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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 Mayer (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 Mayer. 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.

Mayer is located in Carver 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 Carver County: Hennepin, McLeod, Scott, Sibley & Wright.

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

  • Carver County     (The home county of Mayer)
    • The following are listed by their distance from Mayer, with the one closest to Mayer listed first.
    • Hollywood
      (4 miles [6.4 km] to the west)
      • Hollywood is located in Carver County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hollywood
    • New Germany
      (4 miles [6.4 km] to the west)
    • Watertown
      (5 miles [8 km] to the north)
    • Hazelton
      (5 miles [8 km] to the northwest)
      • Hazelton is located in Carver County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hazelton
    • Hydes Lake
      (5 miles [8 km] to the southeast)
      • Hydes Lake is located in Carver County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hydes Lake
    • Waconia
      (5 miles [8 km] to the southeast)
    • Young America
      (7 miles [11.3 km] to the south)
    • Norwood
      (8 miles [12.9 km] to the south)
    • Norwood Young America
      (8 miles [12.9 km] to the south)
      • Norwood Young America is located in Carver County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Norwood Young America
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 3,794 people
    • Cologne
      (9 miles [14.5 km] to the southeast)
    • Victoria
      (11 miles [17.7 km] to the east)
    • Hamburg
      (11 miles [17.7 km] to the south)
      • Hamburg is located in Carver County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hamburg
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 526 people
    • Dahlgren
      (12 miles [19.3 km] to the southeast)
      • Dahlgren is located in Carver County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Dahlgren
  • Hennepin County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Mayer, with the one closest to Mayer listed first.
    • Saint Bonifacius
      (7 miles [11.3 km] to the east)
    • Minnetrista
      (9 miles [14.5 km] to the east)
    • Mound
      (11 miles [17.7 km] to the east)
      • Mound is located in Hennepin County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mound
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 9,404 people
      • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Mound <1>
    • Independence
      (12 miles [19.3 km] to the northeast)
      • Independence is located in Hennepin County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Independence
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 3,786 people
    • Spring Park
      (13 miles [20.9 km] to the east)
    • Tonka Bay
      (14 miles [22.5 km] to the east)
      • Tonka Bay is located in Hennepin County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Tonka Bay
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 1,551 people
    • Maple Plain
      (14 miles [22.5 km] to the northeast)
    • Excelsior
      (15 miles [24.1 km] to the east)
    • Minnetonka Beach
      (15 miles [24.1 km] to the east)
      • Minnetonka Beach is located in Hennepin County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Minnetonka Beach
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 584 people
    • Orono
      (15 miles [24.1 km] to the east)
      • Orono is located in Hennepin County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Orono
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 8,348 people
    • Shorewood
      (15 miles [24.1 km] to the east)
    • Crystal Bay
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the east)
      • Crystal Bay is located in Hennepin County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Crystal Bay
    • Greenwood
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the east)
      • Greenwood is located in Hennepin County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Greenwood
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 937 people
  • Le Sueur County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Mayer, with the one closest to Mayer listed first.
    • Saint Thomas
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the south)
      • Saint Thomas is located in Le Sueur County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Saint Thomas
    • Le Sueur
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the south)
    • Heidelberg
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the southeast)
      • Heidelberg is located in Le Sueur County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Heidelberg
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 122 people
  • McLeod County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Mayer, with the one closest to Mayer listed first.
    • Lester Prairie
      (7 miles [11.3 km] to the west)
    • Winsted
      (9 miles [14.5 km] to the northwest)
    • Plato
      (10 miles [16.1 km] to the southwest)
    • Glencoe
      (14 miles [22.5 km] to the southwest)
    • Silver Lake
      (15 miles [24.1 km] to the west)
    • Biscay
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the west)
      • Biscay is located in McLeod County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Biscay
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 109 people
    • Sumter
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the southwest)
      • Sumter is located in McLeod County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sumter
    • Hutchinson
      (23 miles [37 km] to the west)
    • Brownton
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the southwest)
  • Meeker County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Mayer, with the one closest to Mayer listed first.
    • Dassel
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the northwest)
    • Darwin
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the northwest)
    • Kingston
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the northwest)
      • Kingston is located in Meeker County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Kingston
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 162 people
  • Scott County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Mayer, with the one closest to Mayer listed first.
    • Belle Plaine
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the south)
    • Jordan
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the southeast)
    • Marystown
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the southeast)
      • Marystown is located in Scott County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Marystown
    • Shakopee
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the east)
    • Prior Lake
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the southeast)
    • Union Hill
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the southeast)
      • Union Hill is located in Scott County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Union Hill
    • Savage
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the east)
    • Saint Patrick
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the southeast)
      • Saint Patrick is located in Scott County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Saint Patrick
    • New Prague
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the southeast)
    • Credit River
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the southeast)
      • Credit River is located in Scott County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Credit River
    • Cedar Lake
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the southeast)
      • Cedar Lake is located in Scott County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cedar Lake
  • Sibley County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Mayer, with the one closest to Mayer listed first.
    • Green Isle
      (15 miles [24.1 km] to the south)
    • Arlington
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the southwest)
    • New Auburn
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the southwest)
    • Henderson
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the south)
    • Gaylord
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the southwest)
  • Wright County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Mayer, with the one closest to Mayer listed first.
    • Delano
      (11 miles [17.7 km] to the northeast)
    • Montrose
      (12 miles [19.3 km] to the north)
    • Waverly
      (12 miles [19.3 km] to the north)
    • Rockford
      (15 miles [24.1 km] to the northeast)
    • Howard Lake
      (15 miles [24.1 km] to the northwest)
    • Smith Lake
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the northwest)
      • Smith Lake is located in Wright County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Smith Lake
    • Rassat
      (18 miles [29 km] to the north)
      • Rassat is located in Wright County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rassat
    • Buffalo
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the north)
    • Cokato
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the northwest)
    • Albright
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the northwest)
      • Albright is located in Wright County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Albright
    • Hanover
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the northeast)
    • Albion Center
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the northwest)
      • Albion Center is located in Wright County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Albion Center
    • Saint Michael
      (23 miles [37 km] to the northeast)

