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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 Forest Mills (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 Forest Mills. 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 Forest Mills ...

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 Forest Mills: Forest Mls. (or less commonly used: Forest Mlls.)

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

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 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.

Forest Mills is located in Goodhue 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 Goodhue County: Dakota, Dodge, Olmsted, Rice, Wabasha, Pepin (WI) & Pierce (WI).

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

  • Goodhue County     (The home county of Forest Mills)
    • The following are listed by their distance from Forest Mills, with the one closest to Forest Mills listed first.
    • Zumbrota
      (Less than 2 miles to the west)
    • Pine Island
      (6 miles [9.7 km] to the south)
    • Goodhue
      (7 miles [11.3 km] to the north)
    • Wanamingo
      (7 miles [11.3 km] to the west)
    • Bellechester
      (8 miles [12.9 km] to the northeast)
      • Bellechester is located in Goodhue County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bellechester
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 177 people
    • Roscoe
      (8 miles [12.9 km] to the southwest)
      • Roscoe is located in Goodhue County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Roscoe
    • Hader
      (9 miles [14.5 km] to the northwest)
      • Hader is located in Goodhue County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hader
    • Belle Creek
      (11 miles [17.7 km] to the northwest)
      • Belle Creek is located in Goodhue County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Belle Creek
    • White Rock
      (12 miles [19.3 km] to the northwest)
      • White Rock is located in Goodhue County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for White Rock
    • Kenyon
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the west)
    • Red Wing
      (18 miles [29 km] to the north)
    • Wangs
      (18 miles [29 km] to the northwest)
      • Wangs is located in Goodhue County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Wangs
    • Cannon Falls
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the northwest)
  • Dakota County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Forest Mills, with the one closest to Forest Mills listed first.
    • Miesville
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the northwest)
    • Randolph
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the northwest)
      • Randolph is located in Dakota County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Randolph
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 444 people
    • New Trier
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the northwest)
      • New Trier is located in Dakota County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for New Trier
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 106 people
    • Hampton
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the northwest)
    • Waterford
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the northwest)
      • Waterford is located in Dakota County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Waterford
    • Castle Rock
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the northwest)
      • Castle Rock is located in Dakota County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Castle Rock
    • Vermillion
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the northwest)
  • Dodge County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Forest Mills, with the one closest to Forest Mills listed first.
    • Concord
      (14 miles [22.5 km] to the southwest)
      • Concord is located in Dodge County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Concord
    • Mantorville
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the south)
    • West Concord
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the southwest)
    • Kasson
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the south)
    • Dodge Center
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the southwest)
    • Claremont
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the southwest)
    • Westfield Center ‑ Historic
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the southwest)
      • Westfield Center is located in Dodge County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Westfield Center
    • Hayfield
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the south)
  • Olmsted County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Forest Mills, with the one closest to Forest Mills listed first.
    • Oronoco
      (10 miles [16.1 km] to the southeast)
    • Genoa
      (13 miles [20.9 km] to the south)
      • Genoa is located in Olmsted County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Genoa
    • Post Town
      (14 miles [22.5 km] to the south)
      • Post Town is located in Olmsted County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Post Town
    • Byron
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the south)
      • Byron is located in Olmsted County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Byron
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 5,691 people
      • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Byron <1>
    • Potsdam
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the southeast)
      • Potsdam is located in Olmsted County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Potsdam
    • Rochester
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the south)
    • Shanty Town
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the south)
      • Shanty Town is located in Olmsted County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Shanty Town
    • Viola
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the southeast)
      • Viola is located in Olmsted County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Viola
    • Rock Dell
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the south)
      • Rock Dell is located in Olmsted County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rock Dell
    • Simpson
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the southeast)
      • Simpson is located in Olmsted County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Simpson
    • Eyota
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the southeast)
      • Eyota is located in Olmsted County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Eyota
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 1,992 people
      • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Eyota <1>
    • Predmore
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the southeast)
      • Predmore is located in Olmsted County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Predmore
  • Rice County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Forest Mills, with the one closest to Forest Mills listed first.
    • Moland
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the west)
      • Moland is located in Rice County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Moland
    • Nerstrand
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the west)
    • Walcott
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the west)
      • Walcott is located in Rice County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Walcott
    • Northfield
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the northwest)
    • Cannon City
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the west)
      • Cannon City is located in Rice County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cannon City
    • Dundas
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the west)
  • Steele County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Forest Mills, with the one closest to Forest Mills listed first.
    • Rice Lake
      (23 miles [37 km] to the southwest)
      • Rice Lake is located in Steele County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rice Lake
    • Havana
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the southwest)
      • Havana is located in Steele County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Havana
  • Wabasha County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Forest Mills, with the one closest to Forest Mills listed first.
    • Mazeppa
      (5 miles [8 km] to the east)
    • Zumbro Falls
      (10 miles [16.1 km] to the east)
    • Hammond
      (14 miles [22.5 km] to the east)
      • Hammond is located in Wabasha County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hammond
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 167 people
    • Jarrett
      (15 miles [24.1 km] to the east)
      • Jarrett is located in Wabasha County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Jarrett
    • Millville
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the east)
    • Lake City
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the northeast)
    • Elgin
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the southeast)
      • Elgin is located in Wabasha County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Elgin
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 1,080 people
      • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Elgin <1>
    • Plainview
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the east)
    • Reads Landing
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the east)
    • Wabasha
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the east)
  • Pepin County (WI)
    • The following are listed by their distance from Forest Mills, with the one closest to Forest Mills listed first.
    • Stockholm
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the northeast)
      • Stockholm is located in Pepin County (WI)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Stockholm
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 64 people
    • Lakeport
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the northeast)
      • Lakeport is located in Pepin County (WI)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lakeport
    • Pepin
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the northeast)
      • Pepin is located in Pepin County (WI)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Pepin
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 747 people
    • Barry Corner
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the northeast)
      • Barry Corner is located in Pepin County (WI)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Barry Corner
    • Lund
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the northeast)
      • Lund is located in Pepin County (WI)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lund
  • Pierce County (WI)
    • The following are listed by their distance from Forest Mills, with the one closest to Forest Mills listed first.
    • Hager City
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the north)
      • Hager City is located in Pierce County (WI)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hager City
    • Bay City
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the northeast)
      • Bay City is located in Pierce County (WI)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bay City
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 488 people
    • Maiden Rock
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the northeast)
      • Maiden Rock is located in Pierce County (WI)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Maiden Rock
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 119 people
    • Moeville
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the north)
      • Moeville is located in Pierce County (WI)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Moeville
    • Trimbelle
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the north)
      • Trimbelle is located in Pierce County (WI)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Trimbelle

