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 North Branch (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 North Branch. 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.
Name Variations for North Branch ...
When searching records, keep in mind that names and their spelling can change over time. Our sources include documents like maps, railroad schedules, Travel, Express and Shipping Guides. Many of these documents date from the 1800's and it's common to find spelling differences.
For example, a typical abbreviation for North Branch: N. Branch
You might be interested in other communities that are also named North Branch. More information can be found on our Tidbits & Trivia Page for North Branch.
If you have information about these names (such as the reason for the change, date of change, the origin of the name), please Contact Us.
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 northwest corner of their home county. During their lives, most doctors and hospitals were in the next county to the west. 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 west 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.
North Branch is located in Chisago 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 Chisago County: Anoka, Isanti, Kanabec, Pine, Washington, Burnett (WI) & Polk (WI).
Below are the counties that are near North Branch. For each of these counties, we show a sample of those communities that are closest to North Branch:
- Chisago County (The home county of North Branch)
- The following are listed by their distance from North Branch, with the one closest to North Branch listed first.
- Branch
(Less than 2 miles to the south)
- Branch is located in Chisago County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Branch
- Harris
(5 miles [8 km] to the north)
- Almelund
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the east)
- Stacy
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the south)
- Chisago City
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the south)
- Center City
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the southeast)
- Lindstrom
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the southeast)
- Rush City
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the north)
- Wyoming
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the south)
- Shafer
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the southeast)
- Taylors Falls
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the southeast)
- Franconia
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the southeast)
- Franconia is located in Chisago County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Franconia
- Anoka County
- The following are listed by their distance from North Branch, with the one closest to North Branch listed first.
- Linwood
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the southwest)
- Linwood is located in Anoka County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Linwood
- Coopers Corner
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the southwest)
- Coopers Corner is located in Anoka County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Coopers Corner
- Bethel
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the southwest)
- East Bethel
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the southwest)
- City of Columbus
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the south)
- City of Columbus is located in Anoka County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for City of Columbus
- Estimated population in 2015: 4,007 people
- Cedar
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the southwest)
- Ham Lake
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the southwest)
- Oak Grove
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the southwest)
- Saint Francis
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the southwest)
- Centerville
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the south)
- Lino Lakes
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the south)
- Andover
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the southwest)
- Blaine
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the southwest)
- Hennepin County
- Champlin
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the southwest)
- Isanti County
- The following are listed by their distance from North Branch, with the one closest to North Branch listed first.
- Weber
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the west)
- Weber is located in Isanti County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Weber
- Minnesota Boys Town
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the west)
- Minnesota Boys Town is located in Isanti County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Minnesota Boys Town
- Cambridge
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the west)
- Isanti
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the west)
- Grandy
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the northwest)
- Stanchfield
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the northwest)
- Braham
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the northwest)
- Elm Park
(18 miles [29 km] to the northwest)
- Elm Park is located in Isanti County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Elm Park
- Bradford
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the west)
- Bradford is located in Isanti County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bradford
- Dalbo
(23 miles [37 km] to the northwest)
- Crown
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the west)
- Crown is located in Isanti County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Crown
- Kanabec County
- The following are listed by their distance from North Branch, with the one closest to North Branch listed first.
- Grasston
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the northwest)
- Coin
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the northwest)
- Coin is located in Kanabec County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Coin
- Quamba
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the north)
- Quamba is located in Kanabec County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Quamba
- Population from the 2020 Census: 127 people
- Mora
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the northwest)
- Mille Lacs County
- Princeton
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the west)
- Pine County
- The following are listed by their distance from North Branch, with the one closest to North Branch listed first.
- Rock Creek
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the north)
- Pine City
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the north)
- Henriette
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the north)
- Henriette is located in Pine County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Henriette
- Population from the 2020 Census: 69 people
- Beroun
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the north)
- Beroun is located in Pine County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Beroun
- Brook Park
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the north)
- Brook Park is located in Pine County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Brook Park
- Population from the 2020 Census: 132 people
- Ramsey County
- The following are listed by their distance from North Branch, with the one closest to North Branch listed first.
- White Bear Beach
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the south)
- White Bear Beach is located in Ramsey County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for White Bear Beach
- North Oaks
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the south)
- White Bear Lake
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the south)
- Shoreview
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the south)
- Mounds View
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the southwest)
- Washington County
- The following are listed by their distance from North Branch, with the one closest to North Branch listed first.
- Forest Lake
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the south)
- Scandia
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the southeast)
- Otisville
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the southeast)
- Otisville is located in Washington County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Otisville
- Marine-on-Saint-Croix
(23 miles [37 km] to the southeast)
- Hugo
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the south)
- Hugo is located in Washington County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hugo
- Population from the 2020 Census: 15,452 people
- Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Hugo <1>
- Withrow
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the south)
- Withrow is located in Washington County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Withrow
- Dellwood
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the south)
- Dellwood is located in Washington County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Dellwood
- Population from the 2020 Census: 1,120 people
- Grant
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the south)
- Grant is located in Washington County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Grant
- Population from the 2020 Census: 4,107 people
- Duluth Junction
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the south)
- Duluth Junction is located in Washington County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Duluth Junction
- Mahtomedi
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the south)
- Burnett County (WI)
- The following are listed by their distance from North Branch, with the one closest to North Branch listed first.
