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 Oronoco (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 Oronoco. 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 southeast 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 south.
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 south 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.
Oronoco is located in Olmsted 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 Olmsted County: Dodge, Fillmore, Goodhue, Mower, Wabasha & Winona.
Below are the counties that are near Oronoco. For each of these counties, we show a sample of those communities that are closest to Oronoco:
- Olmsted County (The home county of Oronoco)
- The following are listed by their distance from Oronoco, with the one closest to Oronoco listed first.
- Genoa
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the southwest)
- Genoa is located in Olmsted County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Genoa
- Post Town
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the southwest)
- Post Town is located in Olmsted County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Post Town
- Potsdam
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the east)
- Potsdam is located in Olmsted County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Potsdam
- Byron
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the southwest)
- Rochester
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the south)
- Shanty Town
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the south)
- Shanty Town is located in Olmsted County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Shanty Town
- Viola
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the southeast)
- Viola is located in Olmsted County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Viola
- Rock Dell
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the south)
- Rock Dell is located in Olmsted County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rock Dell
- Simpson
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the south)
- Simpson is located in Olmsted County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Simpson
- Predmore
(18 miles [29 km] to the southeast)
- Predmore is located in Olmsted County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Predmore
- Eyota
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the southeast)
- High Forest
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the south)
- High Forest is located in Olmsted County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for High Forest
- Stewartville
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the south)
- Dodge County
- The following are listed by their distance from Oronoco, with the one closest to Oronoco listed first.
- Mantorville
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the southwest)
- Kasson
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the southwest)
- Concord
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the west)
- Concord is located in Dodge County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Concord
- Dodge Center
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the southwest)
- West Concord
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the west)
- Hayfield
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the southwest)
- Claremont
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the west)
- Westfield Center ‑ Historic
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the southwest)
- Westfield Center is located in Dodge County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Westfield Center
- Fillmore County
- Chatfield
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the southeast)
- Goodhue County
- The following are listed by their distance from Oronoco, with the one closest to Oronoco listed first.
- Pine Island
(5 miles [8 km] to the northwest)
- Zumbrota
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the northwest)
- Roscoe
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the west)
- Roscoe is located in Goodhue County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Roscoe
- Bellechester
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the north)
- Bellechester is located in Goodhue County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bellechester
- Population from the 2020 Census: 177 people
- Wanamingo
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the northwest)
- Goodhue
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the north)
- Hader
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the northwest)
- Hader is located in Goodhue County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hader
- Belle Creek
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the northwest)
- Belle Creek is located in Goodhue County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Belle Creek
- White Rock
(23 miles [37 km] to the northwest)
- White Rock is located in Goodhue County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for White Rock
- Kenyon
(23 miles [37 km] to the west)
- Frontenac
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the north)
- Red Wing
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the north)
- Wangs
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the northwest)
- Wangs is located in Goodhue County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Wangs
- Mower County
- The following are listed by their distance from Oronoco, with the one closest to Oronoco listed first.
- Racine
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the south)
- Sargeant
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the southwest)
- Sargeant is located in Mower County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sargeant
- Population from the 2020 Census: 60 people
- Waltham
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the southwest)
- Rice County
- The following are listed by their distance from Oronoco, with the one closest to Oronoco listed first.
- Moland
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the west)
- Moland is located in Rice County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Moland
- Nerstrand
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the northwest)
- Steele County
- The following are listed by their distance from Oronoco, with the one closest to Oronoco listed first.
- Rice Lake
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the west)
- Rice Lake is located in Steele County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rice Lake
- Havana
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the west)
- Havana is located in Steele County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Havana
- Wabasha County
- The following are listed by their distance from Oronoco, with the one closest to Oronoco listed first.
- Mazeppa
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the north)
- Hammond
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the northeast)
- Hammond is located in Wabasha County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hammond
- Population from the 2020 Census: 167 people
- Zumbro Falls
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the northeast)
- Jarrett
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the northeast)
- Jarrett is located in Wabasha County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Jarrett
- Millville
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the northeast)
- Elgin
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the east)
- Plainview
(18 miles [29 km] to the east)
- Lake City
(23 miles [37 km] to the northeast)
- Kellogg
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the east)
- Reads Landing
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the northeast)
- Wabasha
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the northeast)
- Weaver
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the east)
- Weaver is located in Wabasha County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Weaver
- Winona County
- The following are listed by their distance from Oronoco, with the one closest to Oronoco listed first.
