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 Benclare (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 Benclare. 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 doctors and hospitals 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.
Benclare is located in Minnehaha 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 Minnehaha County: Lyon (IA), Rock (MN), Lake, Lincoln, McCook, Moody & Turner.
Below are the counties that are near Benclare. For each of these counties, we show a sample of those communities that are closest to Benclare:
- Minnehaha County (The home county of Benclare)
- The following are listed by their distance from Benclare, with the one closest to Benclare listed first.
- Rowena
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the west)
- Valley Springs
(5 miles [8 km] to the north)
- Brandon
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the northwest)
- Pine Lakes Addition
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the west)
- Pine Lakes Addition is located in Minnehaha County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Pine Lakes Addition
- Population from the 2010 Census: 314 people
- Split Rock Heights
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the west)
- Split Rock Heights is located in Minnehaha County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Split Rock Heights
- Estimated population in 2014: 216 people
- Norton Acres
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the northwest)
- Norton Acres is located in Minnehaha County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Norton Acres
- Population from the 2010 Census: 342 people
- Sioux Falls
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the west)
- Garretson
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the north)
- Meadow View Addition
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the northwest)
- Meadow View Addition is located in Minnehaha County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Meadow View Addition
- Population from the 2010 Census: 538 people
- Renner Corner
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the northwest)
- Renner Corner is located in Minnehaha County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Renner Corner
- Population from the 2010 Census: 305 people
- Renner
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the northwest)
- Hayward Addition
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the west)
- Hayward Addition is located in Minnehaha County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hayward Addition
- Estimated population in 2014: 380 people
- Silver Valley Addition
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the west)
- Silver Valley Addition is located in Minnehaha County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Silver Valley Addition
- Estimated population in 2014: 112 people
- Lincoln County
- The following are listed by their distance from Benclare, with the one closest to Benclare listed first.
- Shindler
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the west)
- Shindler is located in Lincoln County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Shindler
- Population from the 2010 Census: 584 people
- Harrisburg
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the southwest)
- Canton
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the south)
- Worthing
(18 miles [29 km] to the southwest)
- Tea
(18 miles [29 km] to the west)
- Fairview
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the south)
- Lennox
(23 miles [37 km] to the southwest)
- Moe
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the south)
- Moe is located in Lincoln County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Moe
- Hudson
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the south)
- Moody County
- Trent
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the north)
- Turner County
- Chancellor
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the west)
- Lyon County (IA)
- The following are listed by their distance from Benclare, with the one closest to Benclare listed first.
- Larchwood
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the southeast)
- Klondike
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the south)
- Klondike is located in Lyon County (IA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Klondike
- Lester
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the southeast)
- Lester is located in Lyon County (IA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lester
- Population from the 2020 Census: 303 people
- Inwood
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the south)
- Alvord
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the southeast)
- Rock Rapids
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the east)
- Beloit
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the south)
- Beloit is located in Lyon County (IA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Beloit
- Doon
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the southeast)
- Edna
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the southeast)
- Edna is located in Lyon County (IA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Edna
- George
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the southeast)
- Little Rock
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the east)
- Sioux County (IA)
- The following are listed by their distance from Benclare, with the one closest to Benclare listed first.
- Rock Valley
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the southeast)
- Perkins
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the southeast)
- Perkins is located in Sioux County (IA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Perkins
- Hull
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the southeast)
- Hull is located in Sioux County (IA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hull
- Population from the 2020 Census: 2,296 people
- Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Hull <1>
- Lebanon
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the south)
- Lebanon is located in Sioux County (IA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lebanon
- Nobles County (MN)
- The following are listed by their distance from Benclare, with the one closest to Benclare listed first.
- Ellsworth
(23 miles [37 km] to the east)
- Adrian
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the east)
- Pipestone County (MN)
- The following are listed by their distance from Benclare, with the one closest to Benclare listed first.
- Jasper Sunrise Village
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the north)
- Jasper Sunrise Village is located in Pipestone County (MN)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Jasper Sunrise Village
- Jasper
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the north)
- Jasper is located in Pipestone County (MN)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Jasper
- Population from the 2020 Census: 603 people
- Ihlen
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the north)
- Trosky
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the north)
- Edgerton
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the northeast)
- Rock County (MN)
- The following are listed by their distance from Benclare, with the one closest to Benclare listed first.
