Adams

Formed January 22, 1800 (26^th county)

Adams County (103,829), Gettysburg (7,103)

The 1978 red brick Modern courthouse is connected to the old 1859 courthouse.  It is located at the intersection of Baltimore Street and Middle Street.  United States Highway 15 Business is Baltimore Street in this part of the town.  Rodgers and Frederick and Clifton E. Rodger and Associates combined on the courthouse designs.  Adams County was established on January 22, 1800 from York County as the 26^th county with Gettysburg as the only county seat.  The county is named for United States President John Adams.  The county seat is named for town founder James Gettys. 

Adams County government consists of a sheriff and 3 Commissioners.  Five Common Pleas Court Judges and Four Magistrate Court Judges serve Adams County.  Adams County is situated on the southeast border with Maryland.  Philadelphia, Pennsylvania is east and Harrisburg, Pennsylvania is northeast of the county.  The county center is 3.3 miles Northwest of Gettysburg.  The county is surrounded clockwise by York County and Maryland and Franklin and Cumberland counties. 

The area of the county is 522 square miles.  It is 45 out of 67 in the state.  It ranks 31 out of 67 in population in the state.  It has a density of 198.9 persons per square mile making it 26 out of 67 in the state.  Adams County has 28.1% of its population in its incorporated areas.  United States Highway 15 crosses the county northeast to southwest from York County to Maryland.  United States Highway 30 goes east to west from York County to Franklin County.  The county resembles a bowl of ice cream with the northwest eaten.  Gettysburg is located in the south third of the county.  Gettysburg is the county seat and the largest city.  It is 6.8% of the county population.  This county is in the Gettysburg Micropolitan Statistical Area.

York Springs