Shelby County, Iowa

Founding: 1853 (declared in 1851)
Parent counties: Pottawattamie and unorganized territory
Namesake: Isaac Shelby, Kentucky governor
Seat: Shelbyville (1853–1859); Harlan (1859–)
Land area: 598 square miles
Population (2020): 11,746
Population (historic): 818 (1860); 12,696 (1880); 17,932 (1900); 17,131 (1930)
Periods of population growth: pre-1860–1900; 1920s
Subdivisions: 11 cities; two CDPs; 18 townships
Pre-1940 residences (estimated): 2,197 (39.4%)
Pre-1940 housing survival rate: 55.6%

Farm housing in disrepair (1950): 3.6%

Nonfarm housing in disrepair (1950): 2%

Average farmhouse value (1930): $2,574
Average outbuilding value (1930): $3,082
Average farmhouse size (1940): 6.6 rooms
Number of farms (1920): 2,049
Average farm size (1920): 162.8 acres
Sources of settlement: Iowa, Illinois, Denmark, Ohio, Germany, Pennsylvania, and Indiana
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Harlan

 
Namesake: James Harlan, Iowa politician
Founding: 1858 (platting); 1859 (post office); 1879 (incorporation)
Population (2020): 4,893
Population (historic): 128 (1870); 1,765 (1890); 2,570 (1910); 3,145 (1930)
Periods of population growth: 1858–1980; 1990s
Pre-1940 residences (estimated): 730 (28.3%)
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