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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 Brooten (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 Brooten. 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 doctors and hospitals 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.

Brooten is primarily located in Stearns County. A portion of Brooten extends into Pope 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 Brooten. For each of these counties, we show a sample of those communities that are closest to Brooten:

  • Stearns County     (The home county of Brooten)
    • The following are listed by their distance from Brooten, with the one closest to Brooten listed first.
    • Belgrade
      (6 miles [9.7 km] to the southeast)
      • Belgrade is located in Stearns County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Belgrade
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 787 people
    • Elrosa
      (9 miles [14.5 km] to the northeast)
    • Spring Hill
      (13 miles [20.9 km] to the east)
      • Spring Hill is located in Stearns County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Spring Hill
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 95 people
    • Greenwald
      (14 miles [22.5 km] to the northeast)
    • Meire Grove
      (14 miles [22.5 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
    • Lake Henry
      (15 miles [24.1 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
    • Sauk Centre
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the northeast)
    • Melrose
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the northeast)
    • New Munich
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the northeast)
    • Paynesville
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the southeast)
    • Saint Martin
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the east)
    • Roscoe
      (23 miles [37 km] to the east)
    • Freeport
      (23 miles [37 km] to the northeast)
  • Douglas County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Brooten, with the one closest to Brooten listed first.
    • Forada
      (23 miles [37 km] to the northwest)
    • Osakis
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the north)
    • Nelson
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the north)
      • Nelson is located in Douglas County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Nelson
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 192 people
    • Alexandria
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the northwest)
    • Holmes City
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the northwest)
      • Holmes City is located in Douglas County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Holmes City
  • Kandiyohi County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Brooten, with the one closest to Brooten listed first.
    • Sunburg
      (12 miles [19.3 km] to the southwest)
      • Sunburg is located in Kandiyohi County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sunburg
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 99 people
    • Regal
      (14 miles [22.5 km] to the southeast)
      • Regal is located in Kandiyohi County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Regal
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 35 people
    • New London
      (15 miles [24.1 km] to the southeast)
    • Hawick
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the southeast)
      • Hawick is located in Kandiyohi County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hawick
    • Spicer
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the southeast)
      • 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>
    • Pennock
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the south)
      • Pennock is located in Kandiyohi County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Pennock
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 509 people
    • Kandiyohi
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the south)
      • Kandiyohi is located in Kandiyohi County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Kandiyohi
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 477 people
    • Wilmar
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the south)
      • Wilmar is located in Kandiyohi County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Wilmar
    • Willmar
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the south)
    • Atwater
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the southeast)
  • Meeker County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Brooten, with the one closest to Brooten listed first.
    • Manannah
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the southeast)
      • Manannah is located in Meeker County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Manannah
    • Eden Valley
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the southeast)
  • Pope County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Brooten, with the one closest to Brooten listed first.
    • Grove Lake
      (8 miles [12.9 km] to the north)
      • Grove Lake is located in Pope County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Grove Lake
    • Sedan
      (8 miles [12.9 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
      (15 miles [24.1 km] to the north)
      • Westport is located in Pope County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Westport
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 61 people
    • Glenwood
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the northwest)
    • Villard
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the northwest)
    • Long Beach
      (18 miles [29 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
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the west)
    • Lowry
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the northwest)
    • New Prairie ‑ Historic
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the west)
      • New Prairie is located in Pope County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for New Prairie
    • Farwell
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the northwest)
      • Farwell is located in Pope County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Farwell
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 52 people
  • Swift County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Brooten, with the one closest to Brooten listed first.
    • Swift Falls
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the southwest)
      • Swift Falls is located in Swift County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Swift Falls
    • De Graff
      (23 miles [37 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
    • Kerkhoven
      (23 miles [37 km] to the southwest)
    • Murdock
      (23 miles [37 km] to the southwest)
      • Murdock is located in Swift County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Murdock
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 260 people
    • Benson
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the southwest)
    • Clontarf
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the west)
  • Todd County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Brooten, with the one closest to Brooten listed first.
    • West Union
      (20 miles [32.2 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 Brooten, see our County-by-County Page for Brooten.

Cemeteries Near Brooten ...

Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of Brooten.

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

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

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

  • Christian Reform Church Cemetery
    (Less than 2 miles to the southwest)
  • Trinity Cemetery
    (Less than 2 miles to the west)
  • Union Cemetery
    (Less than 2 miles to the south)
  • St. Donatus Cemetery
    (Less than 2 miles to the south)
  • Lake Johanna Cemetery
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the southwest)
  • Big Grove Church Cemetery
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the northeast)
  • Crow Lake Cemetery
    (5 miles [8 km] to the southeast)
  • South Lake Johanna Cemetery
    (6 miles [9.7 km] to the southwest)
  • United Methodist Cemetery
    (6 miles [9.7 km] to the southeast)
  • Zion Cemetery
    (6 miles [9.7 km] to the southeast)
  • St. Francis de Sales Cemetery
    (6 miles [9.7 km] to the southeast)
  • West Lake Johanna Cemetery
    (7 miles [11.3 km] to the southwest)
  • Continue List   (183 more) ...

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>

The Rand McNally Atlas shows that in 1895, Brooten had a post office and railroad service. In 2020, Brooten had a population of 750 people.

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

  • Belgrade
    (6 miles [9.7 km] to the southeast)
    • Belgrade is located in Stearns County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Belgrade
    • Population from the 2020 Census: 787 people
  • Grove Lake
    (8 miles [12.9 km] to the north)
    • Grove Lake is located in Pope County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Grove Lake
  • Terrace
    (9 miles [14.5 km] to the west)
    • Terrace is located in Pope County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Terrace
  • Georgeville
    (10 miles [16.1 km] to the southeast)
    • Georgeville is located in Stearns County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Georgeville
  • Sunburg
    (12 miles [19.3 km] to the southwest)
    • Sunburg is located in Kandiyohi County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sunburg
    • Population from the 2020 Census: 99 people
  • Spring Hill
    (13 miles [20.9 km] to the east)
    • Spring Hill is located in Stearns County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Spring Hill
    • Population from the 2020 Census: 95 people
  • Norway Lake
    (14 miles [22.5 km] to the south)
    • Norway Lake is located in Kandiyohi County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Norway Lake
  • Meire Grove
    (14 miles [22.5 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
  • New London
    (15 miles [24.1 km] to the southeast)
  • Lake Henry
    (15 miles [24.1 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
  • Westport
    (15 miles [24.1 km] to the north)
    • Westport is located in Pope County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Westport
    • Population from the 2020 Census: 61 people
  • Swift Falls
    (16 miles [25.7 km] to the southwest)
    • Swift Falls is located in Swift County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Swift Falls
  • Continue List   (17 more) ...
    • Villard
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the northwest)
    • Glenwood
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the northwest)
    • Sauk Centre
      (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 Brooten. See our List of 1890's Communities around Brooten.

Newspapers Published in the Vicinity of Brooten ...

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 108 newspapers that have been published in the area around Brooten.

We have organized these newspapers into two lists:

  • A Local Newspaper List - focusing on the papers published in the immediate area of Brooten. There are actually two parts to this list - papers printed in the immediate area of Brooten and those printed in the larger area surrounding Brooten.
  • An Extended Newspaper List - a longer list, sorted by paper name and containing those papers published within 30 miles [48.3 km]<3> of Brooten.

Websites to Help With Your Genealogy Research ...

When we do our genealogical research, we first visit 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 Brooten:

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 Brooten, 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' (or 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- Brooten) to Point B. In other words: 'As the crow flies'.