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 Oak Center (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 Oak Center. 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 Oak Center ...
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 Oak Center: Oak Ctr. (or less commonly used: Oak Cen., Oak Cent. or Oak Cntr.)
You might be interested in other communities that are also named Oak Center. More information can be found on our Tidbits & Trivia Page for Oak Center.
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 northeast corner of their home county. During their lives, most doctors and 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.
Oak Center is located in Wabasha 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 Wabasha County: Goodhue, Olmsted, Winona, Buffalo (WI) & Pepin (WI).
Below are the counties that are near Oak Center. For each of these counties, we show a sample of those communities that are closest to Oak Center:
- Wabasha County (The home county of Oak Center)
- The following are listed by their distance from Oak Center, with the one closest to Oak Center listed first.
- Zumbro Falls
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the south)
- Lake City
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the northeast)
- Jarrett
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the south)
- Jarrett is located in Wabasha County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Jarrett
- Mazeppa
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the southwest)
- Hammond
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the south)
- Hammond is located in Wabasha County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hammond
- Population from the 2020 Census: 167 people
- Millville
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the southeast)
- Reads Landing
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the east)
- Wabasha
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the east)
- Elgin
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the southeast)
- Plainview
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the southeast)
- Kellogg
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the east)
- Weaver
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the east)
- Weaver is located in Wabasha County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Weaver
- Minneiska
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the east)
- Dakota County
- Miesville
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the northwest)
- Dodge County
- The following are listed by their distance from Oak Center, with the one closest to Oak Center listed first.
- Concord
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the southwest)
- Concord is located in Dodge County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Concord
- Mantorville
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the southwest)
- Kasson
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the southwest)
- West Concord
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the southwest)
- Goodhue County
- The following are listed by their distance from Oak Center, with the one closest to Oak Center listed first.
- Bellechester
(5 miles [8 km] to the west)
- Bellechester is located in Goodhue County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bellechester
- Population from the 2020 Census: 177 people
- Frontenac
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the north)
- Goodhue
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the west)
- Zumbrota
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the west)
- Red Wing
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the northwest)
- Pine Island
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the southwest)
- Belle Creek
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the west)
- Belle Creek is located in Goodhue County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Belle Creek
- Hader
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the west)
- Hader is located in Goodhue County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hader
- Wanamingo
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the west)
- White Rock
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the west)
- White Rock is located in Goodhue County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for White Rock
- Roscoe
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the southwest)
- Roscoe is located in Goodhue County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Roscoe
- Welch
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the northwest)
- Cannon Falls
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the northwest)
- Olmsted County
- The following are listed by their distance from Oak Center, with the one closest to Oak Center listed first.
- Potsdam
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the south)
- Potsdam is located in Olmsted County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Potsdam
- Oronoco
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the southwest)
- Genoa
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the southwest)
- Genoa is located in Olmsted County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Genoa
- Viola
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the south)
- Viola is located in Olmsted County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Viola
- Post Town
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the southwest)
- Post Town is located in Olmsted County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Post Town
- Rochester
(23 miles [37 km] to the south)
- Byron
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the southwest)
- Eyota
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the south)
- Predmore
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the south)
- Predmore is located in Olmsted County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Predmore
- Shanty Town
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the southwest)
- Shanty Town is located in Olmsted County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Shanty Town
- Simpson
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the south)
- Simpson is located in Olmsted County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Simpson
- Dover
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the southeast)
- Winona County
- The following are listed by their distance from Oak Center, with the one closest to Oak Center listed first.
- Beaver ‑ Historic
(23 miles [37 km] to the southeast)
- Beaver is located in Winona County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Beaver
- Elba
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the southeast)
- Elba is located in Winona County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Elba
- Population from the 2020 Census: 156 people
- Altura
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the southeast)
- Buffalo County (WI)
- The following are listed by their distance from Oak Center, with the one closest to Oak Center listed first.
- Nelson
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the east)
- Nelson is located in Buffalo County (WI)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Nelson
- Population from the 2020 Census: 343 people
- Savoy ‑ Historic
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the northeast)
- Savoy is located in Buffalo County (WI)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Savoy
- Maxville
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the northeast)
- Maxville is located in Buffalo County (WI)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Maxville
- Population from the 2020 Census: 302 people
- Alma
(23 miles [37 km] to the east)
- Alma is located in Buffalo County (WI)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Alma
- Population from the 2020 Census: 713 people
- Buffalo City
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the east)
- Buffalo City is located in Buffalo County (WI)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Buffalo City
- Population from the 2020 Census: 948 people
- Buffalo
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the east)
- Buffalo is located in Buffalo County (WI)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Buffalo
- Cochrane
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the east)
- Cochrane is located in Buffalo County (WI)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cochrane
- Population from the 2020 Census: 409 people
- Dunn County (WI)
- Eau Galle
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the northeast)
- Eau Galle is located in Dunn County (WI)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Eau Galle
- Pepin County (WI)
- The following are listed by their distance from Oak Center, with the one closest to Oak Center listed first.
