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Our Genealogy Helper

Introduction ...

So far, we found very little information about Prairie Queen. The little that we've found leads us believe that the community is historic.<1>

We've added Prairie Queen to our Gazetteer with the hope that we can develop more information. If you can help us with Prairie Queen, 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 Prairie Queen (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 Prairie Queen. 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 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.

Although our information shows that the community of Prairie Queen is historic, it would have been located within present day Lake 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 Lake County: Brookings, Kingsbury, McCook, Miner, Minnehaha & Moody.

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

  • Lake County     (The home county of Prairie Queen)
    • The following are listed by their distance from Prairie Queen, with the one closest to Prairie Queen listed first.
    • Nunda
      (2 miles [3.2 km] to the north)
    • Rutland
      (3 miles [4.8 km] to the southeast)
    • Wentworth
      (9 miles [14.5 km] to the south)
    • Madison
      (9 miles [14.5 km] to the southwest)
    • Ramona
      (10 miles [16.1 km] to the west)
    • Prairie Village
      (11 miles [17.7 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
    • Peninsula Park
      (12 miles [19.3 km] to the south)
      • Peninsula Park is located in Lake County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Peninsula Park
      • Estimated population in 2014: 32 people
    • Junius
      (14 miles [22.5 km] to the southwest)
      • Junius is located in Lake County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Junius
    • Brant Lake
      (15 miles [24.1 km] to the south)
      • Brant Lake is located in Lake County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Brant Lake
    • Chester
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the south)
    • Franklin
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the south)
      • Franklin is located in Lake County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Franklin
      • Estimated population in 2014: 333 people
    • Winfred
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the southwest)
  • Brookings County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Prairie Queen, with the one closest to Prairie Queen listed first.
    • Sinai
      (8 miles [12.9 km] to the north)
      • Sinai is located in Brookings County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sinai
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 125 people
      • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Sinai <2>
    • Medary
      (12 miles [19.3 km] to the northeast)
      • Medary is located in Brookings County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Medary
      • Estimated population in 2014: 1,442 people
    • Volga
      (13 miles [20.9 km] to the north)
      • Volga is located in Brookings County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Volga
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 2,080 people
      • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Volga <2>
    • Brookings
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the northeast)
    • Aurora
      (18 miles [29 km] to the northeast)
    • Sunnyview
      (18 miles [29 km] to the northeast)
      • Sunnyview is located in Brookings County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sunnyview
      • Estimated population in 2014: 17 people
    • Bruce
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the north)
      • Bruce is located in Brookings County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bruce
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 205 people
      • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Bruce <2>
    • Bushnell
      (22 miles [35.4 km] to the northeast)
      • Bushnell is located in Brookings County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bushnell
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 67 people
    • North Grove Addition
      (23 miles [37 km] to the northeast)
      • North Grove Addition is located in Brookings County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for North Grove Addition
      • Estimated population in 2014: 471 people
    • Elkton
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the east)
    • White
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the northeast)
      • White is located in Brookings County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for White
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 487 people
      • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for White <2>
  • Deuel County
    • Johnsonville
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the north)
      • Johnsonville is located in Deuel County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Johnsonville
  • Kingsbury County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Prairie Queen, with the one closest to Prairie Queen listed first.
    • Oldham
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the northwest)
    • Arlington
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the north)
    • Hetland
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the northwest)
    • Lake Preston
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the northwest)
    • Badger
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the northwest)
  • Miner County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Prairie Queen, with the one closest to Prairie Queen listed first.
    • Howard
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the west)
    • Canova
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the southwest)
    • Vilas
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the west)
      • Vilas is located in Miner County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Vilas
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 19 people
  • Minnehaha County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Prairie Queen, with the one closest to Prairie Queen listed first.
    • Huntimer
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the south)
      • Huntimer is located in Minnehaha County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Huntimer
      • Estimated population in 2014: 590 people
    • Colton
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the south)
    • Dell Rapids
      (25 miles [40.2 km] to the southeast)
    • Baltic
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the southeast)
      • Baltic is located in Minnehaha County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Baltic
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 1,201 people
      • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Baltic <2>
    • Lyons
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the south)
  • Moody County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Prairie Queen, with the one closest to Prairie Queen listed first.
    • Dyce ‑ Historic
      (7 miles [11.3 km] to the east)
      • Dyce is located in Moody County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Dyce
    • Colman
      (14 miles [22.5 km] to the southeast)
    • Lone Tree
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the southeast)
      • Lone Tree is located in Moody County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Lone Tree
      • Estimated population in 2014: 14 people
    • Sioux Falls Junction
      (18 miles [29 km] to the southeast)
      • Sioux Falls Junction is located in Moody County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sioux Falls Junction
      • Estimated population in 2014: 119 people
    • Egan
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the southeast)
    • Flandreau
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the east)
    • Trent
      (23 miles [37 km] to the southeast)
    • Ward
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the east)
  • Pipestone County (MN)
    • Airlie
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the east)
      • Airlie is located in Pipestone County (MN)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Airlie

