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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 Spring 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 Spring 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 Spring 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 Spring Lake: Spring Lk.

You might be interested in other communities that are also named Spring Lake. More information can be found on our Tidbits & Trivia Page for Spring 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 southwest corner of their home county. During their lives, most hospitals and doctors 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 Lake is located in Isanti 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 Isanti County: Anoka, Chisago, Kanabec, Mille Lacs, Pine & Sherburne.

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

  • Isanti County     (The home county of Spring Lake)
    • The following are listed by their distance from Spring Lake, with the one closest to Spring Lake listed first.
    • Weber
      (5 miles [8 km] to the southwest)
      • Weber is located in Isanti County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Weber
    • Minnesota Boys Town
      (5 miles [8 km] to the west)
      • Minnesota Boys Town is located in Isanti County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Minnesota Boys Town
    • Cambridge
      (7 miles [11.3 km] to the west)
    • Grandy
      (9 miles [14.5 km] to the northwest)
    • Isanti
      (9 miles [14.5 km] to the southwest)
    • Stanchfield
      (10 miles [16.1 km] to the northwest)
    • Braham
      (13 miles [20.9 km] to the northwest)
    • Elm Park
      (13 miles [20.9 km] to the northwest)
      • Elm Park is located in Isanti County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Elm Park
    • Bradford
      (14 miles [22.5 km] to the west)
      • Bradford is located in Isanti County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bradford
    • Dalbo
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the northwest)
    • Crown
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the west)
      • Crown is located in Isanti County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Crown
  • Anoka County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Spring Lake, with the one closest to Spring Lake listed first.
    • Linwood
      (12 miles [19.3 km] to the south)
      • Linwood is located in Anoka County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Linwood
    • Coopers Corner
      (12 miles [19.3 km] to the southwest)
      • Coopers Corner is located in Anoka County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Coopers Corner
    • Bethel
      (13 miles [20.9 km] to the southwest)
    • East Bethel
      (14 miles [22.5 km] to the southwest)
    • City of Columbus
      (18 miles [29 km] to the south)
      • City of Columbus is located in Anoka County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for City of Columbus
      • Estimated population in 2015: 4,007 people
    • Cedar
      (18 miles [29 km] to the southwest)
    • Oak Grove
      (18 miles [29 km] to the southwest)
    • Saint Francis
      (18 miles [29 km] to the southwest)
    • Ham Lake
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the south)
    • Andover
      (23 miles [37 km] to the southwest)
    • Nowthen
      (23 miles [37 km] to the southwest)
      • Nowthen is located in Anoka County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Nowthen
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 4,732 people
    • Lino Lakes
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the south)
    • Blaine
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the south)
  • Chisago County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Spring Lake, with the one closest to Spring Lake listed first.
    • North Branch
      (5 miles [8 km] to the east)
    • Harris
      (5 miles [8 km] to the northeast)
    • Branch
      (6 miles [9.7 km] to the southeast)
      • Branch is located in Chisago County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Branch
    • Rush City
      (10 miles [16.1 km] to the northeast)
    • Stacy
      (10 miles [16.1 km] to the south)
      • Stacy is located in Chisago County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Stacy
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 1,525 people
      • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Stacy <1>
    • Almelund
      (14 miles [22.5 km] to the east)
    • Wyoming
      (14 miles [22.5 km] to the south)
    • Chisago City
      (14 miles [22.5 km] to the southeast)
    • Lindstrom
      (14 miles [22.5 km] to the southeast)
    • Center City
      (15 miles [24.1 km] to the southeast)
    • Shafer
      (18 miles [29 km] to the southeast)
    • Franconia
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the southeast)
      • Franconia is located in Chisago County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Franconia
    • Taylors Falls
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the southeast)
  • Hennepin County
    • Champlin
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the southwest)
  • Kanabec County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Spring Lake, with the one closest to Spring Lake listed first.
    • Coin
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the northwest)
      • Coin is located in Kanabec County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Coin
    • Grasston
      (18 miles [29 km] to the north)
    • Mora
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the northwest)
      • Mora is located in Kanabec County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mora
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 3,583 people
      • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Mora <1>
    • Quamba
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the north)
      • Quamba is located in Kanabec County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Quamba
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 127 people
    • Ogilvie
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the northwest)
  • Mille Lacs County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Spring Lake, with the one closest to Spring Lake listed first.
    • Princeton
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the west)
    • Bock
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the northwest)
      • Bock is located in Mille Lacs County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bock
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 108 people
      • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Bock <1>
    • Pease
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the west)
      • Pease is located in Mille Lacs County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Pease
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 224 people
  • Pine County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Spring Lake, with the one closest to Spring Lake listed first.
    • Rock Creek
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the northeast)
    • Pine City
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the north)
    • Henriette
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the north)
      • Henriette is located in Pine County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Henriette
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 69 people
    • Beroun
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the north)
      • Beroun is located in Pine County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Beroun
    • Brook Park
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the north)
      • Brook Park is located in Pine County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Brook Park
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 132 people
  • Ramsey County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Spring Lake, with the one closest to Spring Lake listed first.
    • Mounds View
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the south)
    • White Bear Beach
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the south)
      • White Bear Beach is located in Ramsey County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for White Bear Beach
  • Sherburne County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Spring Lake, with the one closest to Spring Lake listed first.
    • Zimmerman
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the west)
      • 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>
    • Elk River
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the southwest)
  • Washington County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Spring Lake, with the one closest to Spring Lake listed first.
    • Forest Lake
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the south)
    • Scandia
      (23 miles [37 km] to the southeast)
    • Otisville
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the southeast)
      • Otisville is located in Washington County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Otisville
    • Hugo
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the south)
      • Hugo is located in Washington County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hugo
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 15,452 people
      • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Hugo <1>
    • Marine-on-Saint-Croix
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the southeast)
    • Withrow
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the south)
      • Withrow is located in Washington County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Withrow
  • Burnett County (WI)
    • The following are listed by their distance from Spring Lake, with the one closest to Spring Lake listed first.
    • Randall
      (15 miles [24.1 km] to the northeast)
      • Randall is located in Burnett County (WI)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Randall
    • Grantsburg
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the northeast)
      • Grantsburg is located in Burnett County (WI)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Grantsburg
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 1,296 people
    • Alpha
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the northeast)
      • Alpha is located in Burnett County (WI)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Alpha
  • Polk County (WI)
    • The following are listed by their distance from Spring Lake, with the one closest to Spring Lake listed first.
    • Saint Croix Falls
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the southeast)
      • Saint Croix Falls is located in Polk County (WI)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Saint Croix Falls
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 2,059 people
    • Atlas
      (23 miles [37 km] to the east)
      • Atlas is located in Polk County (WI)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Atlas
    • Osceola
      (23 miles [37 km] to the southeast)
      • Osceola is located in Polk County (WI)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Osceola
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 2,580 people
    • Dresser
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the southeast)
      • Dresser is located in Polk County (WI)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Dresser
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 864 people
    • Centuria
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the east)
      • Centuria is located in Polk County (WI)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Centuria
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 905 people
    • Milltown
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the east)
      • Milltown is located in Polk County (WI)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Milltown
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 875 people
    • Luck
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the east)
      • Luck is located in Polk County (WI)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Luck
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 1,051 people
    • Balsam Lake
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the east)
      • Balsam Lake is located in Polk County (WI)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Balsam Lake
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 978 people
    • Frederic
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the east)
      • Frederic is located in Polk County (WI)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Frederic
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 1,080 people
    • Horse Creek
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the southeast)
      • Horse Creek is located in Polk County (WI)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Horse Creek

