Tag Archives: Houston

High-Resolution Plat Maps for Houston, Allamakee and Winneshiek Counties

Posted on 1 August 2011 by Eric

Plat maps are an excellent resource for local history research. They show where a family lived and farmed, can demonstrate migration over time, and provide context when digging through census records. They can also be used to identify the locations cited … Continue reading →

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Houston County Illustrated Map of 1874

Posted on 21 July 2011 by Eric

This 1874 A.T. Andreas Illustrated Map of Houston County is really beautiful. I love how it shows farms nestled into the topography. Norwegians would call it “hyggelig.” Note that you can zoom in and out, move around, close the cluttery sidebar, … Continue reading →

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Online Books

Posted on 18 July 2011 by Eric

These are some excellent free books available online. In addition to some really colorful early history, these books list many names of settlers and some of their accomplishments. Almost all of them are downloadable as PDFs – so you can … Continue reading →

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Where is Norwegian Ridge?

Posted on 17 May 2011 by Eric

Norwegian Ridge was an early name for the area around Spring Grove, Minnesota. From the beginning of the immigration boom from Norway in the late 1850s, many settlers made their first American homes in this region. In 1852, quite a … Continue reading →

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