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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 Eden Valley (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 Eden Valley. 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 Eden Valley ...

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.

For example, a typical abbreviation for Eden Valley: Eden Vly. (or less commonly used: Eden Vally. or Eden Vlly.)

You might be interested in other communities that are also named Eden Valley. More information can be found on our Tidbits & Trivia Page for Eden Valley.

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 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.

Eden Valley is primarily located in Meeker County. A portion of Eden Valley extends into Stearns 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 Meeker County: Kandiyohi, McLeod, Renville, Stearns & Wright.

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

  • Meeker County     (The home county of Eden Valley)
    • The following are listed by their distance from Eden Valley, with the one closest to Eden Valley listed first.
    • Manannah
      (5 miles [8 km] to the southwest)
      • Manannah is located in Meeker County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Manannah
    • Watkins
      (6 miles [9.7 km] to the east)
    • Forest City
      (8 miles [12.9 km] to the southeast)
      • Forest City is located in Meeker County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Forest City
    • Litchfield
      (13 miles [20.9 km] to the south)
    • Grove City
      (13 miles [20.9 km] to the southwest)
    • Kingston
      (14 miles [22.5 km] to the southeast)
      • Kingston is located in Meeker County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Kingston
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 162 people
    • Darwin
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the southeast)
    • Dassel
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the southeast)
    • Rosendale
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the south)
      • Rosendale is located in Meeker County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rosendale
    • Cedar Mills
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the south)
      • Cedar Mills is located in Meeker County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cedar Mills
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 51 people
    • Cosmos
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the south)
  • Benton County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Eden Valley, with the one closest to Eden Valley listed first.
    • Evergreen Village
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the northeast)
      • Evergreen Village is located in Benton County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Evergreen Village
    • Sauk Rapids
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the northeast)
    • Watab
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the northeast)
      • Watab is located in Benton County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Watab
  • Kandiyohi County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Eden Valley, with the one closest to Eden Valley listed first.
    • Hawick
      (13 miles [20.9 km] to the west)
      • Hawick is located in Kandiyohi County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hawick
    • Regal
      (15 miles [24.1 km] to the west)
      • Regal is located in Kandiyohi County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Regal
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 35 people
    • Atwater
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the southwest)
    • New London
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the west)
    • Spicer
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the west)
      • 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>
    • Kandiyohi
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the southwest)
      • Kandiyohi is located in Kandiyohi County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Kandiyohi
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 477 people
    • Willmar
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the southwest)
    • Wilmar
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the southwest)
      • Wilmar is located in Kandiyohi County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Wilmar
    • Lake Lillian
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the southwest)
  • Sherburne County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Eden Valley, with the one closest to Eden Valley listed first.
    • Cable
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the northeast)
      • Cable is located in Sherburne County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cable
    • Clear Lake
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the east)
  • Stearns County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Eden Valley, with the one closest to Eden Valley listed first.
    • Roscoe
      (8 miles [12.9 km] to the northwest)
    • Richmond
      (9 miles [14.5 km] to the north)
    • Paynesville
      (9 miles [14.5 km] to the northwest)
    • Cold Spring
      (10 miles [16.1 km] to the northeast)
    • Kimball Prairie
      (11 miles [17.7 km] to the east)
      • Kimball Prairie is located in Stearns County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Kimball Prairie
    • Kimball
      (11 miles [17.7 km] to the east)
    • Saint Martin
      (13 miles [20.9 km] to the northwest)
    • Rockville
      (14 miles [22.5 km] to the northeast)
    • Lake Henry
      (15 miles [24.1 km] to the northwest)
      • Lake Henry is located in Stearns County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lake Henry
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 113 people
    • Fairhaven
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the east)
      • Fairhaven is located in Stearns County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Fairhaven
    • Pleasant Lake
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the northeast)
      • Pleasant Lake is located in Stearns County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Pleasant Lake
    • Saint Augusta
      (18 miles [29 km] to the northeast)
      • Saint Augusta is located in Stearns County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Saint Augusta
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 3,900 people
    • Spring Hill
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the northwest)
      • Spring Hill is located in Stearns County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Spring Hill
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 95 people
  • Wright County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Eden Valley, with the one closest to Eden Valley listed first.
    • South Haven
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the east)
    • Annandale
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the east)
    • Albright
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the southeast)
      • Albright is located in Wright County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Albright
    • Cokato
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the southeast)
    • Clearwater
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the east)
    • Albion Center
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the southeast)
      • Albion Center is located in Wright County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Albion Center
    • Maple Lake
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the east)
    • Smith Lake
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the southeast)
      • Smith Lake is located in Wright County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Smith Lake
    • Hasty
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the east)
      • Hasty is located in Wright County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hasty
    • Silver Creek
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the east)
      • Silver Creek is located in Wright County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Silver Creek
    • Howard Lake
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the southeast)
    • Rassat
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the southeast)
      • Rassat is located in Wright County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rassat

