Armstrong

Formed March 12, 1800 (30^th county)

Armstrong County (65,553), Kittanning (3,919)

The stone and masonry Neo-Classical structure was built in 1858, enlarged in 1871, and remodeled in 1914 and 1950.  It is sited on Market Street between Jefferson and Patterson streets.  United States Highway 422 Business passes two blocks southwest of the site.  Hulings and Dickey are the building designers.  An Administrative Building was added in 1992.  There were 1805 and 1853 courthouses prior to the current one.  The county was formed on March 12, 1800 from parts of Allegheny, Lycoming, and Westmoreland counties as the 30^th county.  Kittanning has always been the county seat.  The county is named for Continental Congress Representative General John Armstrong.  Kittanning is a Native American word meaning “at the great stream.” 

Armstrong County government consists of a sheriff and 3 Commissioners.  Three Common Pleas Court Judges and Three Magistrate Court Judges serve Armstrong County.  The county is in the western part of the state.  The Allegheny River flows through the county.  Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania is southwest and Erie, Pennsylvania is northwest of the county.  The county center is 3.4 miles Southeast of Kittanning nearer Manorville.  The county is surrounded clockwise by Clarion, Jefferson, Indiana, Westmoreland, and Butler counties. 

The area of the county is 664 square miles.  It is 34 out of 67 in the state.  It ranks 38 out of 67 in population in the state.  It has a density of 98.7 persons per square mile making it 41 out of 67 in the state.  Armstrong County has 29.6% of its population in its incorporated areas.  United States Highway 422 crosses the county from southeast to west from Indiana County to Butler County.  Armstrong County is shaped like the State of Ohio with an added arm sticking north of the northwest corner.  Kittanning is west of center in the county.  Kittanning is the county seat and the largest city.  It is 6.0% of the county population.  The county seat is pronounced KIT-TAN-NING.  This county is in the Pittsburgh Metropolitan Statistical Area.