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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 Little Chicago (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 Little Chicago. 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 doctors 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.

Little Chicago is located in Rice 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 Rice County: Dakota, Dodge, Goodhue, Le Sueur, Scott, Steele & Waseca.

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

  • Rice County     (The home county of Little Chicago)
    • The following are listed by their distance from Little Chicago, with the one closest to Little Chicago listed first.
    • Webster
      (3 miles [4.8 km] to the northwest)
    • Millersburg
      (3 miles [4.8 km] to the south)
      • Millersburg is located in Rice County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Millersburg
    • Trondjem
      (3 miles [4.8 km] to the west)
      • Trondjem is located in Rice County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Trondjem
    • Lonsdale
      (4 miles [6.4 km] to the west)
    • Dundas
      (6 miles [9.7 km] to the southeast)
    • Wheatland
      (7 miles [11.3 km] to the west)
      • Wheatland is located in Rice County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Wheatland
    • Northfield
      (8 miles [12.9 km] to the east)
    • Cannon City
      (11 miles [17.7 km] to the southeast)
      • Cannon City is located in Rice County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cannon City
    • Faribault
      (12 miles [19.3 km] to the south)
    • Nerstrand
      (15 miles [24.1 km] to the southeast)
    • Warsaw
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the south)
      • Warsaw is located in Rice County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Warsaw
    • Morristown
      (18 miles [29 km] to the south)
    • Walcott
      (18 miles [29 km] to the southeast)
      • Walcott is located in Rice County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Walcott
  • Blue Earth County
    • Madison Lake
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the southwest)
  • Carver County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Little Chicago, with the one closest to Little Chicago listed first.
    • Carver
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the northwest)
    • Chaska
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the northwest)
    • Dahlgren
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the northwest)
      • Dahlgren is located in Carver County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Dahlgren
    • Chanhassen
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the north)
    • Gotha
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the northwest)
      • Gotha is located in Carver County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Gotha
    • Hazeltine
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the northwest)
      • Hazeltine is located in Carver County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hazeltine
    • Cologne
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the northwest)
  • Dakota County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Little Chicago, with the one closest to Little Chicago listed first.
    • Waterford
      (8 miles [12.9 km] to the east)
      • Waterford is located in Dakota County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Waterford
    • Castle Rock
      (9 miles [14.5 km] to the northeast)
      • Castle Rock is located in Dakota County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Castle Rock
    • Eureka Center
      (9 miles [14.5 km] to the northeast)
      • Eureka Center is located in Dakota County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Eureka Center
    • Lakeville
      (12 miles [19.3 km] to the north)
    • Farmington
      (14 miles [22.5 km] to the northeast)
    • Randolph
      (15 miles [24.1 km] to the east)
      • Randolph is located in Dakota County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Randolph
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 444 people
    • Hampton
      (18 miles [29 km] to the northeast)
    • Apple Valley
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the north)
    • Burnsville
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the north)
    • New Trier
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the northeast)
      • New Trier is located in Dakota County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for New Trier
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 106 people
    • Coates
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the northeast)
      • Coates is located in Dakota County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Coates
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 155 people
    • Rosemount
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the northeast)
    • Vermillion
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the northeast)
  • Dodge County
    • West Concord
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the southeast)
  • Goodhue County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Little Chicago, with the one closest to Little Chicago listed first.
    • Dennison
      (14 miles [22.5 km] to the east)
    • Stanton
      (14 miles [22.5 km] to the east)
      • Stanton is located in Goodhue County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Stanton
    • Wangs
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the east)
      • Wangs is located in Goodhue County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Wangs
    • Cannon Falls
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the east)
    • Kenyon
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the southeast)
    • Hader
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the east)
      • Hader is located in Goodhue County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hader
    • Belle Creek
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the east)
      • Belle Creek is located in Goodhue County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Belle Creek
    • White Rock
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the east)
      • White Rock is located in Goodhue County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for White Rock
    • Wanamingo
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the southeast)
    • Welch
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the east)
  • Hennepin County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Little Chicago, with the one closest to Little Chicago listed first.
    • Bloomington
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the north)
    • Eden Prairie
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the north)
    • Edina
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the north)
      • Edina is located in Hennepin County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Edina
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 52,477 people
      • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Edina <1>
    • Richfield
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the north)
  • Le Sueur County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Little Chicago, with the one closest to Little Chicago listed first.
    • Montgomery
      (13 miles [20.9 km] to the west)
    • Heidelberg
      (15 miles [24.1 km] to the west)
      • Heidelberg is located in Le Sueur County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Heidelberg
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 122 people
    • Kilkenny
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the southwest)
    • Lexington
      (18 miles [29 km] to the west)
      • Lexington is located in Le Sueur County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lexington
    • Cordova
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the southwest)
      • Cordova is located in Le Sueur County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cordova
    • Waterville
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the southwest)
    • Le Center
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the west)
    • Saint Thomas
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the west)
      • Saint Thomas is located in Le Sueur County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Saint Thomas
    • Cleveland
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the southwest)
    • Greenland
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the southwest)
      • Greenland is located in Le Sueur County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Greenland
    • Le Sueur
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the west)
    • Marysburg
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the southwest)
      • Marysburg is located in Le Sueur County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Marysburg
  • Scott County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Little Chicago, with the one closest to Little Chicago listed first.
    • Elko
      (5 miles [8 km] to the north)
    • Elko New Market
      (6 miles [9.7 km] to the north)
      • Elko New Market is located in Scott County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Elko New Market
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 4,733 people
    • New Market
      (6 miles [9.7 km] to the north)
    • Cedar Lake
      (9 miles [14.5 km] to the northwest)
      • Cedar Lake is located in Scott County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cedar Lake
    • Saint Patrick
      (11 miles [17.7 km] to the northwest)
      • Saint Patrick is located in Scott County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Saint Patrick
    • Credit River
      (13 miles [20.9 km] to the north)
      • Credit River is located in Scott County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Credit River
    • New Prague
      (13 miles [20.9 km] to the west)
    • Prior Lake
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the north)
    • Union Hill
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the west)
      • Union Hill is located in Scott County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Union Hill
    • Savage
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the north)
    • Marystown
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the northwest)
      • Marystown is located in Scott County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Marystown
    • Jordan
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the northwest)
    • Shakopee
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the north)
  • Sibley County
    • Henderson
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the west)
  • Steele County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Little Chicago, with the one closest to Little Chicago listed first.
    • Medford
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the south)
      • Medford is located in Steele County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Medford
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 1,255 people
    • Owatonna
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the south)
    • Rice Lake
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the southeast)
      • Rice Lake is located in Steele County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rice Lake
    • Havana
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the south)
      • Havana is located in Steele County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Havana
  • Waseca County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Little Chicago, with the one closest to Little Chicago listed first.
    • Palmer
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the southwest)
      • Palmer is located in Waseca County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Palmer
    • Elysian
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the southwest)
    • Waseca
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the south)
  • Washington County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Little Chicago, with the one closest to Little Chicago listed first.
    • Saint Paul Park
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the northeast)
    • Cottage Grove
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the northeast)

