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

National Register listings: 18

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.