RoadsideThoughts
A Gazetteer for the United States and Canada
Home >> State of Minnesota >> Steele County >> Saco >> Genealogy HelperIndex...

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 Saco (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 Saco. 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 and hospitals 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.

Saco is located in Steele 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 Steele County: Dodge, Freeborn, Goodhue, Mower, Rice & Waseca.

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

  • Steele County     (The home county of Saco)
    • The following are listed by their distance from Saco, with the one closest to Saco listed first.
    • Hope
      (2 miles [3.2 km] to the south)
      • Hope is located in Steele County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hope
    • Steele Center
      (2 miles [3.2 km] to the southeast)
      • Steele Center is located in Steele County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Steele Center
    • River Point
      (4 miles [6.4 km] to the south)
      • River Point is located in Steele County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for River Point
    • Pratt
      (5 miles [8 km] to the east)
      • Pratt is located in Steele County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Pratt
    • Owatonna
      (6 miles [9.7 km] to the north)
    • Havana
      (7 miles [11.3 km] to the northeast)
      • Havana is located in Steele County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Havana
    • Ellendale
      (9 miles [14.5 km] to the south)
    • Union
      (10 miles [16.1 km] to the southeast)
      • Union is located in Steele County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Union
    • Medford
      (11 miles [17.7 km] to the north)
      • Medford is located in Steele County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Medford
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 1,255 people
    • Rice Lake
      (13 miles [20.9 km] to the northeast)
      • Rice Lake is located in Steele County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rice Lake
    • Blooming Prairie
      (14 miles [22.5 km] to the southeast)
  • Blue Earth County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Saco, with the one closest to Saco listed first.
    • Pemberton
      (25 miles [40.2 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
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the west)
      • Smiths Mill is located in Blue Earth County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Smiths Mill
    • Saint Clair
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the west)
    • Madison Lake
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the northwest)
  • Dodge County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Saco, with the one closest to Saco listed first.
    • Claremont
      (13 miles [20.9 km] to the east)
    • Westfield Center ‑ Historic
      (15 miles [24.1 km] to the east)
      • Westfield Center is located in Dodge County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Westfield Center
    • Dodge Center
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the east)
    • West Concord
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the northeast)
    • Hayfield
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the east)
    • Concord
      (23 miles [37 km] to the northeast)
      • Concord is located in Dodge County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Concord
    • Kasson
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the east)
    • Mantorville
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the east)
  • Faribault County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Saco, with the one closest to Saco listed first.
    • Wells
      (29 miles [46.7 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>
    • Minnesota Lake
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the west)
  • Freeborn County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Saco, with the one closest to Saco listed first.
    • Geneva
      (12 miles [19.3 km] to the south)
    • Bath
      (13 miles [20.9 km] to the southwest)
      • Bath is located in Freeborn County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bath
    • Clarks Grove
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the south)
    • Hollandale
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the south)
    • Hartland
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the southwest)
      • Hartland is located in Freeborn County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hartland
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 307 people
    • Manchester
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the southwest)
      • Manchester is located in Freeborn County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Manchester
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 55 people
    • Freeborn
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the southwest)
    • Hayward
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the south)
    • Oakland
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the south)
      • Oakland is located in Freeborn County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Oakland
    • Albert Lea
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the south)
    • Alden
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the southwest)
    • Glenville
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the south)
    • Conger
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the southwest)
      • Conger is located in Freeborn County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Conger
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 144 people
  • Goodhue County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Saco, with the one closest to Saco listed first.
    • Kenyon
      (23 miles [37 km] to the northeast)
    • Roscoe
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the northeast)
      • Roscoe is located in Goodhue County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Roscoe
    • Dennison
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the north)
  • Le Sueur County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Saco, with the one closest to Saco listed first.
    • Waterville
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the northwest)
    • Greenland
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the northwest)
      • Greenland is located in Le Sueur County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Greenland
    • Kilkenny
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the northwest)
    • Cordova
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the northwest)
      • Cordova is located in Le Sueur County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cordova
  • Mower County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Saco, with the one closest to Saco listed first.
    • Lansing
      (23 miles [37 km] to the southeast)
      • Lansing is located in Mower County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lansing
    • Waltham
      (23 miles [37 km] to the southeast)
    • Brownsdale
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the southeast)
    • Mapleview
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the southeast)
      • Mapleview is located in Mower County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mapleview
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 177 people
    • Sargeant
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the southeast)
      • Sargeant is located in Mower County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sargeant
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 60 people
    • Austin
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the southeast)
    • Renova ‑ Historic
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the southeast)
      • Renova is located in Mower County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Renova
  • Rice County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Saco, with the one closest to Saco listed first.
    • Walcott
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the north)
      • Walcott is located in Rice County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Walcott
    • Moland
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the northeast)
      • Moland is located in Rice County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Moland
    • Morristown
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the northwest)
    • Warsaw
      (18 miles [29 km] to the north)
      • Warsaw is located in Rice County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Warsaw
    • Faribault
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the north)
    • Cannon City
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the north)
      • Cannon City is located in Rice County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cannon City
    • Nerstrand
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the north)
    • Dundas
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the north)
    • Millersburg
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the north)
      • Millersburg is located in Rice County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Millersburg
  • Waseca County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Saco, with the one closest to Saco listed first.
    • Vista
      (10 miles [16.1 km] to the west)
      • Vista is located in Waseca County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Vista
    • Waseca
      (12 miles [19.3 km] to the west)
    • New Richland
      (13 miles [20.9 km] to the southwest)
    • Wilton
      (13 miles [20.9 km] to the west)
      • Wilton is located in Waseca County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Wilton
    • Palmer
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the northwest)
      • Palmer is located in Waseca County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Palmer
    • Waldorf
      (21 miles [33.8 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
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the west)
      • Alma City is located in Waseca County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Alma City
    • Janesville
      (23 miles [37 km] to the west)
    • Elysian
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the northwest)

