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 Dexter (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 Dexter. 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 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.
Dexter is located in Mower 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 Mower County: Howard (IA), Mitchell (IA), Worth (IA), Dodge, Fillmore, Freeborn & Olmsted.
Below are the counties that are near Dexter. For each of these counties, we show a sample of those communities that are closest to Dexter:
- Mower County (The home county of Dexter)
- The following are listed by their distance from Dexter, with the one closest to Dexter listed first.
- Elkton
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the south)
- Elkton is located in Mower County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Elkton
- Population from the 2020 Census: 148 people
- Renova ‑ Historic
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the west)
- Renova is located in Mower County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Renova
- Grand Meadow
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the east)
- Sargeant
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the northwest)
- Sargeant is located in Mower County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sargeant
- Population from the 2020 Census: 60 people
- Brownsdale
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the west)
- Adams
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the south)
- Rose Creek
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the southwest)
- Racine
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the east)
- Waltham
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the northwest)
- Taopi
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the south)
- Taopi is located in Mower County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Taopi
- Population from the 2020 Census: 65 people
- Lansing
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the west)
- Lansing is located in Mower County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lansing
- Mapleview
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the west)
- Mapleview is located in Mower County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mapleview
- Population from the 2020 Census: 177 people
- Austin
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the west)
- Dodge County
- The following are listed by their distance from Dexter, with the one closest to Dexter listed first.
- Hayfield
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the northwest)
- Westfield Center ‑ Historic
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the northwest)
- Westfield Center is located in Dodge County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Westfield Center
- Kasson
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the north)
- Dodge Center
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the north)
- Mantorville
(23 miles [37 km] to the north)
- Claremont
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the northwest)
- Concord
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the north)
- Concord is located in Dodge County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Concord
- Fillmore County
- The following are listed by their distance from Dexter, with the one closest to Dexter listed first.
- Spring Valley
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the east)
- Ostrander
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the southeast)
- Etna
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the southeast)
- Etna is located in Fillmore County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Etna
- Fillmore
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the east)
- Fillmore is located in Fillmore County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Fillmore
- Wykoff
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the east)
- York
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the southeast)
- York is located in Fillmore County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for York
- Carimona
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the east)
- Carimona is located in Fillmore County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Carimona
- Chatfield
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the east)
- Fountain
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the east)
- Freeborn County
- The following are listed by their distance from Dexter, with the one closest to Dexter listed first.
- Oakland
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the west)
- Oakland is located in Freeborn County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Oakland
- London
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the southwest)
- London is located in Freeborn County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for London
- Myrtle
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the southwest)
- Myrtle is located in Freeborn County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Myrtle
- Population from the 2020 Census: 46 people
- Hollandale
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the west)
- Hayward
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the west)
- Geneva
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the west)
- Glenville
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the west)
- Olmsted County
- The following are listed by their distance from Dexter, with the one closest to Dexter listed first.
- High Forest
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the northeast)
- High Forest is located in Olmsted County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for High Forest
- Rock Dell
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the north)
- Rock Dell is located in Olmsted County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rock Dell
- Stewartville
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the northeast)
- Shanty Town
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the north)
- Shanty Town is located in Olmsted County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Shanty Town
- Simpson
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the northeast)
- Simpson is located in Olmsted County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Simpson
- Byron
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the north)
- Rochester
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the northeast)
- Predmore
(23 miles [37 km] to the northeast)
- Predmore is located in Olmsted County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Predmore
- Post Town
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the north)
- Post Town is located in Olmsted County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Post Town
- Genoa
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the north)
- Genoa is located in Olmsted County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Genoa
- Eyota
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the northeast)
- Steele County
- The following are listed by their distance from Dexter, with the one closest to Dexter listed first.
- Blooming Prairie
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the northwest)
- Union
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the northwest)
- Union is located in Steele County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Union
- Pratt
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the northwest)
- Pratt is located in Steele County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Pratt
- River Point
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the northwest)
- River Point is located in Steele County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for River Point
- Howard County (IA)
- The following are listed by their distance from Dexter, with the one closest to Dexter listed first.
- Chester
(23 miles [37 km] to the southeast)
- Riceville
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the south)
- Forest City ‑ Historic
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the southeast)
- Forest City is located in Howard County (IA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Forest City
- Lime Springs
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the southeast)
- Mitchell County (IA)
- The following are listed by their distance from Dexter, with the one closest to Dexter listed first.
