The Great American Survey: A Slapdash Database of Historic Buildings

Founding:  1831 Parent county:  Putnam Namesake:  Daniel Cook, Illinois politician Seat:  Chicago (1831–) Land area:  945 square miles Population (2020):  5,275,541 Population (historic):  10,201 (1840); 144,954 (1860); 607,524 (1880); 1,838,735 (1900); 3,982,123 (1930) Periods of population growth:  pre-1840–1970; 1990s; 2010s Subdivisions:  23 cities; one town; 111 villages; 29 townships Pre-1940 residences (estimated):  645,442 (29.3%) Pre-1940 housing survival rate:  48% Pre-1860 housing survival rate (1940):  13.4% Farm housing in disrepair (1950):  4.7% Nonfarm housing in disrepair (1950):  5.2% Average farmhouse value (1930):  $3,090 Average outbuilding value (1930):  $2,939 Average farmhouse size (1940):  6.4 rooms Number of farms (1920):  5,305 Average farm size (1920):  57.2 acres Sources of settlement:  Germany, Ireland, New York, and England _________...

Founding:  1833 Parent county:  Vermilion Namesake:  Prairies within the county Seat:  Urbana (1833–) Land area:  996 square miles Population (2020):  205,865 Population (historic):  1,475 (1840); 14,629 (1860); 40,863 (1880); 47,622 (1900); 64,273 (1930) Periods of population growth:  pre-1840–2020 Subdivisions:  Two cities; 21 villages; three CDPs; 30 townships Pre-1940 residences (estimated):  11,451 (12.3%) Pre-1940 housing survival rate:  51.8% Pre-1860 housing survival rate (1940):  7% Farm housing in disrepair (1950):  3.9% Nonfarm housing in disrepair (1950):  4.3% Average farmhouse value (1930):  $2,321 Average outbuilding value (1930):  $2,673 Average farmhouse size (1940):  6.6 rooms Number of farms (1920):  3,666 Average farm size (1920):  161.2 acres Sources of settlement:  Ohio, Indiana, Germany, Ireland, Pennsylvania, New York, and Kentucky _______...

Founding:  1812 Parent counties:  Randolph and St. Clair Namesake:  James Madison, U.S. president Seat:  Edwardsville (1812–) Land area:  716 square miles Population (2020):  264,776 Population (historic):  13,550 (1820); 20,441 (1850); 44,131 (1870); 64,694 (1900); 143,830 (1930) Periods of population growth:  pre-1820; 1830–1970; 1980–2010 Subdivisions:  Ten cities; 19 villages; three CDPs; 24 townships Pre-1940 residences (estimated):  15,823 (13.2%) Pre-1940 housing survival rate:  48.3% Pre-1860 housing survival rate (1940):  19.5% Farm housing in disrepair (1950):  6.7% Nonfarm housing in disrepair (1950):  9.1% Average farmhouse value (1930):  $1,839 Average outbuilding value (1930):  $1,286 Average farmhouse size (1940):  5.7 rooms Number of farms (1920):  3,454 Average farm size (1920):  99.5 acres Sources of settlement:  Germany, Missouri, Ireland, Switz...

Founding:  1825 Parent county:  Fulton Namesake:  The Peoria people Seat:  Peoria (1825–) Land area:  619 square miles Population (2020):  181,830 Population (historic):  6,153 (1840); 36,601 (1860); 55,355 (1880); 88,608 (1900); 141,344 (1930) Periods of population growth:  pre-1840–1980; 1990–2010 Subdivisions:  Four cities; 11 villages; two CDPs; 20 townships Pre-1940 residences (estimated):  18,322 (21.9%) Pre-1940 housing survival rate:  37.6% Pre-1860 housing survival rate (1940):  10.4% Farm housing in disrepair (1950):  4.4% Nonfarm housing in disrepair (1950):  5.3% Average farmhouse value (1930):  $2,363 Average outbuilding value (1930):  $2,309 Average farmhouse size (1940):  6.4 rooms Number of farms (1920):  2,499 Average farm size (1920):  105.5 acres Sources of settlement:  Germany, Ohio, Ireland, New York, Pennsylvania, and England _______________...

Founding:  1836 Parent counties:  Cook, Iroquois, and unorganized territory Namesake:  Conrad Will, Illinois politician and physician Seat:  Joliet (1836–) Land area:  837 square miles Population (2020):  696,355 Population (historic):  10,167 (1840); 29,321 (1860); 53,422 (1880); 74,764 (1900); 110,732 (1930) Periods of population growth:  pre-1840–2020 Subdivisions:  Five cities; 20 villages; seven CDPs; 24 townships Pre-1940 residences (estimated):  16,722 (6.8%) Pre-1940 housing survival rate:  56.5% Pre-1860 housing survival rate (1940):  14.2% Farm housing in disrepair (1950):  5.4% Nonfarm housing in disrepair (1950):  4.5% Average farmhouse value (1930):  $2,700 Average outbuilding value (1930):  $3,066 Average farmhouse size (1940):  7.2 rooms Number of farms (1920):  3,385 Average farm size (1920):  127.3 acres Sources of settlement:  Germany, Ireland, N...

