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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 Rice Lake (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 Rice Lake. 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 Rice Lake ...

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.

Although we can't give a definitive list, hopefully the following will give you a feel for the variations that might occur.

For example, a typical abbreviation for Rice Lake: Rice Lk.

You might be interested in other communities that are also named Rice Lake. More information can be found on our Tidbits & Trivia Page for Rice Lake.

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 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.

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

  • Wright County     (The home county of Rice Lake)
    • The following are listed by their distance from Rice Lake, with the one closest to Rice Lake listed first.
    • Smith Lake
      (4 miles [6.4 km] to the north)
      • Smith Lake is located in Wright County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Smith Lake
    • Howard Lake
      (4 miles [6.4 km] to the northeast)
    • Cokato
      (4 miles [6.4 km] to the northwest)
    • Albright
      (8 miles [12.9 km] to the north)
      • Albright is located in Wright County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Albright
    • Waverly
      (9 miles [14.5 km] to the northeast)
    • Montrose
      (11 miles [17.7 km] to the east)
    • Albion Center
      (11 miles [17.7 km] to the north)
      • Albion Center is located in Wright County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Albion Center
    • Rassat
      (12 miles [19.3 km] to the northeast)
      • Rassat is located in Wright County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rassat
    • Maple Lake
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the northeast)
    • Delano
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the east)
    • Annandale
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the north)
    • Buffalo
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the northeast)
    • South Haven
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the north)
  • Carver County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Rice Lake, with the one closest to Rice Lake listed first.
    • Hazelton
      (10 miles [16.1 km] to the east)
      • Hazelton is located in Carver County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hazelton
    • Hollywood
      (11 miles [17.7 km] to the southeast)
      • Hollywood is located in Carver County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hollywood
    • New Germany
      (12 miles [19.3 km] to the southeast)
    • Watertown
      (14 miles [22.5 km] to the east)
    • Mayer
      (15 miles [24.1 km] to the southeast)
    • Hydes Lake
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the southeast)
      • Hydes Lake is located in Carver County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hydes Lake
    • Norwood Young America
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the southeast)
      • 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
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the southeast)
    • Norwood
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the southeast)
    • Waconia
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the southeast)
    • Hamburg
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the southeast)
      • Hamburg is located in Carver County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hamburg
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 526 people
    • Cologne
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the southeast)
    • Assumption
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the southeast)
      • Assumption is located in Carver County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Assumption
  • Hennepin County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Rice Lake, with the one closest to Rice Lake listed first.
    • Saint Bonifacius
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the east)
    • Independence
      (21 miles [33.8 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
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the east)
    • Greenfield
      (23 miles [37 km] to the east)
      • Greenfield is located in Hennepin County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Greenfield
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 3,058 people
    • Maple Plain
      (23 miles [37 km] to the east)
    • Mound
      (23 miles [37 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>
    • Loretto
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the east)
    • Spring Park
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the east)
    • Medina
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the east)
    • Minnetonka Beach
      (27 miles [43.5 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
      (27 miles [43.5 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
      (27 miles [43.5 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
    • Crystal Bay
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the east)
      • Crystal Bay is located in Hennepin County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Crystal Bay
  • McLeod County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Rice Lake, with the one closest to Rice Lake listed first.
    • Winsted
      (5 miles [8 km] to the southeast)
    • Silver Lake
      (8 miles [12.9 km] to the south)
    • Lester Prairie
      (10 miles [16.1 km] to the southeast)
    • Hutchinson
      (13 miles [20.9 km] to the southwest)
    • Biscay
      (14 miles [22.5 km] to the southwest)
      • Biscay is located in McLeod County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Biscay
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 109 people
    • Glencoe
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the south)
    • Plato
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the south)
    • Sumter
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the south)
      • Sumter is located in McLeod County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sumter
    • Brownton
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the southwest)
    • Stewart
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the southwest)
      • Stewart is located in McLeod County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Stewart
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 533 people
    • Fernando
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the southwest)
      • Fernando is located in McLeod County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Fernando
  • Meeker County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Rice Lake, with the one closest to Rice Lake listed first.
    • Dassel
      (9 miles [14.5 km] to the northwest)
    • Darwin
      (13 miles [20.9 km] to the northwest)
    • Kingston
      (14 miles [22.5 km] to the northwest)
      • Kingston is located in Meeker County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Kingston
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 162 people
    • Cedar Mills
      (19 miles [30.6 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
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the northwest)
      • Forest City is located in Meeker County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Forest City
    • Litchfield
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the west)
    • Watkins
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the northwest)
    • Cosmos
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the west)
    • Grove City
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the west)
    • Rosendale
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the west)
      • Rosendale is located in Meeker County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rosendale
    • Eden Valley
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the northwest)
    • Manannah
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the northwest)
      • Manannah is located in Meeker County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Manannah
  • Renville County
    • Buffalo Lake
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the southwest)
  • Sherburne County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Rice Lake, with the one closest to Rice Lake listed first.
    • Becker
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the northeast)
      • 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>
    • Salida
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the northeast)
      • Salida is located in Sherburne County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Salida
    • Big Lake
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the northeast)
    • Clear Lake
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the north)
  • Sibley County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Rice Lake, with the one closest to Rice Lake listed first.
    • New Auburn
      (23 miles [37 km] to the south)
    • Green Isle
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the south)
    • Arlington
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the south)
  • Stearns County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Rice Lake, with the one closest to Rice Lake listed first.
    • Fairhaven
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the north)
      • Fairhaven is located in Stearns County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Fairhaven
    • Kimball Prairie
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the north)
      • Kimball Prairie is located in Stearns County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Kimball Prairie
    • Kimball
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the north)
    • Saint Augusta
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the north)
      • 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 Rice Lake, see our County-by-County Page for Rice Lake.

