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 Big Lake Estates (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 Big Lake Estates. 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.
Name Variations for Big Lake Estates ...
When searching records, keep in mind that names and their spelling can change over time. Our sources include documents like maps, railroad schedules, Travel, Express and Shipping Guides. Many of these documents date from the 1800's and it's common to find spelling differences.
Although we can't give a definitive list, hopefully the following will give you a feel for the variations that might occur.
For example, a typical abbreviation for Big Lake Estates: Big Lake Ests.
If you have information about these names (such as the reason for the change, date of change, the origin of the name), please Contact Us.
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 doctors and 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.
Big Lake Estates is located in Sherburne 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 Sherburne County: Anoka, Benton, Isanti, Mille Lacs, Stearns & Wright.
Below are the counties that are near Big Lake Estates. For each of these counties, we show a sample of those communities that are closest to Big Lake Estates:
- Sherburne County (The home county of Big Lake Estates)
- The following are listed by their distance from Big Lake Estates, with the one closest to Big Lake Estates listed first.
- Big Lake
(Less than 2 miles to the north)
- Salida
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the northwest)
- Salida is located in Sherburne County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Salida
- Becker
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the northwest)
- Elk River
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the east)
- Orrock
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the north)
- Orrock is located in Sherburne County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Orrock
- Zimmerman
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the northeast)
- Zimmerman is located in Sherburne County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Zimmerman
- Population from the 2020 Census: 6,135 people
- Zimmerman has also been known as:
- Lake Fremont
- Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Zimmerman <1>
- Clear Lake
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the northwest)
- Santiago
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the north)
- Santiago is located in Sherburne County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Santiago
- Cable
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the northwest)
- Cable is located in Sherburne County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cable
- Anoka County
- The following are listed by their distance from Big Lake Estates, with the one closest to Big Lake Estates listed first.
- Nowthen
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the east)
- Nowthen is located in Anoka County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Nowthen
- Population from the 2020 Census: 4,732 people
- Ramsey
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the east)
- Saint Francis
(18 miles [29 km] to the east)
- Anoka
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the southeast)
- Andover
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the east)
- Oak Grove
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the east)
- Cedar
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the east)
- Bethel
(23 miles [37 km] to the east)
- Coon Rapids
(23 miles [37 km] to the southeast)
- Coon Creek
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the southeast)
- Coon Creek is located in Anoka County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Coon Creek
- Coopers Corner
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the east)
- Coopers Corner is located in Anoka County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Coopers Corner
- East Bethel
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the east)
- Ham Lake
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the east)
- Benton County
- The following are listed by their distance from Big Lake Estates, with the one closest to Big Lake Estates listed first.
- Duelm
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the northwest)
- Duelm is located in Benton County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Duelm
- Foley
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the north)
- Oak Park
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the north)
- Oak Park is located in Benton County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Oak Park
- Ronneby
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the north)
- Ronneby is located in Benton County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ronneby
- Sauk Rapids
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the northwest)
- Gilman
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the north)
- Evergreen Village
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the northwest)
- Evergreen Village is located in Benton County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Evergreen Village
- Carver County
- The following are listed by their distance from Big Lake Estates, with the one closest to Big Lake Estates listed first.
- Watertown
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the south)
- Hazelton
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the south)
- Hazelton is located in Carver County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hazelton
- Hennepin County
- The following are listed by their distance from Big Lake Estates, with the one closest to Big Lake Estates listed first.
- Rogers
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the southeast)
- Greenfield
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the south)
- Greenfield is located in Hennepin County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Greenfield
- Population from the 2020 Census: 3,058 people
- Dayton
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the southeast)
- Corcoran
(18 miles [29 km] to the southeast)
- Loretto
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the south)
- Champlin
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the southeast)
- Maple Grove
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the southeast)
- Independence
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the south)
- Independence is located in Hennepin County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Independence
- Population from the 2020 Census: 3,786 people
- Medina
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the south)
- Maple Plain
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the south)
- Hamel
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the southeast)
- Osseo
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the southeast)
- Brooklyn Park
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the southeast)
- Isanti County
- The following are listed by their distance from Big Lake Estates, with the one closest to Big Lake Estates listed first.
- Crown
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the northeast)
- Crown is located in Isanti County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Crown
- Bradford
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the northeast)
- Bradford is located in Isanti County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bradford
- Isanti
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the northeast)
- Dalbo
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the northeast)
- Cambridge
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the northeast)
- McLeod County
- Winsted
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the southwest)
- Meeker County
- Kingston
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the west)
- Kingston is located in Meeker County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Kingston
- Population from the 2020 Census: 162 people
- Mille Lacs County
- The following are listed by their distance from Big Lake Estates, with the one closest to Big Lake Estates listed first.
