Oceana County, Michigan
Founding: 1855 (declared in 1840) Parent county: Unorganized territory Namesake: Unclear—perhaps a poetic reference to Lake Michigan Seat: Stony Creek (1855–1865); Hart (1865–) Land area: 512 square miles Population (2020): 26,659 Population (historic): 1,816 (1860); 11,699 (1880); 16,644 (1900); 13,805 (1930) Periods of population growth: 1850–1910; 1930–2000 Subdivisions: One city; six villages; 16 townships Pre-1940 residences (estimated): 2,576 (16%) Pre-1940 housing survival rate: 59.8% Farm housing in disrepair (1950): 15.9% Nonfarm housing in disrepair (1950): 12.3% Average farmhouse value (1930): $1,373 Average outbuilding value (1930): $1,146 Average farmhouse size (1940): 6.1 rooms Number of farms (1920): 2,357 Average farm size (1920): 63.7 acres Sources of settlement: Michigan, New York, Ohio, Canada, Germany, and Pennsylvania ____________...