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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 Shanty Town (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 Shanty Town. 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.

Shanty Town is located in Olmsted 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 Olmsted County: Dodge, Fillmore, Goodhue, Mower, Wabasha & Winona.

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

  • Olmsted County     (The home county of Shanty Town)
    • The following are listed by their distance from Shanty Town, with the one closest to Shanty Town listed first.
    • Rock Dell
      (3 miles [4.8 km] to the south)
      • Rock Dell is located in Olmsted County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rock Dell
    • Byron
      (4 miles [6.4 km] to the north)
      • Byron is located in Olmsted County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Byron
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 5,691 people
      • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Byron <1>
    • Rochester
      (8 miles [12.9 km] to the east)
    • Post Town
      (8 miles [12.9 km] to the north)
      • Post Town is located in Olmsted County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Post Town
    • Genoa
      (9 miles [14.5 km] to the north)
      • Genoa is located in Olmsted County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Genoa
    • High Forest
      (9 miles [14.5 km] to the southeast)
      • High Forest is located in Olmsted County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for High Forest
    • Stewartville
      (11 miles [17.7 km] to the southeast)
    • Simpson
      (12 miles [19.3 km] to the east)
      • Simpson is located in Olmsted County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Simpson
    • Oronoco
      (13 miles [20.9 km] to the north)
    • Predmore
      (15 miles [24.1 km] to the east)
      • Predmore is located in Olmsted County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Predmore
    • Viola
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the east)
      • Viola is located in Olmsted County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Viola
    • Potsdam
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the northeast)
      • Potsdam is located in Olmsted County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Potsdam
    • Eyota
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the east)
      • Eyota is located in Olmsted County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Eyota
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 1,992 people
      • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Eyota <1>
  • Dodge County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Shanty Town, with the one closest to Shanty Town listed first.
    • Kasson
      (6 miles [9.7 km] to the northwest)
    • Mantorville
      (8 miles [12.9 km] to the northwest)
    • Hayfield
      (11 miles [17.7 km] to the southwest)
    • Dodge Center
      (11 miles [17.7 km] to the west)
    • Concord
      (15 miles [24.1 km] to the northwest)
      • Concord is located in Dodge County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Concord
    • Westfield Center ‑ Historic
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the west)
      • Westfield Center is located in Dodge County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Westfield Center
    • West Concord
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the northwest)
    • Claremont
      (18 miles [29 km] to the west)
  • Fillmore County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Shanty Town, with the one closest to Shanty Town listed first.
    • Spring Valley
      (23 miles [37 km] to the southeast)
    • Chatfield
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the east)
    • Fillmore
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the southeast)
      • Fillmore is located in Fillmore County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Fillmore
    • Wykoff
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the southeast)
    • Ostrander
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the southeast)
    • Etna
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the southeast)
      • Etna is located in Fillmore County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Etna
    • Fountain
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the southeast)
  • Freeborn County
    • Oakland
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the southwest)
      • Oakland is located in Freeborn County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Oakland
  • Goodhue County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Shanty Town, with the one closest to Shanty Town listed first.
    • Pine Island
      (15 miles [24.1 km] to the north)
    • Roscoe
      (18 miles [29 km] to the north)
      • Roscoe is located in Goodhue County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Roscoe
    • Zumbrota
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the north)
    • Wanamingo
      (23 miles [37 km] to the north)
    • Kenyon
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the northwest)
    • Bellechester
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the north)
      • Bellechester is located in Goodhue County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bellechester
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 177 people
    • Hader
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the north)
      • Hader is located in Goodhue County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hader
    • Goodhue
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the north)
  • Mower County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Shanty Town, with the one closest to Shanty Town listed first.
    • Sargeant
      (14 miles [22.5 km] to the southwest)
      • Sargeant is located in Mower County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sargeant
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 60 people
    • Racine
      (15 miles [24.1 km] to the southeast)
    • Waltham
      (15 miles [24.1 km] to the southwest)
    • Dexter
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the south)
    • Renova ‑ Historic
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the south)
      • Renova is located in Mower County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Renova
    • Grand Meadow
      (18 miles [29 km] to the south)
    • Brownsdale
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the southwest)
    • Elkton
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the south)
      • Elkton is located in Mower County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Elkton
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 148 people
    • Lansing
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the southwest)
      • Lansing is located in Mower County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lansing
    • Mapleview
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the southwest)
      • Mapleview is located in Mower County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mapleview
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 177 people
    • Rose Creek
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the south)
    • Austin
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the southwest)
    • Adams
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the south)
  • Rice County
    • Moland
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the northwest)
      • Moland is located in Rice County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Moland
  • Steele County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Shanty Town, with the one closest to Shanty Town listed first.
    • Blooming Prairie
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the west)
    • Rice Lake
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the northwest)
      • Rice Lake is located in Steele County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rice Lake
    • Union
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the west)
      • Union is located in Steele County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Union
    • Havana
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the west)
      • Havana is located in Steele County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Havana
    • Pratt
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the west)
      • Pratt is located in Steele County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Pratt
    • Steele Center
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the west)
      • Steele Center is located in Steele County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Steele Center
    • Owatonna
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the west)
    • River Point
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the west)
      • River Point is located in Steele County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for River Point
  • Wabasha County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Shanty Town, with the one closest to Shanty Town listed first.
    • Mazeppa
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the north)
    • Elgin
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the northeast)
      • Elgin is located in Wabasha County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Elgin
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 1,080 people
      • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Elgin <1>
    • Hammond
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the northeast)
      • Hammond is located in Wabasha County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hammond
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 167 people
    • Jarrett
      (23 miles [37 km] to the northeast)
      • Jarrett is located in Wabasha County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Jarrett
    • Zumbro Falls
      (23 miles [37 km] to the northeast)
    • Millville
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the northeast)
    • Plainview
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the northeast)
  • Winona County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Shanty Town, with the one closest to Shanty Town listed first.
    • Saint Charles
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the east)
    • Saratoga
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the east)
      • Saratoga is located in Winona County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Saratoga
    • Troy
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the east)
      • Troy is located in Winona County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Troy

