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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 Otisco (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 Otisco. 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 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.

Otisco is located in Waseca 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 Waseca County: Blue Earth, Faribault, Freeborn, Le Sueur, Rice & Steele.

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

  • Waseca County     (The home county of Otisco)
    • The following are listed by their distance from Otisco, with the one closest to Otisco listed first.
    • Wilton
      (2 miles [3.2 km] to the northwest)
      • Wilton is located in Waseca County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Wilton
    • Vista
      (2 miles [3.2 km] to the southeast)
      • Vista is located in Waseca County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Vista
    • New Richland
      (5 miles [8 km] to the south)
    • Waseca
      (6 miles [9.7 km] to the north)
    • Waldorf
      (10 miles [16.1 km] to the west)
      • Waldorf is located in Waseca County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Waldorf
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 224 people
    • Alma City
      (11 miles [17.7 km] to the west)
      • Alma City is located in Waseca County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Alma City
    • Palmer
      (12 miles [19.3 km] to the north)
      • Palmer is located in Waseca County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Palmer
    • Janesville
      (14 miles [22.5 km] to the northwest)
    • Elysian
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the northwest)
  • Blue Earth County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Otisco, with the one closest to Otisco listed first.
    • Pemberton
      (14 miles [22.5 km] to the west)
      • Pemberton is located in Blue Earth County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Pemberton
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 241 people
    • Smiths Mill
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the northwest)
      • Smiths Mill is located in Blue Earth County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Smiths Mill
    • Saint Clair
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the west)
    • Eagle Lake
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the northwest)
    • Madison Lake
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the northwest)
    • Beauford
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the west)
      • Beauford is located in Blue Earth County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Beauford
    • Mapleton
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the west)
    • Mankato
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the northwest)
      • Mankato is located in Blue Earth County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mankato
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 43,435 people
      • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Mankato <1>
    • Skyline
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the northwest)
      • Skyline is located in Blue Earth County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Skyline
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 299 people
    • Good Thunder
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the west)
    • Rapidan
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the west)
      • Rapidan is located in Blue Earth County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rapidan
  • Dodge County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Otisco, with the one closest to Otisco listed first.
    • Claremont
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the east)
    • Westfield Center ‑ Historic
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the east)
      • Westfield Center is located in Dodge County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Westfield Center
  • Faribault County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Otisco, with the one closest to Otisco listed first.
    • Minnesota Lake
      (18 miles [29 km] to the southwest)
    • Wells
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the southwest)
      • Wells is located in Faribault County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Wells
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 2,157 people
      • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Wells <1>
    • Easton
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the southwest)
      • Easton is located in Faribault County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Easton
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 183 people
    • Walters
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the south)
      • Walters is located in Faribault County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Walters
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 67 people
    • Delavan
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the southwest)
      • Delavan is located in Faribault County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Delavan
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 166 people
  • Freeborn County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Otisco, with the one closest to Otisco listed first.
    • Bath
      (11 miles [17.7 km] to the southeast)
      • Bath is located in Freeborn County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bath
    • Hartland
      (12 miles [19.3 km] to the south)
      • Hartland is located in Freeborn County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hartland
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 307 people
    • Freeborn
      (15 miles [24.1 km] to the south)
    • Geneva
      (15 miles [24.1 km] to the southeast)
    • Manchester
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the south)
      • Manchester is located in Freeborn County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Manchester
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 55 people
    • Clarks Grove
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the southeast)
    • Alden
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the south)
    • Hollandale
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the southeast)
    • Albert Lea
      (23 miles [37 km] to the south)
    • Conger
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the south)
      • Conger is located in Freeborn County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Conger
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 144 people
    • Hayward
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the southeast)
    • Twin Lakes
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the south)
      • Twin Lakes is located in Freeborn County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Twin Lakes
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 149 people
    • Oakland
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the southeast)
      • Oakland is located in Freeborn County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Oakland
  • Le Sueur County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Otisco, with the one closest to Otisco listed first.
    • Waterville
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the north)
    • Greenland
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the northwest)
      • Greenland is located in Le Sueur County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Greenland
    • Kilkenny
      (23 miles [37 km] to the north)
    • Marysburg
      (23 miles [37 km] to the northwest)
      • Marysburg is located in Le Sueur County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Marysburg
    • Cordova
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the north)
      • Cordova is located in Le Sueur County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cordova
    • Cleveland
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the northwest)
    • Le Center
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the north)
  • Nicollet County
    • North Mankato
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the northwest)
  • Rice County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Otisco, with the one closest to Otisco listed first.
    • Morristown
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the north)
    • Warsaw
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the north)
      • Warsaw is located in Rice County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Warsaw
    • Walcott
      (23 miles [37 km] to the northeast)
      • Walcott is located in Rice County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Walcott
    • Faribault
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the northeast)
    • Moland
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the northeast)
      • Moland is located in Rice County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Moland
    • Cannon City
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the northeast)
      • Cannon City is located in Rice County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cannon City
  • Steele County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Otisco, with the one closest to Otisco listed first.
    • Hope
      (11 miles [17.7 km] to the east)
      • Hope is located in Steele County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hope
    • Ellendale
      (12 miles [19.3 km] to the southeast)
    • River Point
      (13 miles [20.9 km] to the east)
      • River Point is located in Steele County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for River Point
    • Steele Center
      (13 miles [20.9 km] to the east)
      • Steele Center is located in Steele County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Steele Center
    • Owatonna
      (15 miles [24.1 km] to the northeast)
    • Pratt
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the east)
      • Pratt is located in Steele County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Pratt
    • Havana
      (18 miles [29 km] to the east)
      • Havana is located in Steele County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Havana
    • Medford
      (18 miles [29 km] to the northeast)
      • Medford is located in Steele County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Medford
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 1,255 people
    • Union
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the east)
      • Union is located in Steele County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Union
    • Blooming Prairie
      (23 miles [37 km] to the east)
    • Rice Lake
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the northeast)
      • Rice Lake is located in Steele County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rice Lake