Cemeteries Near Rice Lake ...

Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of Rice Lake.

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 Rice Lake - one of the links might be able to help.

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

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

  • Stockholm Twp. Cemetery
    (3 miles [4.8 km] to the northwest)
  • Stockholm Lutheran Church Cemetery
    (3 miles [4.8 km] to the west)
  • Cokato Cemetery
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the north)
  • St. James Cemetery
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the northeast)
  • Howard Lake Cemetery
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the northeast)
  • Holy Trinity Cemetery
    (5 miles [8 km] to the southeast)
  • Good Shepherd Free Lutheran Church Cemetery
    (5 miles [8 km] to the northwest)
  • Lutheran Cemetery
    (5 miles [8 km] to the northwest)
  • Reinmuth Cemetery
    (5 miles [8 km] to the northeast)
  • Watson Cemetery
    (5 miles [8 km] to the north)
  • Old Holy Trinity Cemetery
    (6 miles [9.7 km] to the south)
  • Swedish Cemetery
    (6 miles [9.7 km] to the north)
  • Continue List   (248 more) ...
    • Nylunda Cemetery
      (6 miles [9.7 km] to the east)
    • Bethel Cemetery
      (6 miles [9.7 km] to the north)
    • St. Adelbert's Catholic Cemetery
      (7 miles [11.3 km] to the south)

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 Rice Lake in the Atlas, the following 1895 communities would have been found near the current location of Rice Lake.

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

  • Cokato
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the northwest)
  • Howard Lake
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the northeast)
  • Smith Lake
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the north)
    • Smith Lake is located in Wright County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Smith Lake
  • Winsted
    (5 miles [8 km] to the southeast)
  • Silver Lake
    (8 miles [12.9 km] to the south)
  • Waverly
    (9 miles [14.5 km] to the northeast)
  • Dassel
    (9 miles [14.5 km] to the northwest)
  • Lester Prairie
    (10 miles [16.1 km] to the southeast)
  • Hollywood
    (11 miles [17.7 km] to the southeast)
    • Hollywood is located in Carver County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hollywood
  • Montrose
    (11 miles [17.7 km] to the east)
  • New Germany
    (12 miles [19.3 km] to the southeast)
  • Hutchinson
    (13 miles [20.9 km] to the southwest)
  • Continue List   (16 more) ...
    • Darwin
      (13 miles [20.9 km] to the northwest)
    • Biscay
      (14 miles [22.5 km] to the southwest)
      • Biscay is located in McLeod County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Biscay
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 109 people
    • Watertown
      (14 miles [22.5 km] to the east)

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

Newspapers Published in Rice Lake ...

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 143 newspapers that have been published in the area around Rice Lake.

Although we're unaware of any newspapers that were published in the immediate area of Rice Lake, there are papers which were published within 30 miles [48.3 km]<4>. A list of those papers, sorted by paper name, can be found on the Extended Newspaper List for Rice Lake.

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 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 Rice Lake:

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