The Great American Survey: A Slapdash Database of Historic Buildings

Founding:  1785 Parent county:  Lancaster Namesake:  Louis Joseph, Dauphin of France Seat:  Harrisburg (1785–) Land area:  525 square miles Population (2020):  286,401 Population (historic):  18,155 (1790); 25,243 (1830); 60,740 (1870); 114,443 (1900); 165,231 (1930) Periods of population growth:  pre-1790–1810; 1820–2020 Subdivisions:  One city; 16 boroughs; 15 CDPs; 23 townships Pre-1940 residences (estimated):  27,229 (22.1%) Pre-1940 housing survival rate:  51.1% Pre-1860 housing survival rate (1940):  24.7% Farm housing in disrepair (1950):  5.8% Nonfarm housing in disrepair (1950):  4.6% Average farmhouse value (1930):  $2,046 Average outbuilding value (1930):  $1,810 Average farmhouse size (1940):  7.1 rooms Number of farms (1920):  2,517 Average farm size (1920):  67.6 acres _______________________________________________________________________________...

Founding:  1809 Parent county:  Kanawha Namesake:  William Cabell, Virginia politician Seat:   Guyandotte (1809–1814); Barboursville (1814–1887); Huntington (1887–) Land area:  281 square miles Population (2020):  94,350 Population (historic):  2,717 (1810); 8,163 (1840); 6,429 (1870); 29,252 (1900); 90,786 (1930) Periods of population growth:  pre-1810–1840; 1850s; 1870–1960 Subdivisions:  One city; one town; one village; four CDPs Pre-1940 residences (estimated):  9,027 (19.5%) Pre-1940 housing survival rate:  39.4% Pre-1860 housing survival rate (1940):  8.4% Farm housing in disrepair (1950):  21.7% Nonfarm housing in disrepair (1950):  7.5% Average farmhouse value (1930):  $813 Average outbuilding value (1930):  $501 Average farmhouse size (1940):  4.8 rooms Number of farms (1920):  2,113 Average farm size (1920):  41.6 acres ____________________________________...

Founding:  1840 Parent county:  Campbell Namesake:  Simon Kenton, frontiersman Seats:  Independence (1840–) and Covington Land area:  160 square miles Population (2020):  169,064 Population (historic):  17,038 (1850); 36,096 (1870); 63,591 (1900); 93,534 (1930) Periods of population growth:  pre-1850–1930; 1940–2020 Subdivisions:  18 cities Pre-1940 residences (estimated):  14,813 (21.3%) Pre-1940 housing survival rate:  54% Pre-1860 housing survival rate (1940):  18.5% Farm housing in disrepair (1950):  6.9% Nonfarm housing in disrepair (1950):  3.9% Average farmhouse value (1930):  $1,914 Average outbuilding value (1930):  $959 Average farmhouse size (1940):  5.1 rooms Number of farms (1920):  1,334 Average farm size (1920):  48.5 acres Sources of settlement:  Virginia, Kentucky, Germany, and Ireland ________________________________________________________...

Founding:  1788 Parent counties:  Washington and Westmoreland Namesake:  The Allegheny River Seat:  Pittsburgh (1788–) Land area:  730 square miles Population (2020):  1,250,578 Population (historic):  10,203 (1790); 50,552 (1830); 178,831 (1860); 775,058 (1900); 1,374,410 (1930) Periods of population growth:  pre-1790–1960; 2010s Pre-1940 residences (estimated):  177,403 (29.7%) Pre-1940 housing survival rate:  50.9% Pre-1860 housing survival rate (1940):  26% Farm housing in disrepair (1950):  12.2% Nonfarm housing in disrepair (1950):  6.3% Average farmhouse value (1930):  $3,614 Average outbuilding value (1930):  $3,089 Average farmhouse size (1940):  5.7 rooms Number of farms (1920):  3,972 Average farm size (1920):  48.4 acres _________________________________________________________________________________ Pittsburgh Namesake:  William Pitt, British pol...

