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 Moorhead (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 Moorhead. 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.
Moorhead is located in Clay County and is the County Seat.
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 Clay County: Becker, Norman, Otter Tail, Wilkin, Cass (ND) & Richland (ND).
Below are the counties that are near Moorhead. For each of these counties, we show a sample of those communities that are closest to Moorhead:
- Clay County (The home county of Moorhead)
- The following are listed by their distance from Moorhead, with the one closest to Moorhead listed first.
- Dilworth
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the northeast)
- Finkle
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the south)
- Finkle is located in Clay County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Finkle
- Oakport
(5 miles [8 km] to the north)
- Oakport is located in Clay County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Oakport
- Sabin
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the southeast)
- Sabin is located in Clay County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sabin
- Population from the 2020 Census: 558 people
- Glyndon
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the east)
- Kragnes
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the north)
- Kragnes is located in Clay County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Kragnes
- Comstock
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the south)
- Comstock is located in Clay County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Comstock
- Population from the 2020 Census: 108 people
- Baker
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the southeast)
- Baker is located in Clay County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Baker
- Muskoda
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the east)
- Muskoda is located in Clay County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Muskoda
- Georgetown
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the north)
- Georgetown is located in Clay County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Georgetown
- Population from the 2020 Census: 126 people
- Felton
(18 miles [29 km] to the northeast)
- Hawley
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the east)
- Barnesville
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the southeast)
- Becker County
- Lake Park
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the east)
- Norman County
- The following are listed by their distance from Moorhead, with the one closest to Moorhead listed first.
- Perley
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the north)
- Perley is located in Norman County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Perley
- Population from the 2020 Census: 83 people
- Borup
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the northeast)
- Borup is located in Norman County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Borup
- Population from the 2020 Census: 103 people
- Hendrum
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the north)
- Hendrum is located in Norman County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hendrum
- Population from the 2020 Census: 282 people
- Wilkin County
- The following are listed by their distance from Moorhead, with the one closest to Moorhead listed first.
- Wolverton
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the south)
- Wolverton is located in Wilkin County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Wolverton
- Population from the 2020 Census: 129 people
- Lawndale
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the southeast)
- Lawndale is located in Wilkin County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lawndale
- Kent
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the south)
- Kent is located in Wilkin County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Kent
- Population from the 2020 Census: 72 people
- Cass County (ND)
- The following are listed by their distance from Moorhead, with the one closest to Moorhead listed first.
- Fargo
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the west)
- Briarwood
(5 miles [8 km] to the southwest)
- Briarwood is located in Cass County (ND)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Briarwood
- Population from the 2020 Census: 70 people
- Frontier
(5 miles [8 km] to the southwest)
- Frontier is located in Cass County (ND)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Frontier
- Population from the 2020 Census: 212 people
- Prairie Rose
(5 miles [8 km] to the southwest)
- Prairie Rose is located in Cass County (ND)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Prairie Rose
- Population from the 2020 Census: 51 people
- North River
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the northwest)
- North River is located in Cass County (ND)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for North River
- Population from the 2020 Census: 54 people
- Reile's Acres
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the northwest)
- Reile's Acres is located in Cass County (ND)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Reile's Acres
- Population from the 2020 Census: 748 people
- West Fargo
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the west)
- Wild Rice
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the south)
- Wild Rice is located in Cass County (ND)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Wild Rice
- Harwood
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the northwest)
- Horace
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the southwest)
- Oxbow
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the south)
- Oxbow is located in Cass County (ND)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Oxbow
- Population from the 2020 Census: 303 people
- Mapleton
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the west)
- Warren
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the southwest)
- Warren is located in Cass County (ND)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Warren
- Richland County (ND)
- The following are listed by their distance from Moorhead, with the one closest to Moorhead listed first.
- Christine
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the south)
- Walcott
(23 miles [37 km] to the southwest)
- Barrie
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the southwest)
- Barrie is located in Richland County (ND)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Barrie
- Colfax
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the south)
- Abercrombie
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the south)
- Traill County (ND)
- Grandin
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the northwest)
For an expanded list of the communities that are closest to Moorhead, see our County-by-County Page for Moorhead.
Cemeteries Near Moorhead ...
Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of Moorhead.
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 Moorhead - one of the links might be able to help.
