Stephenson County, Illinois

Founding: 1837
Parent counties: Jo Daviess and Winnebago

Namesake: Benjamin Stephenson, Illinois politician
Seat: Freeport (1838–)

Land area: 565 square miles

Population (2020): 44,630

Population (historic): 2,800 (1840); 25,112 (1860); 31,963 (1880); 34,933 (1900); 40,064 (1930)

Periods of population growth: pre-1840–1880; 1890–1980; 1990s

Subdivisions: One city; one town; nine villages; one CDP; 18 townships

Pre-1940 residences (estimated): 7,644 (34.8%)
Pre-1940 housing survival rate: 69%
Pre-1860 housing survival rate (1940): 9.4%

Farm housing in disrepair (1950): 4.3%

Nonfarm housing in disrepair (1950): 3.4%

Average farmhouse value (1930): $2,705
Average outbuilding value (1930): $3,338

Average farmhouse size (1940): 7.3 rooms
Number of farms (1920): 2,794
Average farm size (1920): 104.4 acres
Sources of settlement: Pennsylvania, Germany, New York, Wisconsin, and Ireland
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Freeport

Namesake: Unclear

Founding: 1836 (platting as Winneshiek); 1837 (post office); 1838 (incorporation)

Population (2020): 23,973

Population (historic): 491 (1840); 5,376 (1860); 8,516 (1880); 13,258 (1900); 22,045 (1930)

Periods of population growth: pre-1840–1970; 1990s
Pre-1940 residences (estimated): 4,221 (34.3%)
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Outstanding Buildings

1. John Addams House (1846/1854). 425 North Mill Street. Buckeye. Greek Revival.
2. William Ritzman House (c. 1847). 10715 State Route 26. Buckeye. Greek Revival.
3. John Bechtel Farm (c. 1855). 4865 Bolton Road. Florence. Greek Revival.
4. Hiram Bright Farm (c. 1865). 4488 US Highway 20B. Harlem. Italianate.
5. Perez Tisdel House (1852). 4920 US Highway 20B. Harlem. Greek Revival.
6. Brown's Mill (c. 1855). 1066 Brown's Mill Road. Silver Creek.
7. Godfrey Vought House (c. 1860). 5673 Crane's Grove Road. Silver Creek. Greek Revival.
8. Charles Rosenstiel Farm (c. 1860). 1393 East South Street. Silver Creek. Italianate.
9. Samuel Fisher House (c. 1855). 7200 Fisher Road. Waddams. Greek Revival.
10. Isaac Swart Farm (1857). 8347 Range Road. Waddams. Greek Revival.
11. August Schudt Farm (c. 1870). 11267 Fisher Road. West Point. Italianate.
12. Luman Montague Farm (c. 1850). 12216 Pinhook Road. West Point. Greek Revival.

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