The Great American Survey: A Slapdash Database of Historic Buildings

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 National Register listings:   13 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 _________________________________________________________________________________   Waseca   N

Founding:  1673 Parent county:  Unorganized territory Namesake:  The city of New Castle Seat:  New Castle (1664–1881); Wilmington (1881–) Land area:  426 square miles Population (2020):  570,719 Population (historic):  19,688 (1790); 33,120 (1840); 63,515 (1870); 109,697 (1900); 161,032 (1930) Periods of population growth:  pre-1790–1800; 1810–2020 Subdivisions:  Four cities; six towns; three villages; 13 CDPs National Register listings:   397 Pre-1940 residences (estimated):  26,905 (11.9%) Pre-1940 housing survival rate:  50.8% Pre-1860 housing survival rate (1940):  26.1% Farm housing in disrepair (1950):  4.3% Nonfarm housing in disrepair (1950):  4% Average farmhouse value (1930):  $3,988 Average outbuilding value (1930):  $4,124 Average farmhouse size (1940):  7.2 rooms Number of farms (1920):  1,825 Average farm size (1920):  88.9 acres _________________________________________________________________________________   New Castle  (ex-seat)   Namesake:  William Cavendish, First

Founding:  1779 Parent counties:  Chowan, Hertford, and Perquimans Namesake:  Horatio Gates, Continental Army officer Seat:  Gatesville (1781–) Land area:  340 square miles Population (2020):  10,478 Population (historic):  5,386 (1790); 7,866 (1830); 7,724 (1870); 10,413 (1900); 10,551 (1930) Periods of population growth:  pre-1790–1860; 1870–1930; 1970–2010 Subdivisions:  One town; one CDP National Register listings:   10 Pre-1940 residences (estimated):  463 (10%) Pre-1940 housing survival rate:  25.7% Pre-1860 housing survival rate (1940):  17.9% Farm housing in disrepair (1950):  22.5% Nonfarm housing in disrepair (1950):  29.6% Average farmhouse value (1930):  $746 Average outbuilding value (1930):  $238 Average farmhouse size (1940):  5.1 rooms Number of farms (1920):  1,583 Average farm size (1920):  31 acres _________________________________________________________________________________   Gatesville   Namesake:  Horatio Gates, Continental Army officer Founding:  1781 (foundi

Founding:  1798 Parent county:  Herkimer Namesake:  The Oneida tribe Seat:  Rome (1798–1871); Whitestown (1801–1871); Utica (1871–) Land area:  1,212 square miles Population (2020):  232,125 Population (historic):  22,047 (1800); 85,310 (1840); 110,008 (1870); 132,800 (1900); 198,763 (1930) Periods of population growth:  pre-1800–1970 Subdivisions:  Three cities; 16 villages; 17 CDPs; 26 towns National Register listings:   89 Pre-1940 residences (estimated):  34,137 (32.3%) Pre-1940 housing survival rate:  65.9% Pre-1860 housing survival rate (1940):  31.7% Farm housing in disrepair (1950):  10.3% Nonfarm housing in disrepair (1950):  4.1% Average farmhouse value (1930):  $2,014 Average outbuilding value (1930):  $2,056 Average farmhouse size (1940):  7.9 rooms Number of farms (1920):  6,233 Average farm size (1920):   60.9 acres _________________________________________________________________________________   Utica   Namesake:  The classical Mediterranean city of Utica Founding:  ci

Founding:  1671 Parent county:  Albemarle Namesake:  The Perquimans River Seat:  Hertford (1722–) Land area:  247 square miles Population (2020):  13,005 Population (historic):  5,439 (1790); 7,346 (1840); 7,945 (1870); 10,091 (1900); 10,668 (1930) Periods of population growth:  pre-1790–1830; 1860 –1880; 1890–1920; 1970–2010 Subdivisions:  Two towns National Register listings:   18 Pre-1940 residences (estimated):  819 (13.6%) Pre-1940 housing survival rate:  33.6% Pre-1860 housing survival rate (1940):  17.8% Farm housing in disrepair (1950):  27.4% Nonfarm housing in disrepair (1950):  28% Average farmhouse value (1930):  $698 Average outbuilding value (1930):  $348 Average farmhouse size (1940):  5.3 rooms Number of farms (1920):  1,462 Average farm size (1920):  33.1 acres _________________________________________________________________________________   Hertford   Namesake:  Hertford, England Founding:  1722 (founding as Phelps Point ); 1758 (incorporation) Population (2020):  1

Founding:  1776 Parent county:  Frederick Namesake:  George Washington, U.S. president Seat:  Hagerstown (1776–) Land area:  458 square miles Population (2020):  154,705 Population (historic):  15,822 (1790); 28,850 (1840); 34,712 (1870); 45,133 (1900); 65,882 (1930) Periods of population growth:  pre-1790–2020 Subdivisions:  One city; eight towns; 55 CDPs National Register listings:   103 Pre-1940 residences (estimated):  13,169 (21.3%) Pre-1940 housing survival rate:  74.6% Pre-1860 housing survival rate (1940):  36.5% Farm housing in disrepair (1950):  8.9% Nonfarm housing in disrepair (1950):  6.5% Average farmhouse value (1930):  $1,981 Average outbuilding value (1930):  $1,553 Average farmhouse size (1940):  7.1 rooms Number of farms (1920):  2,544 Average farm size (1920):  74.6 acres _________________________________________________________________________________   Hagerstown   Namesake:  Jonathan Hager, owner of the city site Founding:  1762 (platting as Elizabethtown ); 1792