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 Good Thunder (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 Good Thunder. 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 hospitals 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.
Good Thunder is located in Blue Earth 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 Blue Earth County: Brown, Faribault, Le Sueur, Martin, Nicollet, Waseca & Watonwan.
Below are the counties that are near Good Thunder. For each of these counties, we show a sample of those communities that are closest to Good Thunder:
- Blue Earth County (The home county of Good Thunder)
- The following are listed by their distance from Good Thunder, with the one closest to Good Thunder listed first.
- Beauford
(5 miles [8 km] to the east)
- Beauford is located in Blue Earth County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Beauford
- Garden City
(5 miles [8 km] to the northwest)
- Garden City is located in Blue Earth County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Garden City
- Vernon Center
(5 miles [8 km] to the southwest)
- Vernon Center is located in Blue Earth County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Vernon Center
- Population from the 2020 Census: 313 people
- Rapidan
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the north)
- Rapidan is located in Blue Earth County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rapidan
- Mapleton
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the southeast)
- Skyline
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the north)
- Skyline is located in Blue Earth County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Skyline
- Population from the 2020 Census: 299 people
- Amboy
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the southwest)
- Lake Crystal
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the northwest)
- Saint Clair
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the northeast)
- Mankato
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the north)
- Willow Creek
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the southwest)
- Willow Creek is located in Blue Earth County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Willow Creek
- Eagle Lake
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the northeast)
- Brown County
- The following are listed by their distance from Good Thunder, with the one closest to Good Thunder listed first.
- Hanska
(23 miles [37 km] to the northwest)
- Searles
(23 miles [37 km] to the northwest)
- Searles is located in Brown County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Searles
- New Ulm
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the northwest)
- Faribault County
- The following are listed by their distance from Good Thunder, with the one closest to Good Thunder listed first.
- Delavan
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the south)
- Delavan is located in Faribault County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Delavan
- Population from the 2020 Census: 166 people
- Minnesota Lake
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the southeast)
- Winnebago
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the south)
- Easton
(18 miles [29 km] to the southeast)
- Easton is located in Faribault County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Easton
- Population from the 2020 Census: 183 people
- Huntley
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the southwest)
- Huntley is located in Faribault County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Huntley
- Wells
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the southeast)
- Blue Earth
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the south)
- Blue Earth is located in Faribault County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Blue Earth
- Population from the 2020 Census: 3,098 people
- Former name for Blue Earth:
- Blue Earth City
- Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Blue Earth <1>
- Dell
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the south)
- Dell is located in Faribault County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Dell
- Frost
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the south)
- Freeborn County
- Freeborn
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the southeast)
- Le Sueur County
- The following are listed by their distance from Good Thunder, with the one closest to Good Thunder listed first.
- Kasota
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the north)
- Marysburg
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the northeast)
- Marysburg is located in Le Sueur County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Marysburg
- Greenland
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the northeast)
- Greenland is located in Le Sueur County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Greenland
- Cleveland
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the northeast)
- Ottawa
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the north)
- Ottawa is located in Le Sueur County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ottawa
- Waterville
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the northeast)
- Cordova
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the northeast)
- Cordova is located in Le Sueur County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cordova
- Martin County
- The following are listed by their distance from Good Thunder, with the one closest to Good Thunder listed first.
- Truman
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the southwest)
- Truman is located in Martin County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Truman
- Population from the 2020 Census: 1,028 people
- Granada
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the southwest)
- Northrop
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the southwest)
- Nicollet County
- The following are listed by their distance from Good Thunder, with the one closest to Good Thunder listed first.
- North Mankato
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the north)
- Nicollet
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the north)
- Oshawa
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the north)
- Oshawa is located in Nicollet County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Oshawa
- Saint Peter
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the north)
- Courtland
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the northwest)
- New Sweden
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the north)
- New Sweden is located in Nicollet County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for New Sweden
- Waseca County
- The following are listed by their distance from Good Thunder, with the one closest to Good Thunder listed first.
- Alma City
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the east)
- Alma City is located in Waseca County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Alma City
- Waldorf
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the east)
- Waldorf is located in Waseca County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Waldorf
- Population from the 2020 Census: 224 people
- Janesville
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the northeast)
- Elysian
(23 miles [37 km] to the northeast)
- Wilton
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the east)
- Wilton is located in Waseca County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Wilton
- Palmer
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the east)
- Palmer is located in Waseca County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Palmer
- Waseca
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the east)
- New Richland
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the east)
- Vista
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the east)
- Vista is located in Waseca County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Vista
- Watonwan County
- The following are listed by their distance from Good Thunder, with the one closest to Good Thunder listed first.
