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General information

This website is the concept of the Curator solely for the purpose of sharing information and encouraging visitation to the counties and county equivalents of the United States. The technical support to create the website was through the courtesy of Dr. Elizabeth Pierce and Professor Bruce Bauer of the University of Arkansas at Little Rock. Mr. Roger House led a team of university students in creating the website.

All counties and county equivalents have separate pages.  A County is a governmental unit between the State and Municipality level.  Like most governmental units it normally has an Executive, a Legislative, and a Judicial function.  The Executive function may include a County Executive, County Judge, Sheriff, or similar offices.  The Legislative function may include Commissioners, Legislators, or similar offices.  The Judicial function may include County Judges, District Judges, Magistrates, or similar offices.  Counties and county equivalents are as recognized by the Census Bureau.  In Maryland, Missouri, and Virginia independent cities function the same as a county and the same information is provided under a separate listing for these cities.  In Louisiana parishes function the same as a county.  In Alaska boroughs and independent municipalities function the same as a county.  Also, Alaska has Census Areas for geographical divisions of unorganized territories.  These areas do not have governmental functions but the Alaska Court System has court locations supporting these areas.  For completeness, I have elected to write up these areas as if there are counties.  In Connecticut and Rhode Island, county governmental functions no longer exist; however, the counties continue to be described geographically and there are court locations within the original county boundaries.  I have elected to write up these in their original county description.  New York City consists of five boroughs which have county names and have governmental functions like a county.  These counties are recognized by the state and I have addressed them as counties.  In Hawaii, Kalawao County is listed as a separate county although it has no governmental function.  I have a listing for the District of Columbia since its District Courthouse has similar functions much like an independent city.      

The source of the information is public internet sites or in-person observations.  The accuracy of the public information has not been personally verified.  The sequence of the listed information varies from county to county.  The completeness also varies.  The indication of sequence of entry as a county/county equivalent in the state is based on date of entry. When more than one entered the sequence on the same date, then the sequence is determined alphabetically. I visited some counties during the 2020-2022 pandemic and access to building interiors was restricted; therefore, the information on the courthouse building interior is missing.  The county seat is the location where county executive, legislative and judicial functions are accomplished.  These historically are at a courthouse although supporting facilities often share responsibilities.  The determination of the largest city is by population of incorporated communities.  If there are no incorporated communities in the county, the largest unincorporated community is used.  If the largest city extends into more than one county, it was only used as the largest city in the county where it has the highest population.  For example, Kansas City, Missouri is located in Jackson, Cass, Clay, and Platte counties.  Its highest population is in Jackson County; therefore, it is listed as the largest city in Jackson County although it also has the largest population in Clay County.  The largest city in Clay County is listed as Liberty, the city with the highest population other than Kansas City.  This determination is uniquely a personal definition.  The population figures are from the latest Census Bureau official 10-year census.

County Name, County Seat(s), Largest City, (if not county seat), * indicates unincorporated location

A description of the courthouse building usually includes major materials used for construction and year of construction.  The physical location of the building and the closest major highway.  The architect(s) and the architectural design.  Major renovations/remodeling and additions.  Supporting buildings and augmenting courthouses.  Formation of the county including counties it came from and counties taken from it.  Source of the county name.  Source of the county seat’s name and the largest city’s name.  Other locations that have been the county seat and the year their courthouse was built.  When applicable, any governors of that state who were born in the county.  When applicable, any president born or buried in the county.  Where applicable and unique, the highest and lowest point of the state when in the county.  Government executive, legislative, and judicial positions as applicable.  Descriptive location of the county within the state.  Approximate location of the center of the county.  Adjacent counties, states, and oceans listed clockwise starting at the north.  Area of the county in square miles.  Ranking of the size of the county within the state.  Ranking of the population of the county within the state.  Percent of the county population located within incorporated areas.  Major rivers in the county or on the border.  Interstate and United States Highways in the county, where it comes from and where it goes to.  Word picture of the shape of the county.  Approximate location of the county seat(s) within the county.  Approximate location of the largest city within the county.  Any indication of the county seat or largest city extending into other counties.  If there are no incorporated cities in the county, the largest unincorporated community is used.  The county seat and largest city percentage of the county population.  The pronunciation of the names of the county, county seat, and largest city, if not obvious.  If the county is in a Metropolitan Statistical Area or a Micropolitan Statistical Area.

Map of the County and of the State and Courthouse Pictures

State map shows the location of the county within the state and in relation to other counties.  The map shows all incorporated communities including ones extending into other counties.  The highlighted community is usually the county seat.  The map includes an alphabetic listing of all incorporated communities.  The municipalities are listed first alphabetically for those entirely within the county borders and second alphabetically for those extending into other counties. The county seat is indicated even if it is unincorporated.  The maps were copied from public internet sites.

A picture of the main courthouse building.  My pictures of the courthouse are used when available.  Some pictures might inadvertently include incidental people who wandered into the frame.  I have not attempted to obtain their permission to be included although their inclusion is purely accidental.  Additional pictures include major additions and augmenting buildings.  Supporting courthouses located in the county seat or in other county cities.  Pictures of multiple county seats courthouses are shown.  The source of the picture is indicated at the bottom of the picture or the bottom of the page where multiple pictures are used.  The source of the pictures, other than mine, is public internet sites.  Permission to use the pictures has been given by the source.  The source of “Jerry Fager” pictures are my originals.  Special recognition is given for the source of “Courthouses.co” which is by permission of John E. Deacon. If I have not yet visited the county, a generic picture will be inserted.