Lebanon

Formed February 16, 1813 (47^th county)

Lebanon County (143,262), Lebanon (26,819)

The Modern masonry building was constructed in 1962.  It is sited on 8^th Street at Oak Street.  Pennsylvania State Highway 72 is two blocks to the west of the site.  William Lynch Murray designed the current courthouse.  There have been 1818 and 1910 versions as well all in Lebanon, the only county seat.  The county was created on February 16, 1813 from parts of Dauphin and Lancaster counties as the 47^th county.  Lebanon County and its county seat are named for the cedars of Lebanon.  Lebanon County is the birthplace of 1 Pennsylvania governor, John A. Shulze. 

Lebanon County government consists of a treasurer, a sheriff, an attorney, a coroner, and a clerk (executive).  It has 3 Commissioners (legislative.)  Five Common Pleas Court Judges and Seven Magistrate Court Judges serve Lebanon County (judicial.)  The county is in eastern Pennsylvania.  Harrisburg, Pennsylvania is west and Philadelphia, Pennsylvania is east of the county.  The county center is 7.3 miles West-Northwest of Lebanon nearer Union Water Works.  The county is surrounded clockwise by Schuylkill, Berks, Lancaster, and Dauphin counties. 

The area of the county is 363 square miles.  It is 61 out of 67 in the state.  It ranks 24 out of 67 in population in the state.  It has a density of 394.7 persons per square mile making it 15 out of 67 in the state.  Lebanon County has 33.3% of its population in its incorporated areas.  Interstate Highway 76 clips the southern tip of the county east to west from Lancaster County to Dauphin County.  Interstate Highway 78 comes from the northeast, Berks County, and terminates.  Interstate Highway 81 passes north, Schuylkill County, to west, Dauphin County.  United States Highway 22 is joined with Interstate Highway 78 from Berks County, splits and continues west into Dauphin County.  United States Highway 322 parallels Interstate Highway 76 from Lancaster to Dauphin counties.  United States Highway 422 enters from Berks County, east, and exits to Dauphin County, west.  The county shape resembles a drinking glass pouring out to the southeast.  The City of Lebanon is located in the southern third of the county.  Lebanon is the county seat and the largest city.  It is 18.7% of the county population.  The county and county seat are pronounced LEB-A-NON.  This county is in the Lebanon Metropolitan Statistical Area.