104-491: Schoharie County ( / s k oʊ ˈ h ɛər iː / skoh- HAIR -ee ) is a county in the U.S. state of New York . As of the 2020 census , the population was 29,714, making it the state's fifth-least populous county. The county seat is Schoharie . "Schoharie" comes from a Mohawk word meaning "floating driftwood." Schoharie County is part of the Albany - Schenectady - Troy , NY Metropolitan Statistical Area . The county
208-1054: A city , town , or village . A few counties directly provide public transportation themselves, usually in the form of a simple bus system. However, in most counties, public transportation is provided by one of the following: a special district that is coterminous with the county (but exists separately from the county government), a multi-county regional transit authority, or a state agency. In western and southern states, more populated counties provide many facilities, such as airports, convention centers , museums, recreation centers , beaches, harbors, zoos, clinics, law libraries , and public housing . They provide services such as child and family services, elder services, mental health services, welfare services, veterans assistance services, animal control , probation supervision, historic preservation, food safety regulation, and environmental health services. They have many additional officials like public defenders , arts commissioners, human rights commissioners, and planning commissioners. There may be
312-446: A consolidated city-county or independent city exists, a city council usually governs city/county or city affairs. In some counties, day-to-day operations are overseen by an elected county executive or by a chief administrative officer or county administrator who reports to the board, the mayor, or both. In many states, the board in charge of a county holds powers that transcend all three traditional branches of government. It has
416-508: A 'moral, homogeneous commonwealth.'" This religious moral crusade provided the social atmosphere that allowed antimasonic sentiment to gain momentum as a significant church-oriented movement and, later, a grass-roots political party that became the nation's first third party. By the 1820s, Freemasonry was prevalent in Genesee County. From 1821 to 1827, half of all county officials were Freemasons. In September 1826, William Morgan ,
520-540: A complex partition that produced Livingston and Monroe Counties . On April 15, 1825, another partition reduced Genesee's area to 1,030 square miles (2,700 km ) in the creation of Orleans County . On May 1, 1826, the Orleans partition was again surveyed, with 10 square miles (26 km ) of land along the western half of the Orleans/Genesee border returned to Genesee. On March 19, 1841, Genesee's area
624-424: A county fire department and a county police department – as distinguished from fire and police departments operated by individual cities, special districts, or the state government. For example, Gwinnett County, Georgia , and its county seat, the city of Lawrenceville , each have their own police departments. (A separate county sheriff's department is responsible for security of the county courts and administration of
728-510: A distribution center in the Village of Sharon Springs . The I-88 corridor is growing due to the short commute to Schenectady and Albany. The Catskills-area villages have a number of historic hotels, as it was a vacation destination in the early 20th century. Second homes are common in the county. A growing tourist industry attracts visitors for recreation, the landscape and historic destinations. Visitors come to Howe Caverns , Vroman's Nose ,
832-470: A female householder with no husband present, and 30.50% were non-families. 24.80% of households were made up of individuals, and 11.10% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.59 and the average family size was 3.10. 26.10% of the county's population was under the age of 18, 7.50% were from age 18 to 24, 29.50% were from age 25 to 44, 22.60% were from age 45 to 64, and 14.30% were age 65 or older. The median age
936-465: A few counties bear names of Native American , French, or Spanish origin. Counties are most often named for people, often political figures or early settlers, with over 2,100 of the 3,144 total so named. The most common county name, with 31, is Washington County , for America's first president, George Washington . Up until 1871, there was a Washington County within the District of Columbia , but it
1040-400: A land area of 20,057 square miles (51,947 km ). The least extensive county is Kalawao County, Hawaii , with a land area of 11.991 square miles (31.058 km ). The least extensive county equivalent in the 50 states is the independent city of Falls Church, Virginia , with a land area of 1.999 square miles (5.177 km ). If U.S. territories are included,
1144-453: A large number of counties, and many Western states were sparsely populated when counties were created by their respective state legislatures. The five counties of Rhode Island and eight of the 14 counties of Massachusetts no longer have functional county governments, but continue to exist as legal and census entities. Connecticut abolished county governments in 1960, leaving its eight counties as mere legal and census entities. In 2022,
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#17327723562091248-888: A matter of U.S. state law , so the specific governmental powers of counties may vary widely between the states, with many providing some level of services to civil townships , municipalities , and unincorporated areas . Certain municipalities are in multiple counties ; New York City is uniquely partitioned into five counties, referred to at the city government level as boroughs . Some municipalities have been consolidated with their county government to form consolidated city-counties , or have been legally separated from counties altogether to form independent cities . Conversely, counties in Connecticut and Rhode Island , eight of Massachusetts's 14 counties , and Alaska's Unorganized Borough have no government power, existing only as geographic distinctions. The United States Census Bureau uses
