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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 Rock (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 Rock. 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 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.

Little Rock is located in Morrison 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 Morrison County: Benton, Cass, Crow Wing, Mille Lacs, Stearns & Todd.

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

  • Morrison County     (The home county of Little Rock)
    • The following are listed by their distance from Little Rock, with the one closest to Little Rock listed first.
    • Buckman
      (4 miles [6.4 km] to the north)
      • Buckman is located in Morrison County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Buckman
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 273 people
    • Morrill
      (5 miles [8 km] to the east)
      • Morrill is located in Morrison County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Morrill
    • Ramey
      (7 miles [11.3 km] to the east)
      • Ramey is located in Morrison County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ramey
    • Genola
      (9 miles [14.5 km] to the north)
      • Genola is located in Morrison County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Genola
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 66 people
    • Royalton
      (9 miles [14.5 km] to the west)
    • Pierz
      (10 miles [16.1 km] to the north)
      • Pierz is located in Morrison County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Pierz
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 1,364 people
      • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Pierz <1>
    • North Prairie
      (12 miles [19.3 km] to the west)
      • North Prairie is located in Morrison County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for North Prairie
    • Lastrup
      (14 miles [22.5 km] to the north)
    • Hillman
      (15 miles [24.1 km] to the northeast)
    • Bowlus
      (15 miles [24.1 km] to the west)
    • Little Falls
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the northwest)
    • Belle Prairie
      (18 miles [29 km] to the northwest)
      • Belle Prairie is located in Morrison County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Belle Prairie
  • Benton County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Little Rock, with the one closest to Little Rock listed first.
    • Rice
      (8 miles [12.9 km] to the southwest)
      • Rice is located in Benton County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rice
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 1,401 people
      • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Rice <1>
    • Gilman
      (9 miles [14.5 km] to the southeast)
    • Watab
      (11 miles [17.7 km] to the south)
      • Watab is located in Benton County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Watab
    • Foley
      (14 miles [22.5 km] to the southeast)
    • Evergreen Village
      (15 miles [24.1 km] to the south)
      • Evergreen Village is located in Benton County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Evergreen Village
    • Ronneby
      (15 miles [24.1 km] to the southeast)
      • Ronneby is located in Benton County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ronneby
    • Sauk Rapids
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the south)
    • Oak Park
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the southeast)
      • Oak Park is located in Benton County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Oak Park
    • Duelm
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the southeast)
      • Duelm is located in Benton County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Duelm
  • Crow Wing County
    • Fort Ripley
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the northwest)
  • Mille Lacs County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Little Rock, with the one closest to Little Rock listed first.
    • Foreston
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the east)
      • Foreston is located in Mille Lacs County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Foreston
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 527 people
    • Milaca
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the east)
      • Milaca is located in Mille Lacs County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Milaca
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 2,899 people
      • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Milaca <1>
    • Estes Brook
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the southeast)
      • Estes Brook is located in Mille Lacs County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Estes Brook
    • Pease
      (23 miles [37 km] to the east)
      • Pease is located in Mille Lacs County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Pease
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 224 people
    • Bock
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the east)
      • Bock is located in Mille Lacs County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bock
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 108 people
      • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Bock <1>
    • Onamia
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the northeast)
    • Vineland
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the northeast)
      • Vineland is located in Mille Lacs County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Vineland
    • Princeton
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the southeast)
  • Sherburne County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Little Rock, with the one closest to Little Rock listed first.
    • Cable
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the south)
      • Cable is located in Sherburne County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cable
    • Santiago
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the southeast)
      • Santiago is located in Sherburne County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Santiago
    • Clear Lake
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the south)
  • Stearns County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Little Rock, with the one closest to Little Rock listed first.
    • Saint Stephen
      (12 miles [19.3 km] to the southwest)
      • Saint Stephen is located in Stearns County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Saint Stephen
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 867 people
    • Opole
      (14 miles [22.5 km] to the southwest)
      • Opole is located in Stearns County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Opole
    • Evergreen Village
      (15 miles [24.1 km] to the south)
      • Evergreen Village is located in Stearns County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Evergreen Village
    • Sartell
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the southwest)
    • Saint Wendel
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the southwest)
      • Saint Wendel is located in Stearns County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Saint Wendel
    • Saint Cloud
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the south)
    • Holdingford
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the west)
    • Waite Park
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the south)
    • Collegeville
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the southwest)
    • Saint Joseph
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the southwest)
    • Avon
      (23 miles [37 km] to the southwest)
      • Avon is located in Stearns County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Avon
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 1,652 people
      • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Avon <1>
    • Pleasant Lake
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the south)
      • Pleasant Lake is located in Stearns County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Pleasant Lake
  • Todd County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Little Rock, with the one closest to Little Rock listed first.
    • Burtrum
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the west)
    • Pillsbury
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the west)
      • Pillsbury is located in Todd County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Pillsbury
  • Wright County
    • Clearwater
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the south)

