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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 Onalaska (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 Onalaska. 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 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.

Onalaska is located in La Crosse County.

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 La Crosse County: Houston (MN), Winona (MN), Jackson, Monroe, Trempealeau & Vernon.

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

  • La Crosse County     (The home county of Onalaska)
    • The following are listed by their distance from Onalaska, with the one closest to Onalaska listed first.
    • Grand Crossing
      (2 miles [3.2 km] to the south)
    • North La Crosse
      (2 miles [3.2 km] to the south)
      • North La Crosse is located in La Crosse County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for North La Crosse
    • French Island
      (2 miles [3.2 km] to the southwest)
    • Midway
      (3 miles [4.8 km] to the northwest)
    • La Crosse
      (4 miles [6.4 km] to the south)
    • Holmen
      (5 miles [8 km] to the north)
      • Holmen is located in La Crosse County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Holmen
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 10,368 people
    • Brice Prairie
      (5 miles [8 km] to the northwest)
      • Brice Prairie is located in La Crosse County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Brice Prairie
    • Barre Mills
      (6 miles [9.7 km] to the southeast)
    • West Salem
      (7 miles [11.3 km] to the east)
    • Shelby
      (8 miles [12.9 km] to the southeast)
      • Shelby is located in La Crosse County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Shelby
    • Bangor
      (11 miles [17.7 km] to the east)
      • Bangor is located in La Crosse County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Bangor
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 1,442 people
    • Mindoro
      (11 miles [17.7 km] to the northeast)
  • Buffalo County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Onalaska, with the one closest to Onalaska listed first.
    • Marshland
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the northwest)
      • Marshland is located in Buffalo County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Marshland
    • Bluff Siding
      (23 miles [37 km] to the northwest)
    • Fountain City
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the northwest)
  • Jackson County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Onalaska, with the one closest to Onalaska listed first.
    • North Bend
      (15 miles [24.1 km] to the north)
    • Melrose
      (20 miles [32.2 km] to the northeast)
    • Taylor
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the north)
      • Taylor is located in Jackson County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Taylor
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 473 people
  • Monroe County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Onalaska, with the one closest to Onalaska listed first.
    • Sparta
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the east)
    • Angelo
      (23 miles [37 km] to the east)
    • Melvina
      (23 miles [37 km] to the east)
    • Cashton
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the southeast)
      • Cashton is located in Monroe County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Cashton
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 1,111 people
    • Norwalk
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the east)
  • Trempealeau County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Onalaska, with the one closest to Onalaska listed first.
    • Trempealeau
      (13 miles [20.9 km] to the northwest)
      • Trempealeau is located in Trempealeau County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Trempealeau
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 1,663 people
    • Galesville
      (15 miles [24.1 km] to the northwest)
    • Wrights Corners
      (17 miles [27.4 km] to the northwest)
    • Frenchville
      (18 miles [29 km] to the north)
    • Ettrick
      (19 miles [30.6 km] to the north)
      • Ettrick is located in Trempealeau County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Ettrick
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 511 people
    • Blair
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the north)
      • Blair is located in Trempealeau County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Blair
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 1,330 people
    • Arcadia
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the northwest)
  • Vernon County
    • The following are listed by their distance from Onalaska, with the one closest to Onalaska listed first.
    • Stoddard
      (15 miles [24.1 km] to the south)
    • Chaseburg
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the southeast)
    • Coon Valley
      (16 miles [25.7 km] to the southeast)
    • Genoa
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the south)
    • Newton
      (21 miles [33.8 km] to the southeast)
    • Newry
      (23 miles [37 km] to the southeast)
    • Westby
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the southeast)
    • Purdy
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the south)
    • Viroqua
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the southeast)
      • Viroqua is located in Vernon County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Viroqua
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 4,394 people
    • West Prairie
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the south)
      • West Prairie is located in Vernon County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for West Prairie
  • Allamakee County (IA)
  • Fillmore County (MN)
    • The following are listed by their distance from Onalaska, with the one closest to Onalaska listed first.
    • Rushford
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the west)
      • Rushford is located in Fillmore County (MN)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rushford
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 1,695 people
      • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Rushford <1>
    • South Rushford
      (26 miles [41.8 km] to the west)
    • Bratsberg
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the west)
    • Rushford Village
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the west)
      • Rushford Village is located in Fillmore County (MN)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Rushford Village
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 838 people
    • Peterson
      (30 miles [48.3 km] to the west)
  • Houston County (MN)
  • Winona County (MN)
    • The following are listed by their distance from Onalaska, with the one closest to Onalaska listed first.
    • Dakota
      (6 miles [9.7 km] to the west)
      • Dakota is located in Winona County (MN)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Dakota
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 307 people
    • Nodine
      (10 miles [16.1 km] to the west)
    • Lamoille
      (14 miles [22.5 km] to the northwest)
    • Homer
      (18 miles [29 km] to the northwest)
      • Homer is located in Winona County (MN)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Homer
    • Wilson
      (23 miles [37 km] to the west)
    • Winona
      (24 miles [38.6 km] to the northwest)
    • Goodview
      (27 miles [43.5 km] to the northwest)
      • Goodview is located in Winona County (MN)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Goodview
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 4,127 people
    • Stockton
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the west)
      • Stockton is located in Winona County (MN)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Stockton
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 773 people
    • Wyattville
      (28 miles [45.1 km] to the west)
    • Minnesota City
      (29 miles [46.7 km] to the northwest)

