Montgomery

Formed March 12, 1772 (11^th county)

Montgomery County (49,526), Fonda (696), Amsterdam (18,219)

The Romanesque courthouse was erected in 1892.  Fuller & Wheeler were the designers of this red brick structure.  The courthouse is sited on Broadway Avenue at Court Street.  Broadway Avenue is New York State Highway 30 Alternate.  The courthouse was enlarged in 1987 and an Administrative Building was erected in 1963.  The county was created on March 12, 1772 from Albany County as the 11^th county.  It was originally called Tryon County.  It was renamed in 1784 after Revolutionary War hero General Richard Montgomery.  Johnstown was the original county seat until Fulton County separated in 1836 when Fonda assumed the position.  Fonda is named for settler Douw Fonda. 

Montgomery County government consists of a sheriff and 9 Legislators.  One County Court Judge, One Family Court Judge, and One Surrogate Court Judge serve Montgomery County.  The county is in east central New York.  Albany, New York is east and Buffalo, New York is west of the county.  The county center is 4.8 miles Southwest of Fonda nearer Sprakers.  The county is surrounded clockwise by Fulton, Saratoga, Schenectady, Schoharie, Otsego, and Herkimer counties. 

The area of the county is 410 square miles.  It is 51 out of 62 in the state.  It ranks 46 out of 62 in population in the state.  It has a density of 120.8 persons per square mile making it 27 out of 62 in the state.  Montgomery County has 57.6% of its population in its incorporated areas.  Interstate Highway 90 travels southeast to northwest in the county from Schenectady County to Herkimer County.  The county resembles a flat crescent.  Fonda is located on the northern border of the county.  Amsterdam is in the northeast corner of the county.  Fonda is the county seat and Amsterdam is the largest city.  Fonda is 1.4% of the county population while Amsterdam is 36.8% of the county population.  This county is in the Amsterdam Micropolitan Statistical Area.