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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 Grand Meadow (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 Grand Meadow. 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 Grand Meadow ...

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.

For example, a typical abbreviation for Grand Meadow: Grand Mdw.

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 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.

Grand Meadow 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 Grand Meadow. For each of these counties, we show a sample of those communities that are closest to Grand Meadow:

  • Mower County     (The home county of Grand Meadow)
    • The following are listed by their distance from Grand Meadow, with the one closest to Grand Meadow listed first.
    • Racine
      (6 miles [9.7 km] to the northeast)
    • Dexter
      (6 miles [9.7 km] to the west)
    • Elkton
      (7 miles [11.3 km] to the southwest)
      • Elkton is located in Mower County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Elkton
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 148 people
    • Taopi
      (10 miles [16.1 km] to the south)
      • Taopi is located in Mower County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Taopi
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 65 people
    • Renova ‑ Historic
      (10 miles [16.1 km] to the west)
      • Renova is located in Mower County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Renova
    • Adams
      (12 miles [19.3 km] to the southwest)
    • Sargeant
      (13 miles [20.9 km] to the northwest)
      • Sargeant is located in Mower County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sargeant
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 60 people
    • Le Roy
      (13 miles [20.9 km] to the south)
    • Rose Creek
      (14 miles [22.5 km] to the southwest)
    • Brownsdale
      (15 miles [24.1 km] to the west)
    • Waltham
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the northwest)
    • Johnsburg
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the southwest)
      • Johnsburg is located in Mower County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Johnsburg
  • Dodge County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Grand Meadow, with the one closest to Grand Meadow listed first.
    • Hayfield
      (18 miles [29 km] to the northwest)
    • Kasson
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the north)
    • Westfield Center ‑ Historic
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the northwest)
      • Westfield Center is located in Dodge County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Westfield Center
    • Mantorville
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the north)
    • Dodge Center
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the northwest)
  • Fillmore County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Grand Meadow, with the one closest to Grand Meadow listed first.
    • Spring Valley
      (9 miles [14.5 km] to the east)
    • Ostrander
      (9 miles [14.5 km] to the southeast)
    • Etna
      (13 miles [20.9 km] to the southeast)
      • Etna is located in Fillmore County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Etna
    • Fillmore
      (15 miles [24.1 km] to the east)
      • Fillmore is located in Fillmore County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Fillmore
    • Wykoff
      (15 miles [24.1 km] to the east)
    • York
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the southeast)
      • York is located in Fillmore County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for York
    • Carimona
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the east)
      • Carimona is located in Fillmore County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Carimona
    • Fountain
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the east)
    • Chatfield
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the northeast)
    • Preston
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the east)
    • Granger
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the southeast)
      • Granger is located in Fillmore County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Granger
    • Harmony
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the east)
  • Freeborn County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Grand Meadow, with the one closest to Grand Meadow listed first.
    • Oakland
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the west)
      • Oakland is located in Freeborn County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Oakland
    • London
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the southwest)
      • London is located in Freeborn County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for London
  • Olmsted County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Grand Meadow, with the one closest to Grand Meadow listed first.
    • High Forest
      (9 miles [14.5 km] to the north)
      • High Forest is located in Olmsted County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for High Forest
    • Stewartville
      (11 miles [17.7 km] to the north)
    • Rock Dell
      (15 miles [24.1 km] to the north)
      • Rock Dell is located in Olmsted County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rock Dell
    • Simpson
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the northeast)
      • Simpson is located in Olmsted County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Simpson
    • Shanty Town
      (18 miles [29 km] to the north)
      • Shanty Town is located in Olmsted County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Shanty Town
    • Predmore
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the northeast)
      • Predmore is located in Olmsted County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Predmore
    • Rochester
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the north)
    • Byron
      (23 miles [37 km] to the north)
      • 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>
    • Eyota
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the northeast)
      • 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>
    • Post Town
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the north)
      • Post Town is located in Olmsted County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Post Town
    • Genoa
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the north)
      • Genoa is located in Olmsted County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Genoa
    • Dover
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the northeast)
  • Steele County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Grand Meadow, with the one closest to Grand Meadow listed first.
    • Blooming Prairie
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the northwest)
    • Union
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the northwest)
      • Union is located in Steele County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Union
  • Winona County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Grand Meadow, with the one closest to Grand Meadow listed first.
    • Troy
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the northeast)
      • Troy is located in Winona County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Troy
    • Saratoga
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the northeast)
      • Saratoga is located in Winona County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Saratoga
  • Howard County (IA)
    • The following are listed by their distance from Grand Meadow, with the one closest to Grand Meadow listed first.
    • Chester
      (18 miles [29 km] to the southeast)
    • Forest City ‑ Historic
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the southeast)
      • Forest City is located in Howard County (IA)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Forest City
    • Lime Springs
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the southeast)
    • Riceville
      (23 miles [37 km] to the south)
    • Davis Corners
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the southeast)
      • Davis Corners is located in Howard County (IA)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Davis Corners
    • Florenceville
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the southeast)
      • Florenceville is located in Howard County (IA)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Florenceville
  • Mitchell County (IA)
    • The following are listed by their distance from Grand Meadow, with the one closest to Grand Meadow listed first.
    • McIntire
      (18 miles [29 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
    • Meyer
      (18 miles [29 km] to the south)
      • Meyer is located in Mitchell County (IA)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Meyer
    • Stacyville
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the southwest)
      • Stacyville is located in Mitchell County (IA)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Stacyville
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 466 people
    • 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
    • Toeterville
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the southwest)
    • Saint Ansgar
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the southwest)
    • New Haven
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the south)
      • New Haven is located in Mitchell County (IA)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for New Haven
    • Carpenter
      (30 miles [48.3 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
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the southwest)
      • Mitchell is located in Mitchell County (IA)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mitchell
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 128 people