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

Cemeteries Near Little Chicago ...

Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of Little Chicago.

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 Little Chicago - one of the links might be able to help.

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

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

  • Rolling Green Cemetery
    (2 miles [3.2 km] to the southeast)
  • Forest Cemetery
    (3 miles [4.8 km] to the southeast)
  • St. Johns Cemetery
    (5 miles [8 km] to the southwest)
  • Solar Lutheran Cemetery
    (5 miles [8 km] to the northeast)
  • St. Johns Cemetery
    (5 miles [8 km] to the northwest)
  • Calvary Hill Cemetery
    (5 miles [8 km] to the west)
  • East Christiania Cemetery
    (6 miles [9.7 km] to the northeast)
  • Highview Christiana Cemetery
    (7 miles [11.3 km] to the northeast)
  • St. Johns Cemetery
    (7 miles [11.3 km] to the west)
  • Greenvale Cemetery
    (8 miles [12.9 km] to the northeast)
  • West Christiania Cemetery
    (8 miles [12.9 km] to the north)
  • Calvary Cemetery
    (9 miles [14.5 km] to the east)
  • Continue List   (267 more) ...
    • Oak Lawn Cemetery
      (9 miles [14.5 km] to the east)
    • Redrose Cemetery
      (10 miles [16.1 km] to the east)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Redrose Cemetery
      • Former name for Redrose Cemetery:
      • Rose Leaf Cemetery
    • Farmington Luteran Cemetery
      (10 miles [16.1 km] to the northeast)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Farmington Luteran Cemetery
      • The Farmington Luteran Cemetery has also been known as:
      • St. Johns Danish Luthern Cemetery

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 Little Chicago in the Atlas, the following 1895 communities would have been found near the current location of Little Chicago.

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

  • Millersburg
    (3 miles [4.8 km] to the south)
    • Millersburg is located in Rice County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Millersburg
  • Webster
    (3 miles [4.8 km] to the northwest)
  • Hazelwood
    (3 miles [4.8 km] to the northeast)
    • Hazelwood is located in Rice County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hazelwood
  • Trondjem
    (3 miles [4.8 km] to the west)
    • Trondjem is located in Rice County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Trondjem
  • New Market
    (6 miles [9.7 km] to the north)
  • Dundas
    (6 miles [9.7 km] to the southeast)
  • Wheatland
    (7 miles [11.3 km] to the west)
    • Wheatland is located in Rice County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Wheatland
  • Shieldsville
    (8 miles [12.9 km] to the southwest)
    • Shieldsville is located in Rice County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Shieldsville
  • Northfield
    (8 miles [12.9 km] to the east)
  • Waterford
    (8 miles [12.9 km] to the east)
    • Waterford is located in Dakota County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Waterford
  • Castle Rock
    (9 miles [14.5 km] to the northeast)
    • Castle Rock is located in Dakota County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Castle Rock
  • Cedar Lake
    (9 miles [14.5 km] to the northwest)
    • Cedar Lake is located in Scott County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cedar Lake
  • Continue List   (14 more) ...
    • Saint Patrick
      (11 miles [17.7 km] to the northwest)
      • Saint Patrick is located in Scott County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Saint Patrick
    • Faribault
      (12 miles [19.3 km] to the south)
    • Lakeville
      (12 miles [19.3 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 Little Chicago. See our List of 1890's Communities around Little Chicago.

Newspapers Published in Little Chicago ...

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 234 newspapers that have been published in the area around Little Chicago.

Although we're unaware of any newspapers that were published in the immediate area of Little Chicago, there are papers which were published within 29 miles [46.7 km]<3>. A list of those papers, sorted by paper name, can be found on the Extended Newspaper List for Little Chicago.

Websites to Help With Your Genealogy Research ...

When we do our genealogical research, we 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 Little Chicago:

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 Little Chicago, 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' (or 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- Little Chicago) to Point B. In other words: 'As the crow flies'.