Oneida

Formed March 15, 1798 (26^th county)

Oneida County (232,111), Utica (65,287)

The masonry Neo-Classical facility was built in 1909 and later enlarged.  The courthouse is on Elizabeth Street at Charlotte Street.  New York State Highway 55 is three blocks north of the courthouse.  Olin W. Cotter and Alfred C. Turner are the designers.  An Administration Building was added in 1969.  There is an augmenting 1851 courthouse in Rome.  Oneida County was formed from Herkimer County on March 15, 1798 as the 26^th county.  There is an 1851 courthouse in Rome as Rome is considered a co-seat by some.  Rome has been the county seat since 1798 and Utica was added in 1871.  Whitestown joined Rome from 1801 to 1871 as the second county seat.  The county is named for the Native American tribe.  The county seat is named for Utica, Tunisia.  Rome is presumably named for Rome, Italy. 

Oneida County government consists of a sheriff and 23 Legislators.  Two County Court Judges, Three Family Court Judges, and One Surrogate Court Judge serve Oneida County.  Oneida County is in north central New York.  Albany, New York is southeast and Buffalo, New York is west of the county.  The county center is 16.6 miles Northwest of Utica in Rome.  The county is surrounded clockwise by Lewis, Herkimer, Otsego, Madison, and Oswego counties. 

The area of the county is 1213 square miles.  It is 17 out of 62 in the state.  It ranks 17 out of 62 in population in the state.  It has a density of 191.4 persons per square mile making it 23 out of 62 in the state.  Oneida County has 54.0% of its population in its incorporated areas.  Interstate Highway 90 crosses through the county east to west from Herkimer County to Madison County.  United States Highway 20 parallels Interstate Highway 90 from Herkimer to Madison counties.  The county is shaped like a funnel.  Utica is located near the southeast border of the county.  Utica is the county seat and the largest city.  It is 28.1% of the county population.  The county is pronounced OE-NIE-DA.  The county seat is pronounced UE-TI-KA.  This county is in the Utica-Rome Metropolitan Area.