- Beaver ‑ Historic
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the east)
- Beaver is located in Winona County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Beaver
- Elba
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the east)
- Elba is located in Winona County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Elba
- Population from the 2020 Census: 156 people
- Saint Charles
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the southeast)
- Saratoga
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the southeast)
- Saratoga is located in Winona County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Saratoga
- Altura
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the east)
- Troy
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the southeast)
- Troy is located in Winona County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Troy
- Pepin County (WI)
- The following are listed by their distance from Oronoco, with the one closest to Oronoco listed first.
- Lakeport
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the northeast)
- Lakeport is located in Pepin County (WI)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lakeport
- Stockholm
(26 miles [41.8 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
- Pepin
(27 miles [43.5 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
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the northeast)
- Barry Corner is located in Pepin County (WI)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Barry Corner
- Lund
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the northeast)
- Lund is located in Pepin County (WI)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lund
- Pierce County (WI)
- The following are listed by their distance from Oronoco, with the one closest to Oronoco listed first.
- Bay City
(29 miles [46.7 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
- Maiden Rock
(29 miles [46.7 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
- Hager City
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the north)
- Hager City is located in Pierce County (WI)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hager City
For an expanded list of the communities that are closest to Oronoco, see our County-by-County Page for Oronoco.
Cemeteries Near Oronoco ...
Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of Oronoco.
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 Oronoco - one of the links might be able to help.
If not found below, our Cemetery List for Oronoco covers a larger area, with the cemeteries listed in alphabetical order.
The following cemeteries are listed based on their distance from Oronoco, with the one closest to Oronoco listed first.
- Oronoco Cemetery
(Less than 2 miles to the northeast)
- Center Grove Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the southwest)
- Pleasant Prairie Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the south)
- St. Peter's German Lutheran Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the northwest)
- Pine Island Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the northwest)
- St. Michael Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the west)
- Mt. Hope Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the south)
- Boynton Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the southeast)
- Farm Hill Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the east)
- Dale Pleasant Prairie Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the northeast)
- Othello Cemetery
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the southwest)
- Mazeppa Cemetery
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the north)
- Continue List (230 more) ...
- St.s Peter & Paul Catholic Cemetery
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the north)
- Fitch Cemetery
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the southeast)
- Greenland Cemetery
(8 miles [12.9 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>
The Rand McNally Atlas shows that in 1895, Oronoco had a post office and no railroad service. In 2020, Oronoco had a population of 1,532 people.
These communities are listed based on their distance from Oronoco, with the one closest to Oronoco listed first.
- Genoa
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the southwest)
- Genoa is located in Olmsted County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Genoa
- Douglas
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the southwest)
- Douglas is located in Olmsted County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Douglas
- Pine Island
(5 miles [8 km] to the northwest)
- South Troy
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the northeast)
- South Troy is located in Wabasha County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for South Troy
- Mazeppa
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the north)
- Potsdam
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the east)
- Potsdam is located in Olmsted County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Potsdam
- Hammond
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the northeast)
- Hammond is located in Wabasha County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hammond
- Population from the 2020 Census: 167 people
- Rochester
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the south)
- Forest Mills
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the northwest)
- Forest Mills is located in Goodhue County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Forest Mills
- Zumbro Falls
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the northeast)
- Bear Valley
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the north)
- Bear Valley is located in Wabasha County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bear Valley
- Jarrett
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the northeast)
- Jarrett is located in Wabasha County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Jarrett
- Continue List (16 more) ...
- Zumbrota
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the northwest)
- Berne
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the west)
- Berne is located in Dodge County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Berne
- Mantorville
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the southwest)
We've also created an expanded list of communities that existed in the 1890's and were located in the area around Oronoco. See our List of 1890's Communities around Oronoco.
Newspapers Published in the Vicinity of Oronoco ...
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 Oronoco.
We have organized these newspapers into two lists:
- A Local Newspaper List - focusing on the papers published in the immediate area of Oronoco. There are actually two parts to this list - papers printed in the immediate area of Oronoco and those printed in the larger area surrounding Oronoco.
- An Extended Newspaper List - a longer list, sorted by paper name and containing those papers published within 30 miles [48.3 km]<4> of Oronoco.
Websites to Help With Your Genealogy Research ...
When we do our genealogical research, we like to start with the websites from Cyndi's List, FamilySearch and Genealogy Trails. These helpful 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 Oronoco:
- Websites specific to Minnesota
- Pages specific to Olmsted County
- Genealogy information for nearby counties
- Dodge County
- Fillmore County
- Goodhue County
- Mower County
- Rice County
- Steele County
- Wabasha County
- Winona 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> | 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 Oronoco, 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 from Point A (ie- Oronoco) to Point B. In other words: 'As the crow flies'. |