Our Genealogy Helper
Introduction ...
So far, we found very little information about Westfield Center. The little that we've found leads us believe that the community is historic.<1>
We've added Westfield Center to our Gazetteer with the hope that we can develop more information. If you can help us with Westfield Center, please Contact Us.
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 Westfield Center (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 Westfield Center. 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 Westfield Center ...
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.
For example, a typical abbreviation for Westfield Center: Westfield Ctr. (or less commonly used: Westfield Cen., Westfield Cent. or Westfield Cntr.)
You might be interested in other communities that are also named Westfield Center. More information can be found on our Tidbits & Trivia Page for Westfield Center.
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.
Although our information shows that the community of Westfield Center is historic, it would have been located within present day Dodge 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 Dodge County: Freeborn, Goodhue, Mower, Olmsted, Rice & Steele.
Below are the counties that are near Westfield Center. For each of these counties, we show a sample of those communities that are closest to Westfield Center:
- Dodge County (The home county of Westfield Center)
- The following are listed by their distance from Westfield Center, with the one closest to Westfield Center listed first.
- Claremont
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the north)
- Dodge Center
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the northeast)
- Hayfield
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the southeast)
- Kasson
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the northeast)
- Mantorville
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the northeast)
- West Concord
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the north)
- Concord
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the northeast)
- Concord is located in Dodge County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Concord
- Freeborn County
- The following are listed by their distance from Westfield Center, with the one closest to Westfield Center listed first.
- Geneva
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the southwest)
- Hollandale
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the southwest)
- Oakland
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the south)
- Oakland is located in Freeborn County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Oakland
- Bath
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the southwest)
- Bath is located in Freeborn County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bath
- Clarks Grove
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the southwest)
- Hayward
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the southwest)
- Hartland
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the west)
- Hartland is located in Freeborn County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hartland
- Population from the 2020 Census: 307 people
- Myrtle
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the south)
- Myrtle is located in Freeborn County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Myrtle
- Population from the 2020 Census: 46 people
- Albert Lea
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the southwest)
- Manchester
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the southwest)
- Manchester is located in Freeborn County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Manchester
- Population from the 2020 Census: 55 people
- London
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the south)
- London is located in Freeborn County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for London
- Glenville
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the southwest)
- Goodhue County
- The following are listed by their distance from Westfield Center, with the one closest to Westfield Center listed first.
- Roscoe
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the northeast)
- Roscoe is located in Goodhue County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Roscoe
- Kenyon
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the north)
- Pine Island
(23 miles [37 km] to the northeast)
- Wanamingo
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the north)
- Zumbrota
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the northeast)
- Hader
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the north)
- Hader is located in Goodhue County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hader
- Mower County
- The following are listed by their distance from Westfield Center, with the one closest to Westfield Center listed first.
- Waltham
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the southeast)
- Sargeant
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the southeast)
- Sargeant is located in Mower County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sargeant
- Population from the 2020 Census: 60 people
- Lansing
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the south)
- Lansing is located in Mower County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lansing
- Brownsdale
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the south)
- Mapleview
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the south)
- Mapleview is located in Mower County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mapleview
- Population from the 2020 Census: 177 people
- Renova ‑ Historic
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the southeast)
- Renova is located in Mower County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Renova
- Austin
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the south)
- Dexter
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the southeast)
- Varco
(23 miles [37 km] to the south)
- Varco is located in Mower County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Varco
- Elkton
(23 miles [37 km] to the southeast)
- Elkton is located in Mower County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Elkton
- Population from the 2020 Census: 148 people
- Rose Creek
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the south)
- Grand Meadow
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the southeast)
- Racine
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the southeast)
- Olmsted County
- The following are listed by their distance from Westfield Center, with the one closest to Westfield Center listed first.
- Rock Dell
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the east)
- Rock Dell is located in Olmsted County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rock Dell
- Shanty Town
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the east)
- Shanty Town is located in Olmsted County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Shanty Town
- Byron
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the east)
- Post Town
(18 miles [29 km] to the northeast)
- Post Town is located in Olmsted County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Post Town
- Genoa
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the northeast)
- Genoa is located in Olmsted County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Genoa
- High Forest
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the east)
- High Forest is located in Olmsted County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for High Forest
- Rochester
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the east)
- Stewartville
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the east)
- Oronoco
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the northeast)
- Simpson
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the east)
- Simpson is located in Olmsted County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Simpson
- Rice County
- The following are listed by their distance from Westfield Center, with the one closest to Westfield Center listed first.
- Moland
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the north)
- Moland is located in Rice County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Moland
- Walcott
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the northwest)
- Walcott is located in Rice County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Walcott
- Nerstrand
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the north)
- Cannon City
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the northwest)
- Cannon City is located in Rice County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cannon City
- Faribault
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the northwest)
- Warsaw
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the northwest)
- Warsaw is located in Rice County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Warsaw
- Morristown
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the northwest)
- Steele County
- The following are listed by their distance from Westfield Center, with the one closest to Westfield Center listed first.
