Juniata

Formed March 2, 1831 (52^nd county)

Juniata County (23,496), Mifflintown (840)

The red brick Georgian Revival courthouse was erected in 1873.  The courthouse is on the square at Main and Bridge streets.  Pennsylvania State Highway 35 is Bridge Street.  L. M. Simon is the building designer.  The county was established on March 2, 1831 from Mifflin County as the 52^nd county with Mifflintown as the only county seat.  It is named for the Juniata River with gets its name from the Native American for “standing stone.”  Mifflintown is named for Governor Thomas Mifflin.  He is also the namesake of Mifflin County. 

Juniata County government consists of a sheriff and 3 Commissioners.  Three Common Pleas Court Judges and Two Magistrate Court Judges serve Juniata and Perry counties.  Juniata County is in central Pennsylvania.  Harrisburg, Pennsylvania is southeast and Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania is west of the county.  The Susquehanna River touches the eastern tip of the county.  The county center is 2.1 miles Southeast of Mifflintown nearer Mifflin.  The county is surrounded clockwise by Snyder, Northumberland, Perry, Franklin, Huntingdon, and Mifflin counties. 

The area of the county is 394 square miles.  It is 57 out of 67 in the state.  It ranks 61 out of 67 in population in the state.  It has a density of 59.6 persons per square mile making it 53 out of 67 in the state.  Juniata County has 12.0% of its population in its incorporated areas.  United States Highways 11/15 cross the eastern tip of the county north to south from Snyder County to Perry County.  United States Highways 22/322 travel from southeast to northwest from Perry County to Mifflin County.  Juniata County resembles a snake.  Mifflintown is located slightly west of center in the county.  Mifflintown is the county seat and the largest city.  It is 3.6% of the county population.  The county is pronounced WA-NEE-TA.

Thompsontown