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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 Otsego (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 Otsego. 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 northwest 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 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.

Otsego 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 Otsego. For each of these counties, we show a sample of those communities that are closest to Otsego:

  • Wright County     (The home county of Otsego)
    • The following are listed by their distance from Otsego, with the one closest to Otsego listed first.
    • Albertville
      (2 miles [3.2 km] to the southwest)
    • Saint Michael
      (5 miles [8 km] to the southwest)
    • Hanover
      (7 miles [11.3 km] to the south)
    • Monticello
      (8 miles [12.9 km] to the west)
    • Rockford
      (13 miles [20.9 km] to the southwest)
    • Buffalo
      (14 miles [22.5 km] to the southwest)
    • Delano
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the southwest)
    • Silver Creek
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the west)
      • Silver Creek is located in Wright County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Silver Creek
    • Hasty
      (18 miles [29 km] to the west)
      • Hasty is located in Wright County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hasty
    • Maple Lake
      (18 miles [29 km] to the west)
    • Montrose
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the southwest)
    • Rassat
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the southwest)
      • Rassat is located in Wright County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rassat
  • Anoka County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Otsego, with the one closest to Otsego listed first.
    • Ramsey
      (8 miles [12.9 km] to the east)
    • Nowthen
      (9 miles [14.5 km] to the northeast)
      • Nowthen is located in Anoka County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Nowthen
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 4,732 people
    • Anoka
      (12 miles [19.3 km] to the east)
    • Andover
      (14 miles [22.5 km] to the east)
    • Saint Francis
      (14 miles [22.5 km] to the northeast)
    • Oak Grove
      (15 miles [24.1 km] to the east)
    • Cedar
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the east)
    • Coon Rapids
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the east)
    • Coon Creek
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the southeast)
      • Coon Creek is located in Anoka County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Coon Creek
    • Bethel
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the northeast)
    • Ham Lake
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the east)
    • Coopers Corner
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the northeast)
      • Coopers Corner is located in Anoka County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Coopers Corner
  • Benton County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Otsego, with the one closest to Otsego listed first.
    • Duelm
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the northwest)
      • Duelm is located in Benton County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Duelm
    • Foley
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the northwest)
  • Carver County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Otsego, with the one closest to Otsego listed first.
    • Watertown
      (23 miles [37 km] to the southwest)
    • Hazelton
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the southwest)
      • Hazelton is located in Carver County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hazelton
    • Victoria
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the south)
    • Chanhassen
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the south)
    • Hazeltine
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the south)
      • Hazeltine is located in Carver County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hazeltine
    • Mayer
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the southwest)
    • Waconia
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the south)
    • Hollywood
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the southwest)
      • Hollywood is located in Carver County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hollywood
  • Chisago County
    • Wyoming
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the east)
  • Hennepin County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Otsego, with the one closest to Otsego listed first.
    • Rogers
      (5 miles [8 km] to the southeast)
      • Rogers is located in Hennepin County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rogers
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 13,623 people
      • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Rogers <1>
    • Dayton
      (8 miles [12.9 km] to the southeast)
    • Greenfield
      (11 miles [17.7 km] to the south)
      • Greenfield is located in Hennepin County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Greenfield
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 3,058 people
    • Corcoran
      (12 miles [19.3 km] to the south)
    • Champlin
      (12 miles [19.3 km] to the southeast)
    • Maple Grove
      (13 miles [20.9 km] to the southeast)
    • Loretto
      (14 miles [22.5 km] to the south)
    • Osseo
      (14 miles [22.5 km] to the southeast)
      • Osseo is located in Hennepin County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Osseo
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 2,703 people
      • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Osseo <1>
    • Hamel
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the south)
    • Medina
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the south)
    • Brooklyn Park
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the southeast)
    • Independence
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the south)
      • Independence is located in Hennepin County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Independence
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 3,786 people
  • Isanti County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Otsego, with the one closest to Otsego listed first.
    • Crown
      (14 miles [22.5 km] to the northeast)
      • Crown is located in Isanti County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Crown
    • Bradford
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the northeast)
      • Bradford is located in Isanti County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bradford
    • Isanti
      (23 miles [37 km] to the northeast)
    • Cambridge
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the northeast)
    • Weber
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the northeast)
      • Weber is located in Isanti County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Weber
    • Dalbo
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the north)
    • Minnesota Boys Town
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the northeast)
      • Minnesota Boys Town is located in Isanti County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Minnesota Boys Town
  • McLeod County
    • Winsted
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the southwest)
  • Mille Lacs County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Otsego, with the one closest to Otsego listed first.
    • Princeton
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the north)
    • Estes Brook
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the north)
      • Estes Brook is located in Mille Lacs County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Estes Brook
    • Pease
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the north)
      • Pease is located in Mille Lacs County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Pease
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 224 people
  • Ramsey County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Otsego, with the one closest to Otsego listed first.
    • Mounds View
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the southeast)
    • New Brighton
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the southeast)
    • Arden Hills
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the southeast)
    • Shoreview
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the southeast)
    • Lauderdale
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the southeast)
      • Lauderdale is located in Ramsey County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lauderdale
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 2,484 people
    • Cardigan Junction
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the southeast)
      • Cardigan Junction is located in Ramsey County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cardigan Junction
    • Falcon Heights
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the southeast)
    • North Oaks
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the southeast)
    • Roseville
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the southeast)
    • Little Canada
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the southeast)
    • Vadnais Heights
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the southeast)
  • Sherburne County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Otsego, with the one closest to Otsego listed first.
    • Elk River
      (5 miles [8 km] to the northeast)
    • Big Lake
      (7 miles [11.3 km] to the northwest)
    • Salida
      (11 miles [17.7 km] to the northwest)
      • Salida is located in Sherburne County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Salida
    • Zimmerman
      (12 miles [19.3 km] to the north)
      • Zimmerman is located in Sherburne County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Zimmerman
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 6,135 people
      • Zimmerman has also been known as:
      • Lake Fremont
      • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Zimmerman <1>
    • Orrock
      (13 miles [20.9 km] to the northwest)
      • Orrock is located in Sherburne County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Orrock
    • Becker
      (14 miles [22.5 km] to the northwest)
      • 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>
    • Santiago
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the northwest)
      • Santiago is located in Sherburne County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Santiago
    • Clear Lake
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the northwest)
    • Cable
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the northwest)
      • Cable is located in Sherburne County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cable
  • Stearns County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Otsego, with the one closest to Otsego listed first.
    • Fairhaven
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the west)
      • Fairhaven is located in Stearns County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Fairhaven
    • Saint Augusta
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the northwest)
      • Saint Augusta is located in Stearns County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Saint Augusta
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 3,900 people