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

Cemeteries Near Eden Valley ...

Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of Eden Valley.

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 Eden Valley - one of the links might be able to help.

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

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

  • St. Peters Cemetery
    (Less than 2 miles to the south)
  • Eden Lake Cemetery
    (Less than 2 miles to the north)
  • Assumption Cemetery
    (Less than 2 miles to the north)
  • Old Eden Lake Cemetery
    (2 miles [3.2 km] to the northeast)
  • Ebenezer Church Cemetery
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the west)
  • Manannah Cemetery
    (6 miles [9.7 km] to the southwest)
  • St. Nicholas Cemetery
    (6 miles [9.7 km] to the northeast)
  • Zion Cemetery
    (7 miles [11.3 km] to the northwest)
  • St. Agnes Cemetery
    (8 miles [12.9 km] to the northwest)
  • St. Louis Catholic Church Cemetery
    (8 miles [12.9 km] to the northwest)
  • Burr Oak Cemetery
    (9 miles [14.5 km] to the southwest)
  • St. Gertrude Cemetery
    (9 miles [14.5 km] to the southeast)
  • Continue List   (207 more) ...
    • Ostmark Cemetery
      (9 miles [14.5 km] to the southeast)
    • Old St. Nicholas Cemetery
      (9 miles [14.5 km] to the northeast)
    • St.s Peter & Paul Cemetery
      (9 miles [14.5 km] to the north)

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 Eden Valley had a population of 327 people in 1895 with a post office and railroad service. In 2020, Eden Valley had a population of 1,038 people.

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

  • Manannah
    (5 miles [8 km] to the southwest)
    • Manannah is located in Meeker County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Manannah
  • Watkins
    (6 miles [9.7 km] to the east)
  • Saint Nicholas
    (6 miles [9.7 km] to the northeast)
    • Saint Nicholas is located in Stearns County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Saint Nicholas
  • Forest City
    (8 miles [12.9 km] to the southeast)
    • Forest City is located in Meeker County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Forest City
  • Roscoe
    (8 miles [12.9 km] to the northwest)
  • Richmond
    (9 miles [14.5 km] to the north)
  • Paynesville
    (9 miles [14.5 km] to the northwest)
  • Crow River
    (10 miles [16.1 km] to the southwest)
    • Crow River is located in Meeker County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Crow River
  • Cold Spring
    (10 miles [16.1 km] to the northeast)
  • Kimball Prairie
    (11 miles [17.7 km] to the east)
    • Kimball Prairie is located in Stearns County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Kimball Prairie
  • Farming
    (13 miles [20.9 km] to the north)
    • Farming is located in Stearns County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Farming
  • Grove City
    (13 miles [20.9 km] to the southwest)
  • Continue List   (16 more) ...
    • Litchfield
      (13 miles [20.9 km] to the south)
    • Saint Martin
      (13 miles [20.9 km] to the northwest)
    • Kingston
      (14 miles [22.5 km] to the southeast)
      • Kingston is located in Meeker County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Kingston
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 162 people

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

Newspapers Published in the Vicinity of Eden Valley ...

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 86 newspapers that have been published in the area around Eden Valley.

We have organized these newspapers into two lists:

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

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 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 Eden Valley:

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