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

Cemeteries Near Grand Meadow ...

Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of Grand Meadow.

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 Grand Meadow - one of the links might be able to help.

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

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

  • Grand Meadow Cemetery
    (Less than 2 miles to the northwest)
  • St. Finbarrs Cemetery
    (Less than 2 miles to the northwest)
  • Bear Creek Luthern Cemetery
    (2 miles [3.2 km] to the north)
  • Norwegian Methodist Cemetery
    (2 miles [3.2 km] to the north)
  • Sevar Temanson Cemetery
    (3 miles [4.8 km] to the northeast)
  • Racine Salem Evangelical Cemetery
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the northeast)
  • Salem Cemetery
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the northeast)
  • Frankford Cemetery
    (5 miles [8 km] to the east)
  • Bennington Cemetery
    (6 miles [9.7 km] to the southeast)
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bennington Cemetery
    • The Bennington Cemetery has also been known as:
    • Angell Pioneer Cemetery
    • Bennington Pioneer Cemetery
  • St. Johns Cemetery
    (6 miles [9.7 km] to the north)
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for St. Johns Cemetery
    • The St. Johns Cemetery has also been known as:
    • St. John's Evangelistic Cemetery
  • Dexter Cemetery
    (6 miles [9.7 km] to the west)
  • Immanuel Cemetery
    (7 miles [11.3 km] to the north)
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Immanuel Cemetery
    • The Immanuel Cemetery has also been known as:
    • Immanuel Lutheran Cemetery
  • Continue List   (209 more) ...

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 Grand Meadow had a population of 373 people in 1895 with a post office and railroad service. In 2020, Grand Meadow had a population of 1,194 people.

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

  • Racine
    (6 miles [9.7 km] to the northeast)
  • Dexter
    (6 miles [9.7 km] to the west)
  • Elkton
    (7 miles [11.3 km] to the southwest)
    • Elkton is located in Mower County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Elkton
    • Population from the 2020 Census: 148 people
  • Hamilton
    (7 miles [11.3 km] to the northeast)
    • Hamilton is located in Fillmore County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hamilton
  • Ostrander
    (9 miles [14.5 km] to the southeast)
  • Spring Valley
    (9 miles [14.5 km] to the east)
  • High Forest
    (9 miles [14.5 km] to the north)
    • High Forest is located in Olmsted County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for High Forest
  • Taopi
    (10 miles [16.1 km] to the south)
    • Taopi is located in Mower County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Taopi
    • Population from the 2020 Census: 65 people
  • Renova ‑ Historic
    (10 miles [16.1 km] to the west)
    • Renova is located in Mower County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Renova
  • Stewartville
    (11 miles [17.7 km] to the north)
  • Adams
    (12 miles [19.3 km] to the southwest)
  • Washington
    (12 miles [19.3 km] to the northeast)
    • Washington is located in Fillmore County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Washington
  • Continue List   (16 more) ...
    • Le Roy
      (13 miles [20.9 km] to the south)
    • Etna
      (13 miles [20.9 km] to the southeast)
      • Etna is located in Fillmore County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Etna
    • Sargeant
      (13 miles [20.9 km] to the northwest)
      • Sargeant is located in Mower County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sargeant
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 60 people

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

Newspapers Published in Grand Meadow ...

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 Grand Meadow.

Although we're unaware of any newspapers that were published in the immediate area of Grand Meadow, there are papers which were published within 30 miles [48.3 km]<3>. A list of those papers, sorted by paper name, can be found on the Extended Newspaper List for Grand Meadow.

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 either 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 Grand Meadow:

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 Grand Meadow, 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 from Point A (ie- Grand Meadow) to Point B. In other words: 'As the crow flies'.