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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 Oster (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 Oster. 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 southwest corner of their home county. During their lives, most hospitals and doctors were in the next county to the west. 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 west 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.

Oster is located in Wright 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 Wright County: Carver, Hennepin, McLeod, Meeker, Sherburne & Stearns.

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

  • Wright County     (The home county of Oster)
    • The following are listed by their distance from Oster, with the one closest to Oster listed first.
    • Waverly
      (6 miles [9.7 km] to the north)
    • Montrose
      (7 miles [11.3 km] to the northeast)
    • Howard Lake
      (7 miles [11.3 km] to the northwest)
    • Smith Lake
      (9 miles [14.5 km] to the northwest)
      • Smith Lake is located in Wright County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Smith Lake
    • Delano
      (10 miles [16.1 km] to the northeast)
    • Rassat
      (11 miles [17.7 km] to the north)
      • Rassat is located in Wright County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rassat
    • Albright
      (12 miles [19.3 km] to the northwest)
      • Albright is located in Wright County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Albright
    • Cokato
      (12 miles [19.3 km] to the northwest)
    • Rockford
      (13 miles [20.9 km] to the northeast)
    • Albion Center
      (14 miles [22.5 km] to the north)
      • Albion Center is located in Wright County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Albion Center
    • Buffalo
      (14 miles [22.5 km] to the north)
    • Maple Lake
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the north)
    • Hanover
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the northeast)
  • Carver County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Oster, with the one closest to Oster listed first.
    • Hazelton
      (2 miles [3.2 km] to the southeast)
      • Hazelton is located in Carver County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hazelton
    • Hollywood
      (5 miles [8 km] to the south)
      • Hollywood is located in Carver County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hollywood
    • Watertown
      (6 miles [9.7 km] to the east)
    • New Germany
      (6 miles [9.7 km] to the south)
    • Mayer
      (7 miles [11.3 km] to the southeast)
    • Hydes Lake
      (12 miles [19.3 km] to the southeast)
      • Hydes Lake is located in Carver County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hydes Lake
    • Waconia
      (13 miles [20.9 km] to the southeast)
    • Norwood
      (14 miles [22.5 km] to the south)
    • Norwood Young America
      (14 miles [22.5 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
    • Young America
      (14 miles [22.5 km] to the south)
    • Hamburg
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the south)
      • Hamburg is located in Carver County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hamburg
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 526 people
    • Cologne
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the southeast)
    • Victoria
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the southeast)
  • Hennepin County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Oster, with the one closest to Oster listed first.
    • Saint Bonifacius
      (12 miles [19.3 km] to the southeast)
    • Independence
      (13 miles [20.9 km] to the east)
      • Independence is located in Hennepin County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Independence
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 3,786 people
    • Minnetrista
      (13 miles [20.9 km] to the east)
    • Maple Plain
      (15 miles [24.1 km] to the east)
    • Mound
      (15 miles [24.1 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>
    • Greenfield
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the northeast)
      • Greenfield is located in Hennepin County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Greenfield
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 3,058 people
    • Loretto
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the east)
    • Spring Park
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the east)
    • Crystal Bay
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the east)
      • Crystal Bay is located in Hennepin County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Crystal Bay
    • Medina
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the east)
    • Minnetonka Beach
      (19 miles [30.6 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
      (19 miles [30.6 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
    • Tonka Bay
      (19 miles [30.6 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
  • McLeod County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Oster, with the one closest to Oster listed first.
    • Winsted
      (3 miles [4.8 km] to the southwest)
    • Lester Prairie
      (7 miles [11.3 km] to the southwest)
    • Silver Lake
      (11 miles [17.7 km] to the southwest)
    • Plato
      (14 miles [22.5 km] to the south)
    • Glencoe
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the southwest)
    • Biscay
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the southwest)
      • Biscay is located in McLeod County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Biscay
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 109 people
    • Hutchinson
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the west)
    • Sumter
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the southwest)
      • Sumter is located in McLeod County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sumter
    • Brownton
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the southwest)
    • Stewart
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the southwest)
      • Stewart is located in McLeod County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Stewart
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 533 people
  • Meeker County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Oster, with the one closest to Oster listed first.
    • Dassel
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the northwest)
    • Kingston
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the northwest)
      • Kingston is located in Meeker County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Kingston
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 162 people
    • Darwin
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the west)
    • Cedar Mills
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the west)
      • Cedar Mills is located in Meeker County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cedar Mills
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 51 people
    • Forest City
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the northwest)
      • Forest City is located in Meeker County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Forest City
    • Litchfield
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the west)
  • Scott County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Oster, with the one closest to Oster listed first.
    • Belle Plaine
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the southeast)
    • Jordan
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the southeast)
    • Marystown
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the southeast)
      • Marystown is located in Scott County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Marystown
    • Shakopee
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the southeast)
  • Sherburne County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Oster, with the one closest to Oster listed first.
    • Salida
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the north)
      • Salida is located in Sherburne County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Salida
    • Big Lake
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the northeast)
    • Becker
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the north)
      • Becker is located in Sherburne County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Becker
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 5,033 people
      • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Becker <1>
  • Sibley County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Oster, with the one closest to Oster listed first.
    • Green Isle
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the south)
    • New Auburn
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the southwest)
    • Arlington
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the south)
  • Stearns County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Oster, with the one closest to Oster listed first.
    • Fairhaven
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the northwest)
      • Fairhaven is located in Stearns County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Fairhaven
    • Kimball Prairie
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the northwest)
      • Kimball Prairie is located in Stearns County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Kimball Prairie
    • Kimball
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the northwest)

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

Cemeteries Near Oster ...

Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of Oster.

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

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

The following cemeteries are listed based on their distance from Oster, with the one closest to Oster 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>

While we didn't find Oster in the Atlas, the following 1895 communities would have been found near the current location of Oster.

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

  • Winsted
    (3 miles [4.8 km] to the southwest)
  • Hollywood
    (5 miles [8 km] to the south)
    • Hollywood is located in Carver County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hollywood
  • New Germany
    (6 miles [9.7 km] to the south)
  • Watertown
    (6 miles [9.7 km] to the east)
  • Waverly
    (6 miles [9.7 km] to the north)
  • Lester Prairie
    (7 miles [11.3 km] to the southwest)
  • Mayer
    (7 miles [11.3 km] to the southeast)
  • Montrose
    (7 miles [11.3 km] to the northeast)
  • Howard Lake
    (7 miles [11.3 km] to the northwest)
  • Smith Lake
    (9 miles [14.5 km] to the northwest)
    • Smith Lake is located in Wright County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Smith Lake
  • Delano
    (10 miles [16.1 km] to the northeast)
  • Silver Lake
    (11 miles [17.7 km] to the southwest)
  • Continue List   (19 more) ...
    • Saint Bonifacius
      (12 miles [19.3 km] to the southeast)
    • Cokato
      (12 miles [19.3 km] to the northwest)
    • Waconia
      (13 miles [20.9 km] to the southeast)

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

Newspapers Published in Oster ...

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 133 newspapers that have been published in the area around Oster.

Although we're unaware of any newspapers that were published in the immediate area of Oster, there are papers which were published within 27 miles [43.5 km]<4>. A list of those papers, sorted by paper name, can be found on the Extended Newspaper List for Oster.

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 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 Oster:

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 Oster, 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- Oster) to Point B. In other words: 'As the crow flies'.