1352-415: A population over 100,000; 137 counties have a population over 500,000; 45 counties have a population over 1,000,000; and 14 counties have a population over 2,000,000. At the other extreme, 35 counties have a population under 1,000; 307 counties have a population under 5,000; 709 counties have a population under 10,000; and 1,492 counties have a population between 10,000 and 50,000. At the 2000 U.S. Census ,
1456-557: A resident of Batavia, New York, disappeared after having been briefly imprisoned for failure to repay a debt. Morgan had been rejected from the Masonic lodge in Batavia, and, as a result, threatened to publish a book which exposed the secret rituals of Freemasonry. His disappearance and presumed murder ignited a campaign against Freemasonry. The investigation into Morgan's disappearance confronted major obstacles from government officials and
1560-428: Is Lake . Words from Native American languages, as well as the names of Native American leaders and tribes, lend their names to many counties. Quite a few counties bear names of French or Spanish origin, such as Marquette County being named after French missionary Father Jacques Marquette . The county's equivalent in the state of Louisiana, the parish (Fr. paroisse civile and Sp. parroquia ) took its name during
1664-572: Is 343 sq mi (890 km ), whereas in Utah it is 2,427 sq mi (6,290 km ). The most extensive county or county equivalent is the Yukon–Koyukuk Census Area, Alaska , with a land area of 145,505 square miles (376,856 km ). All nine of the most extensive county equivalents are in Alaska. The most extensive county is San Bernardino County, California , with
1768-421: Is an unusual case because it encompasses multiple entire counties in one city. Each of those counties is coextensive with one of the five boroughs of the city: Manhattan (New York County), The Bronx (Bronx County), Queens (Queens County), Brooklyn (Kings County), and Staten Island (Richmond County). Genesee County, New York Genesee County is a county in the U.S. state of New York . As of
1872-500: Is either done at the state level or at the municipal level. In Connecticut and parts of Massachusetts, regional councils have been established to partially fill the void left behind by the abolished county governments. The regional councils' authority is limited compared with a county government—they have authority only over infrastructure and land use planning, distribution of state and federal funds for infrastructure projects, emergency preparedness, and limited law enforcement duties. In
1976-399: Is greater than the populations of 41 U.S. states, and is only slightly smaller than the combined population of the 10 least populous states and Washington, D.C. It also makes the population of Los Angeles County 17.4 times greater than that of the least populous state, Wyoming. The second most populous county is Cook County, Illinois , with a population of 5,275,541. Cook County's population
2080-680: Is home to one of the earth's oldest forests, with petrified tree trunks dating back over 380 million years to the Devonian period. Numerous fossils are on display at the Gilboa Museum near the Schoharie Reservoir . Notable people who were born or lived in Schoharie County include: 42°35′N 74°26′W / 42.59°N 74.44°W / 42.59; -74.44 County (United States) In
2184-740: Is in Western New York . It is the namesake of Genesee County, Michigan ; that is, the Michigan county was named for Genesee County, New York. The archaeological record at the Hiscock Site , in Byron, New York goes back 10,000 to 12,000 years to the Ice Age . Researchers have found a variety of humanmade tools, ceramics, metal, and leather, along with a mastodon jaw, tusks, and teeth and assorted animal bones, indicating long occupation of
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#17327723562092288-523: Is land and 2.4 square miles (6.2 km ) (0.5%) is water. Genesee County is east of Buffalo and southwest of Rochester in the western portion of New York State. Source: Source: Genesee County is governed by a 9–member legislature headed by a chairperson. Genesee County is part of the 8th Judicial District of the New York Supreme Court and the 4th Department of the New York Supreme Court, Appellate Division . Genesee County
2392-499: Is land and 4.5 square miles (12 km) (0.7%) is water. Schoharie County is in central New York State, west of Albany and southeast of Utica . Much of the southern portion of the county lies within the Catskill Mountains . Land rises in both directions quite rapidly from Schoharie Creek in the middle of the county. In contrast, the northern part of the county is predominately small hills and valleys. More than 75% of
2496-455: Is larger than that of 28 individual U.S. states and the combined populations of the six smallest states. The least populous county is Loving County, Texas , with 64 residents in 2020. Eight county equivalents in the U.S. territories have no human population: Rose Atoll , Northern Islands Municipality , Baker Island , Howland Island , Jarvis Island , Johnston Atoll , Kingman Reef , and Navassa Island . The remaining three islands in
2600-782: Is no formal level of government (municipality, public education, or otherwise) existing below that of the county in the state. In most Midwestern and Northeastern states, counties are further subdivided into townships or towns , which sometimes exercise local powers or administration. Throughout the United States, counties may contain other independent, self-governing municipalities . In New England, counties function at most as judicial court districts and sheriff's departments (presently, in Connecticut only as judicial court districts—and in Rhode Island , they have lost both those functions and most others but they are still used by