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

Cemeteries Near Spring Lake ...

Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of Spring 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 Spring Lake - one of the links might be able to help.

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

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

  • Spring Lake Lutheran Cemetery
    (Less than 2 miles to the east)
  • Fish Lake Lutheran Cemetery
    (2 miles [3.2 km] to the northeast)
  • St. Johns Cemetery
    (3 miles [4.8 km] to the south)
  • Big Meadows Cemetery
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the southwest)
  • Trinity Cemetery
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the southeast)
  • Oak Grove Cemetery
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the east)
  • Mission Covenant Cemetery
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the northeast)
  • Salem Lutheran Cemetery
    (5 miles [8 km] to the south)
  • Old Harris Cemetery
    (5 miles [8 km] to the northeast)
  • Oxford Cemetery
    (6 miles [9.7 km] to the south)
  • Green Acres Cemetery
    (6 miles [9.7 km] to the southeast)
  • Dale Mission Covenant Cemetery
    (6 miles [9.7 km] to the northwest)
  • Continue List   (184 more) ...

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>

The Rand McNally Atlas shows that in 1895, Spring Lake had a post office and no railroad service.

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

  • Stark
    (2 miles [3.2 km] to the north)
    • Stark is located in Chisago County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Stark
  • Blomford
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the southwest)
    • Blomford is located in Isanti County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Blomford
  • North Branch
    (5 miles [8 km] to the east)
  • Harris
    (5 miles [8 km] to the northeast)
  • Cambridge
    (7 miles [11.3 km] to the west)
  • Rush Point
    (8 miles [12.9 km] to the north)
    • Rush Point is located in Chisago County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rush Point
  • Isanti
    (9 miles [14.5 km] to the southwest)
  • Stacy
    (10 miles [16.1 km] to the south)
    • Stacy is located in Chisago County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Stacy
    • Population from the 2020 Census: 1,525 people
    • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Stacy <1>
  • Kost
    (10 miles [16.1 km] to the east)
    • Kost is located in Chisago County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Kost
  • Sunrise
    (10 miles [16.1 km] to the east)
    • Sunrise is located in Chisago County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sunrise
  • Stanchfield
    (10 miles [16.1 km] to the northwest)
  • Rush City
    (10 miles [16.1 km] to the northeast)
  • Continue List   (14 more) ...
    • Linwood
      (12 miles [19.3 km] to the south)
      • Linwood is located in Anoka County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Linwood
    • Bethel
      (13 miles [20.9 km] to the southwest)
    • Braham
      (13 miles [20.9 km] to the northwest)

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

Newspapers Published in Spring 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 127 newspapers that have been published in the area around Spring Lake.

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

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 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 Spring 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>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 Lake, 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' (or 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- Spring Lake) to Point B. In other words: 'As the crow flies'.