Lafayette County, Wisconsin

Founding: 1847
Parent county: Iowa

Namesake: The Marquis de Lafayette, Continental Army general
Seat: Shullsburg (1846–1857); Darlington (1857–)

Land area: 634 square miles

Population (2020): 16,611

Population (historic): 11,531 (1850); 22,659 (1870); 20,265 (1890); 20,075 (1910)

Periods of population growth: pre-1850–1870; 1890s; 1990–2010

Subdivisions: Two cities; six villages; two CDPs; 18 towns

National Register listings: 12

Pre-1940 residences (estimated): 2,515 (34.6%)
Pre-1940 housing survival rate: 59.1%
Pre-1860 housing survival rate (1940): 8.5%

Farm housing in disrepair (1950): 2.6%

Nonfarm housing in disrepair (1950): 6.4%

Average farmhouse value (1930): $2,048
Average outbuilding value (1930): $2,756
Average farmhouse size (1940): 6.9 rooms
Number of farms (1920): 2,360
Average farm size (1920): 115.5 acres
Sources of settlement: Ireland, England, Norway, Germany, Illinois, Pennsylvania, New York, and Ohio
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Darlington

Namesake: Joshua Darling, New York land speculator

Founding: 1850 (platting); 1851 (post office); 1865 (incorporation)

Population (2020): 2,462

Population (historic): 1,372 (1880); 1,808 (1900); 1,764 (1930)

Periods of population growth: pre-1880–1900; 1930–1970; 1990–2020
Pre-1940 residences (estimated): 386 (35.8%)
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Outstanding Buildings

1. *Wisconsin Territorial Capitol (1836). 19101 Road G. Belmont.
2. *Jacob Jenkyn House (1841). 9653 Road H. Benton.
3. *Bainbridge House (c. 1855). 143 Road J. Benton.
4. Immaculate Conception Catholic Church (c. 1905). 20984 Road Z. Kendall. Romanesque.
5. *Thomas Hunt House (c. 1860). 14241 Goodman Road. Lamont. Greek Revival.
6. *Elijah Townsend Farm (c. 1845). 22946 Doyle Lane. Shullsburg. Greek Revival.
7. *Henry Gratiot House (c. 1835). 9646 Rennick Road. Shullsburg.
8. *Rennick House (c. 1855). 20106 Rennick Road. Shullsburg. Gothic Revival.
9. *Daniel Parkinson House (1834). 21045 State Route 23. Willow Springs.