2704-815: Is part of the Mohawk Valley region of the state. The large territory of the county was long occupied by the Mohawk Nation and, to the west, the other four tribes of the Iroquois (Haudenosaunee) Confederacy (increased to six with the migration of the Tuscarora ). After European colonization of the Northeast started, the Mohawk had a lucrative fur trade with the French coming down from Canada, as well as
2808-410: Is rarely a county responsibility, execution of capital punishment is never a county responsibility, and the state's responses to prisoners' appeals are the responsibility of the state attorney general , who has to defend before the state appellate courts the prosecutions conducted by locally elected district attorneys in the name of the state. Furthermore, county-level trial court judges are officers of
2912-490: Is served by Interstate 88 , which is paralleled by Route 7 as well as U.S. Route 20 in the north of the county running in the east–west direction. Route 10 , Route 30 (which splits into Route 30A north of Schoharie ) and Route 145 run in the north–south direction in the county. Bus service is provided by Schoharie County Public Transportation, with commuter routes to Albany as well as local and demand-responsive services. Passenger rail service in Schoharie County
3016-562: Is simultaneously a city, which is a municipality (municipal corporation), and a county, which is an administrative division of a state, having the powers and responsibilities of both types of entities. The city limit or jurisdiction is synonymous with the county line, as the two administrative entities become a non-dichotomous single entity. For this reason, a consolidated city-county is officially remarked as name of city – name of county (i.e., Augusta–Richmond County in Georgia). The same
3120-515: Is solidly Republican at the Presidential level with Lyndon Johnson in 1964 being the only Democrat to ever carry the county. Since then the closest a Democrat has gotten to winning the county was Bill Clinton in 1996 when he lost to Bob Dole by 3 percent. In 2020 Donald Trump received 64.6 percent of the vote which was the best result for a Republican since 1984 when Ronald Reagan received 65.8 percent. The primary law enforcement agency
3224-490: Is the Genesee County Sheriff's Office . In most counties in N.Y., the undersheriff is the warden of the county jail . In Genesee County, the sheriff has ultimate authority to operate the 80-bed county jail, built in 1985. In this county, rather than an undersheriff, it is managed by a "jail superintendent" with 27 other employees and managers. The current Genesee County Jail was built in 1985. As of
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3328-506: Is true of the boroughs of New York City , each of which is coextensive with a county of New York State. For those entities in which the city uses the same name as the county, city and county of name may be used (i.e., City and County of Denver in Colorado). Similarly, some of Alaska 's boroughs have merged with their principal cities, creating unified city-boroughs. Some such consolidations and mergers have created cities that rank among
3432-584: Is where the Montgomery County line meets Schoharie Creek , 520 feet (160 m) above sea level. The most prominent geological feature is Vroman's Nose , near the village of Middleburgh in the town of Fulton. As of the census of 2000, there were 31,582 people, 11,991 households and 8,177 families residing in the county. The population density was 51 inhabitants per square mile (20/km). There were 15,915 housing units at an average density of 26 units per square mile (10/km). The racial makeup of
3536-628: The 2020 census , the population was 58,388. Its county seat is Batavia . Its name is from Seneca word Gen-nis'-hee-yo, meaning "the Beautiful Valley". The county was created in 1802 and organized in 1803. The county is part of the Finger Lakes region of the state. Genesee County comprises the Batavia, NY micropolitan statistical area , which is also in the Rochester -Batavia- Seneca Falls , NY combined statistical area . It
3640-652: The Alaska Constitutional Convention wanted to avoid the traditional county system and adopted their own unique model with different types of boroughs varying in powers and duties. In some states, these powers are partly or mostly devolved to the counties' smaller divisions usually called townships , though in New York, New England and Wisconsin they are called "towns". The county may or may not be able to override its townships on certain matters, depending on state law. The newest county in
3744-458: The City and County of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania ; City and County of San Francisco, California ; and Lynchburg-Moore County, Tennessee A consolidated city-county may still contain independent municipalities maintaining some governmental powers that did not merge with the rest of the county. For example, the government of Jacksonville–Duval County, Florida , still provides county-level services to
3848-683: The Massachusetts Bay Colony also claimed the territory as their own, but New York did not enforce its territorial claim. In 1789 Ontario County was split off from Montgomery as a result of the Phelps and Gorham Purchase . Again, the county theoretically extended west to the Pacific Ocean. It was not until the Holland Purchase of 1793 that Western New York was enforced as the territory of New York State. Land in
3952-603: The Mid-Atlantic and Midwest , counties typically provide, at a minimum, courts, public utilities , libraries, hospitals, public health services, parks, roads, law enforcement, and jails. There is usually a county registrar, recorder, or clerk (the exact title varies) who collects vital statistics , holds elections (sometimes in coordination with a separate elections office or commission), and prepares or processes certificates of births, deaths, marriages, and dissolutions (divorce decrees). The county recorder normally maintains
