The Great American Survey: A Slapdash Database of Historic Buildings

Founding:  1879 (declared in 1857) Parent county:  Unorganized territory Namesake:  Quartzite quarries in the area Seat:  Pipestone (1879–) Land area:  465 square miles Population (2020):  9,424 Population (historic):  2,092 (1880); 9,264 (1900); 12,238 (1930) Periods of population growth:  pre-1880–1950 Subdivisions:  Nine cities; 12 townships Pre-1940 residences (estimated):  1,258 (28.9%) Pre-1940 housing survival rate:  46.7% Farm housing in disrepair (1950):  6.4% Nonfarm housing in disrepair (1950):  5.9% Average farmhouse value (1930):  $1,894 Average outbuilding value (1930):  $2,730 Average farmhouse size (1940):  6.5 rooms Number of farms (1920):  1,187 Average farm size (1920):  209 acres Sources of settlement:  Minnesota, Iowa, Wisconsin, Germany, Illinois, Norway, and New York _________________________________________________________________________________   Pipestone  ...

Founding:  1853 Parent county:  Wabasha Namesake:  Millard Fillmore, U.S. president Seat:  Chatfield (1853–1855);  Carimona (1855–1856); Preston (1856–) Land area:  861 square miles Population (2020):  21,228 Population (historic):  13,542 (1860); 28,162 (1880); 28,288 (1900); 24,748 (1930) Periods of population growth:  pre-1860–1880; 1890s; 1930s; 1990s; 2010s Subdivisions:  13 cities; 24 townships Pre-1940 residences (estimated):  3,489 (34.9%) Pre-1940 housing survival rate:  60.9% Pre-1860 housing survival rate (1940):  3.5% Farm housing in disrepair (1950):  3.8% Nonfarm housing in disrepair (1950):  5.9% Average farmhouse value (1930):  $1,919 Average outbuilding value (1930):  $2,433 Average farmhouse size (1940):  6.6 rooms Number of farms (1920):  3,177 Average farm size (1920):  118.4 acres Sources of settlement:  Norway, New York, Wisconsin, Germany, Canada, and...

Founding:  1906 Parent county:  Norman Namesake:  The city of Mahnomen Seat:  Mahnomen (1906–) Land area:  558 square miles Population (2020):  5,411 Population (historic):  3,249 (1910); 6,197 (1920); 6,153 (1930) Periods of population growth:  pre-1910–1920; 1930s; 1990–2010 Subdivisions:  Three cities; nine CDPs; 16 townships Pre-1940 residences (estimated):  417 (15%) Pre-1940 housing survival rate:  38.4% Farm housing in disrepair (1950):  17.5% Nonfarm housing in disrepair (1950):  19.2% Average farmhouse value (1930):  $844 Average outbuilding value (1930):  $1,062 Average farmhouse size (1940):  4.1 rooms Number of farms (1920):  590 Average farm size (1920):  139.4 acres Sources of settlement:  Minnesota, Germany, Czechoslovakia, Iowa, and Scandinavia _________________________________________________________________________________   Mahnomen   Namesake:  An Ojibwe word...

Founding:  1853 (declared in 1849) Parent county:  Unorganized territory Namesake:  The city of Wabasha Seat:  Wabasha (1854–) Land area:  523 square miles Population (2020):  21,387 Population (historic):  7,228 (1860); 18,206 (1880); 18,924 (1900); 19,613 (1930) Periods of population growth:  1850–1880; 1890s; 1920s; 1950–2010 Subdivisions:  11 cities; 17 townships Pre-1940 residences (estimated):  2,194 (21.4%) Pre-1940 housing survival rate:  63% Pre-1860 housing survival rate (1940):  4.5% Farm housing in disrepair (1950):  7.5% Nonfarm housing in disrepair (1950):  5.9% Average farmhouse value (1930):  $2,138 Average outbuilding value (1930):  $2,943 Average farmhouse size (1940):  7 rooms Number of farms (1920):  1,831 Average farm size (1920):  121.9 acres Sources of settlement:  Germany, New York, Wisconsin, and Ireland ____________________________________________________________...

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 ______________________________________...

Founding:  1902 Parent county:  Beltrami Namesake:  The Clearwater River or Clearwater Lake Seat:  Bagley (1902–) Land area:  999 square miles Population (2020):  8,524 Population (historic):  6,870 (1910); 8,569 (1920); 9,546 (1930) Periods of population growth:  pre-1910–1940 Subdivisions:  Five cities; five CDPs; 23 townships Pre-1940 residences (estimated):  733 (15.3%) Pre-1940 housing survival rate:  29.1% Farm housing in disrepair (1950):  15.6% Nonfarm housing in disrepair (1950):  16.3% Average farmhouse value (1930):  $850 Average outbuilding value (1930):  $762 Average farmhouse size (1940):  3.9 rooms Number of farms (1920):  1,253 Average farm size (1920):  52.4 acres Sources of settlement:  Norway, Sweden, Minnesota, and Wisconsin _________________________________________________________________________________   Bagley   Namesake:  Sumner Bagley, Minnesota lumberm...