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

Cemeteries Near Little Rock ...

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

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 Rock - one of the links might be able to help.

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

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

  • Union Cemetery
    (Less than 2 miles to the north)
  • St. Johns Cemetery
    (2 miles [3.2 km] to the northwest)
  • St. Michael's Cemetery
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the north)
  • Graham Cemetery
    (5 miles [8 km] to the south)
  • St. Joseph's Cemetery
    (6 miles [9.7 km] to the east)
  • Lone Pine Cemetery
    (6 miles [9.7 km] to the east)
  • Polish Church Cemetery
    (7 miles [11.3 km] to the southeast)
  • Polish National Catholic Church Cemetery
    (7 miles [11.3 km] to the southeast)
  • Fairview Cemetery
    (7 miles [11.3 km] to the east)
  • St. John's Cemetery
    (7 miles [11.3 km] to the east)
  • Rice Cemetery
    (8 miles [12.9 km] to the southwest)
  • Immaculate Conception Cemetery
    (8 miles [12.9 km] to the southwest)
  • Continue List   (157 more) ...
    • St. Marys Cemetery
      (8 miles [12.9 km] to the south)
    • St. Peter & Paul Catholic Cemetery
      (9 miles [14.5 km] to the southeast)
    • St. Elizabeth Cemetery
      (9 miles [14.5 km] to the east)

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

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

  • Buckman
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the north)
    • Buckman is located in Morrison County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Buckman
    • Population from the 2020 Census: 273 people
  • Morrill
    (5 miles [8 km] to the east)
    • Morrill is located in Morrison County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Morrill
  • Rice
    (8 miles [12.9 km] to the southwest)
    • Rice is located in Benton County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rice
    • Population from the 2020 Census: 1,401 people
    • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Rice <1>
  • Gilman
    (9 miles [14.5 km] to the southeast)
  • Royalton
    (9 miles [14.5 km] to the west)
  • Watab
    (11 miles [17.7 km] to the south)
    • Watab is located in Benton County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Watab
  • North Prairie
    (12 miles [19.3 km] to the west)
    • North Prairie is located in Morrison County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for North Prairie
  • Opole
    (14 miles [22.5 km] to the southwest)
    • Opole is located in Stearns County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Opole
  • Parent
    (14 miles [22.5 km] to the south)
    • Parent is located in Benton County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Parent
  • Foley
    (14 miles [22.5 km] to the southeast)
  • Gregory
    (14 miles [22.5 km] to the northwest)
    • Gregory is located in Morrison County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Gregory
  • Sauk Rapids
    (16 miles [25.7 km] to the south)
  • Continue List   (14 more) ...
    • Oak Park
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the southeast)
      • Oak Park is located in Benton County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Oak Park
    • Little Falls
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the northwest)
    • Saint Wendel
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the southwest)
      • Saint Wendel is located in Stearns County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Saint Wendel

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

Newspapers Published in Little Rock ...

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 63 newspapers that have been published in the area around Little Rock.

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

Websites to Help With Your Genealogy Research ...

When we do our genealogical research, we first visit the websites from Cyndi's List, FamilySearch and Genealogy Trails. These professional and volunteer 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 Little Rock:

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 Little Rock, 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 things like rivers, canyons, lakes, et cetera - it's truly a line from Point A (ie- Little Rock) to Point B. In other words: 'As the crow flies'.