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O'Brien County is a
county A county is a geographic region of a country used for administrative or other purposesChambers Dictionary, L. Brookes (ed.), 2005, Chambers Harrap Publishers Ltd, Edinburgh in certain modern nations. The term is derived from the Old French ...
in the
U.S. state In the United States, a state is a constituent political entity, of which there are 50. Bound together in a political union, each state holds governmental jurisdiction over a separate and defined geographic territory where it shares its sover ...
of
Iowa Iowa () is a state in the Midwestern region of the United States, bordered by the Mississippi River to the east and the Missouri River and Big Sioux River to the west. It is bordered by six states: Wisconsin to the northeast, Illinois to the ...
. As of the
2020 United States Census The United States census of 2020 was the twenty-fourth decennial United States census. Census Day, the reference day used for the census, was April 1, 2020. Other than a pilot study during the 2000 census, this was the first U.S. census to of ...
, the population was 14,182. The county seat is Primghar.


History

By the time Iowa attained statehood (28 December 1848), its Territorial Legislature had created 44 counties. On 15 January 1851 the new State Legislature created another 49 counties, defining them by lines of survey. O'Brien was among the 49 units thus created.''Columbia-Lippincott Gazetteer,'' (New York:Columbia University Press, 1952), p. 1363 It consists of four survey townships, each formed by 36 square miles arranged in a 6x6 layout, for a nominal 576 square miles total area. The county was named for
William Smith O'Brien William Smith O'Brien ( ga, Liam Mac Gabhann Ó Briain; 17 October 1803 – 18 June 1864) was an Irish nationalist Member of Parliament (MP) and a leader of the Young Ireland movement. He also encouraged the use of the Irish language. He ...
, a leader for Irish independence in 1848. The new county's first settler arrived in 1856; Hannibal H. Waterman brought his wife and a daughter to the southeast portion (present Waterman Township). His homestead formed the nucleus of the county's first community, and a small building was erected there to function as a courthouse. By 1872 the county comprised several small communities, and residents of those groups felt the county's business should be conducted in a more central location. An election was held, the outcome of which was to create a new county seat at its midpoint. A 40-acre (16.2 hectare) tract at the center of the county was surveyed and platted; its name ( Primghar) was created from the initials of eight persons involved with the platting. The previous courthouse building was transported to this new location. In 1874 a 35-foot square building was erected on the present location at a cost of $2,000, to replace the first structure. It was replaced in 1887 by a larger structure. The County Board of Supervisors authorized its construction, at a cost not to exceed $5,000 (the maximum amount the County was authorized to commit). To keep within this limit, members of the new community agreed to haul the building materials without charge from railroad stops at Sanborn and Paullina. The present
courthouse A courthouse or court house is a building that is home to a local court of law and often the regional county government as well, although this is not the case in some larger cities. The term is common in North America. In most other English-spe ...
was completed in 1917, and is listed on the
National Register of Historic Places The National Register of Historic Places (NRHP) is the United States federal government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures and objects deemed worthy of preservation for their historical significance or "great artistic v ...
.


Geography

According to the
United States Census Bureau The United States Census Bureau (USCB), officially the Bureau of the Census, is a principal agency of the U.S. Federal Statistical System, responsible for producing data about the American people and economy. The Census Bureau is part of the ...
, the county has a total area of , of which is land and (0.03%) is water.


Major highways

* U.S. Highway 18 *
U.S. Highway 59 U.S. Route 59 (US 59) is a north–south United States highway (though it was signed east–west in parts of Texas). A latecomer to the U.S. numbered route system, US 59 is now a border-to-border route, part of the NAFTA superhighway, NAFTA ...
*
Iowa Highway 10 Iowa Highway 10 (Iowa 10) is a state highway (Iowa), state highway that runs across the state of Iowa. It begins where South Dakota Highway 46 crosses the Big Sioux River into Iowa north of Hawarden, Iowa, Hawarden. It ends east of Havelock, Iow ...
*
Iowa Highway 60 Iowa Highway 60 (Iowa 60) is a north–south state highway in northwest Iowa. The highway runs at a southwest-to-northeast angle. The southern end of Iowa Highway 60 is near Le Mars at a freeway interchange with U.S. Highway 75 and U.S. H ...
*
Iowa Highway 143 Iowa Highway 143 (Iowa 143) is a north–south state highway in northwestern Iowa. The highway is long. The route was designated in 1926 when its original number, Primary Road No. 75 was reused for U.S. Highway 75. It was originally a ...


Adjacent counties

* Osceola County - north *
Clay County Clay County is the name of 18 counties in the United States. Most are named for Henry Clay, U.S. Senator and statesman: * Clay County, Alabama * Clay County, Arkansas (named for John Clayton, and originally named Clayton County) * Clay County, Fl ...
- east *
Cherokee County Cherokee County is the name of eight counties in the United States: * Cherokee County, Alabama * Cherokee County, Georgia * Cherokee County, Iowa * Cherokee County, Kansas * Cherokee County, North Carolina * Cherokee County, Oklahoma * Cherokee Co ...
- south * Sioux County - west


Demographics


2020 census

The 2020 census recorded a population of 14,182 in the county, with a population density of . 95.42% of the population reported being of one race. There were 6,524 housing units, of which 5,861 were occupied.


