The Great American Survey: A Slapdash Database of Historic Buildings

Founding:  1870 (declared in 1856) Parent county:  York Namesake:  James Polk, U.S. president Seat:  Osceola (1871–) Land area:  438 square miles Population (2020):  5,214 Population (historic):  6,846 (1880); 10,542 (1900); 10,092 (1930) Periods of population growth:  1870–1890; 1910s Subdivisions:  Two cities; two villages Pre-1940 residences (estimated):  942 (37%) Pre-1940 housing survival rate:  42.6% Farm housing in disrepair (1950):  7% Nonfarm housing in disrepair (1950):  5.7% Average farmhouse value (1930):  $1,988 Average outbuilding value (1930):  $1,889 Average farmhouse size (1940):  6.7 rooms Number of farms (1920):  1,476 Average farm size (1920):  158.6 acres Sources of settlement:  Sweden, Illinois, Iowa, Ohio, Germany, Pennsylvania, and Poland _________________________________________________________________________________   Osceola   Namesake: ...

Founding:  1890 (declared in 1887) Parent county:  Unorganized territory Namesake:  James McPherson, U.S. army general Seat:  Tryon (1890–) Land area:  859 square miles Population (2020):  399 Population (historic):  401 (1890); 2,470 (1910); 1,358 (1930) Periods of population growth:  pre-1890–1910 Subdivisions:  One CDP Pre-1940 residences (estimated):  58 (23.1%) Pre-1940 housing survival rate:  25.4% Farm housing in disrepair (1950):  20.2% Nonfarm housing in disrepair (1950):  20.3% Average farmhouse value (1930):  $814 Average outbuilding value (1930):  $864 Average farmhouse size (1940):  4.2 rooms Number of farms (1920):  355 Average farm size (1920):  295.1 acres Sources of settlement:  Nebraska, Iowa, Illinois, Kansas, and Missouri _________________________________________________________________________________   Tryon   Namesake:  Unknown Founding:  1890 (platti...

Founding:  1889 Parent county:  Blackbird Namesake:  John Thurston, Nebraska senator Seat:  Pender (1889–) Land area:  394 square miles Population (2020):  6,620 Population (historic):  3,176 (1890); 8,704 (1910); 10,462 (1930) Periods of population growth:  1880–1930; 1970s; 1990s Subdivisions:  Five cities; one CDP; 11 townships Pre-1940 residences (estimated):  528 (21.6%) Pre-1940 housing survival rate:  33.7% Farm housing in disrepair (1950):  22.5% Nonfarm housing in disrepair (1950):  21.8% Average farmhouse value (1930):  $1,548 Average outbuilding value (1930):  $1,463 Average farmhouse size (1940):  5.1 rooms Number of farms (1920):  1,105 Average farm size (1920):  160.5 acres Sources of settlement:  Iowa, Illinois, Germany, Wisconsin, Ohio, and Sweden _________________________________________________________________________________   Pender   Namesake:  Joh...

Founding:  1855 Parent county:  Burt Namesake:  The Dakota Sioux people Seat:  Dakota City (1856–) Land area:  264 square miles Population (2020):  21,582 Population (historic):  819 (1860); 3,213 (1880); 6,286 (1900); 9,505 (1930) Periods of population growth:  pre-1860–1900; 1910–1930; 1950s; 1970s; 1990s Subdivisions:  Two cities; four villages Pre-1940 residences (estimated):  1,081 (13.8%) Pre-1940 housing survival rate:  43.5% Farm housing in disrepair (1950):  16.4% Nonfarm housing in disrepair (1950):  13.2% Average farmhouse value (1930):  $2,208 Average outbuilding value (1930):  $2,147 Average farmhouse size (1940):  6 rooms Number of farms (1920):  740 Average farm size (1920):  159.3 acres Sources of settlement:  Iowa, Germany, Pennsylvania, Minnesota, Illinois, Ireland, and Denmark _________________________________________________________________________________   Dakota Cit...

Founding:  1855 Parent county:  Unorganized territory Namesake:  The Nemaha River Seat:  Brownville (1855–1883); Auburn (1883–) Land area:  407 square miles Population (2020):  7,074 Population (historic):  3,139 (1860); 10,451 (1880); 14,952 (1900); 12,356 (1930) Periods of population growth:  pre-1860–1900; 1930s Subdivisions:  Two cities; five villages Pre-1940 residences (estimated):  1,439 (41.1%) Pre-1940 housing survival rate:  40.7% Pre-1860 housing survival rate (1940):  4.8% Farm housing in disrepair (1950):  10.9% Nonfarm housing in disrepair (1950):  7.6% Average farmhouse value (1930):  $1,772 Average outbuilding value (1930):  $1,727 Average farmhouse size (1940):  5.9 rooms Number of farms (1920):  1,524 Average farm size (1920):  137.6 acres Sources of settlement:  Illinois, Germany, Missouri, Ohio, Iowa, and Pennsylvania ________________________...

Founding:  1884 Parent county:  Wheeler Namesake:  James Garfield, U.S. president Seat:  Burwell (1884–) Land area:  570 square miles Population (2020):  1,813 Population (historic):  1,659 (1890); 3,417 (1910); 3,207 (1930) Periods of population growth:  pre-1890–1920; 1930s; 2000s Subdivisions:  One city Pre-1940 residences (estimated):  457 (37.1%) Pre-1940 housing survival rate:  46.3% Farm housing in disrepair (1950):  8.8% Nonfarm housing in disrepair (1950):  2.8% Average farmhouse value (1930):  $1,060 Average outbuilding value (1930):  $1,189 Average farmhouse size (1940):  5.1 rooms Number of farms (1920):  490 Average farm size (1920):  225.1 acres Sources of settlement:  Nebraska and Iowa _________________________________________________________________________________ Burwell Namesake:  Ada Burwell, a relative of the city site's owner Foundi...