Founding:  1861 (declared in 1860) Parent county:  Brown Namesake:  The Watonwan River Seat:  Madelia (1860–1878); St. James (1878–) Land area:  435 square miles Population (2020):  11,253 Population (historic):  2,426 (1870); 7,746 (1890); 11,332 (1910); 12,802 (1930) Periods of population growth:  pre-1870–1900; 1910s Subdivisions:  Eight cities; 12 townships Pre-1940 residences (estimated):  1,878 (37.1%) Pre-1940 housing survival rate:  55.4% Farm housing in disrepair (1950):  4% Nonfarm housing in disrepair (1950):  2.7% Average farmhouse value (1930):  $2,236 Average outbuilding value (1930):  $2,513 Average farmhouse size (1940):  6.6 rooms Number of farms (1920):  1,402 Average farm size (1920):  161.2 acres Sources of settlement:  Norway, Sweden, Germany, Illinois, and Russia _________________________________________________________________________________   St. James   Name...

Founding:  1854 Parent county:  Fillmore Namesake:  Samuel Houston, Texas politician Seat:  Houston (1854–1855); Caledonia (1855–) Land area:  552 square miles Population (2020):  18,843 Population (historic):  6,645 (1860); 16,332 (1880); 15,400 (1900); 13,834 (1930) Periods of population growth:  pre-1860–1870; 1950s Subdivisions:  Seven cities; 17 townships Pre-1940 residences (estimated):  2,129 (24.3%) Pre-1940 housing survival rate:  61.9% Pre-1860 housing survival rate (1940):  3.5% Farm housing in disrepair (1950): 5.8% Nonfarm housing in disrepair (1950): 5.3% Average farmhouse value (1930):  $1,712 Average outbuilding value (1930):  $2,361 Average farmhouse size (1940):  6.7 rooms Number of farms (1920):  1,978 Average farm size (1920):  89.2 acres Sources of settlement:  Norway, Germany, Ireland, Wisconsin, and New York ____________________________________________________________________...

Founding:  1879 (declared in 1849) Parent county:  Unorganized territory Namesake:  Norman Kittson, Minnesota businessman Seat:  Hallock (1879–) Land area:  1,099 square miles Population (2020):  4,207 Population (historic):  905 (1880); 7,889 (1900); 9,688 (1930) Periods of population growth:  1870–1920; 1930s Subdivisions:  Nine cities; 26 townships; three territories Pre-1940 residences (estimated):  616 (23.6%) Pre-1940 housing survival rate:  33.9% Farm housing in disrepair (1950):  6.1% Nonfarm housing in disrepair (1950):  6% Average farmhouse value (1930):  $1,358 Average outbuilding value (1930):  $1,254 Average farmhouse size (1940):  4.8 rooms Number of farms (1920):  1,409 Average farm size (1920):  242.8 acres Sources of settlement:  Minnesota, Sweden, Norway, and Canada _________________________________________________________________________________ Hallock Namesake:  Charl...

  Founding:  1873 (declared in 1858) Parent counties:  Cass and Kittson Namesake:  James Polk, U.S. president Seat:  Crookston (1873–) Land area:  1,971 square miles Population (2020):  31,192 Population (historic):  11,433 (1880); 35,429 (1900); 36,019 (1930) Periods of population growth:  1870–1900 Subdivisions:  15 cities; 58 townships Pre-1940 residences (estimated):  3,344 (22.4%) Pre-1940 housing survival rate:  41.7% Farm housing in disrepair (1950): 12.5% Nonfarm housing in disrepair (1950): 7.7% Average farmhouse value (1930):  $1,307 Average outbuilding value (1930):  $1,448 Average farmhouse size (1940):  5.4 rooms Number of farms (1920):  4,200 Average farm size (1920):  200.5 acres Sources of settlement:  Norway, Sweden, Wisconsin, North Dakota, Canada, Germany, and France _________________________________________________________________________________ Crookston Namesake:  Willia...

  Founding:  1856 (declared in 1855) Parent counties:  Blue Earth, Le Sueur, and Rice Namesake:  Franklin Steele, early Minnesota resident Seat:  Owatonna (1856–) Land area:  430 square miles Population (2020):  37,406 Population (historic):  2,863 (1860); 12,400 (1880); 16,524 (1900); 18,475 (1930) Periods of population growth:  pre-1860–1880; 1890s; 1910s; 1950s; 1970s Subdivisions:  Four cities; 13 townships Pre-1940 residences (estimated):  3,246 (20.9%) Pre-1940 housing survival rate:  72.5% Pre-1860 housing survival rate (1940):  5.2% Farm housing in disrepair (1950): 2.6% Nonfarm housing in disrepair (1950): 2.8% Average farmhouse value (1930):  $2,180 Average outbuilding value (1930):  $2,879 Average farmhouse size (1940):  6.9 rooms Number of farms (1920):  1,860 Average farm size (1920):  114.6 acres Sources of settlement:  New York, Germany, Wisconsin, Norway, Czechoslovakia, and De...

Founding:  1854 (declared in 1853) Parent counties:  Dakota and Wabasha Namesake:  James Goodhue, Minnesota newspaper publisher Seat:  Red Wing (1853–) Land area:  757 square miles Population (2020):  47,582 Population (historic):  8,977 (1860); 29,651 (1880); 31,137 (1900); 31,317 (1930) Periods of population growth:  pre-1860–1880; 1890s; 1970s; 1990s Subdivisions:  Nine cities; one CDP; 21 townships Pre-1940 residences (estimated):  5,533 (26.9%) Pre-1940 housing survival rate:  64.9% Pre-1860 housing survival rate (1940):  4.3% Farm housing in disrepair (1950): 4.8% Nonfarm housing in disrepair (1950): 4.8% Average farmhouse value (1930):  $2,123 Average outbuilding value (1930):  $2,507 Average farmhouse size (1940):  6.9 rooms Number of farms (1920):  3,128 Average farm size (1920):  111.2 acres Sources of settlement:  Norway, Sweden, Germany, New York, and Wisconsin...