Founding:  1836 Parent county:  Unorganized territory Namesake:  Elias Kane, Illinois politician Seat:  Geneva (1836–) Land area:  520 square miles Population (2020):  516,522 Population (historic):  6,501 (1840); 30,062 (1860); 44,939 (1880); 78,792 (1900); 125,327 (1930) Periods of population growth:  pre-1840–2020 Subdivisions:  Five cities; 18 villages; one CDP; 16 townships Pre-1940 residences (estimated):  25,109 (13.3%) Pre-1940 housing survival rate:  67.5% Pre-1860 housing survival rate (1940):  19% Farm housing in disrepair (1950):  4.6% Nonfarm housing in disrepair (1950):  2.3% Average farmhouse value (1930):  $3,108 Average outbuilding value (1930):  $5,079 Average farmhouse size (1940):  7.4 rooms Number of farms (1920):  2,248 Average farm size (1920):  113.2 acres Sources of settlement:  New York, Germany, Ireland, Sweden, England, Canada, and Penn...

Founding:  1821 Parent counties:  Crawford and Edwards Namesake:  James Lawrence, U.S. naval officer Seat:  Lawrenceville (1821–) Land area:  372 square miles Population (2020):  15,280 Population (historic):  3,668 (1830); 6,121 (1850); 12,533 (1870); 16,523 (1900); 21,885 (1930) Periods of population growth:  pre-1830–1840; 1850–1910; 1920s; 1970s; 2000s Subdivisions:  Four cities; one village; nine townships Pre-1940 residences (estimated):  2,067 (29.1%) Pre-1940 housing survival rate:  36.9% Pre-1860 housing survival rate (1940):  3.9% Farm housing in disrepair (1950):  19.8% Nonfarm housing in disrepair (1950):  13.5% Average farmhouse value (1930):  $1,012 Average outbuilding value (1930):  $842 Average farmhouse size (1940):  5.2 rooms Number of farms (1920):  1,710 Average farm size (1920):  105.6 acres Sources of settlement:  Indiana, Ohio, and Kentucky ...

Founding:  1830 Parent counties:  Clark and Edgar Namesake:  Edward Coles, Illinois governor Seat:  Charleston (1831–) Land area:  508 square miles Population (2020):  46,863 Population (historic):  9,616 (1840); 14,203 (1860); 27,042 (1880); 34,146 (1900); 37,315 (1930) Periods of population growth:  pre-1840; 1850–1980; 1990–2010 Subdivisions:  Two cities; four villages; 12 townships Pre-1940 residences (estimated):  5,292 (22.5%) Pre-1940 housing survival rate:  50.5% Pre-1860 housing survival rate (1940):  8.3% Farm housing in disrepair (1950):  9% Nonfarm housing in disrepair (1950):  6.7% Average farmhouse value (1930):  $1,906 Average outbuilding value (1930):  $1,516 Average farmhouse size (1940):  5.8 rooms Number of farms (1920):  2,332 Average farm size (1920):  111 acres Sources of settlement:  Indiana, Ohio, and Kentucky _____________________________...

Founding:  1816 Parent counties:  Randolph and St. Clair Namesake:  James Monroe, U.S. president Seat:   Harrisonville (1816–1825); Waterloo (1825–) Land area:  385 square miles Population (2020):  34,962 Population (historic):  1,537 (1820); 7,679 (1850); 12,982 (1870); 13,847 (1900); 12,369 (1930) Periods of population growth:  pre-1820–1880; 1890s; 1930–2020 Subdivisions:  Two cities; four villages Pre-1940 residences (estimated):  1,770 (12.6%) Pre-1940 housing survival rate:  55.6% Pre-1860 housing survival rate (1940):  12.5% Farm housing in disrepair (1950):  7.2% Nonfarm housing in disrepair (1950):  5.4% Average farmhouse value (1930):  $1,291 Average outbuilding value (1930):  $1,242 Average farmhouse size (1940):  5.2 rooms Number of farms (1920):  1,498 Average farm size (1920):  109.5 acres Sources of settlement:  Germany and Missouri ______________________________...