4056-566: The New York City Borough of Manhattan), with 72,033 persons per square mile (27,812 persons/km ) in 2015. The Yukon–Koyukuk Census Area, Alaska , is both the most extensive and the least densely populated county or county equivalent with 0.0380 persons per square mile (0.0147 persons/km ) in 2015. In the 50 states (plus the District of Columbia), a total of 981 counties have a population over 50,000; 592 counties have
4160-849: The Old Stone Fort , and the Iroquois Indian Museum among other locales. The Old Blenheim Bridge was among the attractions until it was destroyed by Hurricane Irene in August 2011. Work to rebuild the covered bridge began in 2017. As of 2022, Schoharie County is part of New York's 21st congressional district , represented by Republican Elise Stefanik ; part of New York's 51st State Senate district , represented by Republican Peter Oberacker ; and part of New York's 102nd Assembly district, represented by Republican Christopher Tague . The sheriff of Schoharie County, Tony Desmond, received national attention for publicly stating during
4264-608: The Pacific Ocean . On March 12, 1772, what was left of Albany County was split into three parts, one remaining under the name Albany County. One of the other pieces, Tryon County , contained the western portion (and thus, since no western boundary was specified, theoretically still extended west to the Pacific). In 1784 Tryon County was renamed as Montgomery County . Around this time, the Pennsylvania Colony and
Schoharie County, New York - Misplaced Pages Continue
4368-576: The Province of Maine founded York County . Massachusetts followed in 1643. Pennsylvania and New York delegated significant power and responsibility from the colony government to county governments and thereby established a pattern for most of the United States, although counties remained relatively weak in New England . When independence came, the framers of the Constitution left
4472-437: The U.S. Minor Outlying Islands ( Midway Atoll , Palmyra Atoll and Wake Island ) have small non-permanent human populations. The county equivalent with the smallest non-zero population counted in the census is Swains Island, American Samoa (17 people), although since 2008 this population has not been permanent either. The most densely populated county or county equivalent is New York County, New York (coextensive with
4576-582: The USGS counts Guam's election districts (villages) as county equivalents. The U.S. Census Bureau counts the 3 main islands in the U.S. Virgin Islands as county equivalents, while the USGS counts the districts of the U.S. Virgin Islands (of which there are 2) as county equivalents. Common sources of county names are names of people, geographic features, places in other states or countries, and animals. Quite
4680-552: The United States , a county or county equivalent is an administrative or political subdivision of a U.S. state or other territories of the United States which consists of a geographic area with specific boundaries and usually some level of governmental authority. The term " county " is used in 48 states, while Louisiana and Alaska have functionally equivalent subdivisions called parishes and boroughs , respectively. Counties and other local governments exist as
4784-689: The United States Census Bureau and some other federal agencies for some federal functions), and most of the governmental authority below the state level is in the hands of towns and cities . In several of Maine's sparsely populated counties, small towns rely on the county for law enforcement, and in New Hampshire several social programs are administered at the state level. In Connecticut, Rhode Island, and parts of Massachusetts, counties are now only geographic designations, and they do not have any governmental powers. All government
4888-471: The county seat ("parish seat" in Louisiana, "borough seat" in Alaska, or " shire town " in several New England counties). The county seat usually resides in a municipality. However, some counties may have multiple seats or no seat. In some counties with no incorporated municipalities, a large settlement may serve as the county seat. The power of county governments varies widely from state to state, as does
4992-478: The median land area of U.S. counties was 622 sq mi (1,610 km ), which is two-thirds of the median land area of a ceremonial county of England , and a little more than a quarter of the median land area of a French département . Counties in the western United States typically have a much larger land area than those in the eastern United States. For example, the median land area of counties in Georgia
5096-505: The 2000 census , there were 60,370 people, 22,770 households, and 15,825 families residing in the county. The population density was 122 people per square mile (47 people/km ). There were 24,190 housing units, with an average density of 49 units per square mile (19/km ). The county's racial makeup was 94.69% White , 2.13% Black or African American , 0.78% Native American , 0.48% Asian , 0.02% Pacific Islander , 0.71% from other races , and 1.18% from two or more races. 1.50% of
5200-573: The 2013 election that he would not enforce the NY SAFE Act . The current sheriff, Ronald R. Stevens, succeeded Desmond in 2018. From 1884 to 1916, Schoharie County consistently backed Democratic Party candidates in presidential elections; it was the only county in the state to support William Jennings Bryan over William McKinley in 1896. After 1916, the county has backed the Democratic candidate only twice, in 1964 and 1996. Schoharie County
5304-451: The 50 states and District of Columbia. There are an additional 100 county equivalents in the territories of the United States . The average number of counties per state is 62, with a range from the three counties of Delaware to the 254 counties of Texas . Southern and Midwestern states generally tend to have more counties than Western or Northeastern states, as many Northeastern states are not large enough in area to warrant
