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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 Belgrade (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 Belgrade. 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.

Belgrade is located in Stearns 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 Stearns County: Benton, Douglas, Kandiyohi, Meeker, Morrison, Pope, Sherburne, Todd & Wright.

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

  • Stearns County     (The home county of Belgrade)
    • The following are listed by their distance from Belgrade, with the one closest to Belgrade listed first.
    • Brooten
      (6 miles [9.7 km] to the northwest)
      • Brooten is located in Stearns County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Brooten
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 750 people
    • Elrosa
      (8 miles [12.9 km] to the north)
    • Lake Henry
      (9 miles [14.5 km] to the east)
      • Lake Henry is located in Stearns County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lake Henry
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 113 people
    • Spring Hill
      (9 miles [14.5 km] to the northeast)
      • Spring Hill is located in Stearns County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Spring Hill
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 95 people
    • Greenwald
      (12 miles [19.3 km] to the northeast)
    • Meire Grove
      (13 miles [20.9 km] to the northeast)
      • Meire Grove is located in Stearns County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Meire Grove
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 200 people
    • Paynesville
      (14 miles [22.5 km] to the east)
    • Saint Martin
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the east)
    • Roscoe
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the east)
    • Melrose
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the northeast)
    • New Munich
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the northeast)
    • Sauk Centre
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the north)
    • Freeport
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the northeast)
  • Douglas County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Belgrade, with the one closest to Belgrade listed first.
    • Osakis
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the north)
    • Forada
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the northwest)
  • Kandiyohi County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Belgrade, with the one closest to Belgrade listed first.
    • Regal
      (8 miles [12.9 km] to the east)
      • Regal is located in Kandiyohi County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Regal
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 35 people
    • New London
      (10 miles [16.1 km] to the south)
    • Hawick
      (11 miles [17.7 km] to the southeast)
      • Hawick is located in Kandiyohi County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hawick
    • Sunburg
      (13 miles [20.9 km] to the southwest)
      • Sunburg is located in Kandiyohi County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sunburg
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 99 people
    • Spicer
      (15 miles [24.1 km] to the south)
      • Spicer is located in Kandiyohi County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Spicer
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 1,224 people
      • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Spicer <1>
    • Kandiyohi
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the south)
      • Kandiyohi is located in Kandiyohi County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Kandiyohi
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 477 people
    • Pennock
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the south)
      • Pennock is located in Kandiyohi County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Pennock
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 509 people
    • Willmar
      (23 miles [37 km] to the south)
    • Wilmar
      (23 miles [37 km] to the south)
      • Wilmar is located in Kandiyohi County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Wilmar
    • Atwater
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the southeast)
    • Svea
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the south)
      • Svea is located in Kandiyohi County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Svea
  • Meeker County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Belgrade, with the one closest to Belgrade listed first.
    • Eden Valley
      (23 miles [37 km] to the east)
    • Manannah
      (23 miles [37 km] to the southeast)
      • Manannah is located in Meeker County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Manannah
    • Grove City
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the southeast)
    • Watkins
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the east)
    • Forest City
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the southeast)
      • Forest City is located in Meeker County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Forest City
  • Pope County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Belgrade, with the one closest to Belgrade listed first.
    • Grove Lake
      (13 miles [20.9 km] to the northwest)
      • Grove Lake is located in Pope County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Grove Lake
    • Sedan
      (14 miles [22.5 km] to the northwest)
      • Sedan is located in Pope County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sedan
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 50 people
    • Westport
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the northwest)
      • Westport is located in Pope County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Westport
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 61 people
    • Villard
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the northwest)
    • Glenwood
      (23 miles [37 km] to the northwest)
    • Long Beach
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the northwest)
      • Long Beach is located in Pope County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Long Beach
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 417 people
    • Starbuck
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the northwest)
    • Lowry
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the northwest)
  • Swift County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Belgrade, with the one closest to Belgrade listed first.
    • Swift Falls
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the west)
      • Swift Falls is located in Swift County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Swift Falls
    • Kerkhoven
      (23 miles [37 km] to the southwest)
    • Murdock
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the southwest)
      • Murdock is located in Swift County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Murdock
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 260 people
    • De Graff
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the southwest)
      • De Graff is located in Swift County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for De Graff
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 120 people
    • Benson
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the west)
  • Todd County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Belgrade, with the one closest to Belgrade listed first.
    • West Union
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the north)
      • West Union is located in Todd County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for West Union
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 123 people
    • Grey Eagle
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the northeast)

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

Cemeteries Near Belgrade ...

Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of Belgrade.

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

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

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

  • Zion Cemetery
    (Less than 2 miles to the southwest)
  • United Methodist Cemetery
    (Less than 2 miles to the southwest)
  • St. Francis de Sales Cemetery
    (Less than 2 miles to the northeast)
  • Crow Lake Cemetery
    (3 miles [4.8 km] to the southwest)
  • Crow River Cemetery
    (3 miles [4.8 km] to the south)
  • Gausdal Cemetery
    (5 miles [8 km] to the southeast)
  • Big Grove Church Cemetery
    (6 miles [9.7 km] to the northwest)
  • Christian Reform Church Cemetery
    (6 miles [9.7 km] to the northwest)
  • Union Cemetery
    (6 miles [9.7 km] to the west)
  • St. Donatus Cemetery
    (6 miles [9.7 km] to the west)
  • Colfax Cemetery
    (7 miles [11.3 km] to the southwest)
  • Burbank Cemetery
    (7 miles [11.3 km] to the south)
  • Continue List   (175 more) ...
    • St. Anthony Cemetery
      (7 miles [11.3 km] to the southeast)
    • St. Paul's Lutheran Cemetery
      (7 miles [11.3 km] to the east)
    • Trinity Cemetery
      (7 miles [11.3 km] to the northwest)

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.<4>

The Rand McNally Atlas shows that Belgrade had a population of 396 people in 1895 with a post office and railroad service. In 2020, Belgrade had a population of 787 people.

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

  • Georgeville
    (3 miles [4.8 km] to the southeast)
    • Georgeville is located in Stearns County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Georgeville
  • Brooten
    (6 miles [9.7 km] to the northwest)
    • Brooten is located in Stearns County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Brooten
    • Population from the 2020 Census: 750 people
  • Lake Henry
    (9 miles [14.5 km] to the east)
    • Lake Henry is located in Stearns County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lake Henry
    • Population from the 2020 Census: 113 people
  • Spring Hill
    (9 miles [14.5 km] to the northeast)
    • Spring Hill is located in Stearns County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Spring Hill
    • Population from the 2020 Census: 95 people
  • New London
    (10 miles [16.1 km] to the south)
  • Sunburg
    (13 miles [20.9 km] to the southwest)
    • Sunburg is located in Kandiyohi County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sunburg
    • Population from the 2020 Census: 99 people
  • Norway Lake
    (13 miles [20.9 km] to the southwest)
    • Norway Lake is located in Kandiyohi County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Norway Lake
  • Meire Grove
    (13 miles [20.9 km] to the northeast)
    • Meire Grove is located in Stearns County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Meire Grove
    • Population from the 2020 Census: 200 people
  • Grove Lake
    (13 miles [20.9 km] to the northwest)
    • Grove Lake is located in Pope County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Grove Lake
  • Paynesville
    (14 miles [22.5 km] to the east)
  • Spicer
    (15 miles [24.1 km] to the south)
    • Spicer is located in Kandiyohi County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Spicer
    • Population from the 2020 Census: 1,224 people
    • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Spicer <1>
  • Saint Martin
    (16 miles [25.7 km] to the east)
  • Continue List   (19 more) ...
    • Terrace
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the west)
      • Terrace is located in Pope County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Terrace
    • Roscoe
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the east)
    • New Munich
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the northeast)

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

Newspapers Published in the Vicinity of Belgrade ...

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 96 newspapers that have been published in the area around Belgrade.

We have organized these newspapers into two lists:

  • A Local Newspaper List - focusing on the papers published in the immediate area of Belgrade. There are actually two parts to this list - papers printed in the immediate area of Belgrade and those printed in the larger area surrounding Belgrade.
  • An Extended Newspaper List - a longer list, sorted by paper name and containing those papers published within 30 miles [48.3 km]<2> of Belgrade.

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 Belgrade:

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>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- Belgrade) to Point B. In other words: 'As the crow flies'.
<3>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.
<4>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 Belgrade, please let us know so that we can improve our accuracy.