Founding:  1867 Parent counties:  Greene, Marengo, Perry, and Tuscaloosa Namesake:  Stephen Hale, Alabama politician Seat:  Greensboro (1867–) Land area:  644 square miles Population (2020):  14,785 Population (historic):  21,792 (1870); 31,011 (1900); 26,265 (1930) Periods of population growth:  pre-1870–1880; 1890s; 1990s Subdivisions:  One city; three towns Pre-1940 residences (estimated):  442 (5.7%) Pre-1940 housing survival rate:  10.5% Farm housing in disrepair (1950): 61.5% Nonfarm housing in disrepair (1950): 32.9% Average farmhouse value (1930):  $286 Average outbuilding value (1930):  $123 Average farmhouse size (1940):  3 rooms Number of farms (1920):  3,816 Average farm size (1920):  41.6 acres _________________________________________________________________________________ Greensboro Namesake:  Nathanael Greene, Continental Army general Founding:  18...

Founding:  1837 (declared in 1831) Parent county:  Unorganized territory Namesake:  The Anatolian region of Ionia Seat:  Ionia (1837–) Land area:  571 square miles Population (2020):  66,804 Population (historic):  1,923 (1840); 16,682 (1860); 33,872 (1880); 34,329 (1900); 35,093 (1930) Periods of population growth:  pre-1840–1880; 1890s; 1950s; 1920–2020 Subdivisions:  Three cities; six villages; 16 townships Pre-1940 residences (estimated):  6,311 (25.4%) Pre-1940 housing survival rate:  65.4% Pre-1860 housing survival rate (1940):  11.2% Farm housing in disrepair (1950):  9.6% Nonfarm housing in disrepair (1950):  9.1% Average farmhouse value (1930):  $1,747 Average outbuilding value (1930):  $1,840 Average farmhouse size (1940):  7.3 rooms Number of farms (1920):  3,223 Average farm size (1920):  82.7 acres Sources of settlement:  New York, Ohio, and Canada _...

Founding:  1887 Parent county:  Chippewa Namesake:  Cyrus Luce, Michigan governor Seat:  Newberry (1887–) Land area:  899 square miles Population (2020):  5,339 Population (historic):  2,455 (1890); 4,044 (1910); 6,528 (1930) Periods of population growth:  pre-1890–1950; 1990s Subdivisions:  One village; four townships Pre-1940 residences (estimated):  448 (10.2%) Pre-1940 housing survival rate:  50.9% Farm housing in disrepair (1950):  26.9% Nonfarm housing in disrepair (1950):  21.7% Average farmhouse value (1930):  $884 Average outbuilding value (1930):  $906 Average farmhouse size (1940):  5.1 rooms Number of farms (1920):  194 Average farm size (1920):  51.7 acres Sources of settlement:  Canada, Sweden, and Finland _________________________________________________________________________________ Newberry Namesake:  John Newberry, Michigan politician ...

Founding:  1863 (declared in 1840) Parent county:  Mackinac Namesake:  A neologism coined by Henry Schoolcraft Seat:  Leland (1863–2008); Sutton's Bay (2008–) Land area:  347 square miles Population (2020):  22,301 Population (historic):  2,158 (1860); 6,253 (1880); 10,556 (1900); 8,206 (1930) Periods of population growth:  pre-1860–1910; 1930–2020 Subdivisions:  Three villages; seven CDPs; 11 townships Pre-1940 residences (estimated):  1,921 (12.5%) Pre-1940 housing survival rate:  73.4% Pre-1860 housing survival rate (1940):  3.9% Farm housing in disrepair (1950):  11.4% Nonfarm housing in disrepair (1950):  5.3% Average farmhouse value (1930):  $1,393 Average outbuilding value (1930):  $1,339 Average farmhouse size (1940):  6.4 rooms Number of farms (1920):  1,347 Average farm size (1920):  67.4 acres Sources of settlement:  Germany, Canada, New York, Norw...

