O'Brien County, Iowa
Founding: 1860 (declared in 1851) Parent county: Unorganized territory Namesake: William O'Brien, Irish nationalist and politician Seat: O'Brien (1861–1872); Primghar (1872–) Land area: 573 square miles Population (2020): 14,182 Population (historic): 383 (1860); 4,155 (1880); 16,985 (1900); 18,409 (1930) Periods of population growth: 1860–1920; 1930s Subdivisions: Eight cities; 16 townships Pre-1940 residences (estimated): 2,095 (31.4%) Pre-1940 housing survival rate: 50.4% Farm housing in disrepair (1950): 0.9% Nonfarm housing in disrepair (1950): 2.2% Average farmhouse value (1930): $2,584 Average outbuilding value (1930): $3,907 Average farmhouse size (1940): 6.9 rooms Number of farms (1920): 1,903 Average farm size (1920): 169.3 acres Sources of settlement: Germany, Illinois, Wisconsin, New York, and Norway ___________________________________...