Formed January 1, 1827 (8th county)
Sullivan County (43,064), Newport* (4,735), Claremont (12,948)
The classic red brick Second Empire courthouse was built in 1874. The building was restored in 1886 after a fire. The courthouse is on Main Street between Central Avenue and General John Stark Highway. Main Street is New Hampshire State Highway 10 in the town. Edward Dow provided the designs. There is a 1976 District Courthouse in Newport and a 1896 District Courthouse in Claremont to augment the county. There was an earlier 1827 version also in Newport, the only county seat. The county was created on January 1, 1827 from Cheshire County as the 8th county. Sullivan County is named for Governor John Sullivan. The county seat is named for British statesman Henry Newport. Sullivan County was the birthplace for 4 New Hampshire Governors, Henry Hubbard, Ralph Metcalf, Person C. Cheney, and John H. Bartlett.
Sullivan County government consists of a sheriff, an administrator, an attorney, and a clerk (executive). It has 3 Commissioners and 13 Delegates (legislative.) Five Circuit Court Judges serve Sullivan County (judicial.) Sullivan County is on the western border with Vermont. Manchester, New Hampshire is southeast and Burlington, Vermont is northwest of the county. The county center is 4.4 miles West-Northwest of Newport nearer Kelleyville. The county is surrounded clockwise by Grafton, Merrimack, Hillsborough, and Cheshire counties and Vermont.
The area of the county is 537 square miles. It is 8 out of 10 in the state. It ranks 9 out of 10 in population in the state. It has a density of 80.2 persons per square mile making it 7 out of 10 in the state. Sullivan County has 30.1% of its population in its incorporated areas. Interstate Highway 89 comes from Grafton County, north, and goes to Merrimack County, east. The county looks like a castle tower standing on its head. Newport is located near the center of the county. Claremont is on the western border with Vermont. Newport is the county seat although it is not incorporated. Claremont is the only incorporated city thus it is the largest. Newport is 11.0% of the county population while Claremont is 30.1% of the county population. This county is in the Claremont Micropolitan Statistical Area.
Claremont
Newport (unincorporated)