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

Cemeteries Near Otsego ...

Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of Otsego.

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

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

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

  • Ostego Cemetery
    (Less than 2 miles to the northeast)
  • St. Albert Cemetery
    (2 miles [3.2 km] to the southwest)
  • Orono Cemetery
    (2 miles [3.2 km] to the northeast)
  • Vernon Cemetery
    (3 miles [4.8 km] to the northeast)
  • Bailey Station Cemetery
    (3 miles [4.8 km] to the northwest)
  • St. Michael Cemetery
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the southwest)
  • St. Andrews Cemetery
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the northeast)
  • St. Michael Cemetery
    (5 miles [8 km] to the southwest)
  • St. John the Evangelist Episcopal Cemetery
    (5 miles [8 km] to the south)
  • St. Martin Cemetery
    (5 miles [8 km] to the southeast)
  • New St. John the Baptist Cemetery
    (5 miles [8 km] to the east)
  • Old St. John the Baptist Cemetery
    (6 miles [9.7 km] to the southeast)
  • Continue List   (271 more) ...
    • Fletcher Cemetery
      (7 miles [11.3 km] to the southeast)
    • Twin Lakes Cemetery
      (7 miles [11.3 km] to the northeast)
    • Big Lake Cemetery
      (7 miles [11.3 km] to the northwest)

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, Otsego had a post office and railroad service. In 2020, Otsego had a population of 18,887 people.

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

  • Bailey
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the northwest)
    • Bailey is located in Sherburne County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bailey
  • Rogers
    (5 miles [8 km] to the southeast)
    • Rogers is located in Hennepin County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rogers
    • Population from the 2020 Census: 13,623 people
    • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Rogers <1>
  • Elk River
    (5 miles [8 km] to the northeast)
  • Hanover
    (7 miles [11.3 km] to the south)
  • Big Lake
    (7 miles [11.3 km] to the northwest)
  • Dayton
    (8 miles [12.9 km] to the southeast)
  • Monticello
    (8 miles [12.9 km] to the west)
  • Burschville
    (9 miles [14.5 km] to the south)
    • Burschville is located in Hennepin County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Burschville
  • Salida
    (11 miles [17.7 km] to the northwest)
    • Salida is located in Sherburne County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Salida
  • Corcoran
    (12 miles [19.3 km] to the south)
  • Champlin
    (12 miles [19.3 km] to the southeast)
  • Anoka
    (12 miles [19.3 km] to the east)
  • Continue List   (16 more) ...
    • Zimmerman
      (12 miles [19.3 km] to the north)
      • Zimmerman is located in Sherburne County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Zimmerman
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 6,135 people
      • Zimmerman has also been known as:
      • Lake Fremont
      • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Zimmerman <1>
    • Rockford
      (13 miles [20.9 km] to the southwest)
    • Maple Grove
      (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 Otsego. See our List of 1890's Communities around Otsego.

Newspapers Published in Otsego ...

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 337 newspapers that have been published in the area around Otsego.

Although we're unaware of any newspapers that were published in the immediate area of Otsego, there are papers which were published within 26 miles [41.8 km]<4>. A list of those papers, sorted by paper name, can be found on the Extended Newspaper List for Otsego.

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 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 Otsego:

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 Otsego, please let us know so that we can improve our accuracy.
<4>Our distances are not driving distances, but are calculated as a 'straight-line' (or 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- Otsego) to Point B. In other words: 'As the crow flies'.