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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 Summit (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 Summit. 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 northeast corner of their home county. During their lives, most hospitals and doctors were in the next county to the east. Almost all of the nearby churches and cemeteries were in the county to the north.

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 north 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.

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

  • Steele County     (The home county of Summit)
    • The following are listed by their distance from Summit, with the one closest to Summit listed first.
    • River Point
      (3 miles [4.8 km] to the northwest)
      • River Point is located in Steele County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for River Point
    • Union
      (3 miles [4.8 km] to the southeast)
      • Union is located in Steele County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Union
    • Hope
      (5 miles [8 km] to the northwest)
      • Hope is located in Steele County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hope
    • Steele Center
      (5 miles [8 km] to the northwest)
      • Steele Center is located in Steele County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Steele Center
    • Ellendale
      (6 miles [9.7 km] to the southwest)
    • Pratt
      (7 miles [11.3 km] to the north)
      • Pratt is located in Steele County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Pratt
    • Blooming Prairie
      (7 miles [11.3 km] to the southeast)
    • Havana
      (10 miles [16.1 km] to the north)
      • Havana is located in Steele County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Havana
    • Owatonna
      (11 miles [17.7 km] to the north)
    • Rice Lake
      (14 miles [22.5 km] to the northeast)
      • Rice Lake is located in Steele County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rice Lake
    • Medford
      (17 miles [27.4 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
  • Blue Earth County
    • Pemberton
      (30 miles [48.3 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
  • Dodge County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Summit, with the one closest to Summit listed first.
    • Westfield Center ‑ Historic
      (11 miles [17.7 km] to the east)
      • Westfield Center is located in Dodge County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Westfield Center
    • Claremont
      (12 miles [19.3 km] to the northeast)
    • Hayfield
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the east)
    • Dodge Center
      (18 miles [29 km] to the northeast)
    • West Concord
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the northeast)
    • Kasson
      (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
    • Mantorville
      (23 miles [37 km] to the northeast)
  • Faribault County
    • 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>
  • Freeborn County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Summit, with the one closest to Summit listed first.
    • Geneva
      (7 miles [11.3 km] to the southwest)
    • Hollandale
      (11 miles [17.7 km] to the south)
    • Bath
      (12 miles [19.3 km] to the southwest)
      • Bath is located in Freeborn County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bath
    • Clarks Grove
      (12 miles [19.3 km] to the southwest)
    • Hartland
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the southwest)
      • Hartland is located in Freeborn County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hartland
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 307 people
    • Oakland
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the south)
      • Oakland is located in Freeborn County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Oakland
    • Hayward
      (18 miles [29 km] to the south)
    • Manchester
      (18 miles [29 km] to the southwest)
      • Manchester is located in Freeborn County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Manchester
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 55 people
    • Albert Lea
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the southwest)
    • Freeborn
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the southwest)
    • Glenville
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the south)
    • Myrtle
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the south)
      • Myrtle is located in Freeborn County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Myrtle
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 46 people
    • Alden
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the southwest)
  • Goodhue County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Summit, with the one closest to Summit listed first.
    • Kenyon
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the north)
    • Roscoe
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the northeast)
      • Roscoe is located in Goodhue County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Roscoe
  • Le Sueur County
    • Waterville
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the northwest)
  • Mower County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Summit, with the one closest to Summit listed first.
    • Lansing
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the southeast)
      • Lansing is located in Mower County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lansing
    • Waltham
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the southeast)
    • Mapleview
      (19 miles [30.6 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
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the east)
      • Sargeant is located in Mower County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sargeant
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 60 people
    • Austin
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the southeast)
    • Brownsdale
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the southeast)
    • Renova ‑ Historic
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the southeast)
      • Renova is located in Mower County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Renova
    • Varco
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the southeast)
      • Varco is located in Mower County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Varco
    • Dexter
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the southeast)
    • Rose Creek
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the southeast)
    • Elkton
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the southeast)
      • Elkton is located in Mower County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Elkton
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 148 people
  • Olmsted County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Summit, with the one closest to Summit listed first.
    • Rock Dell
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the east)
      • Rock Dell is located in Olmsted County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rock Dell
    • Shanty Town
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the east)
      • Shanty Town is located in Olmsted County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Shanty Town
    • Byron
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the east)
      • 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>
    • Post Town
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the northeast)
      • Post Town is located in Olmsted County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Post Town
  • Rice County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Summit, with the one closest to Summit listed first.
    • Moland
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the north)
      • Moland is located in Rice County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Moland
    • Walcott
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the north)
      • Walcott is located in Rice County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Walcott
    • Morristown
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the northwest)
    • Warsaw
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the northwest)
      • Warsaw is located in Rice County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Warsaw
    • Faribault
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the north)
    • Cannon City
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the north)
      • Cannon City is located in Rice County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cannon City
    • Nerstrand
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the north)
  • Waseca County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Summit, with the one closest to Summit listed first.
    • Vista
      (14 miles [22.5 km] to the west)
      • Vista is located in Waseca County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Vista
    • New Richland
      (15 miles [24.1 km] to the west)
    • Wilton
      (18 miles [29 km] to the west)
      • Wilton is located in Waseca County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Wilton
    • Waseca
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the northwest)
    • Palmer
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the northwest)
      • Palmer is located in Waseca County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Palmer
    • Waldorf
      (25 miles [40.2 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
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the west)
      • Alma City is located in Waseca County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Alma City
    • Janesville
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the northwest)

