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 Spring Grove (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 Spring Grove. 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 Spring Grove ...
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 Spring Grove: Spring Grv.
You might be interested in other communities that are also named Spring Grove. More information can be found on our Tidbits & Trivia Page for Spring Grove.
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 southwest corner of their home county. During their lives, most hospitals 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.
Spring Grove is located in Houston 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 Houston County: Allamakee (IA), Winneshiek (IA), Fillmore, Winona, La Crosse (WI) & Vernon (WI).
Below are the counties that are near Spring Grove. For each of these counties, we show a sample of those communities that are closest to Spring Grove:
- Houston County (The home county of Spring Grove)
- The following are listed by their distance from Spring Grove, with the one closest to Spring Grove listed first.
- Willington Grove
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the northeast)
- Willington Grove is located in Houston County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Willington Grove
- Wilmington
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the east)
- Wilmington is located in Houston County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Wilmington
- Riceford
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the west)
- Riceford is located in Houston County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Riceford
- Bee
(5 miles [8 km] to the southeast)
- Bee is located in Houston County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bee
- Yucatan
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the north)
- Yucatan is located in Houston County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Yucatan
- Caledonia
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the northeast)
- Eitzen
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the east)
- Eitzen is located in Houston County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Eitzen
- Population from the 2020 Census: 248 people
- Houston
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the north)
- Reno
(18 miles [29 km] to the east)
- Reno is located in Houston County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Reno
- Money Creek
(18 miles [29 km] to the north)
- Money Creek is located in Houston County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Money Creek
- Hokah
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the northeast)
- Brownsville
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the northeast)
- Brownsville is located in Houston County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Brownsville
- Population from the 2020 Census: 505 people
- La Crescent
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the northeast)
- Fillmore County
- The following are listed by their distance from Spring Grove, with the one closest to Spring Grove listed first.
- Mabel
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the southwest)
- Newburg
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the west)
- Newburg is located in Fillmore County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Newburg
- Bratsberg
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the northwest)
- Bratsberg is located in Fillmore County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bratsberg
- Canton
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the west)
- South Rushford
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the north)
- South Rushford is located in Fillmore County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for South Rushford
- Rushford
(18 miles [29 km] to the north)
- Peterson
(18 miles [29 km] to the northwest)
- Rushford Village
(18 miles [29 km] to the northwest)
- Rushford Village is located in Fillmore County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rushford Village
- Population from the 2020 Census: 838 people
- Whalan
(18 miles [29 km] to the northwest)
- Harmony
(18 miles [29 km] to the west)
- Lanesboro
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the northwest)
- Preston
(23 miles [37 km] to the west)
- Granger
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the west)
- Granger is located in Fillmore County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Granger
- Winona County
- The following are listed by their distance from Spring Grove, with the one closest to Spring Grove listed first.
- Nodine
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the north)
- Nodine is located in Winona County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Nodine
- Wilson
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the north)
- Wilson is located in Winona County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Wilson
- Wyattville
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the north)
- Wyattville is located in Winona County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Wyattville
- Dakota
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the northeast)
- Dakota is located in Winona County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Dakota
- Population from the 2020 Census: 307 people
- Clyde
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the northwest)
- Clyde is located in Winona County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Clyde
- Troy
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the northwest)
- Troy is located in Winona County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Troy
- Allamakee County (IA)
- The following are listed by their distance from Spring Grove, with the one closest to Spring Grove listed first.
- Quandahl
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the south)
- Quandahl is located in Allamakee County (IA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Quandahl
- Dorchester
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the southeast)
- New Albin
(18 miles [29 km] to the east)
- Lycurgus
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the southeast)
- Lycurgus is located in Allamakee County (IA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lycurgus
- Waukon
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the southeast)
- Waukon is located in Allamakee County (IA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Waukon
- Population from the 2020 Census: 3,600 people
- Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Waukon <1>
- Lansing
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the southeast)
- Elon
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the southeast)
- Elon is located in Allamakee County (IA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Elon
- Dalby
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the southeast)
- Dalby is located in Allamakee County (IA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Dalby
- Rossville
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the southeast)
- Rossville is located in Allamakee County (IA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rossville
- Waterville
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the southeast)
- Waterville is located in Allamakee County (IA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Waterville
- Population from the 2020 Census: 142 people
- Howard County (IA)
- The following are listed by their distance from Spring Grove, with the one closest to Spring Grove listed first.
- Florenceville
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the west)
- Florenceville is located in Howard County (IA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Florenceville
- Cresco
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the southwest)
- Vernon Springs
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the southwest)
- Vernon Springs is located in Howard County (IA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Vernon Springs
- Forest City ‑ Historic
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the west)
- Forest City is located in Howard County (IA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Forest City
- Winneshiek County (IA)
- The following are listed by their distance from Spring Grove, with the one closest to Spring Grove listed first.
- Highlandville
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the south)
- Highlandville is located in Winneshiek County (IA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Highlandville
- Hesper
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the southwest)
- Hesper is located in Winneshiek County (IA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hesper
- Burr Oak
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the southwest)
- Bluffton
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the southwest)
- Bluffton is located in Winneshiek County (IA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bluffton
- Decorah
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the south)
- Kendallville
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the southwest)
- Kendallville is located in Winneshiek County (IA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Kendallville
- Frankville
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the south)
- Frankville is located in Winneshiek County (IA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Frankville
- Ridgeway
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the southwest)
- Calmar
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the southwest)
- Ossian
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the south)
- Spillville
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the southwest)
- Castalia
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the south)
- Castalia is located in Winneshiek County (IA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Castalia
- Population from the 2020 Census: 156 people
- Crawford County (WI)
- The following are listed by their distance from Spring Grove, with the one closest to Spring Grove listed first.