If not found below, our Cemetery List for Moorhead covers a larger area, with the cemeteries listed in alphabetical order.
The following cemeteries are listed based on their distance from Moorhead, with the one closest to Moorhead listed first.
- Evergreen Cemetery
(Less than 2 miles to the southwest)
- Prairie Home Cemetery
(Less than 2 miles to the northwest)
- Riverside Cemetery
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the southwest)
- St. Joseph Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the north)
- Riverside Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the north)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Riverside Cemetery
- To give a relative sense of its location, the Riverside Cemetery is a large cemetery that is located outside and to the northeast of Fargo (ND).
- The Riverside Cemetery has also been known as:
- Moorhead Riverside Cemetery
- Be careful not to confuse this cemetery with another one that is also named Riverside Cemetery (located 68 miles to the north).
- Jump to Find-A-Grave: FG ID #790540 <2>
- Sunset Memorial Gardens Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the southwest)
- Salem Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the southwest)
- Moorhead Memorial Gardens Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the south)
- Holy Cross Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the southwest)
- Riverside Cemetery
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the east)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Riverside Cemetery
- To give a relative sense of its location, the Riverside Cemetery is a large cemetery that is located less than 2 miles<3> to the north of Glyndon.
- Be careful not to confuse this cemetery with another one that is also named Riverside Cemetery (located 70 miles to the north).
- Jump to Find-A-Grave: FG ID #83177 <2>
- Fridhem Cemetery
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the north)
- Sabin Trinity Cemetery
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the southeast)
- Continue List (110 more) ...
- Elmwood Cemetery
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the southeast)
- Horace Cemetery
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the southwest)
- Brink Cemetery
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the southwest)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Brink Cemetery
- The Brink Cemetery has also been known as:
- Horace Lutheran 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.<4>
The Rand McNally Atlas shows that Moorhead had a population of 2,088 people in 1895 with a post office and railroad service. In 2020, Moorhead had a population of 44,016 people.
These communities are listed based on their distance from Moorhead, with the one closest to Moorhead listed first.
- Finkle
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the south)
- Finkle is located in Clay County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Finkle
- Dilworth
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the northeast)
- Fargo
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the west)
- Sabin
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the southeast)
- Sabin is located in Clay County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sabin
- Population from the 2020 Census: 558 people
- Glyndon
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the east)
- Wild Rice
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the south)
- Wild Rice is located in Cass County (ND)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Wild Rice
- Kragnes
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the north)
- Kragnes is located in Clay County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Kragnes
- Horace
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the southwest)
- Harwood
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the northwest)
- Averill
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the northeast)
- Averill is located in Clay County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Averill
- Hickson
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the south)
- Hickson is located in Cass County (ND)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hickson
- Comstock
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the south)
- Comstock is located in Clay County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Comstock
- Population from the 2020 Census: 108 people
- Continue List (15 more) ...
- Baker
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the southeast)
- Baker is located in Clay County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Baker
- Downer
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the southeast)
- Downer is located in Clay County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Downer
- Mapleton
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the west)
We've also created an expanded list of communities that existed in the 1890's and were located in the area around Moorhead. See our List of 1890's Communities around Moorhead.
Newspapers Published in the Vicinity of Moorhead ...
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 130 newspapers that have been published in the area around Moorhead.
We have organized these newspapers into two lists:
- A Local Newspaper List - focusing on the papers published in the immediate area of Moorhead. There are actually two parts to this list - papers printed in the immediate area of Moorhead and those printed in the larger area surrounding Moorhead.
- An Extended Newspaper List - a longer list, sorted by paper name and containing those papers published within 30 miles [48.3 km]<3> of Moorhead.
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 Moorhead:
- Websites specific to Minnesota
- Pages specific to Clay County
- Genealogy information for nearby counties
- Becker County
- Norman County
- Wilkin County
- Cass County
- Richland County
- Traill County
- Cemetery Information and Directories for Minnesota
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> | Our distances are not driving distances, but are calculated as a 'point-to-point' distance. A straight line distance ignores obstructions like rivers, canyons, lakes, et cetera - it's truly a line drawn from Point A (ie- Moorhead) to Point B. In other words: 'As the crow flies'. |
| <4> | 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 Moorhead, please let us know so that we can improve our accuracy. |