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#17327723562095408-461: The 50 states and the District of Columbia. If the 100 county equivalents in the U.S. territories are counted, then the total is 3,244 counties and county-equivalents in the United States. The idea of counties originated with the counties of England . English (after 1707, British ) colonists brought to their colonies in North America a political subdivision that they already used in
5512-997: The British metropole : the counties. Counties were among the earliest units of local government established in the Thirteen Colonies that would become the United States. Virginia created the first counties in order to ease the administrative workload in Jamestown . The House of Burgesses divided the colony first into four "incorporations" in 1617 and finally into eight shires (or counties) in 1634: James City , Henrico , Charles City , Charles River , Warrosquyoake , Accomac , Elizabeth City , and Warwick River . America's oldest intact county court records can be found at Eastville, Virginia , in Northampton (originally Accomac) County , dating to 1632. Maryland established its first county, St. Mary's in 1637. In 1639,
5616-639: The Dutch in the Second Anglo-Dutch War and received New Netherland via the Treaty of Breda , they began to establish counties in the New York territory in 1683. The present Schoharie County was first part of Albany County . In theory, it extended westward to the Pacific Ocean , as the colonists wanted to keep their options open. This county was reduced in size on July 3, 1766, by the creation of Cumberland County , and further on March 16, 1770, by
5720-780: The New York City Water Supply System. The New York Power Authority operates the Blenheim-Gilboa Dam and its reservoir to produce hydroelectric power. The headwaters of the Delaware River are located in the town of Jefferson. Tributaries of the Susquehanna River are located in the towns of Jefferson and Summit. The highest point is at the summit of Huntersfield Mountain on the southern boundary with Greene County , at 3,423 feet (1,043 m) above sea level. The lowest point
5824-799: The Revolution . It was later used as an armory during the Civil War. During the 19th century, the Middleburgh-Schoharie Railroad was constructed through the county. In 1981 the Iroquois Indian Museum opened in a new building near Howe Caverns in Cobleskill . It has the largest collection of Iroquois art in the United States and includes a performance center where Iroquois present traditional and contemporary music and dance. The Gilboa Fossil Forest
5928-655: The U.S. Census Bureau began to also count Connecticut's Councils of Governments , which took over some of the regional powers from the state's former county governments, as county equivalents. Territories of the United States do not have counties; instead, the United States Census Bureau also divides them into county equivalents. The U.S. Census Bureau counts American Samoa 's districts and atolls as county equivalents. American Samoa locally has places called "counties", but these entities are considered to be " minor civil divisions " (not true counties) by
6032-473: The U.S. Census Bureau recognized the state's nine Councils of Governments as replacement for the state's eight legacy counties for all statistical purposes; full implementation was completed in 2024. The average U.S. county population was 104,435 in 2019, while the median county, which is Nicholas County, West Virginia , had a population of 25,965 in 2019. The most populous county is Los Angeles County, California , with 10,014,009 residents in 2020. This number
6136-479: The U.S. Census Bureau treats American Samoa's three districts and two atolls as county equivalents). American Samoa's counties are treated as minor civil divisions. Most territories are directly divided into municipalities or similar units, which are treated as equivalent of counties for statistical purposes: The U.S. Census Bureau counts all of Guam as one county equivalent (with the FIPS code 66010), while
6240-690: The U.S. Census Bureau. The number of counties per state ranges from the three counties of Delaware to the 254 counties of Texas . County populations also vary widely: in 2017, according to the Census Bureau, more than half the U.S. population was concentrated in just 143 of the more than 3,000 counties, or just 4.6% of all counties; the five most populous counties, ordered from most to least, are Los Angeles County, California ; Cook County, Illinois ; Harris County, Texas ; Maricopa County, Arizona ; and San Diego County, California . As of 2022 , there are 3,144 counties and county-equivalents in
6344-489: The United States is the city and county of Broomfield, Colorado , established in 2001 as a consolidated city-county , previously part of four counties. The newest county equivalents are the Alaskan census areas of Chugach and Copper River , both established in 2019, and the Alaskan boroughs of Petersburg established in 2013, Wrangell established in 2008, and Skagway established in 2007. A consolidated city-county
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#17327723562096448-428: The age of 18 living with them, 54.20% were married couples living together, 9.30% had a female householder with no husband present, and 31.80% were non-families. 25.80% of all households were made up of individuals, and 11.70% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.49 and the average family size was 2.98. In the county, the population was spread out, with 24.00% under
6552-468: The age of 18, 10.60% from 18 to 24, 26.20% from 25 to 44, 24.40% from 45 to 64, and 14.90% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 38 years. For every 100 females there were 99.00 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 97.80 males. The median income for a household in the county was $ 36,585, and the median income for a family was $ 43,118. Males had a median income of $ 31,725 versus $ 24,475 for females. The per capita income for
