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 Heron Lake (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 Heron Lake. 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 Heron Lake ...
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 Heron Lake: Heron Lk.
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 northeast corner of their home county. During their lives, most doctors and 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.
Heron Lake is located in Jackson 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 Jackson County: Dickinson (IA), Emmet (IA), Osceola (IA), Cottonwood, Martin, Nobles & Watonwan.
Below are the counties that are near Heron Lake. For each of these counties, we show a sample of those communities that are closest to Heron Lake:
- Jackson County (The home county of Heron Lake)
- The following are listed by their distance from Heron Lake, with the one closest to Heron Lake listed first.
- Okabena
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the south)
- Okabena is located in Jackson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Okabena
- Population from the 2020 Census: 195 people
- Wilder
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the east)
- Wilder is located in Jackson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Wilder
- Population from the 2020 Census: 56 people
- Lakefield
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the southeast)
- Sioux Valley
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the south)
- Sioux Valley is located in Jackson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sioux Valley
- Jackson
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the southeast)
- Alpha
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the southeast)
- Alpha is located in Jackson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Alpha
- Population from the 2020 Census: 119 people
- Petersburg
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the southeast)
- Petersburg is located in Jackson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Petersburg
- Brown County
- Comfrey
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the northeast)
- Cottonwood County
- The following are listed by their distance from Heron Lake, with the one closest to Heron Lake listed first.
- Windom
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the northeast)
- Bingham Lake
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the northeast)
- Storden
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the north)
- Storden is located in Cottonwood County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Storden
- Population from the 2020 Census: 204 people
- Westbrook
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the north)
- Jeffers
(18 miles [29 km] to the north)
- Jeffers is located in Cottonwood County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Jeffers
- Population from the 2020 Census: 346 people
- Mountain Lake
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the northeast)
- Martin County
- Trimont
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the east)
- Murray County
- The following are listed by their distance from Heron Lake, with the one closest to Heron Lake listed first.
- Fulda
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the west)
- Avoca
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the northwest)
- Avoca is located in Murray County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Avoca
- Population from the 2020 Census: 134 people
- Dovray
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the northwest)
- Dovray is located in Murray County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Dovray
- Population from the 2020 Census: 51 people
- Iona
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the west)
- Currie
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the northwest)
- Slayton
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the northwest)
- Hadley
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the northwest)
- Hadley is located in Murray County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hadley
- Population from the 2020 Census: 59 people
- The Lakes
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the northwest)
- The Lakes is located in Murray County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for The Lakes
- Nobles County
- The following are listed by their distance from Heron Lake, with the one closest to Heron Lake listed first.
- Dundee
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the northwest)
- Dundee is located in Nobles County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Dundee
- Population from the 2020 Census: 67 people
- Kinbrae
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the west)
- Kinbrae is located in Nobles County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Kinbrae
- Population from the 2020 Census: 10 people
- Brewster
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the southwest)
- Brewster is located in Nobles County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Brewster
- Population from the 2020 Census: 466 people
- Worthington
(18 miles [29 km] to the southwest)
- Round Lake
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the south)
- Reading
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the west)
- Reading is located in Nobles County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Reading
- Org
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the southwest)
- Org is located in Nobles County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Org
- Wilmont
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the west)
- Rushmore
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the southwest)
- Rushmore is located in Nobles County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rushmore
- Population from the 2020 Census: 334 people
- Bigelow
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the southwest)
- Bigelow is located in Nobles County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bigelow
- Population from the 2020 Census: 226 people
- Ransom
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the southwest)
- Ransom is located in Nobles County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ransom
- Redwood County
- The following are listed by their distance from Heron Lake, with the one closest to Heron Lake listed first.
- Revere
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the north)
- Lamberton
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the north)
- Sanborn
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the north)
- Walnut Grove
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the north)
- Watonwan County
- The following are listed by their distance from Heron Lake, with the one closest to Heron Lake listed first.
- Butterfield
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the northeast)
- Butterfield is located in Watonwan County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Butterfield
- Population from the 2020 Census: 582 people
- Odin
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the east)
- Odin is located in Watonwan County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Odin
- Population from the 2020 Census: 104 people
- Darfur
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the northeast)
- Darfur is located in Watonwan County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Darfur
- Population from the 2020 Census: 102 people
- Dickinson County (IA)
- The following are listed by their distance from Heron Lake, with the one closest to Heron Lake listed first.
