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 Balsam Lake (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 Balsam Lake. 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 Balsam Lake ...
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 Balsam Lake: Balsam Lk.
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 southeast 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 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.
Balsam Lake is located in Polk County and is the County Seat.
To see how the shape of Wisconsin's counties may have changed over time, we recommend the Atlas of Historical County Boundaries.
The following counties adjoin and form the boundaries of Polk County: Chisago (MN), Washington (MN), Barron, Burnett, Dunn & Saint Croix.
Below are the counties that are near Balsam Lake. For each of these counties, we show a sample of those communities that are closest to Balsam Lake:
- Polk County (The home county of Balsam Lake)
- The following are listed by their distance from Balsam Lake, with the one closest to Balsam Lake listed first.
- Bunyan
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the east)
- Bunyan is located in Polk County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bunyan
- Centuria
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the west)
- Centuria is located in Polk County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Centuria
- Population from the 2020 Census: 905 people
- Milltown
(5 miles [8 km] to the northwest)
- Milltown is located in Polk County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Milltown
- Population from the 2020 Census: 875 people
- Volga ‑ Historic
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the southeast)
- Volga is located in Polk County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Volga
- Luck
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the north)
- Luck is located in Polk County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Luck
- Population from the 2020 Census: 1,051 people
- Saint Croix Falls
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the west)
- Saint Croix Falls is located in Polk County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Saint Croix Falls
- Population from the 2020 Census: 2,059 people
- Deronda
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the south)
- Deronda is located in Polk County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Deronda
- Amery
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the southeast)
- Amery is located in Polk County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Amery
- Population from the 2020 Census: 2,799 people
- Dresser
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the southwest)
- Dresser is located in Polk County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Dresser
- Population from the 2020 Census: 864 people
- Frederic
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the north)
- Frederic is located in Polk County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Frederic
- Population from the 2020 Census: 1,080 people
- Atlas
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the northwest)
- Atlas is located in Polk County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Atlas
- Osceola
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the southwest)
- Osceola is located in Polk County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Osceola
- Population from the 2020 Census: 2,580 people
- Barron County
- The following are listed by their distance from Balsam Lake, with the one closest to Balsam Lake listed first.
- Turtle Lake
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the east)
- Turtle Lake is located in Barron County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Turtle Lake
- Population from the 2020 Census: 990 people
- Almena
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the east)
- Almena is located in Barron County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Almena
- Population from the 2020 Census: 638 people
- Cumberland
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the east)
- Cumberland is located in Barron County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cumberland
- Population from the 2020 Census: 2,097 people
- Twin Town
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the east)
- Twin Town is located in Barron County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Twin Town
- Poskin
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the east)
- Poskin is located in Barron County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Poskin
- Prairie Farm
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the southeast)
- Prairie Farm is located in Barron County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Prairie Farm
- Population from the 2020 Census: 434 people
- Barron
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the east)
- Barron is located in Barron County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Barron
- Population from the 2020 Census: 3,235 people
- Hillsdale
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the east)
- Hillsdale is located in Barron County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hillsdale
- Burnett County
- The following are listed by their distance from Balsam Lake, with the one closest to Balsam Lake listed first.
- Alpha
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the north)
- Alpha is located in Burnett County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Alpha
- Siren
(23 miles [37 km] to the north)
- Siren is located in Burnett County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Siren
- Population from the 2020 Census: 780 people
- Grantsburg
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the northwest)
- Grantsburg is located in Burnett County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Grantsburg
- Population from the 2020 Census: 1,296 people
- Randall
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the northwest)
- Randall is located in Burnett County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Randall
- Hertel
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the northeast)
- Hertel is located in Burnett County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hertel
- Bashaw
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the northeast)
- Bashaw is located in Burnett County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bashaw
- Webster
(29 miles [46.7 km] to the north)
- Webster is located in Burnett County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Webster
- Population from the 2020 Census: 620 people
- Saint Croix County
- The following are listed by their distance from Balsam Lake, with the one closest to Balsam Lake listed first.
