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

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.

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