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

Cemeteries Near Mayer ...

Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of Mayer.

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

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

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

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>

The Rand McNally Atlas shows that in 1895, Mayer had a post office and railroad service. In 2020, Mayer had a population of 2,320 people.

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

  • Hollywood
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the west)
    • Hollywood is located in Carver County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hollywood
  • New Germany
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the west)
  • Waconia
    (5 miles [8 km] to the southeast)
  • Watertown
    (5 miles [8 km] to the north)
  • Coney Island
    (6 miles [9.7 km] to the east)
    • Coney Island is located in Carver County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Coney Island
  • Young America
    (7 miles [11.3 km] to the south)
  • Saint Bonifacius
    (7 miles [11.3 km] to the east)
  • Lester Prairie
    (7 miles [11.3 km] to the west)
  • Norwood
    (8 miles [12.9 km] to the south)
  • Cologne
    (9 miles [14.5 km] to the southeast)
  • Minnetrista
    (9 miles [14.5 km] to the east)
  • Winsted
    (9 miles [14.5 km] to the northwest)
  • Continue List   (15 more) ...
    • Plato
      (10 miles [16.1 km] to the southwest)
    • Hamburg
      (11 miles [17.7 km] to the south)
      • Hamburg is located in Carver County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hamburg
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 526 people
    • Augusta
      (11 miles [17.7 km] to the southeast)
      • Augusta is located in Carver County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Augusta

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

Newspapers Published in Mayer ...

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 150 newspapers that have been published in the area around Mayer.

Although we're unaware of any newspapers that were published in the immediate area of Mayer, there are papers which were published within 26 miles [41.8 km]<4>. A list of those papers, sorted by paper name, can be found on the Extended Newspaper List for Mayer.

Websites to Help With Your Genealogy Research ...

When we do our genealogical research, we begin with 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 Mayer:

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