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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 La Salle (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 La Salle. 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 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.

La Salle is located in Watonwan 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 Watonwan County: Blue Earth, Brown, Cottonwood, Jackson & Martin.

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

  • Watonwan County     (The home county of La Salle)
    • The following are listed by their distance from La Salle, with the one closest to La Salle listed first.
    • Godahl
      (4 miles [6.4 km] to the northwest)
      • Godahl is located in Watonwan County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Godahl
    • Grogan
      (4 miles [6.4 km] to the southeast)
      • Grogan is located in Watonwan County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Grogan
    • Saint James
      (6 miles [9.7 km] to the southwest)
    • Madelia
      (7 miles [11.3 km] to the east)
    • Lewisville
      (12 miles [19.3 km] to the southeast)
      • Lewisville is located in Watonwan County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lewisville
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 244 people
    • Butterfield
      (13 miles [20.9 km] to the southwest)
      • Butterfield is located in Watonwan County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Butterfield
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 582 people
    • Darfur
      (13 miles [20.9 km] to the west)
      • Darfur is located in Watonwan County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Darfur
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 102 people
    • Odin
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the southwest)
      • Odin is located in Watonwan County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Odin
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 104 people
  • Blue Earth County
    • The following are listed by their distance from La Salle, with the one closest to La Salle listed first.
    • Lake Crystal
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the east)
    • Willow Creek
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the southeast)
      • Willow Creek is located in Blue Earth County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Willow Creek
    • Garden City
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the east)
      • Garden City is located in Blue Earth County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Garden City
    • Judson
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the northeast)
      • Judson is located in Blue Earth County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Judson
    • Vernon Center
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the east)
      • Vernon Center is located in Blue Earth County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Vernon Center
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 313 people
    • Rapidan
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the east)
      • Rapidan is located in Blue Earth County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rapidan
    • Amboy
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the southeast)
      • Amboy is located in Blue Earth County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Amboy
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 505 people
      • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Amboy <1>
    • Good Thunder
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the east)
    • Skyline
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the east)
      • Skyline is located in Blue Earth County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Skyline
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 299 people
    • Beauford
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the east)
      • Beauford is located in Blue Earth County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Beauford
    • Mankato
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the east)
      • Mankato is located in Blue Earth County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mankato
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 43,435 people
      • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Mankato <1>
  • Brown County
    • The following are listed by their distance from La Salle, with the one closest to La Salle listed first.
    • Hanska
      (6 miles [9.7 km] to the northeast)
    • Searles
      (12 miles [19.3 km] to the northeast)
      • Searles is located in Brown County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Searles
    • Iberia
      (13 miles [20.9 km] to the northwest)
      • Iberia is located in Brown County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Iberia
    • Leavenworth
      (15 miles [24.1 km] to the northwest)
      • Leavenworth is located in Brown County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Leavenworth
    • Comfrey
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the west)
    • Essig
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the north)
    • New Ulm
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the north)
    • Sleepy Eye
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the northwest)
    • Cobden
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the northwest)
      • Cobden is located in Brown County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cobden
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 35 people
    • Evan
      (23 miles [37 km] to the northwest)
      • Evan is located in Brown County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Evan
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 84 people
    • Springfield
      (23 miles [37 km] to the northwest)
  • Cottonwood County
    • The following are listed by their distance from La Salle, with the one closest to La Salle listed first.
    • Mountain Lake
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the southwest)
    • Bingham Lake
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the southwest)
    • Windom
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the southwest)
      • Windom is located in Cottonwood County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Windom
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 4,403 people
      • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Windom <1>
    • Jeffers
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the west)
      • Jeffers is located in Cottonwood County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Jeffers
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 346 people
  • Faribault County
    • The following are listed by their distance from La Salle, with the one closest to La Salle listed first.
    • Huntley
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the southeast)
      • Huntley is located in Faribault County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Huntley
    • Winnebago
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the southeast)
  • Martin County
    • The following are listed by their distance from La Salle, with the one closest to La Salle listed first.
    • Ormsby
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the south)
      • Ormsby is located in Martin County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ormsby
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 121 people
    • Truman
      (18 miles [29 km] to the south)
      • Truman is located in Martin County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Truman
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 1,028 people
    • Trimont
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the south)
    • Northrop
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the south)
    • Welcome
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the south)
    • Granada
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the southeast)
    • Fairmont
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the south)
    • Sherburn
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the south)
  • Nicollet County
    • The following are listed by their distance from La Salle, with the one closest to La Salle listed first.
    • Courtland
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the northeast)
    • Nicollet
      (23 miles [37 km] to the northeast)
    • North Mankato
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the east)
    • Lafayette
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the north)
    • Oshawa
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the northeast)
      • Oshawa is located in Nicollet County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Oshawa
    • New Sweden
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the northeast)
      • New Sweden is located in Nicollet County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for New Sweden
  • Redwood County
    • The following are listed by their distance from La Salle, with the one closest to La Salle listed first.
    • Morgan
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the northwest)
      • Morgan is located in Redwood County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Morgan
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 832 people
    • Sanborn
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the west)

