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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 Stanley (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 Stanley. 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 southwest corner of their home county. During their lives, most 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.

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

  • Isanti County     (The home county of Stanley)
    • The following are listed by their distance from Stanley, with the one closest to Stanley listed first.
    • Minnesota Boys Town
      (Less than 2 miles to the west)
      • Minnesota Boys Town is located in Isanti County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Minnesota Boys Town
    • Cambridge
      (3 miles [4.8 km] to the northwest)
    • Weber
      (5 miles [8 km] to the south)
      • Weber is located in Isanti County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Weber
    • Grandy
      (6 miles [9.7 km] to the north)
    • Isanti
      (6 miles [9.7 km] to the southwest)
    • Stanchfield
      (8 miles [12.9 km] to the north)
    • Elm Park
      (10 miles [16.1 km] to the northwest)
      • Elm Park is located in Isanti County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Elm Park
    • Bradford
      (10 miles [16.1 km] to the west)
      • Bradford is located in Isanti County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bradford
    • Braham
      (11 miles [17.7 km] to the north)
    • Dalbo
      (14 miles [22.5 km] to the northwest)
    • Crown
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the southwest)
      • Crown is located in Isanti County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Crown
  • Anoka County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Stanley, with the one closest to Stanley listed first.
    • Coopers Corner
      (11 miles [17.7 km] to the south)
      • Coopers Corner is located in Anoka County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Coopers Corner
    • Bethel
      (11 miles [17.7 km] to the southwest)
    • East Bethel
      (13 miles [20.9 km] to the south)
    • Linwood
      (13 miles [20.9 km] to the south)
      • Linwood is located in Anoka County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Linwood
    • Saint Francis
      (15 miles [24.1 km] to the southwest)
    • Oak Grove
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the southwest)
    • Cedar
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the south)
    • City of Columbus
      (19 miles [30.6 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
    • Ham Lake
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the south)
    • Nowthen
      (20 miles [32.2 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
    • Andover
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the south)
    • Ramsey
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the southwest)
    • Anoka
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the southwest)
  • Chisago County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Stanley, with the one closest to Stanley listed first.
    • Harris
      (8 miles [12.9 km] to the northeast)
    • North Branch
      (9 miles [14.5 km] to the east)
    • Branch
      (10 miles [16.1 km] to the southeast)
      • Branch is located in Chisago County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Branch
    • Rush City
      (12 miles [19.3 km] to the northeast)
    • Stacy
      (13 miles [20.9 km] to the southeast)
      • 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>
    • Wyoming
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the southeast)
    • Chisago City
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the southeast)
    • Almelund
      (18 miles [29 km] to the east)
    • Lindstrom
      (18 miles [29 km] to the southeast)
    • Center City
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the southeast)
    • Shafer
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the southeast)
    • Taylors Falls
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the east)
    • Franconia
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the southeast)
      • Franconia is located in Chisago County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Franconia
  • Hennepin County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Stanley, with the one closest to Stanley listed first.
    • Champlin
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the southwest)
    • Dayton
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the southwest)
  • Kanabec County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Stanley, with the one closest to Stanley listed first.
    • Coin
      (14 miles [22.5 km] to the northwest)
      • Coin is located in Kanabec County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Coin
    • Grasston
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the north)
    • Mora
      (23 miles [37 km] to the north)
      • 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>
    • Ogilvie
      (23 miles [37 km] to the northwest)
    • Quamba
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the north)
      • Quamba is located in Kanabec County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Quamba
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 127 people
  • Mille Lacs County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Stanley, with the one closest to Stanley listed first.
    • Princeton
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the west)
    • Bock
      (25 miles [40.2 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
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the northwest)
      • Pease is located in Mille Lacs County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Pease
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 224 people
    • Milaca
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the northwest)
      • Milaca is located in Mille Lacs County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Milaca
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 2,899 people
      • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Milaca <1>
    • Foreston
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the northwest)
      • Foreston is located in Mille Lacs County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Foreston
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 527 people
    • Estes Brook
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the west)
      • Estes Brook is located in Mille Lacs County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Estes Brook
  • Pine County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Stanley, with the one closest to Stanley listed first.
    • Rock Creek
      (18 miles [29 km] to the northeast)
    • Pine City
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the northeast)
    • 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
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the north)
      • Beroun is located in Pine County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Beroun
    • Brook Park
      (27 miles [43.5 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
    • Mounds View
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the south)
  • Sherburne County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Stanley, with the one closest to Stanley listed first.
    • Zimmerman
      (22 miles [35.4 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
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the southwest)
    • Orrock
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the west)
      • Orrock is located in Sherburne County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Orrock
  • Washington County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Stanley, with the one closest to Stanley listed first.
    • Forest Lake
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the southeast)
    • Scandia
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the southeast)
    • Hugo
      (27 miles [43.5 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>
    • Otisville
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the southeast)
      • Otisville is located in Washington County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Otisville
    • Marine-on-Saint-Croix
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the southeast)
  • Wright County
    • Otsego
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the southwest)
  • Burnett County (WI)
    • The following are listed by their distance from Stanley, with the one closest to Stanley listed first.
    • Randall
      (18 miles [29 km] to the northeast)
      • Randall is located in Burnett County (WI)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Randall
    • Grantsburg
      (27 miles [43.5 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
  • Polk County (WI)
    • The following are listed by their distance from Stanley, with the one closest to Stanley listed first.
    • Saint Croix Falls
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the east)
      • 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
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the east)
      • Atlas is located in Polk County (WI)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Atlas
    • Osceola
      (27 miles [43.5 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
      (28 miles [45.1 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
      (29 miles [46.7 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

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

Cemeteries Near Stanley ...

Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of Stanley.

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

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

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

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

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

  • Blomford
    (3 miles [4.8 km] to the south)
    • Blomford is located in Isanti County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Blomford
  • Cambridge
    (3 miles [4.8 km] to the northwest)
  • Spring Lake
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the east)
    • Spring Lake is located in Isanti County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Spring Lake
  • Stark
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the northeast)
    • Stark is located in Chisago County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Stark
  • Isanti
    (6 miles [9.7 km] to the southwest)
  • Rush Point
    (7 miles [11.3 km] to the north)
    • Rush Point is located in Chisago County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rush Point
  • Harris
    (8 miles [12.9 km] to the northeast)
  • Stanchfield
    (8 miles [12.9 km] to the north)
  • North Branch
    (9 miles [14.5 km] to the east)
  • Springvale
    (9 miles [14.5 km] to the northwest)
    • Springvale is located in Isanti County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Springvale
  • Bradford
    (10 miles [16.1 km] to the west)
    • Bradford is located in Isanti County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bradford
  • Bethel
    (11 miles [17.7 km] to the southwest)
  • Continue List   (13 more) ...
    • Braham
      (11 miles [17.7 km] to the north)
    • Rush City
      (12 miles [19.3 km] to the northeast)
    • Linwood
      (13 miles [20.9 km] to the south)
      • Linwood is located in Anoka County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Linwood

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

Newspapers Published in Stanley ...

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 117 newspapers that have been published in the area around Stanley.

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

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 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 Stanley:

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