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Iowa State...
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Iowa Counties
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Iowa Counties
There are 99 counties in Iowa. The first two counties, Des Moines County and Dubuque County,
were created in 1834 when Iowa was still part of the Michigan Territory. In preparation for Michigan's
statehood, part of Michigan Territory was formed into Wisconsin Territory in 1836]. Two years later, the western
portion was split off to become Iowa Territory. The south-eastern part of Iowa Territory became Iowa, the 29th
state in the union, on 28 December 1846, by which point 44 counties had been created. Counties continued to be
created by the state government until 1857, when the last county, Humboldt County, was created.
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O'Brien County, Iowa
O'Brien County History, Geography, Demographics, Cities and Towns, and Education
County Seat: Primghar
Year Organized: 1851
Square Miles: 573
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Court House: 155 S. Hayes Avenue
County Courthouse
Primghar, IA 51245-0000
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Etymology - Origin of County Name
O'Brien is named for William Smith O'Brien, an Irish patriot.
Demographics:
County QuickFacts: Census Bureau Quick
Facts
History
O'Brien County is named after
William Smith O'Brien, one of the leaders of the Irish Independence in 1848.
The county was established in 1851 and originated in 1860. O'Brien County is one
of 11 counties that was carved out of Woodbury County (then called Wahkaw.) The
first courthouse in the county was built by Archibald Murray of logs cut from
the banks of the Little Sioux River. This county courthouse was rarely used as a
courthouse because of the lack of records that needed to be kept and not much
county business was conducted. This cabin was later relocated to Waterman
Township, where the county had purchased 40 acres. The first date recorded here
was on June 9, 1862.
The log cabin courthouse was replaced in 1870 by a frame building. The cost of
the building was estimated at several thousand dollars. This building was
destroyed by a fire in 1871 and replaced by a similar looking structure. In 1873
the county seat was moved to Primghar, which was more centrally located.
Primghar was named using the first letters of the first names of influential
county officials and the surveyors of the town. In 1874 a courthouse was built
on the present courthouse square. The two-story courthouse was built at a cost
of $2,000 and completed on April 4. This building was later condemned and sold
for $470.
In 1879 the citizens of Sheldon attempted to relocate the county seat to their
town. In 1882, Sanborn succeeded in removing the records from Primghar in a
"raid," but they were unsuccessful in obtaining the county seat permanently.
Following the unsuccessful attempt by Sheldon, a $6,000 courthouse was
constructed by the Green Brothers in 1887. In 1902 this building was added onto,
at a cost of $1,400.
In 1911 the city of Sheldon was again unsuccessful in obtaining the county seat.
They lost in a special election by a vote of 3,161 to 1,447.
In 1914 the voters of O'Brien County approved $160,000 towards the construction
of a new courthouse. This building was occupied in April 1917. The three-story
building is of Neo-Classical style and constructed of Bedford limestone.
Neighboring Counties:
- North: Osceola County
- Northeast: Dickinson County
- East: Clay County
- Southeast: Buena Vista County
- South: Cherokee County
- Southwest: Plymouth County
- West: Sioux County
- Northwest: Lyon County
Cities and Towns:
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- Archer |
city |
Incorporated Area |
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- Calumet |
city |
Incorporated Area |
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- Hartley |
city |
Incorporated Area |
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- Paullina |
city |
Incorporated Area |
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- Primghar
(County Seat) |
city |
Incorporated Area |
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- Sanborn |
city |
Incorporated Area |
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- Sheldon |
city |
Incorporated Area |
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- Sutherland |
city |
Incorporated Area |
County Resources:
Enter County Resources and Information Here
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Online High Schools
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County Resource Guide
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The history of our nation can be seen as a prolonged struggle to define the relative roles and powers of our governments: federal, state, and local. And the names we've given our counties, our most locally based jurisdictions, reflects the "characteristic
features of our country!"
But age, size and colorful names of our counties isn't the only reason to explore counties' role in American history, or the history of county government itself. In fact, the story of county government reflects the larger meanings of American history.
Today's counties are the most flexible, locally responsive and creative governments in the US. They are the most diverse, varying in size, population, geography, and governmental structure. In their politics and policies, they express a 1990's political slogan "Think globally,
act locally." |
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