Chittenden

Formed October 22, 1787 (7^th county)

Chittenden County (168,324), Burlington (44,744)                

The Beaux Arts masonry building was built in 1907 and renovated as the courthouse in 1974.  It sits at Main and Church streets.  James Knox Taylor was the original architect.  A Modern augmenting Courthouse was built in 1969 on Cherry Street between Pine and Battery streets.  Vermont State Highway 127 is Battery Street in this part of the town.  Chittenden County was founded on October 22, 1787 from Addison County as the 7^th county.  Colchester was the first county seat until 1790 when Burlington assumed the role.  It is named for Governor Thomas Chittenden.  The county seat was named for the Earl of Burlington.  Chittenden County is the birthplace of 1 Vermont Governor, John L. Barstow. 

Chittenden County government consists of a sheriff and 2 Assistant Judges.  One Superior Court Judge serves Chittenden, Addison, and Rutland counties, One Superior Court Judge serves Chittenden and Franklin counties, and Seven Superior Court Judges serve Chittenden County.  Chittenden County is located on the western border with New York.  Albany, New York is southwest and Montreal, Canada is north of the county.  The county center is 9.3 miles East-Southeast of Burlington nearer Williston.  The county is surrounded clockwise by Franklin, Lamoille, Washington, and Addison counties and New York and Grand Isle County. 

The area of the county is 539 square miles.  It is 12 out of 14 in the state.  It ranks 1 out of 14 in population in the state.  It has a density of 312.3 persons per square mile making it 1 out of 14 in the state.  Chittenden County has 49.7% of its population in its incorporated areas.  Interstate Highway 89 enters the county from the north, Franklin County, and exits to the east, Washington County.  United States Highway 2 comes in from Grand Isle County, northwest, and goes to Washington County, east.  United States Highway 7 travels from Franklin County, north, to Addison County, south.  The county looks like a rocket traveling northeast.  Burlington is located on the western border of the county.  Burlington is the county seat and the largest city.  It is 26.6% of the county population.  This county is in the Burlington-South Burlington Metropolitan Statistical Area.