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

Cemeteries Near Onalaska ...

Below are cemeteries that are in the vicinity of Onalaska.

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 Onalaska - one of the links might be able to help.

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

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

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 Onalaska had a population of 1,587 people in 1895 with a post office and railroad service. In 2020, Onalaska had a population of 19,108 people.

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

  • North La Crosse
    (2 miles [3.2 km] to the south)
    • North La Crosse is located in La Crosse County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for North La Crosse
  • Grand Crossing
    (2 miles [3.2 km] to the south)
  • Medary
    (2 miles [3.2 km] to the southeast)
    • Medary is located in La Crosse County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Medary
  • Midway
    (3 miles [4.8 km] to the northwest)
  • River Junction
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the southwest)
    • River Junction is located in Houston County (MN)
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for River Junction
  • La Crosse
    (4 miles [6.4 km] to the south)
  • La Crescent
    (5 miles [8 km] to the southwest)
  • Holmen
    (5 miles [8 km] to the north)
    • Holmen is located in La Crosse County
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Holmen
    • Population from the 2020 Census: 10,368 people
  • Dresbach
    (5 miles [8 km] to the west)
    • Dresbach is located in Winona County (MN)
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Dresbach
  • Barre Mills
    (6 miles [9.7 km] to the southeast)
  • Dakota
    (6 miles [9.7 km] to the west)
    • Dakota is located in Winona County (MN)
    • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Dakota
    • Population from the 2020 Census: 307 people
  • West Salem
    (7 miles [11.3 km] to the east)
  • Continue List   (14 more) ...
    • New Amsterdam
      (8 miles [12.9 km] to the northwest)
      • New Amsterdam is located in La Crosse County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for New Amsterdam
    • Calvert
      (9 miles [14.5 km] to the south)
      • Calvert is located in La Crosse County
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Calvert
    • Hokah
      (10 miles [16.1 km] to the southwest)
      • Hokah is located in Houston County (MN)
      • Jump to our Gazetteer entry for Hokah
      • Population from the 2020 Census: 548 people
      • Jump to TripAdvisor's Tourism page for Hokah <1>

We've also created an expanded list of communities that existed in the 1890's and were located in the area around Onalaska. See our List of 1890's Communities around Onalaska.

Newspapers Published in the Vicinity of Onalaska ...

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 Onalaska.

We have organized these newspapers into two lists:

  • A Local Newspaper List - focusing on the papers published in the immediate area of Onalaska. There are actually two parts to this list - papers printed in the immediate area of Onalaska and those printed in the larger area surrounding Onalaska.
  • An Extended Newspaper List - a longer list, sorted by paper name and containing those papers published within 30 miles [48.3 km]<4> of Onalaska.

Websites to Help With Your Genealogy Research ...

When we do our genealogical research, we like to 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 Onalaska:

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