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

Cemeteries Near Forest Mills ...

Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of Forest Mills.

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 Forest Mills - one of the links might be able to help.

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

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

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 Forest Mills had a population of 83 people in 1895 with a post office and railroad service.

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

  • Zumbrota
    (Less than 2 miles to the west)
  • White Willow
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the north)
    • White Willow is located in Goodhue County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for White Willow
  • Mazeppa
    (5 miles [8 km] to the east)
  • Pine Island
    (6 miles [9.7 km] to the south)
  • Goodhue
    (7 miles [11.3 km] to the north)
  • Wanamingo
    (7 miles [11.3 km] to the west)
  • Roscoe
    (8 miles [12.9 km] to the southwest)
    • Roscoe is located in Goodhue County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Roscoe
  • Bear Valley
    (8 miles [12.9 km] to the east)
    • Bear Valley is located in Wabasha County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bear Valley
  • Bellechester
    (8 miles [12.9 km] to the northeast)
    • Bellechester is located in Goodhue County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bellechester
    • Population from the 2020 Census: 177 people
  • Ryan
    (9 miles [14.5 km] to the northwest)
    • Ryan is located in Goodhue County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ryan
  • Claybank
    (9 miles [14.5 km] to the north)
    • Claybank is located in Goodhue County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Claybank
  • Hader
    (9 miles [14.5 km] to the northwest)
    • Hader is located in Goodhue County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hader
  • Continue List   (16 more) ...
    • Oronoco
      (10 miles [16.1 km] to the southeast)
    • Zumbro Falls
      (10 miles [16.1 km] to the east)
    • Berne
      (11 miles [17.7 km] to the southwest)
      • Berne is located in Dodge County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Berne

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

Newspapers Published in Forest Mills ...

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 85 newspapers that have been published in the area around Forest Mills.

Although we're unaware of any newspapers that were published in the immediate area of Forest Mills, there are papers which were published within 29 miles [46.7 km]<4>. A list of those papers, sorted by paper name, can be found on the Extended Newspaper List for Forest Mills.

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 Forest Mills:

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 Forest Mills, please let us know so that we can improve our accuracy.
<4>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- Forest Mills) to Point B. In other words: 'As the crow flies'.