Clayton County, Iowa
Founding: 1837 Parent county: Dubuque Namesake: John Clayton, Delaware politician Seat: Prairie LaPorte (1837–1843); Garnavillo (1843–1856, 1859–1868); Guttenberg (1856–1859); Elkader (1868–) Land area: 779 square miles Population (2020): 17,043 Population (historic): 3,873 (1850); 27,771 (1870); 26,733 (1890); 25,576 (1910); 24,559 (1930) Periods of population growth: pre-1850–1880; 1890s; 1970s Subdivisions: 17 cities; 22 townships Pre-1940 residences (estimated): 3,588 (39.4%) Pre-1940 housing survival rate: 61.2% Pre-1860 housing survival rate (1940): 7.5% Farm housing in disrepair (1950): 7.2% Nonfarm housing in disrepair (1950): 6.9% Average farmhouse value (1930): $2,762 Average outbuilding value (1930): $3,425 Average farmhouse size (1940): 6.9 rooms Number of farms (1920): 3,101 Average farm size (1920): 105.6 acres Sources of settlement: Germany, Ill...