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 Clear Lake (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 Clear Lake. 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 Clear Lake ...
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.
Another variation: Clearlake.
- A typical abbreviation for Clear Lake: Clear Lk.
You might be interested in other communities that are also named Clear Lake. More information can be found on our Tidbits & Trivia Page for Clear Lake.
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 northeast corner of their home county. During their lives, most doctors were in the next county to the east. Almost all of the nearby churches and cemeteries were in the county to the north.
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 north 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.
Clear Lake 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 Clear Lake. For each of these counties, we show a sample of those communities that are closest to Clear Lake:
- Sherburne County (The home county of Clear Lake)
- The following are listed by their distance from Clear Lake, with the one closest to Clear Lake listed first.
- Cable
(5 miles [8 km] to the northwest)
- Cable is located in Sherburne County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cable
- Becker
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the southeast)
- Santiago
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the northeast)
- Santiago is located in Sherburne County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Santiago
- Salida
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the southeast)
- Salida is located in Sherburne County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Salida
- Orrock
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the east)
- Orrock is located in Sherburne County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Orrock
- Big Lake
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the southeast)
- Zimmerman
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the east)
- 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>
- Elk River
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the east)
- Anoka County
- The following are listed by their distance from Clear Lake, with the one closest to Clear Lake listed first.
- Nowthen
(26 miles [41.8 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
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the southeast)
- Saint Francis
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the east)
- Benton County
- The following are listed by their distance from Clear Lake, with the one closest to Clear Lake listed first.
- Duelm
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the north)
- Duelm is located in Benton County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Duelm
- Sauk Rapids
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the northwest)
- Evergreen Village
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the northwest)
- Evergreen Village is located in Benton County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Evergreen Village
- Foley
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the north)
- Ronneby
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the north)
- Ronneby is located in Benton County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ronneby
- Watab
(18 miles [29 km] to the northwest)
- Watab is located in Benton County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Watab
- Gilman
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the north)
- Oak Park
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the northeast)
- Oak Park is located in Benton County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Oak Park
- Rice
(23 miles [37 km] to the northwest)
- Hennepin County
- The following are listed by their distance from Clear Lake, with the one closest to Clear Lake listed first.
- Rogers
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the southeast)
- Greenfield
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the southeast)
- Greenfield is located in Hennepin County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Greenfield
- Population from the 2020 Census: 3,058 people
- Dayton
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the southeast)
- Isanti County
- The following are listed by their distance from Clear Lake, with the one closest to Clear Lake listed first.
- Crown
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the east)
- Crown is located in Isanti County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Crown
- Bradford
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the east)
- Bradford is located in Isanti County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bradford
- Meeker County
- The following are listed by their distance from Clear Lake, with the one closest to Clear Lake listed first.
- Watkins
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the southwest)
- Kingston
(23 miles [37 km] to the southwest)
- Kingston is located in Meeker County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Kingston
- Population from the 2020 Census: 162 people
- Forest City
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the southwest)
- Forest City is located in Meeker County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Forest City
- Eden Valley
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the west)
- Dassel
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the southwest)
- Mille Lacs County
- The following are listed by their distance from Clear Lake, with the one closest to Clear Lake listed first.
- Estes Brook
(18 miles [29 km] to the northeast)
- Estes Brook is located in Mille Lacs County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Estes Brook
- Princeton
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the northeast)
- Foreston
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the northeast)
- Foreston is located in Mille Lacs County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Foreston
- Population from the 2020 Census: 527 people
- Pease
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the northeast)
- Pease is located in Mille Lacs County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Pease
- Population from the 2020 Census: 224 people
- Milaca
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the northeast)
- Morrison County
- The following are listed by their distance from Clear Lake, with the one closest to Clear Lake listed first.
- Morrill
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the north)
- Morrill is located in Morrison County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Morrill
- Ramey
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the north)
- Ramey is located in Morrison County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ramey
- North Prairie
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the northwest)
- North Prairie is located in Morrison County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for North Prairie
- Royalton
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the northwest)
- Stearns County
- The following are listed by their distance from Clear Lake, with the one closest to Clear Lake listed first.
- Saint Augusta
(9 miles [14.5 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
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the northwest)
- Waite Park
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the northwest)
- Fairhaven
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the southwest)
- Fairhaven is located in Stearns County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Fairhaven
- Pleasant Lake
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the west)
- Pleasant Lake is located in Stearns County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Pleasant Lake
- Evergreen Village
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the northwest)
- Evergreen Village is located in Stearns County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Evergreen Village
- Rockville
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the west)
- Sartell
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the northwest)
- Saint Joseph
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the northwest)
- Kimball Prairie
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the southwest)
- Kimball Prairie is located in Stearns County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Kimball Prairie
- Kimball
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the southwest)
- Collegeville
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the northwest)
- Cold Spring
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the west)
- Wright County
- The following are listed by their distance from Clear Lake, with the one closest to Clear Lake listed first.