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

Cemeteries Near Summit ...

Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of Summit.

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

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

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

  • Holy Trinity Cemetery
    (2 miles [3.2 km] to the north)
  • Bohemian Cemetery
    (2 miles [3.2 km] to the south)
  • St. Ansgars Cemetery
    (3 miles [4.8 km] to the southwest)
  • Danish Baptist Cemetery
    (3 miles [4.8 km] to the east)
  • Danish Cemetery
    (3 miles [4.8 km] to the east)
  • Union Cemetery
    (3 miles [4.8 km] to the east)
  • Clark Family Cemetery
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the south)
  • Berlin Cemetery
    (5 miles [8 km] to the west)
  • Summit Cemetery
    (5 miles [8 km] to the south)
  • Steele Center Cemetery
    (5 miles [8 km] to the northwest)
  • Aurora Twp. Cemetery
    (5 miles [8 km] to the northeast)
  • Oak Mound Cemetery
    (5 miles [8 km] to the northwest)
  • Continue List   (220 more) ...
    • Danish Cemetery
      (6 miles [9.7 km] to the north)
    • Degner Cemetery
      (7 miles [11.3 km] to the north)
    • First Lutheran Cemetery
      (7 miles [11.3 km] to the southwest)

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.<4>

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

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

  • River Point
    (3 miles [4.8 km] to the northwest)
    • River Point is located in Steele County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for River Point
  • Bixby
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the east)
    • Bixby is located in Steele County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bixby
  • Steele Center
    (5 miles [8 km] to the northwest)
    • Steele Center is located in Steele County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Steele Center
  • Geneva
    (7 miles [11.3 km] to the southwest)
  • Blooming Prairie
    (7 miles [11.3 km] to the southeast)
  • Pratt
    (7 miles [11.3 km] to the north)
    • Pratt is located in Steele County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Pratt
  • Havana
    (10 miles [16.1 km] to the north)
    • Havana is located in Steele County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Havana
  • Lemond
    (10 miles [16.1 km] to the northwest)
    • Lemond is located in Steele County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lemond
  • Westfield Center ‑ Historic
    (11 miles [17.7 km] to the east)
    • Westfield Center is located in Dodge County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Westfield Center
  • Owatonna
    (11 miles [17.7 km] to the north)
  • Bath
    (12 miles [19.3 km] to the southwest)
    • Bath is located in Freeborn County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bath
  • Clarks Grove
    (12 miles [19.3 km] to the southwest)
  • Continue List   (13 more) ...
    • Claremont
      (12 miles [19.3 km] to the northeast)
    • Meriden
      (14 miles [22.5 km] to the northwest)
      • Meriden is located in Steele County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Meriden
    • Clinton Falls
      (15 miles [24.1 km] to the north)
      • Clinton Falls is located in Steele County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Clinton Falls

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

Newspapers Published in Summit ...

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 165 newspapers that have been published in the area around Summit.

Although we're unaware of any newspapers that were published in the immediate area of Summit, there are papers which were published within 29 miles [46.7 km]<2>. A list of those papers, sorted by paper name, can be found on the Extended Newspaper List for Summit.

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 Summit:

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>Our distances are not driving distances, but are calculated as a 'point-to-point' distance. A straight line distance ignores obstructions like rivers, canyons, lakes, et cetera - it's truly a line from Point A (ie- Summit) to Point B. In other words: 'As the crow flies'.
<3>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.
<4>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 Summit, please let us know so that we can improve our accuracy.