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

Cemeteries Near Saco ...

Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of Saco.

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

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

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

  • Bohemian Cemetery
    (Less than 2 miles to the north)
  • Oak Mound Cemetery
    (Less than 2 miles to the southeast)
  • Steele Center Cemetery
    (Less than 2 miles to the southeast)
  • Danish Cemetery
    (2 miles [3.2 km] to the east)
  • Lemond Cemetery
    (2 miles [3.2 km] to the west)
  • Danish Cemetery
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the southwest)
  • Degner Cemetery
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the east)
  • Bohemian Cemetery
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the northeast)
  • Sacred Heart Cemetery
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the northeast)
  • Zion Lutheran Cemetery
    (5 miles [8 km] to the southwest)
  • Holy Trinity Cemetery
    (5 miles [8 km] to the southeast)
  • Mueller Cemetery
    (5 miles [8 km] to the northwest)
  • Continue List   (227 more) ...
    • Pontoppidan Lutheran Cemetery
      (6 miles [9.7 km] to the west)
    • Forest Hill Cemetery
      (6 miles [9.7 km] to the north)
    • St. John Cemetery
      (6 miles [9.7 km] to the north)

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>

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

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

  • Steele Center
    (2 miles [3.2 km] to the southeast)
    • Steele Center is located in Steele County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Steele Center
  • River Point
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the south)
    • River Point is located in Steele County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for River Point
  • Lemond
    (5 miles [8 km] to the west)
    • Lemond is located in Steele County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lemond
  • Pratt
    (5 miles [8 km] to the east)
    • Pratt is located in Steele County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Pratt
  • Owatonna
    (6 miles [9.7 km] to the north)
  • Havana
    (7 miles [11.3 km] to the northeast)
    • Havana is located in Steele County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Havana
  • Meriden
    (7 miles [11.3 km] to the northwest)
    • Meriden is located in Steele County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Meriden
  • Bixby
    (9 miles [14.5 km] to the southeast)
    • Bixby is located in Steele County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bixby
  • Clinton Falls
    (9 miles [14.5 km] to the north)
    • Clinton Falls is located in Steele County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Clinton Falls
  • Merton
    (11 miles [17.7 km] to the northeast)
    • Merton is located in Steele County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Merton
  • Medford
    (11 miles [17.7 km] to the north)
    • Medford is located in Steele County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Medford
    • Population from the 2020 Census: 1,255 people
  • Otisco
    (11 miles [17.7 km] to the west)
    • Otisco is located in Waseca County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Otisco
  • Continue List   (14 more) ...
    • Geneva
      (12 miles [19.3 km] to the south)
    • Deerfield
      (12 miles [19.3 km] to the northwest)
      • Deerfield is located in Steele County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Deerfield
    • Waseca
      (12 miles [19.3 km] to the west)

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

Newspapers Published in Saco ...

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 169 newspapers that have been published in the area around Saco.

Although we're unaware of any newspapers that were published in the immediate area of Saco, 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 Saco.

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 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 Saco:

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 Saco, 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 obstructions like rivers, canyons, lakes, et cetera - it's truly a line from Point A (ie- Saco) to Point B. In other words: 'As the crow flies'.