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

Cemeteries Near Shanty Town ...

Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of Shanty Town.

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 Shanty Town - one of the links might be able to help.

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

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

  • Riverside Cemetery
    (Less than 2 miles to the east)
  • South Zumbro Cemetery
    (2 miles [3.2 km] to the southwest)
  • East St. Olaf Cemetery
    (2 miles [3.2 km] to the south)
  • Zion Cemetery
    (3 miles [4.8 km] to the south)
  • Byron Cemetery
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the north)
  • West St. Olaf Cemetery
    (5 miles [8 km] to the southwest)
  • Maple Grove Cemetery
    (6 miles [9.7 km] to the northwest)
  • Mt. Hope Cemetery
    (7 miles [11.3 km] to the northeast)
  • Evergreen Cemetery
    (7 miles [11.3 km] to the northwest)
  • St. Margaret Cemetery
    (7 miles [11.3 km] to the northwest)
  • Oakwood Cemetery
    (9 miles [14.5 km] to the east)
  • Center Grove Cemetery
    (9 miles [14.5 km] to the north)
  • Continue List   (222 more) ...
    • Othello Cemetery
      (9 miles [14.5 km] to the north)
    • Evanger Cemetery
      (10 miles [16.1 km] to the southwest)
    • High Forest Cemetery
      (10 miles [16.1 km] to the southeast)

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

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

  • Rock Dell
    (3 miles [4.8 km] to the south)
    • Rock Dell is located in Olmsted County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rock Dell
  • Kasson
    (6 miles [9.7 km] to the northwest)
  • Oslo
    (7 miles [11.3 km] to the southwest)
    • Oslo is located in Dodge County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Oslo
  • Rochester
    (8 miles [12.9 km] to the east)
  • Mantorville
    (8 miles [12.9 km] to the northwest)
  • High Forest
    (9 miles [14.5 km] to the southeast)
    • High Forest is located in Olmsted County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for High Forest
  • Douglas
    (9 miles [14.5 km] to the north)
    • Douglas is located in Olmsted County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Douglas
  • Genoa
    (9 miles [14.5 km] to the north)
    • Genoa is located in Olmsted County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Genoa
  • Hayfield
    (11 miles [17.7 km] to the southwest)
  • Stewartville
    (11 miles [17.7 km] to the southeast)
  • Wasioja
    (11 miles [17.7 km] to the northwest)
    • Wasioja is located in Dodge County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Wasioja
  • Dodge Center
    (11 miles [17.7 km] to the west)
  • Continue List   (16 more) ...
    • Simpson
      (12 miles [19.3 km] to the east)
      • Simpson is located in Olmsted County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Simpson
    • Oronoco
      (13 miles [20.9 km] to the north)
    • Sargeant
      (14 miles [22.5 km] to the southwest)
      • Sargeant is located in Mower County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sargeant
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 60 people

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

Newspapers Published in Shanty Town ...

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 153 newspapers that have been published in the area around Shanty Town.

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

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 professional and volunteer 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 Shanty Town:

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