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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 Traverse (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 Traverse. 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 northwest 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 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 west 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.

Traverse is located in Nicollet 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 Nicollet County: Blue Earth, Brown, Le Sueur, Renville & Sibley.

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

  • Nicollet County     (The home county of Traverse)
    • The following are listed by their distance from Traverse, with the one closest to Traverse listed first.
    • Saint Peter
      (3 miles [4.8 km] to the southeast)
    • Oshawa
      (5 miles [8 km] to the southwest)
      • Oshawa is located in Nicollet County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Oshawa
    • New Sweden
      (9 miles [14.5 km] to the northwest)
      • New Sweden is located in Nicollet County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for New Sweden
    • Nicollet
      (9 miles [14.5 km] to the southwest)
    • North Mankato
      (11 miles [17.7 km] to the south)
    • Courtland
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the west)
    • Lafayette
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the west)
  • Blue Earth County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Traverse, with the one closest to Traverse listed first.
    • Mankato
      (12 miles [19.3 km] to the south)
      • Mankato is located in Blue Earth County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mankato
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 43,435 people
      • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Mankato <1>
    • Judson
      (13 miles [20.9 km] to the southwest)
      • Judson is located in Blue Earth County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Judson
    • Skyline
      (14 miles [22.5 km] to the south)
      • Skyline is located in Blue Earth County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Skyline
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 299 people
    • Eagle Lake
      (14 miles [22.5 km] to the southeast)
    • Madison Lake
      (14 miles [22.5 km] to the southeast)
    • Rapidan
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the south)
      • Rapidan is located in Blue Earth County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rapidan
    • Smiths Mill
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the southeast)
      • Smiths Mill is located in Blue Earth County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Smiths Mill
    • Lake Crystal
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the southwest)
    • Saint Clair
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the southeast)
    • Garden City
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the south)
      • Garden City is located in Blue Earth County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Garden City
    • Beauford
      (23 miles [37 km] to the south)
      • Beauford is located in Blue Earth County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Beauford
    • Good Thunder
      (23 miles [37 km] to the south)
    • Pemberton
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the southeast)
      • Pemberton is located in Blue Earth County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Pemberton
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 241 people
  • Brown County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Traverse, with the one closest to Traverse listed first.
    • New Ulm
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the west)
    • Searles
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the west)
      • Searles is located in Brown County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Searles
    • Hanska
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the southwest)
    • Essig
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the west)
  • Carver County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Traverse, with the one closest to Traverse listed first.
    • Assumption
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the north)
      • Assumption is located in Carver County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Assumption
    • Hamburg
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the north)
      • Hamburg is located in Carver County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hamburg
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 526 people
    • Gotha
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the northeast)
      • Gotha is located in Carver County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Gotha
    • Norwood
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the north)
    • Norwood Young America
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the north)
      • Norwood Young America is located in Carver County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Norwood Young America
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 3,794 people
    • Young America
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the north)
  • Le Sueur County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Traverse, with the one closest to Traverse listed first.
    • Ottawa
      (4 miles [6.4 km] to the northeast)
      • Ottawa is located in Le Sueur County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ottawa
    • Kasota
      (4 miles [6.4 km] to the southeast)
    • Cleveland
      (9 miles [14.5 km] to the east)
    • Le Sueur
      (9 miles [14.5 km] to the northeast)
    • Marysburg
      (12 miles [19.3 km] to the southeast)
      • Marysburg is located in Le Sueur County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Marysburg
    • Le Center
      (14 miles [22.5 km] to the east)
    • Lexington
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the northeast)
      • Lexington is located in Le Sueur County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lexington
    • Saint Thomas
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the northeast)
      • Saint Thomas is located in Le Sueur County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Saint Thomas
    • Cordova
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the east)
      • Cordova is located in Le Sueur County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cordova
    • Greenland
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the southeast)
      • Greenland is located in Le Sueur County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Greenland
    • Heidelberg
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the northeast)
      • Heidelberg is located in Le Sueur County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Heidelberg
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 122 people
    • Kilkenny
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the east)
    • Montgomery
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the east)
  • McLeod County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Traverse, with the one closest to Traverse listed first.
    • Glencoe
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the north)
    • Plato
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the north)
    • Sumter
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the northwest)
      • Sumter is located in McLeod County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sumter
    • Fernando
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the northwest)
      • Fernando is located in McLeod County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Fernando
  • Rice County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Traverse, with the one closest to Traverse listed first.
    • Wheatland
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the east)
      • Wheatland is located in Rice County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Wheatland
    • Morristown
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the east)
    • Lonsdale
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the east)
  • Scott County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Traverse, with the one closest to Traverse listed first.
    • Union Hill
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the northeast)
      • Union Hill is located in Scott County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Union Hill
    • Belle Plaine
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the northeast)
    • New Prague
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the northeast)
    • Jordan
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the northeast)
    • Saint Patrick
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the northeast)
      • Saint Patrick is located in Scott County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Saint Patrick
  • Sibley County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Traverse, with the one closest to Traverse listed first.
    • Henderson
      (13 miles [20.9 km] to the northeast)
    • Gaylord
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the northwest)
    • Arlington
      (18 miles [29 km] to the north)
    • Winthrop
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the northwest)
    • Green Isle
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the north)
    • New Auburn
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the northwest)
    • Gibbon
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the northwest)
  • Waseca County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Traverse, with the one closest to Traverse listed first.
    • Elysian
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the southeast)
    • Janesville
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the southeast)
    • Alma City
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the southeast)
      • Alma City is located in Waseca County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Alma City
    • Palmer
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the southeast)
      • Palmer is located in Waseca County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Palmer
  • Watonwan County
    • Madelia
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the southwest)