- Deer Park
(18 miles [29 km] to the south)
- Deer Park is located in Saint Croix County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Deer Park
- Population from the 2020 Census: 212 people
- Star Prairie
(18 miles [29 km] to the south)
- Star Prairie is located in Saint Croix County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Star Prairie
- Population from the 2020 Census: 549 people
- New Richmond
(23 miles [37 km] to the south)
- New Richmond is located in Saint Croix County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for New Richmond
- Population from the 2020 Census: 9,730 people
- Somerset
(25 miles [40.2 km] to the southwest)
- Somerset is located in Saint Croix County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Somerset
- Population from the 2020 Census: 2,992 people
- Erin Corner
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the south)
- Erin Corner is located in Saint Croix County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Erin Corner
- Glenwood City
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the southeast)
- Glenwood City is located in Saint Croix County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Glenwood City
- Population from the 2020 Census: 1,214 people
- Chisago County (MN)
- The following are listed by their distance from Balsam Lake, with the one closest to Balsam Lake listed first.
- Taylors Falls
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the west)
- Franconia
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the southwest)
- Franconia is located in Chisago County (MN)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Franconia
- Shafer
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the west)
- Almelund
(16 miles [25.7 km] to the west)
- Center City
(18 miles [29 km] to the west)
- Lindstrom
(19 miles [30.6 km] to the west)
- Chisago City
(21 miles [33.8 km] to the west)
- Branch
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the west)
- Branch is located in Chisago County (MN)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Branch
- North Branch
(24 miles [38.6 km] to the west)
- Stacy
(26 miles [41.8 km] to the west)
- Stacy is located in Chisago County (MN)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Stacy
- Population from the 2020 Census: 1,525 people
- Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Stacy <1>
- Harris
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the west)
- Wyoming
(27 miles [43.5 km] to the west)
- Pine County (MN)
- Rock Creek
(30 miles [48.3 km] to the northwest)
- Washington County (MN)
- The following are listed by their distance from Balsam Lake, with the one closest to Balsam Lake listed first.
- Otisville
(20 miles [32.2 km] to the southwest)
- Otisville is located in Washington County (MN)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Otisville
- Scandia
(22 miles [35.4 km] to the southwest)
- Marine-on-Saint-Croix
(23 miles [37 km] to the southwest)
- Forest Lake
(28 miles [45.1 km] to the southwest)
For an expanded list of the communities that are closest to Balsam Lake, see our County-by-County Page for Balsam Lake.
Cemeteries Near Balsam Lake ...
Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of Balsam Lake.
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 Balsam Lake - one of the links might be able to help.
If not found below, our Cemetery List for Balsam Lake covers a larger area, with the cemeteries listed in alphabetical order.
The following cemeteries are listed based on their distance from Balsam Lake, with the one closest to Balsam Lake listed first.
- Balsam Lake Cemetery
(Less than 2 miles to the southwest)
- Long Lake Cemetery
(2 miles [3.2 km] to the west)
- Union Cemetery
(3 miles [4.8 km] to the east)
- Fristad Lutheran Church Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the west)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Fristad Lutheran Church Cemetery
- To give a relative sense of its location, the Fristad Lutheran Church Cemetery is located less than 2 miles<2> to the southwest of Centuria.
- The Fristad Lutheran Church Cemetery has also been known as:
- Fristad Cemetery
- Jump to Find-A-Grave: FG ID #87987 <3>
- Apple River Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the southeast)
- St. Johns Lutheran Cemetery
(5 miles [8 km] to the west)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for St. Johns Lutheran Cemetery
- To give a relative sense of its location, the St. Johns Lutheran Cemetery is a large cemetery that is located less than 2 miles<2> to the northwest of Centuria.