Founding:  1829 Parent county:  Unorganized territory Namesake:  Nathaniel Macon, North Carolina politician Seat:  Decatur (1829–) Land area:  581 square miles Population (2020):  103,998 Population (historic):  1,122 (1830); 3,988 (1850); 26,481 (1870); 44,003 (1900); 81,731 (1930) Periods of population growth:  pre-1830–1980 Subdivisions:  Three cities; nine villages; one CDP; 17 townships Pre-1940 residences (estimated):  9,589 (19%) Pre-1940 housing survival rate:  43.1% Pre-1860 housing survival rate (1940):  12.5% Farm housing in disrepair (1950):  4.9% Nonfarm housing in disrepair (1950):  4.2% Average farmhouse value (1930):  $2,161 Average outbuilding value (1930):  $1,957 Average farmhouse size (1940):  6.1 rooms Number of farms (1920):  2,528 Average farm size (1920):  131.8 acres Sources of settlement:  Ohio, Pennsylvania, Indiana, Kentucky, Germany, I...

Founding:  1827 Parent county:  Unorganized territory Namesake:  Littleton Tazewell, Virginia governor Seat:  Mackinaw (1827–1831); Pekin (1831–) Land area:  649 square miles Population (2020):  131,343 Population (historic):  4,716 (1830); 12,052 (1850); 27,903 (1870); 33,221 (1900); 46,082 (1930) Periods of population growth:  pre-1830–1880; 1890–1980; 1990–2010 Subdivisions:  Six cities; ten villages; one CDP; 19 townships Pre-1940 residences (estimated):  9,375 (15.9%) Pre-1940 housing survival rate:  48% Pre-1860 housing survival rate (1940):  15.5% Farm housing in disrepair (1950):  5.8% Nonfarm housing in disrepair (1950):  8.6% Average farmhouse value (1930):  $2,561 Average outbuilding value (1930):  $2,426 Average farmhouse size (1940):  6.9 rooms Number of farms (1920):  2,536 Average farm size (1920):  131.6 acres Sources of settlement:  Germany, Ohio,...

Founding:  1837 (declared in 1836) Parent county:  Cook Namesake:  William McHenry, Illinois politician Seat:  McHenry (1836–1843); Woodstock (1843–) Land area:  603 square miles Population (2020):  310,229 Population (historic):  2,578 (1840); 22,089 (1860); 24,908 (1880); 29,759 (1900); 35,079 (1930) Periods of population growth:  pre-1840–2020 Subdivisions:  Five cities; two CDPs; 17 townships Pre-1940 residences (estimated):  9,246 (7.8%) Pre-1940 housing survival rate:  82.7% Pre-1860 housing survival rate (1940):  12.5% Farm housing in disrepair (1950):  4.5% Nonfarm housing in disrepair (1950):  2% Average farmhouse value (1930):  $2,483 Average outbuilding value (1930):  $3,560 Average farmhouse size (1940):  7.6 rooms Number of farms (1920):  2,874 Average farm size (1920):  92 acres Sources of settlement:  New York, Germany, Ireland, Wisconsin, and Vermo...

Founding:  1826 Parent county:  Clark Namesake:  The Vermilion River Seat:  Danville (1827–) Land area:  898 square miles Population (2020):  74,188 Population (historic):  5,836 (1830); 11,492 (1850); 30,388 (1870); 65,635 (1900); 89,339 (1930) Periods of population growth:  pre-1830–1930; 1940–1970 Subdivisions:  Three cities; 18 villages; one CDP; 19 townships Pre-1940 residences (estimated):  12,742 (35.3%) Pre-1940 housing survival rate:  45.1% Pre-1860 housing survival rate (1940):  6.7% Farm housing in disrepair (1950):  8.5% Nonfarm housing in disrepair (1950):  8.6% Average farmhouse value (1930):  $1,963 Average outbuilding value (1930):  $1,562 Average farmhouse size (1940):  6.1 rooms Number of farms (1920):  3,587 Average farm size (1920):  133.6 acres Sources of settlement:  Indiana, Ohio, Kentucky, Germany, and Pennsylvania ________________________...

Founding:  1839 Parent county:  Cook Namesake:  The DuPage River Seat:  Naperville (1839–1867); Wheaton (1867–) Land area:  327 square miles Population (2020):  932,877 Population (historic):  3,535 (1840); 14,701 (1860); 19,161 (1880); 28,196 (1900); 91,998 (1930) Periods of population growth:  pre-1840–2020 Subdivisions:  Seven cities; 20 villages; nine townships Pre-1940 residences (estimated):  19,432 (5.4%) Pre-1940 housing survival rate:  76.3% Pre-1860 housing survival rate (1940):  19.8% Farm housing in disrepair (1950):  4.8% Nonfarm housing in disrepair (1950):  2% Average farmhouse value (1930):  $3,520 Average outbuilding value (1930):  $3,537 Average farmhouse size (1940):  6.8 rooms Number of farms (1920):  1,756 Average farm size (1920):  88.6 acres Sources of settlement:  Germany, New York, Pennsylvania, and England _______________________________...