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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 The Lakes (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 The Lakes. 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 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.

The Lakes is located in Murray 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 Murray County: Cottonwood, Lyon, Nobles, Pipestone, Redwood & Rock.

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

  • Murray County     (The home county of The Lakes)
    • The following are listed by their distance from The Lakes, with the one closest to The Lakes listed first.
    • Currie
      (4 miles [6.4 km] to the south)
    • Dovray
      (8 miles [12.9 km] to the southeast)
      • Dovray is located in Murray County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Dovray
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 51 people
    • Lowville
      (11 miles [17.7 km] to the southwest)
      • Lowville is located in Murray County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lowville
    • Slayton
      (11 miles [17.7 km] to the southwest)
    • Avoca
      (13 miles [20.9 km] to the south)
      • Avoca is located in Murray County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Avoca
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 134 people
    • Hadley
      (13 miles [20.9 km] to the southwest)
      • Hadley is located in Murray County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hadley
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 59 people
    • Iona
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the south)
    • Lake Wilson
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the southwest)
      • Lake Wilson is located in Murray County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lake Wilson
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 224 people
    • Fulda
      (18 miles [29 km] to the south)
    • Chandler
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the southwest)
      • Chandler is located in Murray County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Chandler
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 246 people
  • Cottonwood County
    • The following are listed by their distance from The Lakes, with the one closest to The Lakes listed first.
    • Westbrook
      (13 miles [20.9 km] to the southeast)
    • Storden
      (18 miles [29 km] to the east)
      • Storden is located in Cottonwood County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Storden
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 204 people
    • Jeffers
      (23 miles [37 km] to the east)
      • Jeffers is located in Cottonwood County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Jeffers
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 346 people
  • Jackson County
    • Heron Lake
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the southeast)
      • Heron Lake is located in Jackson County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Heron Lake
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 643 people
  • Lincoln County
    • The following are listed by their distance from The Lakes, with the one closest to The Lakes listed first.
    • Tyler
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the west)
      • Tyler is located in Lincoln County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Tyler
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 1,058 people
      • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Tyler <1>
    • Arco
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the northwest)
  • Lyon County
    • The following are listed by their distance from The Lakes, with the one closest to The Lakes listed first.
    • Tracy
      (7 miles [11.3 km] to the north)
    • Garvin
      (7 miles [11.3 km] to the northwest)
      • Garvin is located in Lyon County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Garvin
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 129 people
    • Amiret
      (12 miles [19.3 km] to the north)
      • Amiret is located in Lyon County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Amiret
    • Balaton
      (12 miles [19.3 km] to the northwest)
    • Russell
      (18 miles [29 km] to the northwest)
      • Russell is located in Lyon County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Russell
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 343 people
    • Lynd
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the northwest)
    • Florence
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the west)
      • Florence is located in Lyon County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Florence
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 35 people
    • Marshall
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the north)
    • Ghent
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the northwest)
  • Nobles County
    • The following are listed by their distance from The Lakes, with the one closest to The Lakes listed first.
    • Dundee
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the southeast)
      • Dundee is located in Nobles County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Dundee
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 67 people
    • Kinbrae
      (23 miles [37 km] to the southeast)
      • Kinbrae is located in Nobles County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Kinbrae
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 10 people
    • Wilmont
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the south)
    • Leota
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the southwest)
      • Leota is located in Nobles County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Leota
    • Reading
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the south)
      • Reading is located in Nobles County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Reading
    • Lismore
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the southwest)
      • Lismore is located in Nobles County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lismore
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 218 people
  • Pipestone County
    • The following are listed by their distance from The Lakes, with the one closest to The Lakes listed first.
    • Ruthton
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the west)
    • Woodstock
      (23 miles [37 km] to the southwest)
    • Holland
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the west)
      • Holland is located in Pipestone County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Holland
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 172 people
    • Edgerton
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the southwest)
    • Hatfield
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the southwest)
      • Hatfield is located in Pipestone County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hatfield
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 52 people
  • Redwood County
    • The following are listed by their distance from The Lakes, with the one closest to The Lakes listed first.
    • Walnut Grove
      (11 miles [17.7 km] to the northeast)
    • Revere
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the east)
    • Lamberton
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the east)
    • Milroy
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the north)
    • Lucan
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the northeast)
    • Wanda
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the northeast)
    • Sanborn
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the east)
    • Wabasso
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the northeast)
    • Seaforth
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the northeast)
    • Vesta
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the northeast)
      • Vesta is located in Redwood County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Vesta
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 295 people

