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:  1855 Parent counties:  Henderson and Rutherford Namesake:  William Polk, North Carolina politician Seat:  Columbus (1855–) Land area:  238 square miles Population (2020):  19,328 Population (historic):  4,043 (1860); 5,062 (1880); 7,004 (1900); 10,216 (1930) Periods of population growth:  per-1860–1940; 1960–2010 Subdivisions:  One city; two towns; six townships Pre-1940 residences (estimated):  1,227 (10.4%) Pre-1940 housing survival rate:  40.5% Pre-1860 housing survival rate (1940):  7.6% Farm housing in disrepair (1950):  31.3% Nonfarm housing in disrepair (1950):  13.8% Average farmhouse value (1930):  $560 Average outbuilding value (1930):  $192 Average farmhouse size (1940):  4.9 rooms Number of farms (1920):  1,200 Average farm size (1920):  23.1 acres _________________________________________________________________________________   Columbus   Name...

Founding:  1846 Parent county:  Unorganized territory Namesake:  James Polk, U.S. president Seat:  Des Moines (1846–) Land area:  574 square miles Population (2020):  492,401 Population (historic):  4,513 (1850); 27,857 (1870); 65,410 (1890); 110,438 (1910); 172,837 (1930) Periods of population growth:  pre-1850–2020 Subdivisions:  20 cities; one CDP; 21 townships Pre-1940 residences (estimated):  31,671 (15.8%) Pre-1940 housing survival rate:  51.8% Pre-1860 housing survival rate (1940):  8% Farm housing in disrepair (1950):  7% Nonfarm housing in disrepair (1950):  6% Average farmhouse value (1930):  $2,294 Average outbuilding value (1930):  $1,746 Average farmhouse size (1940):  6 rooms Number of farms (1920):  2,948 Average farm size (1920):  96.1 acres Sources of settlement:  Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, Pennsylvania, New York, Norway, Ireland, and Germany _______________________________...

  Founding:  1835 Parent counties:  Greene, Pulaski, St. Clair, and unorganized territory Namesake:  James Polk, U.S. president Seat:  Bolivar (1835–) Land area:  636 square miles Population (2020):  31,519 Population (historic):  8,449 (1840); 9,995 (1860); 15,734 (1880); 23,255 (1900); 17,803 (1930) Periods of population growth:  pre-1840; 1850–1900; 1960–2020 Subdivisions:  Five cities; four villages; 22 townships Pre-1940 residences (estimated):  1,464 (10.8%) Pre-1940 housing survival rate:  33.8% Pre-1860 housing survival rate (1940):  2.1% Farm housing in disrepair (1950):  14.8% Nonfarm housing in disrepair (1950):  10% Average farmhouse value (1930):  $858 Average outbuilding value (1930):  $616 Average farmhouse size (1940):  4.5 rooms Number of farms (1920):  3,405 Average farm size (1920):  78.8 acres Sources of settlement:  Missouri, Tennessee, Kentucky, Illinois, and Oh...

  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:  1839 Parent counties:  Bradley and McMinn Namesake:  James Polk, U.S. president Seat:  Benton (1840–) Land area:  435 square miles Population (2020):  17,544 Population (historic):  3,570 (1840); 8,726 (1860); 7,269 (1880); 11,357 (1900); 15,686 (1930) Periods of population growth:  pre-1840–1860; 1880–1930; 1970–2020 Subdivisions:  Two cities; one town Pre-1940 residences (estimated):  612 (7%) Pre-1940 housing survival rate:  22.4% Pre-1860 housing survival rate (1940):  1.8% Farm housing in disrepair (1950):  35.8% Nonfarm housing in disrepair (1950):  24.3% Average farmhouse value (1930):  $415 Average outbuilding value (1930):  $260 Average farmhouse size (1940):  4.1 rooms Number of farms (1920):  951 Average farm size (1920):  39.6 acres _________________________________________________________________________________ Benton Namesake:  Thomas Benton, Missouri sena...