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 Aurora (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 Aurora. 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 southeast 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 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 east 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.
Aurora is located in Brookings County.
To see how the shape of South Dakota's counties may have changed over time, we recommend the Atlas of Historical County Boundaries.
The following counties adjoin and form the boundaries of Brookings County: Lincoln (MN), Deuel, Hamlin, Kingsbury, Lake & Moody.
Below are the counties that are near Aurora. For each of these counties, we show a sample of those communities that are closest to Aurora:
- Brookings County (The home county of Aurora)
- The following are listed by their distance from Aurora, with the one closest to Aurora listed first.
- Bushnell
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the northeast)
- Bushnell is located in Brookings County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bushnell
- Population from the 2020 Census: 67 people
- Brookings
(5 miles [8 km] to the west)
- Sunnyview
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the northwest)
- Sunnyview is located in Brookings County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sunnyview
- Estimated population in 2014: 17 people
- Medary
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the southwest)
- Medary is located in Brookings County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Medary
- Estimated population in 2014: 1,442 people
- Elkton
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the east)
- White
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the north)
- North Grove Addition
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the northwest)
- North Grove Addition is located in Brookings County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for North Grove Addition
- Estimated population in 2014: 471 people
- Volga
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the west)
- Bruce
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the northwest)
- Sinai
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the west)
- Deuel County
- The following are listed by their distance from Aurora, with the one closest to Aurora listed first.
- Johnsonville
(18 miles [29 km] to the north)
- Johnsonville is located in Deuel County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Johnsonville
- Astoria
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the north)
- Toronto
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the north)
- Brandt
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the north)
- Hamlin County
- The following are listed by their distance from Aurora, with the one closest to Aurora listed first.
- Estelline
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the northwest)
- Dempster
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the northwest)
- Dempster is located in Hamlin County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Dempster
- Stone Bridge
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the northwest)
- Stone Bridge is located in Hamlin County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Stone Bridge
- Estimated population in 2014: 105 people
- Alsville
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the northwest)
- Alsville is located in Hamlin County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Alsville
- Kingsbury County
- The following are listed by their distance from Aurora, with the one closest to Aurora listed first.
- Arlington
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the west)
- Hetland
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the west)
- Badger
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the northwest)
- Lake County
- The following are listed by their distance from Aurora, with the one closest to Aurora listed first.
- Nunda
(18 miles [29 km] to the southwest)
- Prairie Queen ‑ Historic
(18 miles [29 km] to the southwest)
- Prairie Queen is located in Lake County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Prairie Queen
- Rutland
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the southwest)
- Wentworth
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the southwest)
- Brant Lake
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the southwest)
- Brant Lake is located in Lake County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Brant Lake
- Madison
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the southwest)
- Peninsula Park
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the southwest)
- Peninsula Park is located in Lake County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Peninsula Park
- Estimated population in 2014: 32 people
- Ramona
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the southwest)
- Chester
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the southwest)
- Prairie Village
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the southwest)
- Prairie Village is located in Lake County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Prairie Village
- Estimated population in 2014: 18 people
- Moody County
- The following are listed by their distance from Aurora, with the one closest to Aurora listed first.
- Ward
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the southeast)
- Dyce ‑ Historic
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the southwest)
- Dyce is located in Moody County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Dyce
- Flandreau
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the south)
- Egan
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the south)
- Sioux Falls Junction
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the south)
- Sioux Falls Junction is located in Moody County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sioux Falls Junction
- Estimated population in 2014: 119 people
- Colman
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the south)
- Lone Tree
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the south)
- Lone Tree is located in Moody County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lone Tree
- Estimated population in 2014: 14 people
- Trent
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the south)
- Lincoln County (MN)
- The following are listed by their distance from Aurora, with the one closest to Aurora listed first.
- Lake Benton
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the east)
- Hendricks
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the northeast)
- Ivanhoe
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the northeast)
- Arco
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the east)
- Tyler
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the east)
- Tyler is located in Lincoln County (MN)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Tyler
- Population from the 2020 Census: 1,058 people
- Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Tyler <1>
- Pipestone County (MN)
- The following are listed by their distance from Aurora, with the one closest to Aurora listed first.