6656-402: The board. These positions may include county clerk , county treasurer , county surrogate, sheriff , and others. District attorneys or state attorneys are usually state-level as opposed to county-level officials, but in many states, counties and state judicial districts have coterminous boundaries. The site of a county's administration, and often the county courthouse , is generally called
6760-410: The city and the county at least nominally exist, they are properly classified as counties in their own right. Likewise, the boroughs of New York City are coextensive with counties and are therefore by definition also not county equivalents. There are technically no counties in U.S. territories. American Samoa has its own counties , but the U.S. Census Bureau does not treat them as counties (instead,
6864-716: The colony, most of the Loyalists in Tryon County, then on the frontier, fled to Canada . In 1784, after the peace treaty that ended the Revolutionary War and the establishment of states, the new government changed Tryon County's name to Montgomery County to honor United States General Richard Montgomery , who had captured several places in Canada and died trying to capture the city of Quebec . The state continued to organize new counties. In 1789, Montgomery County
6968-421: The county (which merely implements state law). A typical criminal defendant will be arraigned and subsequently indicted or held over for trial before a trial court in and for a particular county where the crime occurred, kept in the county jail (if he is not granted bail or cannot make bail), prosecuted by the county's district attorney, and tried before a jury selected from that county. But long-term incarceration
7072-463: The county jail.) In several southern states, public school systems are organized and administered at the county level. As of 2024 , there were 2,999 counties, 64 Louisiana parishes , 19 organized boroughs and 11 census areas in Alaska, 9 Councils of Government in Connecticut, 41 independent cities , and the District of Columbia for a total of 3,144 counties and county equivalents in
7176-504: The county was $ 17,778. About 7.90% of families and 11.40% of the population were below the poverty line , including 13.70% of those under age 18 and 8.60% of those age 65 or over. Schoharie County's primary industry is agriculture. Farms are situated all over the county and farm stands and other agriculture-related businesses are operated throughout the county. Many residents work in the Capital District, New York . Walmart has
7280-539: The county was 95.06% White , 2.14% Black or African American , 0.30% Native American , 0.49% Asian , 0.02% Pacific Islander , 0.36% from other races , and 0.93% from two or more races. 1.86% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race. 20.9% were of German , 15.6% Irish , 11.5% American , 10.8% Italian and 9.7% English ancestry according to Census 2000 . 95.5% spoke English , 1.7% Spanish and 1.0% German as their first language. There were 11,991 households, out of which 31.20% had children under
7384-551: The county's population lives in the north, closer to the Mohawk River, the historic transportation route east and west through the state. Schoharie Creek is a northward-flowing tributary of the Mohawk River . The Schoharie Creek watershed spans an area of approximately 950 square miles (2,500 km). The course of Schoharie Creek includes two reservoir-dam systems. The Gilboa Dam and the Schoharie Reservoir are part of
7488-409: The creation of Gloucester County , both containing territory now part of Vermont. On March 12, 1772, what was left of Albany County was split into three parts, one retaining the name Albany County. Tryon County was formed from the western portion of the territory (and thus, since no western boundary was specified, theoretically still extended west to the Pacific). The eastern boundary of Tryon County
7592-557: The crusade developed into a political party that enjoyed a political stronghold in Genesee County and the rest of the "burned-over district." The Antimasonic Party found strong support within Genesee County from 1827 to 1833. The party averaged 69 percent of the vote and won every county office. After continuous domination of Masonic politicians, citizens saw Antimasonry as a solution and an opportunity to restore justice and republicanism. The Baptist and Presbyterian churches favored Antimasonry and encouraged their members to renounce ties with
7696-531: The early Dutch colonists, and later British and German colonists. Some Palatine Germans , who worked in camps on the Hudson to pay off their passage in 1710, later settled in this county in the 1720s and 30s. In addition, Scots-Irish immigrants settled in the present Schoharie County area before the American Revolutionary War , especially near Cherry Creek . After Great Britain defeated
7800-614: The expansion of political participation. The party leaders made the Antimasonic Party, and later the Whig Party, a great success in Genesee County and other neighboring counties. In 2009, the City and Town of Batavia began exploring ways to merge or consolidate governmental systems. According to the U.S. Census Bureau , the county has a total area of 495 square miles (1,280 km ), of which 493 square miles (1,280 km )
7904-399: The four independent municipalities within its borders: Atlantic Beach , Baldwin , Jacksonville Beach , and Neptune Beach . The term county equivalents is used by the United States Census Bureau to describe divisions that are comparable to counties but called by different names: Consolidated city-counties are not designated county equivalents for administrative purposes; since both
8008-432: The fraternity. The party was originally associated with populist rhetoric, however, strong Antimasonic sentiment throughout the county correlated with positive economic developments and high population densities. Larger towns, such as Batavia , the county seat and Le Roy, harbored the strongest support for the party. The timing of the creation of the Antimasonic Party coincided with a time in New York politics that encouraged
