Cumberland

Formed January 27, 1750 (6^th county)

Cumberland County (259,464), Carlisle (20,113)

The Modern 1961 red brick facility replaced an 1846 courthouse.  There has also been a 1750 building in Shippensburg and an 1865 courthouse in Carlisle.  The courthouse is on a square at Hanover Street and Courthouse Avenue.  Hanover Street is United States Highway 11.  Edwin Green is the architect.  The current building was enlarged in 1988.  Cumberland County was founded on January 27, 1750 from Lancaster County as the 6^th county.  It is named for Cumberland, England.  The county seat is named for Carlisle, England.  Cumberland County is the birthplace of 1 Pennsylvania governor, William Bigler. 

Cumberland County government consists of a sheriff and 3 Commissioners.  Six Common Pleas Court Judges and Ten Magistrate Court Judges serve Cumberland County.  Cumberland County is in the south-central part of the state.  The Susquehanna River forms its eastern border.  Harrisburg, Pennsylvania is directly east and Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania is northwest of the county.  The county center is 6.5 miles South-Southwest of Carlisle nearer Mount Holly Springs.  The county is surrounded clockwise by Perry, Dauphin, York, Adams, and Franklin counties. 

The area of the county is 551 square miles.  It is 43 out of 67 in the state.  It ranks 16 out of 67 in population in the state.  It has a density of 470.9 persons per square mile making it 13 out of 67 in the state.  Cumberland County has 24.1% of its population in its incorporated areas.  Interstate Highway 76 crosses the county east to west from Dauphin County to Franklin County.  Interstate Highway 81 comes from Dauphin County, east, and goes to Franklin County, west.  Interstate Highway 83 enters from Dauphin County and exits south into York County.  United States Highway 11 comes from the north, Perry County, and goes to the southwest, Franklin County.  United States Highway 15 is joined with United States Highway 11 from Perry County, splits and continues south into York County.  Cumberland County is shaped like a horse’s head.  Carlisle is slightly north of center in the county.  Carlisle is the county seat and the largest city.  It is 7.8% of the county population.  The county seat is pronounced KAR-LIEL.  This county is in the Harrisburg-Carlisle Metropolitan Statistical Area.