- Madelia
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the west)
- Lewisville
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the west)
- Lewisville is located in Watonwan County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lewisville
- Population from the 2020 Census: 244 people
- Grogan
(23 miles [37 km] to the west)
- Grogan is located in Watonwan County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Grogan
- La Salle
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the west)
- La Salle is located in Watonwan County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for La Salle
- Population from the 2020 Census: 86 people
- Saint James
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the west)
- Godahl
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the west)
- Godahl is located in Watonwan County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Godahl
For an expanded list of the communities that are closest to Good Thunder, see our County-by-County Page for Good Thunder.
Cemeteries Near Good Thunder ...
Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of Good Thunder.
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 Good Thunder - one of the links might be able to help.
If not found below, our Cemetery List for Good Thunder covers a larger area, with the cemeteries listed in alphabetical order.
The following cemeteries are listed based on their distance from Good Thunder, with the one closest to Good Thunder listed first.
- Calvary Cemetery
(Less than 2 miles to the southeast)
- St. Johns Cemetery
(Less than 2 miles to the southeast)
- Lyra Cemetery
(Less than 2 miles to the northeast)
- St. John Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the north)
- St. Matthews Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the southwest)
- Oak Hill Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the east)
- Garden City Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the northwest)
- Vernon Center Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the southwest)
- Calvary Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the north)
- Decoria Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the northeast)
- Holberg Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the north)
- Sterling Cemetery
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the south)
- Continue List (237 more) ...
- Belle of Sterling Cemetery
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the south)
- Calvary Cemetery
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the southeast)
- Union 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 Good Thunder had a population of 300 people in 1895 with a post office and railroad service. In 2020, Good Thunder had a population of 566 people.
These communities are listed based on their distance from Good Thunder, with the one closest to Good Thunder listed first.
- Vernon Center
(5 miles [8 km] to the southwest)
- Vernon Center is located in Blue Earth County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Vernon Center
- Population from the 2020 Census: 313 people
- Beauford
(5 miles [8 km] to the east)
- Beauford is located in Blue Earth County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Beauford
- Garden City
(5 miles [8 km] to the northwest)
- Garden City is located in Blue Earth County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Garden City
- Sterling Center
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the south)
- Sterling Center is located in Blue Earth County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sterling Center
- Rapidan
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the north)
- Rapidan is located in Blue Earth County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rapidan
- Mapleton
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the southeast)
- Amboy
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the southwest)
- Lake Crystal
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the northwest)
- Saint Clair
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the northeast)
- Willow Creek
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the southwest)
- Willow Creek is located in Blue Earth County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Willow Creek
- Mankato
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the north)
- Judson
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the northwest)
- Judson is located in Blue Earth County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Judson
- Continue List (17 more) ...
- Eagle Lake
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the northeast)
- Nashville Center
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the southwest)
- Nashville Center is located in Martin County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Nashville Center
- Delavan
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the south)
- Delavan is located in Faribault County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Delavan
- Population from the 2020 Census: 166 people
We've also created an expanded list of communities that existed in the 1890's and were located in the area around Good Thunder. See our List of 1890's Communities around Good Thunder.
Newspapers Published in the Vicinity of Good Thunder ...
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 184 newspapers that have been published in the area around Good Thunder.
We have organized these newspapers into two lists:
- A Local Newspaper List - focusing on the papers published in the immediate area of Good Thunder. There are actually two parts to this list - papers printed in the immediate area of Good Thunder and those printed in the larger area surrounding Good Thunder.
- An Extended Newspaper List - a longer list, sorted by paper name and containing those papers published within 30 miles [48.3 km]<3> of Good Thunder.
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 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 Good Thunder:
- Websites specific to Minnesota
- Pages specific to Blue Earth County
- Genealogy information for nearby counties
- Brown County
- Faribault County
- Freeborn County
- Le Sueur County
- Martin County
- Nicollet County
- Waseca County
- Watonwan 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 Good Thunder, 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 things like rivers, canyons, lakes, et cetera - it's truly a line drawn from Point A (ie- Good Thunder) to Point B. In other words: 'As the crow flies'. |