8112-461: The general law of the state or by a charter specific to that county. States may allow only general-law counties, only charter counties, or both. Generally, general-law local governments have less autonomy than chartered local governments. Counties are usually governed by an elected body, variously called the county commission , board of supervisors , commissioners' court , county council , county court , or county legislature . In cases in which
8216-575: The geographically largest cities in the world, though often with population densities far below those of most urban areas. There are 40 consolidated city-counties in the U.S., including Augusta–Richmond County; the City and County of Denver, Colorado; the City and County of Honolulu, Hawaii ; Indianapolis–Marion County, Indiana ; Jacksonville–Duval County, Florida ; Louisville–Jefferson County, Kentucky ; Lexington–Fayette County, Kentucky ; Kansas City–Wyandotte County, Kansas ; Nashville–Davidson County, Tennessee ; New Orleans–Orleans Parish, Louisiana ;
8320-405: The judicial branch of the state government rather than county governments. In many states, the county controls all unincorporated lands within its boundaries. In states with a township tier, unincorporated land is controlled by the townships. Residents of unincorporated land who are dissatisfied with county-level or township-level resource allocation decisions can attempt to vote to incorporate as
8424-451: The judiciary- positions that were largely occupied by Freemasons. The Morgan affair combined with existing suspicions and distrust of the secrecy of Freemasonry initiated mass meetings throughout the county to decide how the issue of Freemasonry should be handled. The Antimasonry crusade's original goal was to oust Masons from political offices. Through the political guidance of party organizers, such as Thurlow Weed and William H. Seward ,
8528-560: The least extensive county equivalent is Kingman Reef , with a land area of 0.01 square miles (0.03 km ). In some states, a municipality may be in only one county and may not annex territory in adjacent counties, but in the majority of states, the state constitution or state law allows municipalities to extend across county boundaries. At least 32 states include municipalities in multiple counties . Dallas , for example, contains portions of five counties, while numerous other cities comprise portions of four counties. New York City
8632-416: The legislative power to enact laws for the county; it has the executive power to oversee the executive operations of county government; and it has quasi-judicial power with regard to certain limited matters (such as hearing appeals from the planning commission if one exists). In many states, several important officials are elected separately from the board of commissioners or supervisors and cannot be fired by
8736-686: The matter to the states. Subsequently, state constitutions conceptualized county governments as arms of the state. Louisiana instead adopted the local divisions called parishes that dated back to both the Spanish colonial and French colonial periods when the land was dominated by the Catholic Church . In the twentieth century, the role of local governments strengthened and counties began providing more services, acquiring home rule and county commissions to pass local ordinances pertaining to their unincorporated areas . In 1955, delegates to
8840-521: The next most common source of county names are geographic features and locations, with some counties even being named after counties in other states, or for places in other countries, such as the United Kingdom (the latter is most common in the area of the original Thirteen Colonies in the case of the United Kingdom, or in places which had a large number of immigrants from a particular area for other countries). The most common geographic county name
8944-424: The official record of all real estate transactions. Other key county officials include the coroner / medical examiner , treasurer , assessor , auditor , comptroller , and district attorney . In most states, the county sheriff is the chief law enforcement officer in the county. However, except in major emergencies where clear chains of command are essential, the county sheriff normally does not directly control
9048-448: The police departments of city governments, but merely cooperates with them (e.g., under mutual aid pacts). Thus, the most common interaction between county and city law enforcement personnel is when city police officers deliver suspects to sheriff's deputies for detention or incarceration in the county jail. In most states, the state courts and local law enforcement are organized and implemented along county boundaries, but nearly all of
9152-409: The population were Hispanic or Latino of any race. 25.0% were of German , 15.2% Italian , 13.5% English , 13.1% Irish , 8.9% Polish and 5.6% American ancestry according to Census 2000 . 96.5% spoke English and 1.5% Spanish as their first language. There were 22,770 households, of which 33.30% had children under the age of 18. 55.4% were married couples living together, 9.80% had
9256-662: The region was sold through the Holland Land Company 's office in Batavia , starting in 1801. All the land in Western New York was in the newly created Genesee County, and all of that was in the single town of Batavia . Genesee County was created by a partition of 7,100 square miles (18,000 km ) of land from Ontario County . The county was not fully organized so it remained under the supervision of Ontario County until it achieved full organization and separation during March 1803. On April 7, 1806, Genesee's area
9360-582: The relationship between counties and incorporated cities. The powers of counties arise from state law and vary widely. In Connecticut and Rhode Island , counties are geographic entities, but not governmental jurisdictions. At the other extreme, Maryland counties and the county equivalent City of Baltimore handle almost all services, including public education , although the state retains an active oversight authority with many of these services. Counties in Hawaii also handle almost all services since there