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

Cemeteries Near La Salle ...

Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of La Salle.

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 La Salle - one of the links might be able to help.

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

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

  • La Salle Lutheran Cemetery
    (Less than 2 miles to the southwest)
  • East Sveadahl Cemetery
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the west)
  • Rosendale Cemetery
    (5 miles [8 km] to the southeast)
  • Old Faith Lutheran Cemetery
    (5 miles [8 km] to the east)
  • Lake Hanska Cemetery
    (5 miles [8 km] to the northeast)
  • Madelia Cemetery
    (6 miles [9.7 km] to the east)
  • Mt. Pisgah Cemetery
    (6 miles [9.7 km] to the northeast)
  • Zion Cemetery
    (6 miles [9.7 km] to the northeast)
  • Mt. Hope Cemetery
    (7 miles [11.3 km] to the south)
  • Riverside Cemetery
    (8 miles [12.9 km] to the east)
  • Calvary Cemetery
    (8 miles [12.9 km] to the east)
  • Linden Cemetery
    (8 miles [12.9 km] to the northeast)
  • Continue List   (181 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>

While we didn't find La Salle in the Atlas, the following 1895 communities would have been found near the current location of La Salle.

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

  • Grogan
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the southeast)
    • Grogan is located in Watonwan County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Grogan
  • Saint James
    (6 miles [9.7 km] to the southwest)
  • Hanska
    (6 miles [9.7 km] to the northeast)
  • Madelia
    (7 miles [11.3 km] to the east)
  • Linden
    (11 miles [17.7 km] to the northeast)
    • Linden is located in Brown County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Linden
  • South Branch
    (12 miles [19.3 km] to the south)
    • South Branch is located in Watonwan County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for South Branch
  • Butterfield
    (13 miles [20.9 km] to the southwest)
    • Butterfield is located in Watonwan County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Butterfield
    • Population from the 2020 Census: 582 people
  • Iberia
    (13 miles [20.9 km] to the northwest)
    • Iberia is located in Brown County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Iberia
  • Leavenworth
    (15 miles [24.1 km] to the northwest)
    • Leavenworth is located in Brown County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Leavenworth
  • Odin
    (16 miles [25.7 km] to the southwest)
    • Odin is located in Watonwan County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Odin
    • Population from the 2020 Census: 104 people
  • Comfrey
    (16 miles [25.7 km] to the west)
  • Sleepy Eye
    (17 miles [27.4 km] to the northwest)
  • Continue List   (14 more) ...
    • Lake Crystal
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the east)
    • Courtland
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the northeast)
    • New Ulm
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the north)

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

Newspapers Published in La Salle ...

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 50 newspapers that have been published in the area around La Salle.

Although we're unaware of any newspapers that were published in the immediate area of La Salle, 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 La Salle.

Websites to Help With Your Genealogy Research ...

When we do our genealogical research, we first turn to 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 La Salle:

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