Mecosta County, Michigan

Founding: 1859 (declared in 1840)
Parent county: Unorganized territory

Namesake: Mecosta, Potawatomi chief
Seat: Big Rapids (1859–)

Land area: 555 square miles

Population (2020): 39,714

Population (historic): 970 (1860); 13,973 (1880); 20,693 (1900); 15,738 (1930)

Periods of population growth: pre-1860–1900; 1930–2010

Subdivisions: One city; four villages; one CDP; 16 townships

National Register listings: Three

Pre-1940 residences (estimated): 2,414 (11.3%)
Pre-1940 housing survival rate: 60.9%

Farm housing in disrepair (1950): 21.4%

Nonfarm housing in disrepair (1950): 9%
Average farmhouse value (1930): $1,103
Average outbuilding value (1930): $1,058
Average farmhouse size (1940): 6.2 rooms
Number of farms (1920): 2,676
Average farm size (1920): 61.8 acres
Sources of settlement: Michigan, New York, Canada, Ohio, Pennsylvania, and Germany
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Big Rapids

Namesake: Rapids along the Muskegon River

Founding: 1859 (platting); 1859 (post office); 1869 (incorporation)

Population (2020): 7,727

Population (historic): 1,237 (1870); 5,303 (1890); 4,519 (1910); 4,671 (1930)

Periods of population growth: 1859–1890; 1910–1980
Pre-1940 residences (estimated): 742 (20.2%)
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