- Lake Park
(23 miles [37 km] to the south)
- Orleans
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the southeast)
- Orleans is located in Dickinson County (IA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Orleans
- Population from the 2020 Census: 591 people
- Spirit Lake
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the southeast)
- Okoboji
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the south)
- Wahpeton
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the south)
- Wahpeton is located in Dickinson County (IA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Wahpeton
- Population from the 2020 Census: 353 people
- Osceola County (IA)
- The following are listed by their distance from Heron Lake, with the one closest to Heron Lake listed first.
- Harris
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the south)
- Harris is located in Osceola County (IA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Harris
- Population from the 2020 Census: 158 people
- Ocheyedan
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the south)
- Ocheyedan is located in Osceola County (IA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ocheyedan
- Population from the 2020 Census: 463 people
- Allendorf
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the southwest)
- Allendorf is located in Osceola County (IA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Allendorf
For an expanded list of the communities that are closest to Heron Lake, see our County-by-County Page for Heron Lake.
Cemeteries Near Heron Lake ...
Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of Heron Lake.
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 Heron Lake - one of the links might be able to help.
If not found below, our Cemetery List for Heron Lake covers a larger area, with the cemeteries listed in alphabetical order.
The following cemeteries are listed based on their distance from Heron Lake, with the one closest to Heron Lake listed first.
- Lakeside Cemetery
(Less than 2 miles to the northeast)
- Sacred Heart Cemetery
(Less than 2 miles to the north)
- St. John's Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the south)
- Wilder Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the east)
- Springfield Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the northeast)
- Brill Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the southeast)
- St. Peter Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the east)
- Heron Lake Cemetery
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the southeast)
- First Lutheran Cemetery
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the northwest)
- St. Marys Cemetery
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the northwest)
- Kinbrae Cemetery
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the west)
- Delafield Cemetery
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the east)
- Continue List (116 more) ...
- Sacred Heart Cemetery
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the southwest)
- Immanuel Cemetery
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the southeast)
- Trinity Cemetery
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the southwest)
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 Heron Lake had a population of 496 people in 1895 with a post office and railroad service. In 2020, Heron Lake had a population of 643 people.
These communities are listed based on their distance from Heron Lake, with the one closest to Heron Lake listed first.
- Okabena
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the south)
- Okabena is located in Jackson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Okabena
- Population from the 2020 Census: 195 people
- Wilder
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the east)
- Wilder is located in Jackson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Wilder
- Population from the 2020 Census: 56 people
- Dundee
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the northwest)
- Dundee is located in Nobles County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Dundee
- Population from the 2020 Census: 67 people
- Kinbrae
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the west)
- Kinbrae is located in Nobles County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Kinbrae
- Population from the 2020 Census: 10 people
- Brewster
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the southwest)
- Brewster is located in Nobles County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Brewster
- Population from the 2020 Census: 466 people
- Lakefield
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the southeast)
- Windom
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the northeast)
- Lime Creek
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the northwest)
- Lime Creek is located in Murray County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lime Creek
- Fulda
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the west)
- Bingham Lake
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the northeast)
- Storden
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the north)
- Storden is located in Cottonwood County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Storden
- Population from the 2020 Census: 204 people
- Sioux Valley
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the south)
- Sioux Valley is located in Jackson County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sioux Valley
- Continue List (14 more) ...
- Westbrook
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the north)
- Worthington
(18 miles [29 km] to the southwest)
- Round Lake
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the south)
We've also created an expanded list of communities that existed in the 1890's and were located in the area around Heron Lake. See our List of 1890's Communities around Heron Lake.
Newspapers Published in the Vicinity of Heron Lake ...
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 102 newspapers that have been published in the area around Heron Lake.
We have organized these newspapers into two lists:
- A Local Newspaper List - focusing on the papers published in the immediate area of Heron Lake. There are actually two parts to this list - papers printed in the immediate area of Heron Lake and those printed in the larger area surrounding Heron Lake.
- An Extended Newspaper List - a longer list, sorted by paper name and containing those papers published within 30 miles [48.3 km]<3> of Heron Lake.
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 Heron Lake:
- Websites specific to Minnesota
- Pages specific to Jackson County
- Genealogy information for nearby counties
- Brown County
- Cottonwood County
- Martin County
- Murray County
- Nobles County
- Redwood County
- Watonwan County
- Dickinson County
- Osceola 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 Heron Lake, 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- Heron Lake) to Point B. In other words: 'As the crow flies'. |