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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 Blakeley (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 Blakeley. 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 southwest corner of their home county. During their lives, most hospitals and doctors were in the next county to the west. 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 west 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.

Blakeley is located in Scott 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 Scott County: Carver, Dakota, Hennepin, Le Sueur, Rice & Sibley.

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

  • Scott County     (The home county of Blakeley)
    • The following are listed by their distance from Blakeley, with the one closest to Blakeley listed first.
    • Belle Plaine
      (4 miles [6.4 km] to the east)
    • Union Hill
      (10 miles [16.1 km] to the southeast)
      • Union Hill is located in Scott County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Union Hill
    • Jordan
      (11 miles [17.7 km] to the east)
    • New Prague
      (14 miles [22.5 km] to the east)
    • Saint Patrick
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the east)
      • Saint Patrick is located in Scott County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Saint Patrick
    • Marystown
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the northeast)
      • Marystown is located in Scott County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Marystown
    • Cedar Lake
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the east)
      • Cedar Lake is located in Scott County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cedar Lake
    • Shakopee
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the northeast)
    • Prior Lake
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the east)
    • Credit River
      (23 miles [37 km] to the east)
      • Credit River is located in Scott County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Credit River
    • New Market
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the east)
    • Elko New Market
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the east)
      • Elko New Market is located in Scott County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Elko New Market
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 4,733 people
    • Elko
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the east)
  • Blue Earth County
    • Madison Lake
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the south)
  • Carver County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Blakeley, with the one closest to Blakeley listed first.
    • Assumption
      (5 miles [8 km] to the north)
      • Assumption is located in Carver County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Assumption
    • Gotha
      (7 miles [11.3 km] to the northeast)
      • Gotha is located in Carver County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Gotha
    • Hamburg
      (10 miles [16.1 km] to the northwest)
      • Hamburg is located in Carver County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hamburg
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 526 people
    • Cologne
      (11 miles [17.7 km] to the north)
    • Norwood
      (11 miles [17.7 km] to the north)
    • Norwood Young America
      (11 miles [17.7 km] to the north)
      • Norwood Young America is located in Carver County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Norwood Young America
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 3,794 people
    • Young America
      (12 miles [19.3 km] to the north)
    • Hydes Lake
      (14 miles [22.5 km] to the north)
      • Hydes Lake is located in Carver County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hydes Lake
    • Dahlgren
      (14 miles [22.5 km] to the northeast)
      • Dahlgren is located in Carver County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Dahlgren
    • Carver
      (15 miles [24.1 km] to the northeast)
    • Waconia
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the north)
    • Chaska
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the northeast)
    • Hazeltine
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the northeast)
      • Hazeltine is located in Carver County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hazeltine
  • Dakota County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Blakeley, with the one closest to Blakeley listed first.
    • Burnsville
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the east)
    • Lakeville
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the east)
  • Hennepin County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Blakeley, with the one closest to Blakeley listed first.
    • Saint Bonifacius
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the north)
    • Minnetrista
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the north)
    • Mound
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the north)
      • Mound is located in Hennepin County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mound
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 9,404 people
      • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Mound <1>
    • Excelsior
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the northeast)
    • Spring Park
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the northeast)
    • Tonka Bay
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the northeast)
      • Tonka Bay is located in Hennepin County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Tonka Bay
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 1,551 people
    • Eden Prairie
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the northeast)
    • Greenwood
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the northeast)
      • Greenwood is located in Hennepin County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Greenwood
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 937 people
    • Shorewood
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the northeast)
    • Minnetonka Beach
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the northeast)
      • Minnetonka Beach is located in Hennepin County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Minnetonka Beach
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 584 people
    • Crystal Bay
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the northeast)
      • Crystal Bay is located in Hennepin County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Crystal Bay
    • Deephaven
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the northeast)
    • Orono
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the northeast)
      • Orono is located in Hennepin County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Orono
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 8,348 people
  • Le Sueur County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Blakeley, with the one closest to Blakeley listed first.
    • Saint Thomas
      (9 miles [14.5 km] to the southeast)
      • Saint Thomas is located in Le Sueur County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Saint Thomas
    • Le Sueur
      (10 miles [16.1 km] to the south)
    • Heidelberg
      (13 miles [20.9 km] to the southeast)
      • Heidelberg is located in Le Sueur County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Heidelberg
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 122 people
    • Lexington
      (13 miles [20.9 km] to the southeast)
      • Lexington is located in Le Sueur County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lexington
    • Le Center
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the south)
    • Ottawa
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the south)
      • Ottawa is located in Le Sueur County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ottawa
    • Montgomery
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the southeast)
    • Cleveland
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the south)
    • Cordova
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the southeast)
      • Cordova is located in Le Sueur County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cordova
    • Kasota
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the south)
    • Kilkenny
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the southeast)
    • Marysburg
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the south)
      • Marysburg is located in Le Sueur County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Marysburg
    • Greenland
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the south)
      • Greenland is located in Le Sueur County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Greenland
  • McLeod County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Blakeley, with the one closest to Blakeley listed first.
    • Plato
      (14 miles [22.5 km] to the northwest)
    • Glencoe
      (18 miles [29 km] to the northwest)
    • Lester Prairie
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the northwest)
    • Sumter
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the northwest)
      • Sumter is located in McLeod County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sumter
    • Winsted
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the north)
    • Biscay
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the northwest)
      • Biscay is located in McLeod County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Biscay
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 109 people
    • Brownton
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the west)
    • Silver Lake
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the northwest)
    • Fernando
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the west)
      • Fernando is located in McLeod County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Fernando
  • Nicollet County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Blakeley, with the one closest to Blakeley listed first.
    • Saint Peter
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the south)
    • New Sweden
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the southwest)
      • New Sweden is located in Nicollet County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for New Sweden
    • Oshawa
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the southwest)
      • Oshawa is located in Nicollet County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Oshawa
    • Lafayette
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the southwest)
    • Nicollet
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the southwest)
  • Rice County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Blakeley, with the one closest to Blakeley listed first.
    • Wheatland
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the southeast)
      • Wheatland is located in Rice County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Wheatland
    • Lonsdale
      (23 miles [37 km] to the southeast)
    • Trondjem
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the east)
      • Trondjem is located in Rice County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Trondjem
    • Webster
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the east)
    • Millersburg
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the southeast)
      • Millersburg is located in Rice County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Millersburg
  • Sibley County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Blakeley, with the one closest to Blakeley listed first.
    • Henderson
      (6 miles [9.7 km] to the southwest)
    • Green Isle
      (8 miles [12.9 km] to the northwest)
    • Arlington
      (11 miles [17.7 km] to the west)
    • Gaylord
      (18 miles [29 km] to the west)
    • New Auburn
      (18 miles [29 km] to the west)
    • Winthrop
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the west)
  • Waseca County
    • Elysian
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the south)
  • Wright County
    • Delano
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the north)

