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 Choice (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 Choice. 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.
Choice is located in Fillmore 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 Fillmore County: Howard (IA), Winneshiek (IA), Houston, Mower, Olmsted & Winona.
Below are the counties that are near Choice. For each of these counties, we show a sample of those communities that are closest to Choice:
- Fillmore County (The home county of Choice)
- The following are listed by their distance from Choice, with the one closest to Choice listed first.
- Bratsberg
(5 miles [8 km] to the north)
- Bratsberg is located in Fillmore County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bratsberg
- Newburg
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the south)
- Newburg is located in Fillmore County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Newburg
- Whalan
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the northwest)
- Peterson
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the north)
- Rushford Village
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the north)
- Rushford Village is located in Fillmore County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rushford Village
- Population from the 2020 Census: 838 people
- South Rushford
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the north)
- South Rushford is located in Fillmore County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for South Rushford
- Mabel
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the south)
- Rushford
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the north)
- Lanesboro
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the west)
- Canton
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the southwest)
- Harmony
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the southwest)
- Preston
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the west)
- Carimona
(18 miles [29 km] to the west)
- Carimona is located in Fillmore County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Carimona
- Houston County
- The following are listed by their distance from Choice, with the one closest to Choice listed first.
- Yucatan
(5 miles [8 km] to the east)
- Yucatan is located in Houston County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Yucatan
- Riceford
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the southeast)
- Riceford is located in Houston County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Riceford
- Spring Grove
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the southeast)
- Willington Grove
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the southeast)
- Willington Grove is located in Houston County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Willington Grove
- Houston
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the northeast)
- Caledonia
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the east)
- Money Creek
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the northeast)
- Money Creek is located in Houston County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Money Creek
- Wilmington
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the southeast)
- Wilmington is located in Houston County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Wilmington
- Bee
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the southeast)
- Bee is located in Houston County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bee
- Eitzen
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the southeast)
- Eitzen is located in Houston County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Eitzen
- Population from the 2020 Census: 248 people
- Hokah
(23 miles [37 km] to the east)
- Brownsville
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the east)
- Brownsville is located in Houston County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Brownsville
- Population from the 2020 Census: 505 people
- La Crescent
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the northeast)
- Olmsted County
- Dover
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the northwest)
- Winona County
- The following are listed by their distance from Choice, with the one closest to Choice listed first.
- Clyde
(18 miles [29 km] to the northwest)
- Clyde is located in Winona County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Clyde
- Wyattville
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the north)
- Wyattville is located in Winona County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Wyattville
- Troy
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the northwest)
- Troy is located in Winona County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Troy
- Wilson
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the north)
- Wilson is located in Winona County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Wilson
- Saratoga
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the northwest)
- Saratoga is located in Winona County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Saratoga
- Lewiston
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the north)
- Utica
(23 miles [37 km] to the north)
- Nodine
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the northeast)
- Nodine is located in Winona County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Nodine
- Stockton
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the north)
- Stockton is located in Winona County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Stockton
- Population from the 2020 Census: 773 people
- Saint Charles
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the northwest)
- Winona
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the north)
- Dakota
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the northeast)
- Dakota is located in Winona County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Dakota
- Population from the 2020 Census: 307 people
- Homer
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the northeast)
- Homer is located in Winona County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Homer
- Allamakee County (IA)
- The following are listed by their distance from Choice, with the one closest to Choice listed first.
- Quandahl
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the southeast)
- Quandahl is located in Allamakee County (IA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Quandahl
- Dorchester
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the southeast)
- New Albin
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the southeast)
- Lycurgus
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the southeast)
- Lycurgus is located in Allamakee County (IA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lycurgus
- Howard County (IA)
- The following are listed by their distance from Choice, with the one closest to Choice listed first.
- Florenceville
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the southwest)
- Florenceville is located in Howard County (IA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Florenceville
- Cresco
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the southwest)
- Forest City ‑ Historic
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the southwest)
- Forest City is located in Howard County (IA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Forest City
- Vernon Springs
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the southwest)
- Vernon Springs is located in Howard County (IA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Vernon Springs
- Lime Springs
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the southwest)
- Chester
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the southwest)
- Winneshiek County (IA)
- The following are listed by their distance from Choice, with the one closest to Choice listed first.
- Hesper
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the south)
- Hesper is located in Winneshiek County (IA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hesper
- Burr Oak
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the south)
- Highlandville
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the southeast)
- Highlandville is located in Winneshiek County (IA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Highlandville
- Bluffton
(18 miles [29 km] to the south)
- Bluffton is located in Winneshiek County (IA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bluffton
- Kendallville
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the southwest)
- Kendallville is located in Winneshiek County (IA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Kendallville
- Decorah
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the south)
- Ridgeway
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the south)
- Buffalo County (WI)
- The following are listed by their distance from Choice, with the one closest to Choice listed first.