- De Soto
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the southeast)
- De Soto is located in Crawford County (WI)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for De Soto
- Population from the 2020 Census: 278 people
- Freeman
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the southeast)
- Freeman is located in Crawford County (WI)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Freeman
- La Crosse County (WI)
- The following are listed by their distance from Spring Grove, with the one closest to Spring Grove listed first.
- La Crosse
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the northeast)
- La Crosse is located in La Crosse County (WI)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for La Crosse
- Population from the 2020 Census: 51,163 people
- French Island
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the northeast)
- French Island is located in La Crosse County (WI)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for French Island
- North La Crosse
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the northeast)
- North La Crosse is located in La Crosse County (WI)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for North La Crosse
- Shelby
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the northeast)
- Shelby is located in La Crosse County (WI)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Shelby
- Grand Crossing
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the northeast)
- Grand Crossing is located in La Crosse County (WI)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Grand Crossing
- Onalaska
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the northeast)
- Onalaska is located in La Crosse County (WI)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Onalaska
- Population from the 2020 Census: 19,108 people
- Vernon County (WI)
- The following are listed by their distance from Spring Grove, with the one closest to Spring Grove listed first.
- Genoa
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the east)
- Genoa is located in Vernon County (WI)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Genoa
- Population from the 2020 Census: 260 people
- Stoddard
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the east)
- Stoddard is located in Vernon County (WI)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Stoddard
- Population from the 2020 Census: 831 people
- Chaseburg
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the east)
- Chaseburg is located in Vernon County (WI)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Chaseburg
- Population from the 2020 Census: 291 people
- Newton
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the east)
- Newton is located in Vernon County (WI)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Newton
- Retreat
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the east)
- Retreat is located in Vernon County (WI)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Retreat
- Purdy
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the east)
- Purdy is located in Vernon County (WI)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Purdy
For an expanded list of the communities that are closest to Spring Grove, see our County-by-County Page for Spring Grove.
Cemeteries Near Spring Grove ...
Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of Spring Grove.
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 Spring Grove - one of the links might be able to help.
If not found below, our Cemetery List for Spring Grove covers a larger area, with the cemeteries listed in alphabetical order.
The following cemeteries are listed based on their distance from Spring Grove, with the one closest to Spring Grove listed first.
- Spring Grove Lutheran Cemetery
(Less than 2 miles to the east)
- Spring Grove Trinity Lutheran Church Cemetery
(Less than 2 miles to the west)
- Holy Trinity Cemetery
(Less than 2 miles to the west)
- Black Hammer Lutheran Church Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the north)
- Swenson Farm Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the south)
- Old Wilmington Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the southeast)
- Wilmington Norwegian Lutheran Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the east)
- Riceford Norwegian Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the west)
- Old Black Hammer Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the north)
- Bellview Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the southwest)
- Highland Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the south)
- Waterloo Ridge Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the south)
- Continue List (314 more) ...
- West Waterloo Ridge Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the south)
- Fawcett Farm Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the southwest)
- Egge Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 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>
The Rand McNally Atlas shows that Spring Grove had a population of 394 people in 1895 with a post office and railroad service. In 2020, Spring Grove had a population of 1,262 people.
These communities are listed based on their distance from Spring Grove, with the one closest to Spring Grove listed first.
- Newhouse
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the southwest)
- Newhouse is located in Houston County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Newhouse
- Willington Grove
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the northeast)
- Willington Grove is located in Houston County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Willington Grove
- Black Hammer
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the north)
- Black Hammer is located in Houston County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Black Hammer
- Wilmington
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the east)
- Wilmington is located in Houston County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Wilmington
- Riceford
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the west)
- Riceford is located in Houston County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Riceford
- Bee
(5 miles [8 km] to the southeast)
- Bee is located in Houston County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bee
- Mabel
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the southwest)
- Quandahl
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the south)
- Quandahl is located in Allamakee County (IA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Quandahl
- Hesper
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the southwest)
- Hesper is located in Winneshiek County (IA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hesper
- Highlandville
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the south)
- Highlandville is located in Winneshiek County (IA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Highlandville
- Yucatan
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the north)
- Yucatan is located in Houston County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Yucatan
- Dorchester
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the southeast)
- Continue List (18 more) ...
- Caledonia
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the northeast)
- Sheldon
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the north)
- Sheldon is located in Houston County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sheldon
- Newburg
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the west)
- Newburg is located in Fillmore County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Newburg
We've also created an expanded list of communities that existed in the 1890's and were located in the area around Spring Grove. See our List of 1890's Communities around Spring Grove.
Newspapers Published in the Vicinity of Spring Grove ...
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 109 newspapers that have been published in the area around Spring Grove.
We have organized these newspapers into two lists:
- A Local Newspaper List - focusing on the papers published in the immediate area of Spring Grove. There are actually two parts to this list - papers printed in the immediate area of Spring Grove and those printed in the larger area surrounding Spring Grove.
- An Extended Newspaper List - a longer list, sorted by paper name and containing those papers published within 30 miles [48.3 km]<4> of Spring Grove.
Websites to Help With Your Genealogy Research ...
When we do our genealogical research, we begin 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 Spring Grove:
- Websites specific to Minnesota
- Pages specific to Houston County
- Genealogy information for nearby counties
- Fillmore County
- Winona County
- Allamakee County
- Howard County
- Winneshiek County
- Crawford County
- La Crosse County
- Vernon County
- Cemetery Information and Directories for Minnesota
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 Spring Grove, 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' distance. A straight line distance ignores obstructions like rivers, canyons, lakes, et cetera - it's truly a line drawn from Point A (ie- Spring Grove) to Point B. In other words: 'As the crow flies'. |