Buena Vista County, Iowa

Founding: 1858 (declared in 1851)
Parent county: Unorganized territory
Namesake: The Battle of Buena Vista, fought during the Mexican–American War
Seat: Sioux Rapids (1868–1877); Storm Lake (1877–)
Land area: 575 square miles
Population (2020): 20,823
Population (historic): 57 (1860); 7,537 (1880); 16,975 (1900); 18,667 (1930)
Periods of population growth: 1860–1900; 1910–1960; 1990s; 2010s
Subdivisions: Ten cities; 16 townships
National Register listings: 10
Pre-1940 residences (estimated): 2,360 (28.5%)
Pre-1940 housing survival rate: 53.3%

Farm housing in disrepair (1950): 2%

Nonfarm housing in disrepair (1950): 5.2%

Average farmhouse value (1930): $2,562
Average outbuilding value (1930): $3,369
Average farmhouse size (1940): 6.9 rooms
Number of farms (1920): 2,055
Average farm size (1920): 158.7 acres
Sources of settlement: Iowa, Illinois, Sweden, Germany, Denmark, and Norway
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Storm Lake

 
Namesake: Storm Lake
Founding: 1870 (platting); 1870 (post office); 1873 (incorporation)
Population (2020): 11,269
Population (historic): 1,034 (1880); 2,169 (1900); 4,157 (1930)
Periods of population growth: 1870–1980; 1990–2020
Pre-1940 residences (estimated): 694 (17.6%)
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Outstanding Buildings

1. *Jesse Allee Farm (1891). 2020 640th Road. Newell. Queen Anne.