- Airlie
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the southeast)
- Airlie is located in Pipestone County (MN)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Airlie
- Holland
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the southeast)
- Holland is located in Pipestone County (MN)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Holland
- Population from the 2020 Census: 172 people
- Pipestone
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the southeast)
- Ruthton
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the east)
- Ihlen
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the southeast)
For an expanded list of the communities that are closest to Aurora, see our County-by-County Page for Aurora.
Cemeteries Near Aurora ...
Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of Aurora.
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 Aurora - one of the links might be able to help.
If not found below, our Cemetery List for Aurora covers a larger area, with the cemeteries listed in alphabetical order.
The following cemeteries are listed based on their distance from Aurora, with the one closest to Aurora listed first.
- Fairlawn Cemetery
(Less than 2 miles to the east)
- Fountain Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the north)
- Lutheran Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the west)
- Greenwood Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the west)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Greenwood Cemetery
- To give a relative sense of its location, the Greenwood Cemetery is a large cemetery that is located outside and to the southwest of Brookings.
- Jump to Find-A-Grave: FG ID #97065 <2>
- St. Thomas More Catholic Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the west)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for St. Thomas More Catholic Cemetery
- To give a relative sense of its location, the St. Thomas More Catholic Cemetery is a large cemetery that is located outside and to the southwest of Brookings.
- The St. Thomas More Catholic Cemetery has also been known as:
- Calvary Cemetery
- Jump to Find-A-Grave: FG ID #2136600 <2>
- Yeo Cemetery
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the south)
- Lake Campbell Cemetery
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the southwest)
- Trinity Cemetery
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the southeast)
- Fair View Cemetery
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the north)
- St. Marys Cemetery
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the east)
- North Clare Cemetery
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the south)
- St. Pauls Cemetery
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the north)
- Continue List (102 more) ...
- Deer Creek Cemetery
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the northwest)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Deer Creek Cemetery
- To give a relative sense of its location, the Deer Creek Cemetery is located outside and to the southeast of Bruce.
- First Lutheran Cemetery
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the west)
- Bethania Cemetery
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the west)
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>
The Rand McNally Atlas shows that Aurora had a population of 412 people in 1895 with a post office and railroad service. In 2020, Aurora had a population of 866 people.
These communities are listed based on their distance from Aurora, with the one closest to Aurora listed first.
- Bushnell
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the northeast)
- Bushnell is located in Brookings County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bushnell
- Population from the 2020 Census: 67 people
- Brookings
(5 miles [8 km] to the west)
- Elkton
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the east)
- White
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the north)
- Volga
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the west)
- Ward
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the southeast)
- Bruce
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the northwest)
- Flandreau
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the south)
- Verdi
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the east)
- Verdi is located in Lincoln County (MN)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Verdi
- Sinai
(17 miles [27.4 km] to the west)
- Prairie Queen ‑ Historic
(18 miles [29 km] to the southwest)
- Prairie Queen is located in Lake County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Prairie Queen
- Egan
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the south)
- Continue List (20 more) ...
- Lake Benton
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the east)
- Sioux Falls Junction
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the south)
- Sioux Falls Junction is located in Moody County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sioux Falls Junction
- Estimated population in 2014: 119 people
- Hendricks
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the northeast)
We've also created an expanded list of communities that existed in the 1890's and were located in the area around Aurora. See our List of 1890's Communities around Aurora.
Newspapers Published in Aurora ...
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 80 newspapers that have been published in the area around Aurora.
Although we're unaware of any newspapers that were published in the immediate area of Aurora, there are papers which were published within 29 miles [46.7 km]<4>. A list of those papers, sorted by paper name, can be found on the Extended Newspaper List for Aurora.
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 Aurora:
- Websites specific to South Dakota
- Pages specific to Brookings County
- Genealogy information for nearby counties
- Deuel County
- Hamlin County
- Kingsbury County
- Lake County
- Moody County
- Lincoln County
- Pipestone County
- Cemetery Information and Directories for South Dakota
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 Aurora, 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' (or 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- Aurora) to Point B. In other words: 'As the crow flies'. |