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New York Counties

There are 62 counties in the State of New York. The first twelve counties in New York were created immediately after the British annexation of the Dutch colony of New Amsterdam, although two of these counties have since been abolished. The most recent county formation in New York was in 1912, when Bronx County was created from the portions of New York City that had been annexed from Westchester County. New York's counties are named for a variety of Native American words, British provinces, cities, and royalty, early American statesmen and generals, and state politicians.

Yates County, New York

Yates County History, Geography, Demographics, Cities and Towns, and Education

County Seat: Penn Yan
Year Organized: 1823
Square Miles: 338

Court House:

415 Liberty Street
County Courthouse
Penn Yan, NY 14527-1102

Etymology - Origin of County Name

Name in honor of Governor Joseph C. Yates, who approved the act establishing the county

Demographics:

County QuickFacts: Census Bureau Quick Facts

History

Yates County was taken from Ontario in 1823; centrally distant from New York via Albany 330, and from Albany 185 miles; greatest length E. and W. 24, greatest breadth N. and S. 20 miles. The surface of this county is agreeably diversified; the northern part is gently undulating, and the southern hilly. The soil is in many places composed of a warm rich mould, yielding abundant crops, though as a whole it is more of a grazing than a grain country. The climate is temperate, and for the cultivation of fruit is not exceeded by any portion of the state. It lies wholly in the tract ceded to Massachusetts, and in that portion of it which passed through Messrs. Gorham, Phelps, and Robert Morris to Sir William Pulteney. It is divided into eight towns. (Historical Collections of the State of New York, Past and Present, John Barber, Clark Albien & Co., 1851)

Perhaps no other county in New York State has such mystic boundaries. The Finger Lakes, according to Indian Legend are the depressions left by the hand of the Great Spirit when he rested from his labors. The shores of them, Seneca, Keuka and Canadaigua are part of Yates County. Full History at NYSAC

Geography

Yates County is in the western part of New York State, northwest of Ithaca and southeast of Rochester. It has a total area of 376 square miles (973 km²), of which, 338 square miles (876 km²) of it is land and 38 square miles (97 km²) of it (9.99%) is water. Yates County is in the Finger Lakes Region.

Neighboring Counties:

Ontario County, New York - north
Seneca County, New York - east
Schuyler County, New York - southeast
Steuben County, New York - southwest

Cities and Towns:

- Barrington	town
- Benton	town
- Dresden	village	Incorporated Area
- Dundee	village	Incorporated Area
- Italy	town
- Jerusalem	town
- Middlesex	town
- Milo	town
- Penn Yan (County Seat)	village	Incorporated Area
- Potter	town
- Rushville	village	Incorporated Area
- Starkey	town
- Torrey	town

County Resources:

Enter County Resources and Information Here

County Resource Guide

Counties: US Map

The history of our nation can be seen as a prolonged struggle to define the relative roles and powers of our governments: federal, state, and local. And the names we've given our counties, our most locally based jurisdictions, reflects the "characteristic features of our country!"

But age, size and colorful names of our counties isn't the only reason to explore counties' role in American history, or the history of county government itself. In fact, the story of county government reflects the larger meanings of American history.

Today's counties are the most flexible, locally responsive and creative governments in the US. They are the most diverse, varying in size, population, geography, and governmental structure. In their politics and policies, they express a 1990's political slogan "Think globally, act locally."

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