- Stockholm
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the northeast)
- Stockholm is located in Pepin County (WI)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Stockholm
- Population from the 2020 Census: 64 people
- Lakeport
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the northeast)
- Lakeport is located in Pepin County (WI)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lakeport
- Pepin
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the northeast)
- Pepin is located in Pepin County (WI)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Pepin
- Population from the 2020 Census: 747 people
- Barry Corner
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the northeast)
- Barry Corner is located in Pepin County (WI)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Barry Corner
- Lund
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the northeast)
- Lund is located in Pepin County (WI)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lund
- Ella
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the northeast)
- Ella is located in Pepin County (WI)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ella
- Arkansaw
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the northeast)
- Arkansaw is located in Pepin County (WI)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Arkansaw
- Durand
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the northeast)
- Durand is located in Pepin County (WI)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Durand
- Population from the 2020 Census: 1,789 people
- Pierce County (WI)
- The following are listed by their distance from Oak Center, with the one closest to Oak Center listed first.
- Maiden Rock
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the north)
- Maiden Rock is located in Pierce County (WI)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Maiden Rock
- Population from the 2020 Census: 119 people
- Bay City
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the north)
- Bay City is located in Pierce County (WI)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bay City
- Population from the 2020 Census: 488 people
- Hager City
(18 miles [29 km] to the north)
- Hager City is located in Pierce County (WI)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hager City
- Plum City
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the northeast)
- Plum City is located in Pierce County (WI)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Plum City
- Population from the 2020 Census: 603 people
- Moeville
(23 miles [37 km] to the north)
- Moeville is located in Pierce County (WI)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Moeville
- Ellsworth
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the north)
- Ellsworth is located in Pierce County (WI)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ellsworth
- Population from the 2020 Census: 3,272 people
- Waverly
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the north)
- Waverly is located in Pierce County (WI)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Waverly
- Trimbelle
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the north)
- Trimbelle is located in Pierce County (WI)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Trimbelle
- El Paso
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the north)
- El Paso is located in Pierce County (WI)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for El Paso
- Beldenville
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the north)
- Beldenville is located in Pierce County (WI)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Beldenville
- Morton Corner
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the north)
- Morton Corner is located in Pierce County (WI)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Morton Corner
- Olivet
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the north)
- Olivet is located in Pierce County (WI)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Olivet
For an expanded list of the communities that are closest to Oak Center, see our County-by-County Page for Oak Center.
Cemeteries Near Oak Center ...
Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of Oak Center.
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 Oak Center - one of the links might be able to help.
If not found below, our Cemetery List for Oak Center covers a larger area, with the cemeteries listed in alphabetical order.
The following cemeteries are listed based on their distance from Oak Center, with the one closest to Oak Center listed first.
- Black Cemetery
(Less than 2 miles to the north)
- Trinity Lutheran Cemetery
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the south)
- English Cemetery
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the south)
- German Methodist Cemetery
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the north)
- St. James Lutheran Cemetery
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the west)
- Chester Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the west)
- Jacksonville Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the east)
- St. John's Lutheran Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the southwest)
- Bear Valley Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the southwest)
- Old German Evangelical Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the north)
- German Lutheran Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the northwest)
- St. Mary's Catholic Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the west)
- Continue List (220 more) ...
- Gilbert Valley Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the northeast)
- Norwegian Methodist Episcopal Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the northwest)
- Hyde Park Cemetery
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the southeast)
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 in 1895, Oak Center had a post office and no railroad service.
These communities are listed based on their distance from Oak Center, with the one closest to Oak Center listed first.
- Zumbro Falls
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the south)
- Bear Valley
(5 miles [8 km] to the southwest)
- Bear Valley is located in Wabasha County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bear Valley
- Bellechester
(5 miles [8 km] to the west)
- Bellechester is located in Goodhue County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bellechester
- Population from the 2020 Census: 177 people
- Mazeppa
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the southwest)
- Jarrett
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the south)
- Jarrett is located in Wabasha County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Jarrett
- Lake City
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the northeast)
- Belvidere Mills
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the northwest)
- Belvidere Mills is located in Goodhue County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Belvidere Mills
- Hammond
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the south)
- Hammond is located in Wabasha County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hammond
- Population from the 2020 Census: 167 people
- Millville
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the southeast)
- South Troy
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the south)
- South Troy is located in Wabasha County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for South Troy
- Frontenac
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the north)
- Hay Creek
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the northwest)
- Hay Creek is located in Goodhue County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hay Creek
- Continue List (16 more) ...
- Goodhue
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the west)
- Forest Mills
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the west)
- Forest Mills is located in Goodhue County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Forest Mills
- Claybank
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the northwest)
- Claybank is located in Goodhue County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Claybank
We've also created an expanded list of communities that existed in the 1890's and were located in the area around Oak Center. See our List of 1890's Communities around Oak Center.
Newspapers Published in Oak Center ...
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 75 newspapers that have been published in the area around Oak Center.
Although we're unaware of any newspapers that were published in the immediate area of Oak Center, 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 Oak Center.
Websites to Help With Your Genealogy Research ...
When we do our genealogical research, we first turn to the websites from Cyndi's List, FamilySearch and Genealogy Trails. These 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 Oak Center:
- Websites specific to Minnesota
- Pages specific to Wabasha County
- Genealogy information for nearby counties
- Dakota County
- Dodge County
- Goodhue County
- Olmsted County
- Winona County
- Buffalo County
- Dunn County
- Pepin County
- Pierce 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 Oak Center, 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' distance. A straight line distance ignores things like rivers, canyons, lakes, et cetera - it's truly a line drawn from Point A (ie- Oak Center) to Point B. In other words: 'As the crow flies'. |