9464-534: The rest of the century, the Seneca led an invasion of Western New York, driving out the existing tribes of Wenro , Erie and Neutrals . When counties were established in New York State in 1683, the present Genesee County was part of Albany County . This was an enormous county, including the northern part of New York State as well as all of the present State of Vermont and, in theory, extending westward to
9568-610: The site. This site is among North America's most important for archaeological artifacts from the Ice Age. Different Indigenous peoples lived in the area for thousands of years. Centuries before European arrival, the Iroquoian -speaking Seneca Nation developed in the central part of present-day New York; it became one of the first Five Nations of the Haudenosaunee (Iroquois Confederacy). Beginning in 1639 and lasting for
9672-556: The state's French and Spanish colonial periods. Before the Louisiana Purchase and granting of statehood, government was often administered in towns where major church parishes were located. Of the original 19 civil parishes of Louisiana that date from statehood in 1807, nine were named after the Roman Catholic parishes from which they were governed. The structure and powers of a county government may be defined by
9776-421: The substantive and procedural law adjudicated in state trial courts originates from the state legislature and state appellate courts. In other words, most criminal defendants are prosecuted for violations of state law, not local ordinances, and if they, the district attorney, or police seek reforms to the criminal justice system, they will usually have to direct their efforts towards the state legislature rather than
9880-399: The term "county equivalent" to describe places that are comparable to counties, but called by different names. Louisiana parishes, the organized boroughs of Alaska, independent cities, and the District of Columbia are equivalent to counties for administrative purposes. Alaska's Unorganized Borough is further divided into 11 census areas that are statistically equivalent to counties. In 2024,
9984-475: Was $ 18,498. About 5.60% of families and 7.60% of the population were below the poverty line , including 9.00% of those under age 18 and 6.80% of those age 65 or over. The county has eight public school districts: It has one state-operated school: New York State School for the Blind Several private schools at the primary and secondary levels are also maintained (Catholic schools are affiliated with
10088-412: Was 37 years. For every 100 females there were 96.90 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 95.00 males. The U.S. Census in 2000 showed the county had a 63.7% employment rate and 2.9% were unemployed. The median household income was $ 40,542, and the median family income was $ 47,771. Males had a median income of $ 34,430 versus $ 23,788 for females. The county's per capita income
10192-456: Was again reduced, this time to the 500 square miles (1,300 km ) it remains to this day due to the partitioning to create Wyoming County . Genesee County was included in the 19th century " burned-over district " — the Western region of New York consumed by religious revivals and characterized by "the evangelical desire to convert the entire American population to Christianity and to create
10296-592: Was approximately five miles west of the present city of Schenectady , and the county included the western part of the Adirondack Mountains and the area west of the West Branch of the Delaware River . The area then designated Tryon County was eventually organized into what are now 37 counties of New York State. The county was named for William Tryon , colonial governor of New York. In the years preceding 1776, as social and political tensions rose in
10400-547: Was created by joining portions of Otsego and Albany counties. This was an area of fighting during the American Revolutionary War. On the frontier, colonists were subject to raids by British and their Iroquois allies. Four of the six tribes allied with the British, hoping to repel the colonists from their territory. According to the U.S. Census Bureau , the county has a total area of 626 square miles (1,620 km), of which 622 square miles (1,610 km)
10504-440: Was dissolved by the District of Columbia Organic Act . Jefferson County , for Thomas Jefferson , is next with 26. The most recent president to have a county named for him was Warren G. Harding , reflecting the slowing rate of county creation since New Mexico and Arizona became states in 1912. The most common names for counties not named after a president are Franklin (25), Clay (18), and Montgomery (18). After people,
10608-579: Was formerly provided by the Delaware and Hudson Railway on their Susquehanna Division until passenger service was discontinued in the 1960s. Today, freight service continues along the Susquehanna Division provided by Norfolk Southern . The nearest commercial airport to Schoharie County is Albany International Airport . A prominent site in the county is the Old Stone Fort , used for defense against British and allied Indian attacks during
10712-480: Was reduced in size by the splitting off of Ontario County . It was originally much larger than the present county, including present-day Allegany , Cattaraugus , Chautauqua , Erie , Genesee , Livingston , Monroe , Niagara , Orleans , Steuben , Wyoming , Yates , and part of Schuyler and Wayne counties. In 1791, Otsego County was one of three counties split off from Montgomery (the other two being Herkimer and Tioga County ). In 1795, Schoharie County
10816-399: Was reduced to 5,550 square miles (14,400 km ) due to a partition that created Allegany County . On March 8, 1808, Genesee's area was again reduced, this time to 1,650 square miles (4,300 km ) due to a partition that created Cattaraugus , Chautauqua , and Niagara Counties . On February 23, 1821, Genesee's area was again reduced, this time to 1,450 square miles (3,800 km ) due
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