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

Cemeteries Near Prairie Queen ...

Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of Prairie Queen.

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 Prairie Queen - one of the links might be able to help.

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

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

  • Prairie Queen Cemetery
    (Less than 2 miles to the northeast)
  • Olson Cemetery
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the northeast)
  • South Lake Campbell Cemetery
    (5 miles [8 km] to the northeast)
  • West Lake Cemetery
    (5 miles [8 km] to the northeast)
  • Ash Grove Cemetery
    (5 miles [8 km] to the northwest)
  • Lake Park Cemetery
    (6 miles [9.7 km] to the south)
  • St. Anns Cemetery
    (6 miles [9.7 km] to the west)
  • East Sinai Cemetery
    (6 miles [9.7 km] to the north)
  • Mt. Auburn Cemetery
    (7 miles [11.3 km] to the east)
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Mt. Auburn Cemetery
    • To give a relative sense of its location, the Mt. Auburn Cemetery is located 5 miles [8 km]<3> to the east of Rutland.
  • Sinai Cemetery
    (8 miles [12.9 km] to the north)
  • Graceland Cemetery
    (9 miles [14.5 km] to the southwest)
  • Rose Hill Cemetery
    (9 miles [14.5 km] to the south)
  • Continue List   (102 more) ...
    • Lake Campbell Cemetery
      (9 miles [14.5 km] to the northeast)
    • Bethania Cemetery
      (10 miles [16.1 km] to the north)
    • St. Thomas Cemetery
      (11 miles [17.7 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.

Prairie Queen itself is historic and was described in the Rand McNally Atlas as having a population of 32 people in 1895 with a post office and no railroad service.

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

  • Sinai
    (8 miles [12.9 km] to the north)
    • Sinai is located in Brookings County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sinai
    • Population from the 2020 Census: 125 people
    • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Sinai <2>
  • Madison
    (9 miles [14.5 km] to the southwest)
  • Wentworth
    (9 miles [14.5 km] to the south)
  • Ramona
    (10 miles [16.1 km] to the west)
  • Volga
    (13 miles [20.9 km] to the north)
    • Volga is located in Brookings County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Volga
    • Population from the 2020 Census: 2,080 people
    • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Volga <2>
  • Colman
    (14 miles [22.5 km] to the southeast)
  • Brant Lake
    (15 miles [24.1 km] to the south)
    • Brant Lake is located in Lake County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Brant Lake
  • Franklin
    (16 miles [25.7 km] to the south)
    • Franklin is located in Lake County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Franklin
    • Estimated population in 2014: 333 people
  • Chester
    (16 miles [25.7 km] to the south)
  • Brookings
    (16 miles [25.7 km] to the northeast)
  • Oldham
    (16 miles [25.7 km] to the northwest)
  • Orland ‑ Historic
    (17 miles [27.4 km] to the southwest)
    • Orland is located in Lake County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Orland
  • Continue List   (17 more) ...
    • Arlington
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the north)
    • Sioux Falls Junction
      (18 miles [29 km] to the southeast)
      • Sioux Falls Junction is located in Moody County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Sioux Falls Junction
      • Estimated population in 2014: 119 people
    • Aurora
      (18 miles [29 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 Prairie Queen. See our List of 1890's Communities around Prairie Queen.

Newspapers Published in Prairie Queen ...

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 58 newspapers that have been published in the area around Prairie Queen.

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

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 Prairie Queen:

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 Prairie Queen, 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 from Point A (ie- Prairie Queen) to Point B. In other words: 'As the crow flies'.