- Blooming Prairie
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the southwest)
- Union
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the southwest)
- Union is located in Steele County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Union
- Pratt
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the northwest)
- Pratt is located in Steele County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Pratt
- Rice Lake
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the north)
- Rice Lake is located in Steele County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rice Lake
- Havana
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the northwest)
- Havana is located in Steele County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Havana
- River Point
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the west)
- River Point is located in Steele County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for River Point
- Steele Center
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the west)
- Steele Center is located in Steele County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Steele Center
- Hope
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the west)
- Hope is located in Steele County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hope
- Owatonna
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the northwest)
- Ellendale
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the west)
- Medford
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the northwest)
- Medford is located in Steele County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Medford
- Population from the 2020 Census: 1,255 people
- Wabasha County
- Mazeppa
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the northeast)
- Waseca County
- The following are listed by their distance from Westfield Center, with the one closest to Westfield Center listed first.
- Vista
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the west)
- Vista is located in Waseca County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Vista
- New Richland
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the west)
- Waseca
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the west)
- Wilton
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the west)
- Wilton is located in Waseca County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Wilton
For an expanded list of the communities that are closest to Westfield Center, see our County-by-County Page for Westfield Center.
Cemeteries Near Westfield Center ...
Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of Westfield Center.
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 Westfield Center - one of the links might be able to help.
If not found below, our Cemetery List for Westfield Center covers a larger area, with the cemeteries listed in alphabetical order.
The following cemeteries are listed based on their distance from Westfield Center, with the one closest to Westfield Center listed first.
- Westfield Cemetery
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the southwest)
- Ashland - Ripley Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the north)
- First Lutheran Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the south)
- Hillside Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the north)
- Fairview Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the southeast)
- German Methodist Episcopal Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the northwest)
- Union Cemetery
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the west)
- St. John's Lutheran Cemetery
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the northwest)
- Aurora Twp. Cemetery
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the west)
- Danish Baptist Cemetery
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the west)
- Danish Cemetery
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the west)
- Riverside Cemetery
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the northeast)
- Continue List (223 more) ...
- Thompson Cemetery
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the northwest)
- Aurora Lutheran Cemetery
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the northwest)
- Claremont Street Cemetery
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the north)
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.
Westfield Center itself is historic and was described in the Rand McNally Atlas as having a post office and no railroad service.
These communities are listed based on their distance from Westfield Center, with the one closest to Westfield Center listed first.
- Claremont
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the north)
- Bixby
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the west)
- Bixby is located in Steele County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bixby
- Blooming Prairie
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the southwest)
- Hayfield
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the southeast)
- Dodge Center
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the northeast)
- Waltham
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the southeast)
- Pratt
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the northwest)
- Pratt is located in Steele County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Pratt
- Oslo
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the east)
- Oslo is located in Dodge County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Oslo
- Wasioja
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the northeast)
- Wasioja is located in Dodge County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Wasioja
- Sargeant
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the southeast)
- Sargeant is located in Mower County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sargeant
- Population from the 2020 Census: 60 people
- Kasson
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the northeast)
- Havana
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the northwest)
- Havana is located in Steele County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Havana
- Continue List (16 more) ...
- Mantorville
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the northeast)
- Steele Center
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the west)
- Steele Center is located in Steele County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Steele Center
- River Point
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the west)
- River Point is located in Steele County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for River Point
We've also created an expanded list of communities that existed in the 1890's and were located in the area around Westfield Center. See our List of 1890's Communities around Westfield Center.
Newspapers Published in Westfield Center ...
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 103 newspapers that have been published in the area around Westfield Center.
Although we're unaware of any newspapers that were published in the immediate area of Westfield Center, 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 Westfield Center.
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 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 Westfield Center:
- Websites specific to Minnesota
- Pages specific to Dodge County
- Genealogy information for nearby counties
- Freeborn County
- Goodhue County
- Mower County
- Olmsted County
- Rice County
- Steele County
- Wabasha County
- Waseca County
- Cemetery Information and Directories for Minnesota
Footnotes ...
| <1> | 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 Westfield Center, please let us know so that we can improve our accuracy. |
| <2> | While we're fans and frequent users of TripAdvisor, you should know that we're also members of the TripAdvisor affiliate program. |
| <3> | Our distances are not driving distances, but are calculated as a 'straight-line' (or point-to-point) distance. A straight line distance ignores obstructions like rivers, canyons, lakes, et cetera - it's truly a line drawn from Point A (ie- Westfield Center) to Point B. In other words: 'As the crow flies'. |
| <4> | 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. |