Washburn County, Wisconsin

Founding: 1883
Parent county: Burnett
Namesake: Cadwallader Washburn, Wisconsin governor
Seat: Shell Lake (1883–)
Land area: 797 square miles
Population (2020): 16,623
Population (historic): 2,926 (1890); 5,521 (1900); 8,196 (1910); 11,377 (1920)
Periods of population growth: pre-1890–1920; 1930s; 1960–2000; 2010s
Subdivisions: Two cities; two villages; three CDPs; 21 towns
Pre-1940 residences (estimated): 1,295 (10.1%)
Pre-1940 housing survival rate: 49%

Farm housing in disrepair (1950): 14.3%

Nonfarm housing in disrepair (1950): 7.7%

Average farmhouse value (1930): $1,128
Average outbuilding value (1930): $1,129

Average farmhouse size (1940): 4.8 rooms

Number of farms (1920): 1,380
Average farm size (1920): 41.9 acres
Sources of settlement: Wisconsin, Minnesota, Iowa, Germany, Sweden, and Norway
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Shell Lake

 
Namesake: Shell Lake
Founding: 1880 (post office); 1961 (incorporation)
Population (2020): 1,371
Population (historic): 902 (1910); 920 (1920); 826 (1930)
Periods of population growth: pre-1910–1920; 1930–1960; 1970–2010
Pre-1940 residences (estimated): 103 (10.9%)
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Outstanding Buildings

1. Polson House (1917). 1900 Trail's End Road. Spooner. Prairie.

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