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

Cemeteries Near Blakeley ...

Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of Blakeley.

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

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

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

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

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

  • Assumption
    (5 miles [8 km] to the north)
    • Assumption is located in Carver County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Assumption
  • Henderson
    (6 miles [9.7 km] to the southwest)
  • Gotha
    (7 miles [11.3 km] to the northeast)
    • Gotha is located in Carver County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Gotha
  • Green Isle
    (8 miles [12.9 km] to the northwest)
  • Saint Thomas
    (9 miles [14.5 km] to the southeast)
    • Saint Thomas is located in Le Sueur County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Saint Thomas
  • Le Sueur
    (10 miles [16.1 km] to the south)
  • Union Hill
    (10 miles [16.1 km] to the southeast)
    • Union Hill is located in Scott County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Union Hill
  • Hamburg
    (10 miles [16.1 km] to the northwest)
    • Hamburg is located in Carver County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hamburg
    • Population from the 2020 Census: 526 people
  • Norwood
    (11 miles [17.7 km] to the north)
  • Jordan
    (11 miles [17.7 km] to the east)
  • East Union
    (11 miles [17.7 km] to the northeast)
    • East Union is located in Carver County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for East Union
  • Cologne
    (11 miles [17.7 km] to the north)
  • Continue List   (13 more) ...
    • Arlington
      (11 miles [17.7 km] to the west)
    • New Rome
      (12 miles [19.3 km] to the west)
      • New Rome is located in Sibley County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for New Rome
    • Young America
      (12 miles [19.3 km] to the north)

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

Newspapers Published in Blakeley ...

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 140 newspapers that have been published in the area around Blakeley.

Although we're unaware of any newspapers that were published in the immediate area of Blakeley, 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 Blakeley.

Websites to Help With Your Genealogy Research ...

When we do our genealogical research, we begin with the websites from Cyndi's List, FamilySearch and Genealogy Trails. These helpful 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 Blakeley:

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 Blakeley, 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 obstructions like rivers, canyons, lakes, et cetera - it's truly a line drawn from Point A (ie- Blakeley) to Point B. In other words: 'As the crow flies'.