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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 Bergen (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 Bergen. 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 southeast 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 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 east 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.

Bergen is located in Jackson 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 Jackson County: Dickinson (IA), Emmet (IA), Osceola (IA), Cottonwood, Martin, Nobles & Watonwan.

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

  • Jackson County     (The home county of Bergen)
    • The following are listed by their distance from Bergen, with the one closest to Bergen listed first.
    • Wilder
      (10 miles [16.1 km] to the west)
      • Wilder is located in Jackson County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Wilder
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 56 people
    • Jackson
      (11 miles [17.7 km] to the south)
    • Lakefield
      (11 miles [17.7 km] to the southwest)
    • Alpha
      (12 miles [19.3 km] to the southeast)
      • Alpha is located in Jackson County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Alpha
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 119 people
    • Heron Lake
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the west)
      • Heron Lake is located in Jackson County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Heron Lake
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 643 people
    • Okabena
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the west)
      • Okabena is located in Jackson County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Okabena
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 195 people
    • Petersburg
      (18 miles [29 km] to the south)
      • Petersburg is located in Jackson County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Petersburg
    • Sioux Valley
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the southwest)
      • Sioux Valley is located in Jackson County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sioux Valley
  • Brown County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Bergen, with the one closest to Bergen listed first.
    • Comfrey
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the north)
    • Springfield
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the north)
  • Cottonwood County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Bergen, with the one closest to Bergen listed first.
    • Bingham Lake
      (8 miles [12.9 km] to the north)
    • Windom
      (8 miles [12.9 km] to the northwest)
      • Windom is located in Cottonwood County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Windom
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 4,403 people
      • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Windom <1>
    • Mountain Lake
      (10 miles [16.1 km] to the north)
    • Jeffers
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the northwest)
      • Jeffers is located in Cottonwood County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Jeffers
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 346 people
    • Storden
      (23 miles [37 km] to the northwest)
      • Storden is located in Cottonwood County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Storden
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 204 people
    • Westbrook
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the northwest)
  • Martin County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Bergen, with the one closest to Bergen listed first.
    • Trimont
      (14 miles [22.5 km] to the east)
    • Ormsby
      (15 miles [24.1 km] to the east)
      • Ormsby is located in Martin County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ormsby
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 121 people
    • Sherburn
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the southeast)
    • Dunnell
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the southeast)
      • Dunnell is located in Martin County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Dunnell
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 145 people
    • Welcome
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the southeast)
    • Ceylon
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the southeast)
    • Truman
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the east)
      • Truman is located in Martin County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Truman
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 1,028 people
    • Fairmont
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the east)
    • Northrop
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the east)
  • Murray County
    • Fulda
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the west)
  • Nobles County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Bergen, with the one closest to Bergen listed first.
    • Dundee
      (23 miles [37 km] to the west)
      • Dundee is located in Nobles County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Dundee
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 67 people
    • Brewster
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the west)
      • Brewster is located in Nobles County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Brewster
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 466 people
    • Kinbrae
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the west)
      • Kinbrae is located in Nobles County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Kinbrae
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 10 people
    • Round Lake
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the southwest)
  • Redwood County
    • Sanborn
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the north)
  • Watonwan County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Bergen, with the one closest to Bergen listed first.
    • Odin
      (13 miles [20.9 km] to the northeast)
      • Odin is located in Watonwan County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Odin
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 104 people
    • Butterfield
      (15 miles [24.1 km] to the northeast)
      • Butterfield is located in Watonwan County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Butterfield
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 582 people
    • Darfur
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the northeast)
      • Darfur is located in Watonwan County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Darfur
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 102 people
    • Saint James
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the northeast)
    • Grogan
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the northeast)
      • Grogan is located in Watonwan County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Grogan
    • Godahl
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the northeast)
      • Godahl is located in Watonwan County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Godahl
    • La Salle
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the northeast)
      • La Salle is located in Watonwan County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for La Salle
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 86 people
    • Lewisville
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the east)
      • Lewisville is located in Watonwan County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lewisville
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 244 people
  • Dickinson County (IA)
    • The following are listed by their distance from Bergen, with the one closest to Bergen listed first.
    • Orleans
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the south)
      • Orleans is located in Dickinson County (IA)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Orleans
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 591 people
    • Superior
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the south)
      • Superior is located in Dickinson County (IA)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Superior
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 124 people
      • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Superior <1>
    • Spirit Lake
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the south)
    • Okoboji
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the south)
      • Okoboji is located in Dickinson County (IA)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Okoboji
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 803 people
      • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Okoboji <1>
    • Lake Park
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the southwest)
      • Lake Park is located in Dickinson County (IA)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lake Park
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 1,132 people
      • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Lake Park <1>
    • Arnolds Park
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the south)
    • Wahpeton
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the south)
      • Wahpeton is located in Dickinson County (IA)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Wahpeton
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 353 people
  • Emmet County (IA)
    • The following are listed by their distance from Bergen, with the one closest to Bergen listed first.
    • Estherville
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the south)
    • Dolliver
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the southeast)

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

Cemeteries Near Bergen ...

Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of Bergen.

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

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

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

  • Bethany Cemetery
    (Less than 2 miles to the south)
  • Hauges Cemetery
    (2 miles [3.2 km] to the south)
  • Christiana Norwegian Cemetery
    (2 miles [3.2 km] to the west)
  • East Belmont Cemetery
    (5 miles [8 km] to the south)
  • West Belmont Cemetery
    (6 miles [9.7 km] to the southwest)
  • Schultz Cemetery
    (7 miles [11.3 km] to the northeast)
  • Lakeview Cemetery
    (7 miles [11.3 km] to the northwest)
  • St. Francis Xavier Cemetery
    (7 miles [11.3 km] to the northwest)
  • Delafield Cemetery
    (7 miles [11.3 km] to the west)
  • Cedar Lutheran Cemetery
    (9 miles [14.5 km] to the east)
  • St. Peter Cemetery
    (10 miles [16.1 km] to the west)
  • Brill Cemetery
    (10 miles [16.1 km] to the west)
  • Continue List   (121 more) ...
    • Heron Lake Cemetery
      (10 miles [16.1 km] to the west)
    • Cedar Hill Cemetery
      (10 miles [16.1 km] to the east)
    • Resthaven Memory Gardens
      (10 miles [16.1 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.<3>

While we didn't find Bergen in the Atlas, the following 1895 communities would have been found near the current location of Bergen.

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

  • Bingham Lake
    (8 miles [12.9 km] to the north)
  • Windom
    (8 miles [12.9 km] to the northwest)
    • Windom is located in Cottonwood County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Windom
    • Population from the 2020 Census: 4,403 people
    • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Windom <1>
  • Mountain Lake
    (10 miles [16.1 km] to the north)
  • Wilder
    (10 miles [16.1 km] to the west)
    • Wilder is located in Jackson County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Wilder
    • Population from the 2020 Census: 56 people
  • Lakefield
    (11 miles [17.7 km] to the southwest)
  • Jackson
    (11 miles [17.7 km] to the south)
  • Odin
    (13 miles [20.9 km] to the northeast)
    • Odin is located in Watonwan County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Odin
    • Population from the 2020 Census: 104 people
  • Butterfield
    (15 miles [24.1 km] to the northeast)
    • Butterfield is located in Watonwan County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Butterfield
    • Population from the 2020 Census: 582 people
  • Okabena
    (16 miles [25.7 km] to the west)
    • Okabena is located in Jackson County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Okabena
    • Population from the 2020 Census: 195 people
  • Sherburn
    (16 miles [25.7 km] to the southeast)
  • Heron Lake
    (16 miles [25.7 km] to the west)
    • Heron Lake is located in Jackson County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Heron Lake
    • Population from the 2020 Census: 643 people
  • Petersburg
    (18 miles [29 km] to the south)
    • Petersburg is located in Jackson County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Petersburg
  • Continue List   (13 more) ...
    • Dunnell
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the southeast)
      • Dunnell is located in Martin County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Dunnell
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 145 people
    • Welcome
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the southeast)
    • Sioux Valley
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the southwest)
      • Sioux Valley is located in Jackson County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sioux Valley

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

Newspapers Published in Bergen ...

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 104 newspapers that have been published in the area around Bergen.

Although we're unaware of any newspapers that were published in the immediate area of Bergen, there are papers which were published within 30 miles [48.3 km]<4>. A list of those papers, sorted by paper name, can be found on the Extended Newspaper List for Bergen.

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 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 Bergen:

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 Bergen, please let us know so that we can improve our accuracy.
<4>Our distances are not driving distances, but are calculated as a 'point-to-point' distance. A straight line distance ignores things like rivers, canyons, lakes, et cetera - it's truly a line from Point A (ie- Bergen) to Point B. In other words: 'As the crow flies'.