- Bluff Siding
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the north)
- Bluff Siding is located in Buffalo County (WI)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bluff Siding
- Marshland
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the north)
- Marshland is located in Buffalo County (WI)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Marshland
- La Crosse County (WI)
- The following are listed by their distance from Choice, with the one closest to Choice listed first.
- French Island
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the northeast)
- French Island is located in La Crosse County (WI)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for French Island
- La Crosse
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the northeast)
- La Crosse is located in La Crosse County (WI)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for La Crosse
- Population from the 2020 Census: 51,163 people
- North La Crosse
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the northeast)
- North La Crosse is located in La Crosse County (WI)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for North La Crosse
- Grand Crossing
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the northeast)
- Grand Crossing is located in La Crosse County (WI)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Grand Crossing
- Trempealeau County (WI)
- Trempealeau
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the northeast)
- Trempealeau is located in Trempealeau County (WI)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Trempealeau
- Population from the 2020 Census: 1,663 people
- Vernon County (WI)
- The following are listed by their distance from Choice, with the one closest to Choice listed first.
- Genoa
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the east)
- Genoa is located in Vernon County (WI)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Genoa
- Population from the 2020 Census: 260 people
- Stoddard
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the east)
- Stoddard is located in Vernon County (WI)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Stoddard
- Population from the 2020 Census: 831 people
For an expanded list of the communities that are closest to Choice, see our County-by-County Page for Choice.
Cemeteries Near Choice ...
Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of Choice.
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 Choice - one of the links might be able to help.
If not found below, our Cemetery List for Choice covers a larger area, with the cemeteries listed in alphabetical order.
The following cemeteries are listed based on their distance from Choice, with the one closest to Choice listed first.
- Choice Cemetery
(Less than 2 miles to the south)
- South Fork Cemetery
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the east)
- Wisel Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the southwest)
- St. Marys Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the southeast)
- North Sheie Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the south)
- Highland Prairie Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the north)
- North Highland Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the northwest)
- Highland Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the west)
- Kopperud Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the north)
- Newburg Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the south)
- Riceford Norwegian Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the southeast)
- Yucatan Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the east)
- Continue List (300 more) ...
- Lenora Cemetery
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the southwest)
- Hungerholdt Cemetery
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the north)
- Black Hammer Lutheran Church Cemetery
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the southeast)
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, Choice had a post office and no railroad service.
These communities are listed based on their distance from Choice, with the one closest to Choice listed first.
- Highland
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the west)
- Highland is located in Fillmore County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Highland
- Yucatan
(5 miles [8 km] to the east)
- Yucatan is located in Houston County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Yucatan
- Bratsberg
(5 miles [8 km] to the north)
- Bratsberg is located in Fillmore County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bratsberg
- Amherst
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the southwest)
- Amherst is located in Fillmore County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Amherst
- Newburg
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the south)
- Newburg is located in Fillmore County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Newburg
- Riceford
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the southeast)
- Riceford is located in Houston County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Riceford
- Lenora
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the southwest)
- Lenora is located in Fillmore County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lenora
- Black Hammer
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the southeast)
- Black Hammer is located in Houston County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Black Hammer
- Henrytown
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the southwest)
- Henrytown is located in Fillmore County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Henrytown
- Whalan
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the northwest)
- Peterson
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the north)
- Mabel
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the south)
- Continue List (14 more) ...
- Sheldon
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the east)
- Sheldon is located in Houston County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sheldon
- Newhouse
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the southeast)
- Newhouse is located in Houston County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Newhouse
- Spring Grove
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the southeast)
We've also created an expanded list of communities that existed in the 1890's and were located in the area around Choice. See our List of 1890's Communities around Choice.
Newspapers Published in Choice ...
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 97 newspapers that have been published in the area around Choice.
Although we're unaware of any newspapers that were published in the immediate area of Choice, there are papers which were published within 29 miles [46.7 km]<3>. A list of those papers, sorted by paper name, can be found on the Extended Newspaper List for Choice.
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 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 Choice:
- Websites specific to Minnesota
- Pages specific to Fillmore County
- Genealogy information for nearby counties
- Houston County
- Olmsted County
- Winona County
- Allamakee County
- Howard County
- Winneshiek County
- Buffalo County
- La Crosse County
- Trempealeau County
- Vernon 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> | 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 Choice, 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' distance. A straight line distance ignores things like rivers, canyons, lakes, et cetera - it's truly a line drawn from Point A (ie- Choice) to Point B. In other words: 'As the crow flies'. |