- The St. Johns Lutheran Cemetery has also been known as:
- St. John Cemetery
- Jump to Find-A-Grave: FG ID #88966 <3>
- Georgetown Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the east)
- Granum Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the northwest)
- McAskill Cemetery
(6 miles [9.7 km] to the west)
- Sand Lake Cemetery
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the southwest)
- Volga Cemetery
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the southeast)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Volga Cemetery
- To give a relative sense of its location, the Volga Cemetery is located 3 miles [4.8 km]<2> to the north of Amery.
- The Volga Cemetery has also been known as:
- Traveler's Rest Cemetery
- Jump to Find-A-Grave: FG ID #1361634 <3>
- Evergreen Cemetery
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the northwest)
- Continue List (128 more) ...
- St. Croix Falls Cemetery
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the southwest)
- Lincoln Cemetery
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the southeast)
- St. Marys Cemetery
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the southeast)
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.<4>
The Rand McNally Atlas shows that Balsam Lake had a population of 49 people in 1895 with a post office and no railroad service. In 2020, Balsam Lake had a population of 978 people.
These communities are listed based on their distance from Balsam Lake, with the one closest to Balsam Lake listed first.
- Bunyan
(4 miles [6.4 km] to the east)
- Bunyan is located in Polk County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bunyan
- Volga ‑ Historic
(7 miles [11.3 km] to the southeast)
- Volga is located in Polk County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Volga
- West Denmark
(8 miles [12.9 km] to the north)
- West Denmark is located in Polk County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for West Denmark
- Saint Croix Falls
(9 miles [14.5 km] to the west)
- Saint Croix Falls is located in Polk County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Saint Croix Falls
- Population from the 2020 Census: 2,059 people
- Taylors Falls
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the west)
- Deronda
(10 miles [16.1 km] to the south)
- Deronda is located in Polk County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Deronda
- Nye
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the southwest)
- Nye is located in Polk County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Nye
- Amery
(11 miles [17.7 km] to the southeast)
- Amery is located in Polk County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Amery
- Population from the 2020 Census: 2,799 people
- Little Falls
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the south)
- Little Falls is located in Polk County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Little Falls
- Joel
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the southeast)
- Joel is located in Polk County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Joel
- Cushing
(12 miles [19.3 km] to the northwest)
- Cushing is located in Polk County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cushing
- Franconia
(13 miles [20.9 km] to the southwest)
- Franconia is located in Chisago County (MN)
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Franconia
- Continue List (15 more) ...
- Shafer
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the west)
- Wolf Creek
(14 miles [22.5 km] to the northwest)
- Wolf Creek is located in Polk County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Wolf Creek
- Richardson
(15 miles [24.1 km] to the southeast)
- Richardson is located in Polk County
- Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Richardson
We've also created an expanded list of communities that existed in the 1890's and were located in the area around Balsam Lake. See our List of 1890's Communities around Balsam Lake.
Newspapers Published in the Vicinity of Balsam Lake ...
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 93 newspapers that have been published in the area around Balsam Lake.
We have organized these newspapers into two lists:
- A Local Newspaper List - focusing on the papers published in the immediate area of Balsam Lake. There are actually two parts to this list - papers printed in the immediate area of Balsam Lake and those printed in the larger area surrounding Balsam Lake.
- An Extended Newspaper List - a longer list, sorted by paper name and containing those papers published within 30 miles [48.3 km]<2> of Balsam Lake.
Websites to Help With Your Genealogy Research ...
When we do our genealogical research, we first turn to 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 Balsam Lake:
- Websites specific to Wisconsin
- Pages specific to Polk County
- Genealogy information for nearby counties
- Barron County
- Burnett County
- Saint Croix County
- Chisago County
- Pine County
- Washington County
- Cemetery Information and Directories for Wisconsin
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> | 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- Balsam Lake) to Point B. In other words: 'As the crow flies'. |
| <3> | 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. |
| <4> | 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 Balsam Lake, please let us know so that we can improve our accuracy. |