Founding:  1821 Parent counties:  Vigo and unorganized territory Namesake:  Benjamin Parke, Indiana politician Seat:  Armiesburg (1821–1822); Rockville (1822–) Land area:  445 square miles Population (2020):  16,156 Population (historic):  7,535 (1830); 15,538 (1860); 19,460 (1880); 23,000 (1930); 16,561 (1930) Periods of population growth:  pre-1830–1900; 1930s; 1970s; 1990–2010 Subdivisions:  Six towns; 13 townships Pre-1940 residences (estimated):  1,886 (23.2%) Pre-1940 housing survival rate:  42% Pre-1860 housing survival rate (1940):  11.5% Farm housing in disrepair (1950):  11.9% Nonfarm housing in disrepair (1950):  11.7% Average farmhouse value (1930):  $1,144 Average outbuilding value (1930):  $891 Average farmhouse size (1940):  5.5 rooms Number of farms (1920):  2,228 Average farm size (1920):  73.2 acres Sources of settlement:  Kentucky, Ohio, North...

Founding:  1838 (declared in 1835) Parent county:  Unorganized territory Namesake:  William Whitley, Kentucky politician Seat:  Columbia City (1839–) Land area:  336 square miles Population (2020):  34,191 Population (historic):  1,237 (1840); 10,730 (1860); 16,941 (1880); 17,328 (1900); 15,931 (1930) Periods of population growth:  pre-1840–1890; 1920–2020 Subdivisions:  One city; three towns; one CDP; nine townships Pre-1940 residences (estimated):  3,367 (23.1%) Pre-1940 housing survival rate:  66.7% Pre-1860 housing survival rate (1940):  6.6% Farm housing in disrepair (1950):  6.1% Nonfarm housing in disrepair (1950):  6.3% Average farmhouse value (1930):  $1,475 Average outbuilding value (1930):  $1,513 Average farmhouse size (1940):  6.8 rooms Number of farms (1920):  2,041 Average farm size (1920):  78.2 acres Sources of settlement:  Ohio, Pennsylvania, an...

Founding:  1830 Parent counties:  Unorganized territory Namesake:  The Elkhart River Seat:  Dunlap (1830–1831); Goshen (1831–) Land area:  463 square miles Population (2020):  207,047 Population (historic):  935 (1830); 20,986 (1860); 33,454 (1880); 45,042 (1900); 68,875 (1930) Periods of population growth:  pre-1830–2020 Subdivisions:  Three cities; four towns; three CDPs; 16 townships Pre-1940 residences (estimated):  12,999 (16.6%) Pre-1940 housing survival rate:  63.1% Pre-1860 housing survival rate (1940):  16.4% Farm housing in disrepair (1950): 3.8% Nonfarm housing in disrepair (1950): 4.8% Average farmhouse value (1930):  $2,017 Average outbuilding value (1930):  $1,720 Average farmhouse size (1940):  6.9 rooms Number of farms (1920):  3,131 Average farm size (1920):  70.4 acres Sources of settlement:  Ohio, Pennsylvania, New York, Michigan, and Germany __________...

  Founding:  1835 Parent counties:  Cumberland and Wayne Namesake:  DeWitt Clinton, New York governor Seat:   Paoli (1835–1837); Albany (1837–) Land area:  197 square miles Population (2020):  9,253 Population (historic):  3,863 (1840); 5,781 (1860); 7,212 (1880); 7,871 (1900); 9,004 (1930) Periods of population growth:  pre-1840–1880; 1890–1950; 1970s; 1990–2010 Subdivisions:  One city Pre-1940 residences (estimated):  311 (5.9%) Pre-1940 housing survival rate:  20.3% Pre-1860 housing survival rate (1940):  7.6% Farm housing in disrepair (1950):  27.2% Nonfarm housing in disrepair (1950):  26.8% Average farmhouse value (1930):  $243 Average outbuilding value (1930):  $149 Average farmhouse size (1940):  4.1 rooms Number of farms (1920):  1,518 Average farm size (1920):  43.4 acres _________________________________________________________________________________ ...