- Princeton
(18 miles [29 km] to the northeast)
- Estes Brook
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the north)
- Estes Brook is located in Mille Lacs County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Estes Brook
- Pease
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the north)
- Pease is located in Mille Lacs County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Pease
- Population from the 2020 Census: 224 people
- Foreston
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the north)
- Foreston is located in Mille Lacs County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Foreston
- Population from the 2020 Census: 527 people
- Milaca
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the north)
- Ramsey County
- Mounds View
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the southeast)
- Stearns County
- The following are listed by their distance from Big Lake Estates, with the one closest to Big Lake Estates listed first.
- Fairhaven
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the west)
- Fairhaven is located in Stearns County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Fairhaven
- Saint Augusta
(23 miles [37 km] to the west)
- Saint Augusta is located in Stearns County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Saint Augusta
- Population from the 2020 Census: 3,900 people
- Saint Cloud
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the northwest)
- Kimball Prairie
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the west)
- Kimball Prairie is located in Stearns County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Kimball Prairie
- Kimball
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the west)
- Pleasant Lake
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the northwest)
- Pleasant Lake is located in Stearns County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Pleasant Lake
- Waite Park
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the northwest)
- Rockville
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the west)
- Evergreen Village
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the northwest)
- Evergreen Village is located in Stearns County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Evergreen Village
- Sartell
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the northwest)
- Wright County
- The following are listed by their distance from Big Lake Estates, with the one closest to Big Lake Estates listed first.
- Monticello
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the southwest)
- Albertville
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the southeast)
- Otsego
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the southeast)
- Saint Michael
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the south)
- Hasty
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the west)
- Hasty is located in Wright County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hasty
- Silver Creek
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the west)
- Silver Creek is located in Wright County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Silver Creek
- Hanover
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the south)
- Buffalo
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the southwest)
- Maple Lake
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the southwest)
- Clearwater
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the west)
- Rockford
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the south)
- Rassat
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the southwest)
- Rassat is located in Wright County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rassat
- Annandale
(18 miles [29 km] to the west)
For an expanded list of the communities that are closest to Big Lake Estates, see our County-by-County Page for Big Lake Estates.
Cemeteries Near Big Lake Estates ...
Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of Big Lake Estates.
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 Big Lake Estates - one of the links might be able to help.
If not found below, our Cemetery List for Big Lake Estates covers a larger area, with the cemeteries listed in alphabetical order.
The following cemeteries are listed based on their distance from Big Lake Estates, with the one closest to Big Lake Estates listed first.
- Big Lake Cemetery
(Less than 2 miles to the north)
- Riverside Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the west)
- St. Henrys Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the southwest)
- Hillside Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the southwest)
- Helm Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the south)
- Bailey Station Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the east)
- Greenwood Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the northeast)
- Svea Hill Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the northeast)
- St. Albert Cemetery
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the southeast)
- Ostego Cemetery
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the east)
- Orono Cemetery
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the east)
- Meadowville Cemetery
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the northeast)
- Continue List (263 more) ...
- Becker Cemetery
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the northwest)
- Pelican Lake Cemetery
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the south)
- Snake River Cemetery
(8 miles [12.9 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 Big Lake Estates in the Atlas, the following 1895 communities would have been found near the current location of Big Lake Estates.
These communities are listed based on their distance from Big Lake Estates, with the one closest to Big Lake Estates listed first.
- Big Lake
(Less than 2 miles to the north)
- Monticello
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the southwest)
- Bailey
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the east)
- Bailey is located in Sherburne County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bailey
- Salida
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the northwest)
- Salida is located in Sherburne County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Salida
- Otsego
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the southeast)
- Becker
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the northwest)
- Elk River
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the east)
- Orrock
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the north)
- Orrock is located in Sherburne County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Orrock
- Zimmerman
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the northeast)
- Zimmerman is located in Sherburne County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Zimmerman
- Population from the 2020 Census: 6,135 people
- Zimmerman has also been known as:
- Lake Fremont
- Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Zimmerman <1>
- Hasty
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the west)
- Hasty is located in Wright County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hasty
- Silver Creek
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the west)
- Silver Creek is located in Wright County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Silver Creek
- Buffalo
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the southwest)
- Continue List (14 more) ...
- Hanover
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the south)
- Rogers
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the southeast)
- Maple Lake
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the southwest)
We've also created an expanded list of communities that existed in the 1890's and were located in the area around Big Lake Estates. See our List of 1890's Communities around Big Lake Estates.
Newspapers Published in Big Lake Estates ...
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 73 newspapers that have been published in the area around Big Lake Estates.
Although we're unaware of any newspapers that were published in the immediate area of Big Lake Estates, there are papers which were published within 28 miles [45.1 km]<4>. A list of those papers, sorted by paper name, can be found on the Extended Newspaper List for Big Lake Estates.
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 Big Lake Estates:
- Websites specific to Minnesota
- Pages specific to Sherburne County
- Genealogy information for nearby counties
- Anoka County
- Benton County
- Carver County
- Hennepin County
- Isanti County
- McLeod County
- Meeker County
- Mille Lacs County
- Ramsey County
- Stearns County
- Wright County
- Cemetery Information and Directories for Minnesota
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 Big Lake Estates, 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- Big Lake Estates) to Point B. In other words: 'As the crow flies'. |