- Clearwater
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the southwest)
- Hasty
(5 miles [8 km] to the south)
- Hasty is located in Wright County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hasty
- Silver Creek
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the south)
- Silver Creek is located in Wright County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Silver Creek
- Maple Lake
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the south)
- Monticello
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the southeast)
- Annandale
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the southwest)
- South Haven
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the southwest)
- Albion Center
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the south)
- Albion Center is located in Wright County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Albion Center
- Buffalo
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the south)
- Rassat
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the south)
- Rassat is located in Wright County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rassat
- Albertville
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the southeast)
- Albright
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the south)
- Albright is located in Wright County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Albright
- Otsego
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the southeast)
For an expanded list of the communities that are closest to Clear Lake, see our County-by-County Page for Clear Lake.
Cemeteries Near Clear Lake ...
Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of Clear Lake.
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 Clear Lake - one of the links might be able to help.
If not found below, our Cemetery List for Clear Lake covers a larger area, with the cemeteries listed in alphabetical order.
The following cemeteries are listed based on their distance from Clear Lake, with the one closest to Clear Lake listed first.
- St. Marcus Cemetery
(Less than 2 miles to the south)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for St. Marcus Cemetery
- The St. Marcus Cemetery has also been known as:
- Clear Lake Cemetery
- St. Marcus Catholic Cemetery
- Jump to Find-A-Grave: FG ID #83393 <2>
- Acacia Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the southwest)
- St. Luke Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the southwest)
- Mt. Hope Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the southwest)
- Highland Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the south)
- Becker Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the southeast)
- Danish Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the east)
- South Santiago Cemetery
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the northeast)
- St. Mary Cemetery
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the west)
- Lakeside Cemetery
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the south)
- Minnesota Reformatory Cemetery
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the northwest)
- St. Lawrence Cemetery
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the north)
- Continue List (218 more) ...
- St. Patrick's Cemetery
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the north)
- Assumption Cemetery
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the northwest)
- Gethsemane Cemetery
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the west)
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>
The Rand McNally Atlas shows that Clear Lake had a population of 250 people in 1895 with a post office and railroad service. In 2020, Clear Lake had a population of 729 people.
These communities are listed based on their distance from Clear Lake, with the one closest to Clear Lake listed first.
- Clearwater
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the southwest)
- Hasty
(5 miles [8 km] to the south)
- Hasty is located in Wright County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hasty
- Cable
(5 miles [8 km] to the northwest)
- Cable is located in Sherburne County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cable
- Becker
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the southeast)
- Silver Creek
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the south)
- Silver Creek is located in Wright County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Silver Creek
- Duelm
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the north)
- Duelm is located in Benton County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Duelm
- Saint Augusta
(9 miles [14.5 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
- Salida
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the southeast)
- Salida is located in Sherburne County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Salida
- Santiago
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the northeast)
- Santiago is located in Sherburne County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Santiago
- Saint Cloud
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the northwest)
- Orrock
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the east)
- Orrock is located in Sherburne County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Orrock
- Parent
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the north)
- Parent is located in Benton County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Parent
- Continue List (16 more) ...
- Sauk Rapids
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the northwest)
- Luxemburg
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the west)
- Luxemburg is located in Stearns County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Luxemburg
- Fairhaven
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the southwest)
- Fairhaven is located in Stearns County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Fairhaven
We've also created an expanded list of communities that existed in the 1890's and were located in the area around Clear Lake. See our List of 1890's Communities around Clear Lake.
Newspapers Published in the Vicinity of Clear Lake ...
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 135 newspapers that have been published in the area around Clear Lake.
We have organized these newspapers into two lists:
- A Local Newspaper List - focusing on the papers published in the immediate area of Clear Lake. There are actually two parts to this list - papers printed in the immediate area of Clear Lake and those printed in the larger area surrounding Clear Lake.
- An Extended Newspaper List - a longer list, sorted by paper name and containing those papers published within 30 miles [48.3 km]<4> of Clear Lake.
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 professional and volunteer 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 Clear Lake:
- Websites specific to Minnesota
- Pages specific to Sherburne County
- Genealogy information for nearby counties
- Anoka County
- Benton County
- Hennepin County
- Isanti County
- Meeker County
- Mille Lacs County
- Morrison 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 Clear Lake, please let us know so that we can improve our accuracy. |
| <4> | 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- Clear Lake) to Point B. In other words: 'As the crow flies'. |