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

Cemeteries Near Traverse ...

Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of Traverse.

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

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

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

  • Resurrection Cemetery
    (2 miles [3.2 km] to the southeast)
  • Calvary Cemetery
    (2 miles [3.2 km] to the southeast)
  • Wood Hill Cemetery
    (2 miles [3.2 km] to the east)
  • Green Lawn Cemetery
    (2 miles [3.2 km] to the northeast)
  • Anderson Family Cemetery
    (2 miles [3.2 km] to the northwest)
  • Woodlawn Cemetery
    (3 miles [4.8 km] to the southeast)
  • Woodlawn Cemetery
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the southeast)
  • Cullen Trading Post Cemetery
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the west)
  • Kasota Hill Cemetery
    (5 miles [8 km] to the southeast)
  • Lake Emily Cemetery
    (5 miles [8 km] to the southeast)
  • Ottawa Cemetery
    (5 miles [8 km] to the northeast)
  • Norseland Cemetery
    (5 miles [8 km] to the northwest)
  • Continue List   (249 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.<3>

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

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

  • Saint Peter
    (3 miles [4.8 km] to the southeast)
  • Kasota
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the southeast)
  • Ottawa
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the northeast)
    • Ottawa is located in Le Sueur County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ottawa
  • Oshawa
    (5 miles [8 km] to the southwest)
    • Oshawa is located in Nicollet County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Oshawa
  • Norseland
    (6 miles [9.7 km] to the northwest)
    • Norseland is located in Nicollet County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Norseland
  • Rush River
    (8 miles [12.9 km] to the north)
    • Rush River is located in Sibley County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rush River
  • Nicollet
    (9 miles [14.5 km] to the southwest)
  • Cleveland
    (9 miles [14.5 km] to the east)
  • Le Sueur
    (9 miles [14.5 km] to the northeast)
  • New Sweden
    (9 miles [14.5 km] to the northwest)
    • New Sweden is located in Nicollet County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for New Sweden
  • Saint Henry
    (11 miles [17.7 km] to the east)
    • Saint Henry is located in Le Sueur County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Saint Henry
  • Mankato
    (12 miles [19.3 km] to the south)
    • Mankato is located in Blue Earth County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mankato
    • Population from the 2020 Census: 43,435 people
    • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Mankato <1>
  • Continue List   (14 more) ...
    • Marysburg
      (12 miles [19.3 km] to the southeast)
      • Marysburg is located in Le Sueur County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Marysburg
    • Judson
      (13 miles [20.9 km] to the southwest)
      • Judson is located in Blue Earth County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Judson
    • New Rome
      (13 miles [20.9 km] to the north)
      • New Rome is located in Sibley County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for New Rome

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

Newspapers Published in Traverse ...

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 149 newspapers that have been published in the area around Traverse.

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

Websites to Help With Your Genealogy Research ...

When we do our genealogical research, we start with the websites from Cyndi's List, FamilySearch and Genealogy Trails. These websites either 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 Traverse:

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 Traverse, please let us know so that we can improve our accuracy.
<4>Our distances are not driving distances, but are calculated as a '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- Traverse) to Point B. In other words: 'As the crow flies'.