2010 census

As of the
2010 United States Census The United States census of 2010 was the twenty-third United States national census. National Census Day, the reference day used for the census, was April 1, 2010. The census was taken via mail-in citizen self-reporting, with enumerators servin ...
, there were 14,398 people, 6,069 households, and 3,927 families in the county. The
population density Population density (in agriculture: standing stock or plant density) is a measurement of population per unit land area. It is mostly applied to humans, but sometimes to other living organisms too. It is a key geographical term.Matt RosenberPopul ...
was . There were 6,649 housing units at an average density of 11 per square mile (4/km2). The racial makeup of the county was 96.0%
White White is the lightest color and is achromatic (having no hue). It is the color of objects such as snow, chalk, and milk, and is the opposite of black. White objects fully reflect and scatter all the visible wavelengths of light. White on ...
, 0.5%
Black Black is a color which results from the absence or complete absorption of visible light. It is an achromatic color, without hue, like white and grey. It is often used symbolically or figuratively to represent darkness. Black and white have o ...
or
African American African Americans (also referred to as Black Americans and Afro-Americans) are an ethnic group consisting of Americans with partial or total ancestry from sub-Saharan Africa. The term "African American" generally denotes descendants of ens ...
, 0.1% American Indian, 0.6%
Asian Asian may refer to: * Items from or related to the continent of Asia: ** Asian people, people in or descending from Asia ** Asian culture, the culture of the people from Asia ** Asian cuisine, food based on the style of food of the people from Asi ...
, 2.0% from
other races Other often refers to: * Other (philosophy), a concept in psychology and philosophy Other or The Other may also refer to: Film and television * ''The Other'' (1913 film), a German silent film directed by Max Mack * ''The Other'' (1930 film), a ...
, and 0.8% from two or more races. The county has a 3.8%
Hispanic The term ''Hispanic'' ( es, hispano) refers to people, Spanish culture, cultures, or countries related to Spain, the Spanish language, or Hispanidad. The term commonly applies to countries with a cultural and historical link to Spain and to Vic ...
or
Latino Latino or Latinos most often refers to: * Latino (demonym), a term used in the United States for people with cultural ties to Latin America * Hispanic and Latino Americans in the United States * The people or cultures of Latin America; ** Latin A ...
background. There were 6,069 households, out of which 26.0% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 55.1% were
married couples Marriage, also called matrimony or wedlock, is a culturally and often legally recognized union between people called spouses. It establishes rights and obligations between them, as well as between them and their children, and between t ...
living together, 6.1% had a female householder with no husband present, 3.5% had a male householder with no wife present, and 35.3% were non-families. 31.5% of all households were made up of individuals living alone, and 33.1% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.31 and the average family size was 2.89. The county population contained 25.7% under the age of 20, 4.6% from 20 to 24, 21.3% from 25 to 44, 28.1% from 45 to 64, and 20.4% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 43.6 years. For every 100 females there were 95.80 males. For every 100 females, there were 99.1 males. The median income for a household in the county was $44,018, and the median income for a family was $58,127. The
per capita income Per capita income (PCI) or total income measures the average income earned per person in a given area (city, region, country, etc.) in a specified year. It is calculated by dividing the area's total income by its total population. Per capita i ...
for the county was $24,771. About 6.3% of families and 11.0% of the population were below the
poverty line The poverty threshold, poverty limit, poverty line or breadline is the minimum level of income deemed adequate in a particular country. The poverty line is usually calculated by estimating the total cost of one year's worth of necessities for t ...
, including 15.7% of those under age 18 and 8.3% of those age 65 or over.


Communities


Cities

*
Archer Archery is the sport, practice, or skill of using a bow to shoot arrows.Paterson ''Encyclopaedia of Archery'' p. 17 The word comes from the Latin ''arcus'', meaning bow. Historically, archery has been used for hunting and combat. In mo ...
*
Calumet Calumet may refer to: Places United States *Calumet Region, in northern Illinois and Indiana **Calumet River **Calumet Trail, Indiana ** Calumet (East Chicago) * Calumet, Colorado *Calumet, Iowa * Calumet, Michigan *Calumet, Minnesota * Calumet ...
*
Hartley Hartley may refer to: Places Australia *Hartley, New South Wales *Hartley, South Australia **Electoral district of Hartley, a state electoral district Canada *Hartley Bay, British Columbia United Kingdom *Hartley, Cumbria *Hartley, Plymou ...
* Paullina * Primghar * Sanborn *
Sheldon Sheldon may refer to: * Sheldon (name), a given name and a surname, and a list of people with the name Places Australia * Sheldon, Queensland *Sheldon Forest, New South Wales United Kingdom *Sheldon, Derbyshire, England *Sheldon, Devon, England * ...
*
Sutherland Sutherland ( gd, Cataibh) is a historic county, registration county and lieutenancy area in the Highlands of Scotland. Its county town is Dornoch. Sutherland borders Caithness and Moray Firth to the east, Ross-shire and Cromartyshire (later ...


Unincorporated communities

* Gaza *
Germantown Germantown or German Town may refer to: Places Australia * Germantown, Queensland, a locality in the Cassowary Coast Region United States * Germantown, California, the former name of Artois, a census-designated place in Glenn County * Ge ...
*
Moneta In Roman mythology, Moneta (Latin Monēta) was a title given to two separate goddesses: It was the name of the goddess of memory (identified with the Greek goddess Mnemosyne), and it was an epithet of Juno, called Juno Moneta (Latin Iūno Monēt ...


Townships

* Baker Township * Caledonia Township * Carroll Township * Center Township * Dale Township * Floyd Township * Franklin Township * Grant Township * Hartley Township * Highland Township * Liberty Township * Lincoln Township * Omega Township * Summit Township * Union Township * Waterman Township


Population ranking

The population ranking of the following table is based on the 2020 census of O'Brien County. † ''county seat''


Politics


See also

* National Register of Historic Places listings in O'Brien County, Iowa * Indian Village Site in the Witrock Area


References


External links


O'Brien County
Portal style website, Government, Business, Tourism and more
IaGenWeb
O'Brien county history, Biographies, and more

Comprehensive Statistical Data and more about O'Brien County
{{authority control 1851 establishments in Iowa Populated places established in 1851