To resolve the matter, an election was held on November 11, 1872, to determine the location of the courthouse."

Another historian wrote, "Probably the only case in Iowa, perhaps anywhere, where a bare spot of raw prairie was actually voted to be the county seat."

[4] The name Primghar was received from the first letter of eight people who had a major part in platting the town.

[7] According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 1.38 square miles (3.57 km2), all land.

Today, fields are marred by few boggy areas and much of the land is terraced to reduce erosion.

Until fill was hauled in, the south side of the courthouse square was a "boggy, muddy slough."

When the first settlers arrived, there were few trees and almost without exception prairie grass grew to six foot.

In the immediate vicinity of Primghar the topsoils and subsoils are silty clay loam.

Clay loam glacial till is at a depth of 30 to 60 inches in most places.

There is an abandoned rock quarry, one mile south-southeast of Primghar, which was donated by the Tjossem family to Primghar in 1989 and is now known as Tjossem Park, a fishing area and public picnic/camp ground.

33.9% of all households were made up of individuals, and 18.4% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older.

36.6% of all households were made up of individuals, and 24.6% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older.

Primghar is served by the South O'Brien Community School District.