8 km] to the south)
      • Skyline is located in Blue Earth County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Skyline
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 299 people
    • Rapidan
      (6 miles [9.7 km] to the south)
      • Rapidan is located in Blue Earth County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rapidan
    • Judson
      (7 miles [11.3 km] to the west)
      • Judson is located in Blue Earth County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Judson
    • Eagle Lake
      (8 miles [12.9 km] to the east)
    • Lake Crystal
      (10 miles [16.1 km] to the southwest)
    • Madison Lake
      (11 miles [17.7 km] to the east)
    • Garden City
      (11 miles [17.7 km] to the southwest)
      • Garden City is located in Blue Earth County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Garden City
    • Good Thunder
      (12 miles [19.3 km] to the south)
    • Saint Clair
      (12 miles [19.3 km] to the southeast)
    • Beauford
      (13 miles [20.9 km] to the south)
      • Beauford is located in Blue Earth County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Beauford
    • Smiths Mill
      (14 miles [22.5 km] to the east)
      • Smiths Mill is located in Blue Earth County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Smiths Mill
    • Vernon Center
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the south)
      • Vernon Center is located in Blue Earth County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Vernon Center
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 313 people
  • Brown County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Avalon, with the one closest to Avalon listed first.
    • Searles
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the west)
      • Searles is located in Brown County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Searles
    • New Ulm
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the northwest)
    • Hanska
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the west)
    • Essig
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the west)
  • Faribault County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Avalon, with the one closest to Avalon listed first.
    • Minnesota Lake
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the southeast)
    • Delavan
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the south)
      • Delavan is located in Faribault County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Delavan
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 166 people
    • Winnebago
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the south)
    • Easton
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the south)
      • Easton is located in Faribault County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Easton
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 183 people
  • Le Sueur County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Avalon, with the one closest to Avalon listed first.
    • Kasota
      (8 miles [12.9 km] to the northeast)
    • Marysburg
      (12 miles [19.3 km] to the east)
      • Marysburg is located in Le Sueur County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Marysburg
    • Ottawa
      (14 miles [22.5 km] to the north)
      • Ottawa is located in Le Sueur County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ottawa
    • Cleveland
      (14 miles [22.5 km] to the northeast)
    • Greenland
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the east)
      • Greenland is located in Le Sueur County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Greenland
    • Le Sueur
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the north)
    • Le Center
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the northeast)
    • Cordova
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the northeast)
      • Cordova is located in Le Sueur County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cordova
    • Waterville
      (23 miles [37 km] to the east)
    • Lexington
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the northeast)
      • Lexington is located in Le Sueur County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lexington
    • Kilkenny
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the east)
    • Saint Thomas
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the northeast)
      • Saint Thomas is located in Le Sueur County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Saint Thomas
    • Montgomery
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the northeast)
  • Rice County
    • Morristown
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the east)
  • Sibley County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Avalon, with the one closest to Avalon listed first.
    • Henderson
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the north)
    • Gaylord
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the north)
    • Arlington
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the north)
    • Winthrop
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the northwest)
  • Waseca County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Avalon, with the one closest to Avalon listed first.
    • Janesville
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the east)
    • Elysian
      (18 miles [29 km] to the east)
    • Alma City
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the southeast)
      • Alma City is located in Waseca County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Alma City
    • Waldorf
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the southeast)
      • Waldorf is located in Waseca County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Waldorf
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 224 people
    • Palmer
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the east)
      • Palmer is located in Waseca County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Palmer
    • Waseca
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the east)
    • Wilton
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the southeast)
      • Wilton is located in Waseca County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Wilton
  • Watonwan County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Avalon, with the one closest to Avalon listed first.
    • Madelia
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the southwest)
    • Grogan
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the southwest)
      • Grogan is located in Watonwan County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Grogan
    • Lewisville
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the southwest)
      • Lewisville is located in Watonwan County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lewisville
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 244 people
    • La Salle
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the west)
      • La Salle is located in Watonwan County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for La Salle
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 86 people
    • Godahl
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the west)
      • Godahl is located in Watonwan County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Godahl

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

Cemeteries Near Avalon ...

Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of Avalon.

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 Avalon - one of the links might be able to help.

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

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

  • Belgrade Swedish Cemetery
    (Less than 2 miles to the north)
  • Sibley Mound Cemetery
    (2 miles [3.2 km] to the southeast)
  • Belgrade Cemetery
    (2 miles [3.2 km] to the north)
  • Kern's Cemetery
    (2 miles [3.2 km] to the west)
  • Minneopa Cemetery
    (3 miles [4.8 km] to the southwest)
  • Woodland Hills Memorial Park
    (3 miles [4.8 km] to the south)
  • Grand View Memorial Cemetery
    (3 miles [4.8 km] to the south)
  • Bunker Hill Cemetery
    (3 miles [4.8 km] to the southeast)
  • Mankato Cemetery
    (3 miles [4.8 km] to the southeast)
  • Calvary Cemetery
    (3 miles [4.8 km] to the east)
  • Old Masonic Cemetery
    (3 miles [4.8 km] to the east)
  • Good Counsel Cemetery
    (3 miles [4.8 km] to the east)
  • Continue List   (255 more) ...
    • Pilgrims Rest Cemetery
      (3 miles [4.8 km] to the northeast)
    • Glenwood Cemetery
      (4 miles [6.4 km] to the southeast)
    • Holberg Cemetery
      (5 miles [8 km] to the south)

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 Avalon in the Atlas, the following 1895 communities would have been found near the current location of Avalon.

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

  • Mankato
    (3 miles [4.8 km] to the east)
    • Mankato is located in Blue Earth County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mankato
    • Population from the 2020 Census: 43,435 people
    • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Mankato <1>
  • Rapidan
    (6 miles [9.7 km] to the south)
    • Rapidan is located in Blue Earth County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rapidan
  • Judson
    (7 miles [11.3 km] to the west)
    • Judson is located in Blue Earth County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Judson
  • Oshawa
    (8 miles [12.9 km] to the north)
    • Oshawa is located in Nicollet County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Oshawa
  • Eagle Lake
    (8 miles [12.9 km] to the east)
  • Kasota
    (8 miles [12.9 km] to the northeast)
  • Nicollet
    (8 miles [12.9 km] to the northwest)
  • Lake Crystal
    (10 miles [16.1 km] to the southwest)
  • Saint Peter
    (10 miles [16.1 km] to the northeast)
  • Garden City
    (11 miles [17.7 km] to the southwest)
    • Garden City is located in Blue Earth County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Garden City
  • Madison Lake
    (11 miles [17.7 km] to the east)
  • Good Thunder
    (12 miles [19.3 km] to the south)
  • Continue List   (15 more) ...
    • Saint Clair
      (12 miles [19.3 km] to the southeast)
    • Marysburg
      (12 miles [19.3 km] to the east)
      • Marysburg is located in Le Sueur County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Marysburg
    • Beauford
      (13 miles [20.9 km] to the south)
      • Beauford is located in Blue Earth County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Beauford

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

Newspapers Published in Avalon ...

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 192 newspapers that have been published in the area around Avalon.

Although we're unaware of any newspapers that were published in the immediate area of Avalon, there are papers which were published within 30 miles [48.3 km]<3>. A list of those papers, sorted by paper name, can be found on the Extended Newspaper List for Avalon.

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 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 Avalon:

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 Avalon, 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' distance. A straight line distance ignores things like rivers, canyons, lakes, et cetera - it's truly a line from Point A (ie- Avalon) to Point B. In other words: 'As the crow flies'.