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

Cemeteries Near Otisco ...

Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of Otisco.

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

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

The following cemeteries are listed based on their distance from Otisco, with the one closest to Otisco listed first.

  • Vista Covenant Church Cemetery
    (2 miles [3.2 km] to the southeast)
  • Vista Swedish Lutheran Church Cemetery
    (2 miles [3.2 km] to the southeast)
  • Otisco Cemetery
    (2 miles [3.2 km] to the northeast)
  • Wilton Cemetery
    (2 miles [3.2 km] to the northwest)
  • Otisco - Lemond Cemetery
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the east)
  • Calvary Cemetery
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the north)
  • St. Peter Cemetery
    (5 miles [8 km] to the south)
  • Calvary Cemetery
    (5 miles [8 km] to the south)
  • St. Olaf Cemetery
    (5 miles [8 km] to the south)
  • Le Sueur River American Lutheran Church Cemetery
    (5 miles [8 km] to the southeast)
  • Pontoppidan Lutheran Cemetery
    (5 miles [8 km] to the east)
  • Krassin Cemetery
    (5 miles [8 km] to the northwest)
  • Continue List   (239 more) ...
    • St. Mary Cemetery
      (5 miles [8 km] to the northwest)
    • Woodville Cemetery
      (6 miles [9.7 km] to the north)
    • Brase Cemetery
      (7 miles [11.3 km] to the northeast)

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, Otisco had a post office and railroad service.

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

  • New Richland
    (5 miles [8 km] to the south)
  • Lemond
    (6 miles [9.7 km] to the east)
    • Lemond is located in Steele County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lemond
  • Waseca
    (6 miles [9.7 km] to the north)
  • Meriden
    (8 miles [12.9 km] to the northeast)
    • Meriden is located in Steele County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Meriden
  • Bath
    (11 miles [17.7 km] to the southeast)
    • Bath is located in Freeborn County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bath
  • Alma City
    (11 miles [17.7 km] to the west)
    • Alma City is located in Waseca County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Alma City
  • Palmer
    (12 miles [19.3 km] to the north)
    • Palmer is located in Waseca County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Palmer
  • Hartland
    (12 miles [19.3 km] to the south)
    • Hartland is located in Freeborn County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hartland
    • Population from the 2020 Census: 307 people
  • River Point
    (13 miles [20.9 km] to the east)
    • River Point is located in Steele County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for River Point
  • Steele Center
    (13 miles [20.9 km] to the east)
    • Steele Center is located in Steele County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Steele Center
  • Deerfield
    (14 miles [22.5 km] to the northeast)
    • Deerfield is located in Steele County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Deerfield
  • Janesville
    (14 miles [22.5 km] to the northwest)
  • Continue List   (14 more) ...
    • Freeborn
      (15 miles [24.1 km] to the south)
    • Geneva
      (15 miles [24.1 km] to the southeast)
    • Owatonna
      (15 miles [24.1 km] to the northeast)

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

Newspapers Published in Otisco ...

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 54 newspapers that have been published in the area around Otisco.

Although we're unaware of any newspapers that were published in the immediate area of Otisco, there are papers which were published within 30 miles [48.3 km]<3>. A list of those papers, sorted by paper name, can be found on the Extended Newspaper List for Otisco.

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 either 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 Otisco:

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