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Larrabee County, Iowa

Coordinates: 43°22′N 94°15′W / 43.37°N 94.25°W / 43.37; -94.25
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Map of Iowa highlighting Kossuth County. (See its size.)
Map of Iowa highlighting Kossuth County. (Note its size.)

Larrabee County was a proposed county in the northern part of Kossuth County, Iowa, United States. The county was to be named after governor William Larrabee. The county was preceded by Crocker County until it was disestablished being illegal. In November 1914, a referendum was held in Kossuth County in order to propose the existence of Larrabee County, and the Iowans of Kossuth County voted against the creation of Larrabee County. The proposal failed and Kossuth County remained the largest county in Iowa.

Background[edit]

Image shows a map of Iowa highlighting the defunct Bancroft county.
Map of Iowa highlighting the defunct Bancroft county.

When Iowa became a state in 1846, it had 48 counties. On January 15, 1851, the third Iowa General Assembly added 52 more. This now made Iowa a state of 100 counties, including Bancroft County.[1] In 1855, Bancroft County was disestablished because it was not suitable for settling due to its marshes and wetlands, making Iowa a state of 99 counties.[1] Its land was merged with Kossuth County, resulting Kossuth to become the largest county in Iowa.[2][3]

On May 13, 1870, after post-Civil War migration to the area, Bancroft County was re-established with the name Crocker County.[4] The county lasted from 1870.[4] However, the Iowa Supreme Court ruled in the case L.K. Garfield vs R.I. Brayton that Crocker County was a violation of the Iowa constitution,[1] which declares in Article 11 that "no new county shall be created which contains less than 432 square miles."[4] After Crocker County was disestablished in 1871, its land was merged into Kossuth County.[2]

Proposal[edit]

Portrait of William Larrabee, who the county was to be named after.
Portrait of William Larrabee, after whom the county was to be named.[1]

On February 22, 1913, the creation of Larrabee County was proposed by James McHose, an Iowa congressman from Boone, Iowa.[1] The name "Larrabee" would honor governor William Larrabee.[1][5] However, the residents of northern Kossuth County sent a delegation to Des Moines to express that they did not want Larrabee County to exist.[1]

In November 1914, a referendum was held in Kossuth County to determine whether Larrabee County should be established.[1][6] The proposal received 920 votes compared to the opposition's 3,599 votes; therefore, Larrabee County was not established, causing Iowa to remain a state of 99 counties.[1]

References[edit]

  1. ^ a b c d e f g h i Fannon-Langton 2019, p. 6.
  2. ^ a b Brown 2023.
  3. ^ Riley 2015.
  4. ^ a b c Schiek 2019, p. 4.
  5. ^ "Bill to Create Larrabee County Indorsed by House Committee". The Des Moines Register.
  6. ^ Long 2007.

Works cited[edit]

  • Fannon-Langton, Dianne (April 21, 2019). "What happened to Iowa's 100th county?". The Gazette. Archived from the original on April 18, 2024. Retrieved April 6, 2024.
  • Brown, Abby (April 25, 2023). "Development of Iowa's 99 Counties". Iowa PBS. Archived from the original on May 13, 2024. Retrieved April 5, 2024.
  • Riley, Roger (November 24, 2015). "What Ever Happened to Iowa's 100th County?". Archived from the original on January 11, 2020. Retrieved April 5, 2024.
  • Schiek, Richard O. (March 6, 2019). "Pieces of Iowa's Past - The 100th Iowa County" (PDF). Iowa Legislature. LSA. Archived (PDF) from the original on April 5, 2024. Retrieved April 5, 2024.
  • Long, John H (2007). "IA: Consolidated Chronology". Iowa: Consolidated Chronology of State and County Boundaries. Archived from the original on February 1, 2023. Retrieved May 24, 2024 – via Newberry Library.
  • "Bill to Create Larrabee County Indorsed by House Committee". The Des Moines Register. March 20, 1913. p. 1. Archived from the original on April 6, 2024. Retrieved April 6, 2024.

43°22′N 94°15′W / 43.37°N 94.25°W / 43.37; -94.25

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