Waseca County, Minnesota
Founding: 1857 Parent county: Steele Namesake: A Dakota word meaning "rich soil" Seat: Wilton (1857–1870); Waseca (1870–) Land area: 423 square miles Population (2020): 18,968 Population (historic): 2,601 (1860); 12,385 (1880); 14,760 (1900); 14,412 (1930) Periods of population growth: pre-1860–1900; 1910–1940; 1950–1980; 1990s Subdivisions: Four cities; 12 townships Pre-1940 residences (estimated): 2,085 (26.2%) Pre-1940 housing survival rate: 60.8% Pre-1860 housing survival rate (1940): 2.5% Farm housing in disrepair (1950): 3.9% Nonfarm housing in disrepair (1950): 3.5% Average farmhouse value (1930): $2,078 Average outbuilding value (1930): $2,425 Average farmhouse size (1940): 6.9 rooms Number of farms (1920): 1,609 Average farm size (1920): 120.1 acres Sources of settlement: Germany, Wisconsin, Sweden, New York, and Ireland ______________________________________...