- Meyer
(18 miles [29 km] to the south)
- Meyer is located in Mitchell County (IA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Meyer
- McIntire
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the south)
- McIntire is located in Mitchell County (IA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for McIntire
- Population from the 2020 Census: 127 people
- Stacyville
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the south)
- Stacyville is located in Mitchell County (IA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Stacyville
- Population from the 2020 Census: 466 people
- Toeterville
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the southwest)
- Little Cedar
(23 miles [37 km] to the south)
- Little Cedar is located in Mitchell County (IA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Little Cedar
- Saint Ansgar
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the southwest)
- Carpenter
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the southwest)
- Carpenter is located in Mitchell County (IA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Carpenter
- Population from the 2020 Census: 108 people
- Mitchell
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the south)
- Mitchell is located in Mitchell County (IA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mitchell
- Population from the 2020 Census: 128 people
- New Haven
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the south)
- New Haven is located in Mitchell County (IA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for New Haven
- Osage
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the south)
- Osage is located in Mitchell County (IA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Osage
- Population from the 2020 Census: 3,549 people
- Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Osage <1>
For an expanded list of the communities that are closest to Dexter, see our County-by-County Page for Dexter.
Cemeteries Near Dexter ...
Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of Dexter.
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 Dexter - one of the links might be able to help.
If not found below, our Cemetery List for Dexter covers a larger area, with the cemeteries listed in alphabetical order.
The following cemeteries are listed based on their distance from Dexter, with the one closest to Dexter listed first.
- Dexter Cemetery
(Less than 2 miles to the north)
- St. John's Lutheran Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the southwest)
- Trinity Evangelical Lutheran Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the southwest)
- Zion Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the north)
- St. Finbarrs Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the east)
- St. John's Lutheran Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the northwest)
- Hoflanda Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the southwest)
- Grand Meadow Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the east)
- Tanner Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the west)
- Bear Creek Luthern Cemetery
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the east)
- Norwegian Methodist Cemetery
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the east)
- Immanuel Cemetery
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the northeast)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Immanuel Cemetery
- The Immanuel Cemetery has also been known as:
- Immanuel Lutheran Cemetery
- Continue List (210 more) ...
- Pleasant Valley Cemetery
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the northeast)
- Marshall Luthern Cemetery
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the south)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Marshall Luthern Cemetery
- The Marshall Luthern Cemetery has also been known as:
- Marshall Church Cemetery
- Sevar Temanson Cemetery
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the east)
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 Dexter had a population of 150 people in 1895 with a post office and railroad service. In 2020, Dexter had a population of 344 people.
These communities are listed based on their distance from Dexter, with the one closest to Dexter listed first.
- Elkton
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the south)
- Elkton is located in Mower County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Elkton
- Population from the 2020 Census: 148 people
- Renova ‑ Historic
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the west)
- Renova is located in Mower County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Renova
- Grand Meadow
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the east)
- Sargeant
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the northwest)
- Sargeant is located in Mower County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sargeant
- Population from the 2020 Census: 60 people
- Brownsdale
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the west)
- Rose Creek
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the southwest)
- Adams
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the south)
- Taopi
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the south)
- Taopi is located in Mower County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Taopi
- Population from the 2020 Census: 65 people
- Racine
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the east)
- High Forest
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the northeast)
- High Forest is located in Olmsted County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for High Forest
- Waltham
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the northwest)
- Hamilton
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the east)
- Hamilton is located in Fillmore County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hamilton
- Continue List (16 more) ...
- Oslo
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the north)
- Oslo is located in Dodge County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Oslo
- Hayfield
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the northwest)
- Lansing
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the west)
- Lansing is located in Mower County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lansing
We've also created an expanded list of communities that existed in the 1890's and were located in the area around Dexter. See our List of 1890's Communities around Dexter.
Newspapers Published in the Vicinity of Dexter ...
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 74 newspapers that have been published in the area around Dexter.
We have organized these newspapers into two lists:
- A Local Newspaper List - focusing on the papers published in the immediate area of Dexter. There are actually two parts to this list - papers printed in the immediate area of Dexter and those printed in the larger area surrounding Dexter.
- An Extended Newspaper List - a longer list, sorted by paper name and containing those papers published within 30 miles [48.3 km]<3> of Dexter.
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 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 Dexter:
- Websites specific to Minnesota
- Pages specific to Mower County
- Genealogy information for nearby counties
- Dodge County
- Fillmore County
- Freeborn County
- Olmsted County
- Steele County
- Howard County
- Mitchell 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 Dexter, please let us know so that we can improve our accuracy. |
| <3> | 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- Dexter) to Point B. In other words: 'As the crow flies'. |