- Bruce
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the east)
- Bruce is located in Rock County (MN)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bruce
- Hills
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the east)
- Manley
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the north)
- Manley is located in Rock County (MN)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Manley
- Beaver Creek
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the northeast)
- Beaver Creek is located in Rock County (MN)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Beaver Creek
- Population from the 2020 Census: 283 people
- Steen
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the east)
- Steen is located in Rock County (MN)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Steen
- Population from the 2020 Census: 164 people
- Ash Creek
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the east)
- Ash Creek is located in Rock County (MN)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ash Creek
- Luverne
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the northeast)
- Kanaranzi
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the east)
- Magnolia
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the northeast)
- Magnolia is located in Rock County (MN)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Magnolia
- Population from the 2020 Census: 208 people
- Hardwick
(23 miles [37 km] to the northeast)
- Kenneth
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the northeast)
- Kenneth is located in Rock County (MN)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Kenneth
- Population from the 2020 Census: 66 people
For an expanded list of the communities that are closest to Benclare, see our County-by-County Page for Benclare.
Cemeteries Near Benclare ...
Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of Benclare.
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 Benclare - one of the links might be able to help.
If not found below, our Cemetery List for Benclare covers a larger area, with the cemeteries listed in alphabetical order.
The following cemeteries are listed based on their distance from Benclare, with the one closest to Benclare listed first.
- Larchwood Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the southeast)
- Nerison Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the east)
- Pleasant View Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the north)
- South Beaver Valley Cemetery
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the northwest)
- Grandview Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the southwest)
- Bear Valley Lutheran Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the northwest)
- Bethlehem Lutheran Church Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the east)
- Dutch Reform Church Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the east)
- United Reformed Church Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the east)
- Hillside Cemetery
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the southeast)
- Flowerfield Cemetery
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the east)
- Brandon Cemetery
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the northwest)
- Continue List (124 more) ...
- Beaver Valley Cemetery
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the northeast)
- Our Saviors Lutheran Cemetery
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the south)
- Bethlehem Cemetery
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the south)
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 Benclare had a population of 25 people in 1895 with a post office and railroad service.
These communities are listed based on their distance from Benclare, with the one closest to Benclare listed first.
- Rowena
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the west)
- Granite
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the southwest)
- Granite is located in Lyon County (IA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Granite
- Larchwood
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the southeast)
- Bruce
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the east)
- Bruce is located in Rock County (MN)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bruce
- Valley Springs
(5 miles [8 km] to the north)
- Hills
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the east)
- Manley
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the north)
- Manley is located in Rock County (MN)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Manley
- East Sioux Falls
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the west)
- East Sioux Falls is located in Minnehaha County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for East Sioux Falls
- Brandon
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the northwest)
- Shindler
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the west)
- Shindler is located in Lincoln County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Shindler
- Population from the 2010 Census: 584 people
- Lester
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the southeast)
- Lester is located in Lyon County (IA)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lester
- Population from the 2020 Census: 303 people
- Corson
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the northwest)
- Corson is located in Minnehaha County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Corson
- Continue List (14 more) ...
- Beaver Creek
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the northeast)
- Beaver Creek is located in Rock County (MN)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Beaver Creek
- Population from the 2020 Census: 283 people
- Booge
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the north)
- Booge is located in Minnehaha County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Booge
- Steen
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the east)
- Steen is located in Rock County (MN)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Steen
- Population from the 2020 Census: 164 people
We've also created an expanded list of communities that existed in the 1890's and were located in the area around Benclare. See our List of 1890's Communities around Benclare.
Newspapers Published in Benclare ...
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 152 newspapers that have been published in the area around Benclare.
Although we're unaware of any newspapers that were published in the immediate area of Benclare, 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 Benclare.
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 helpful 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 Benclare:
- Websites specific to South Dakota
- Pages specific to Minnehaha County
- Genealogy information for nearby counties
- Lincoln County
- Moody County
- Turner County
- Lyon County
- Sioux County
- Nobles County
- Pipestone County
- Rock 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 Benclare, 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- Benclare) to Point B. In other words: 'As the crow flies'. |