- Randall
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the northeast)
- Randall is located in Burnett County (WI)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Randall
- Grantsburg
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the northeast)
- Grantsburg is located in Burnett County (WI)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Grantsburg
- Population from the 2020 Census: 1,296 people
- Alpha
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the northeast)
- Alpha is located in Burnett County (WI)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Alpha
- Polk County (WI)
- The following are listed by their distance from North Branch, with the one closest to North Branch listed first.
- Saint Croix Falls
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the southeast)
- Saint Croix Falls is located in Polk County (WI)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Saint Croix Falls
- Population from the 2020 Census: 2,059 people
- Osceola
(18 miles [29 km] to the southeast)
- Osceola is located in Polk County (WI)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Osceola
- Population from the 2020 Census: 2,580 people
- Atlas
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the northeast)
- Atlas is located in Polk County (WI)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Atlas
- Dresser
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the southeast)
- Dresser is located in Polk County (WI)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Dresser
- Population from the 2020 Census: 864 people
- Centuria
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the east)
- Centuria is located in Polk County (WI)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Centuria
- Population from the 2020 Census: 905 people
- Milltown
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the east)
- Milltown is located in Polk County (WI)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Milltown
- Population from the 2020 Census: 875 people
- Balsam Lake
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the east)
- Balsam Lake is located in Polk County (WI)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Balsam Lake
- Population from the 2020 Census: 978 people
- Luck
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the east)
- Luck is located in Polk County (WI)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Luck
- Population from the 2020 Census: 1,051 people
- Frederic
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the northeast)
- Frederic is located in Polk County (WI)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Frederic
- Population from the 2020 Census: 1,080 people
- Horse Creek
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the southeast)
- Horse Creek is located in Polk County (WI)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Horse Creek
- Bunyan
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the east)
- Bunyan is located in Polk County (WI)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bunyan
- Volga ‑ Historic
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the east)
- Volga is located in Polk County (WI)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Volga
- Deronda
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the southeast)
- Deronda is located in Polk County (WI)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Deronda
- Saint Croix County (WI)
- The following are listed by their distance from North Branch, with the one closest to North Branch listed first.
- Somerset
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the southeast)
- Somerset is located in Saint Croix County (WI)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Somerset
- Population from the 2020 Census: 2,992 people
- Star Prairie
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the southeast)
- Star Prairie is located in Saint Croix County (WI)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Star Prairie
- Population from the 2020 Census: 549 people
For an expanded list of the communities that are closest to North Branch, see our County-by-County Page for North Branch.
Cemeteries Near North Branch ...
Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of North Branch.
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 North Branch - one of the links might be able to help.
If not found below, our Cemetery List for North Branch covers a larger area, with the cemeteries listed in alphabetical order.
The following cemeteries are listed based on their distance from North Branch, with the one closest to North Branch listed first.
- Green Acres Cemetery
(Less than 2 miles to the southeast)
- Trinity Cemetery
(Less than 2 miles to the west)
- Oak Grove Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the north)
- Mission Covenant Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the north)
- Kost Evangelical Free Church Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the east)
- St. Johns Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the west)
- Old Harris Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the north)
- Sunrise Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the northeast)
- Spring Lake Lutheran Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the northwest)
- Salem Lutheran Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the southwest)
- Fish Lake Lutheran Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the northwest)
- Oxford Cemetery
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the southwest)
- Continue List (179 more) ...
- Stacy Cemetery
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the south)
- Almelund Cemetery
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the east)
- Big Meadows Cemetery
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the west)
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>
The Rand McNally Atlas shows that North Branch had a population of 685 people in 1895 with a post office and railroad service. In 2020, North Branch had a population of 10,834 people.
These communities are listed based on their distance from North Branch, with the one closest to North Branch listed first.
- Kost
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the east)
- Kost is located in Chisago County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Kost
- Harris
(5 miles [8 km] to the north)
- Sunrise
(5 miles [8 km] to the northeast)
- Sunrise is located in Chisago County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sunrise
- Spring Lake
(5 miles [8 km] to the west)
- Spring Lake is located in Isanti County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Spring Lake
- Stark
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the northwest)
- Stark is located in Chisago County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Stark
- Stacy
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the south)
- Almelund
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the east)
- Blomford
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the west)
- Blomford is located in Isanti County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Blomford
- Chisago City
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the south)
- Lindstrom
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the southeast)
- Center City
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the southeast)
- Rush City
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the north)
- Continue List (14 more) ...
- Wolf Creek
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the east)
- Wolf Creek is located in Polk County (WI)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Wolf Creek
- Wyoming
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the south)
- Rush Point
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the northwest)
- Rush Point is located in Chisago County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rush Point
We've also created an expanded list of communities that existed in the 1890's and were located in the area around North Branch. See our List of 1890's Communities around North Branch.
Newspapers Published in the Vicinity of North Branch ...
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 127 newspapers that have been published in the area around North Branch.
We have organized these newspapers into two lists:
- A Local Newspaper List - focusing on the papers published in the immediate area of North Branch. There are actually two parts to this list - papers printed in the immediate area of North Branch and those printed in the larger area surrounding North Branch.
- An Extended Newspaper List - a longer list, sorted by paper name and containing those papers published within 30 miles [48.3 km]<3> of North Branch.
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 North Branch:
- Websites specific to Minnesota
- Pages specific to Chisago County
- Genealogy information for nearby counties
- Anoka County
- Hennepin County
- Isanti County
- Kanabec County
- Mille Lacs County
- Pine County
- Ramsey County
- Washington County
- Burnett County
- Polk County
- Saint Croix 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> | 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 North Branch, please let us know so that we can improve our accuracy. |
| <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- North Branch) to Point B. In other words: 'As the crow flies'. |