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

Cemeteries Near The Lakes ...

Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of The Lakes.

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 The Lakes - one of the links might be able to help.

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

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

  • Lake Sarah Cemetery
    (3 miles [4.8 km] to the west)
  • Bethany Cemetery
    (3 miles [4.8 km] to the southwest)
  • Willow Lake Cemetery
    (3 miles [4.8 km] to the east)
  • Modum Cemetery
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the west)
  • Pioneer Cemetery
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the south)
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Pioneer Cemetery
    • To give a relative sense of its location, the Pioneer Cemetery is located outside and to the northwest of Currie.
    • The Pioneer Cemetery has also been known as:
    • Currie Pioneer Cemetery
    • Jump to Find-A-Grave: FG ID #2267403 <2>
  • Hoiland Cemetery
    (5 miles [8 km] to the north)
  • Tracy Cemetery
    (5 miles [8 km] to the northeast)
  • Rialson Cemetery
    (5 miles [8 km] to the north)
  • Our Saviors Cemetery
    (8 miles [12.9 km] to the southeast)
  • Old German Cemetery
    (8 miles [12.9 km] to the southeast)
  • Bethel Cemetery
    (8 miles [12.9 km] to the northwest)
  • Calvary Cemetery
    (8 miles [12.9 km] to the north)
  • Continue List   (115 more) ...
    • Swedish Cemetery
      (9 miles [14.5 km] to the northeast)
    • Slayton Cemetery
      (10 miles [16.1 km] to the southwest)
    • St. Annes Cemetery
      (10 miles [16.1 km] to the south)

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>

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

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

  • Currie
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the south)
  • Tracy
    (7 miles [11.3 km] to the north)
  • Garvin
    (7 miles [11.3 km] to the northwest)
    • Garvin is located in Lyon County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Garvin
    • Population from the 2020 Census: 129 people
  • Lowville
    (11 miles [17.7 km] to the southwest)
    • Lowville is located in Murray County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lowville
  • Slayton
    (11 miles [17.7 km] to the southwest)
  • Walnut Grove
    (11 miles [17.7 km] to the northeast)
  • Balaton
    (12 miles [19.3 km] to the northwest)
  • Amiret
    (12 miles [19.3 km] to the north)
    • Amiret is located in Lyon County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Amiret
  • Hadley
    (13 miles [20.9 km] to the southwest)
    • Hadley is located in Murray County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hadley
    • Population from the 2020 Census: 59 people
  • Avoca
    (13 miles [20.9 km] to the south)
    • Avoca is located in Murray County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Avoca
    • Population from the 2020 Census: 134 people
  • Westbrook
    (13 miles [20.9 km] to the southeast)
  • Current Lake
    (13 miles [20.9 km] to the west)
    • Current Lake is located in Murray County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Current Lake
  • Continue List   (13 more) ...
    • Iona
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the south)
    • Revere
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the east)
    • Lake Wilson
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the southwest)
      • Lake Wilson is located in Murray County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lake Wilson
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 224 people

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

Newspapers Published in The Lakes ...

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 88 newspapers that have been published in the area around The Lakes.

Although we're unaware of any newspapers that were published in the immediate area of The Lakes, there are papers which were published within 30 miles [48.3 km]<4>. A list of those papers, sorted by paper name, can be found on the Extended Newspaper List for The Lakes.

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 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 The Lakes:

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