Geographic features, such as roads and cities, have been a lifelong hobby of mine. I have worked on my list of Kentucky state highways for years, and this website is also known for my journal of vacation trips. This section of my web page discusses counties in the U.S. that exist no more. Like the other features of my web page, this is an ongoing project.

I receive an occasional e-mail about defunct counties that belong on this list, but my short-term memory is not what it once was, so a lot of these submissions still have not been processed. I plan on getting to them eventually.

Westmoreland County, CT - In 1776, Connecticut established what is now the northern half of Pennsylvania as Westmoreland County, although it didn't even touch the mainland of Connecticut. This lasted until 1782, when it was decided that the land belonged to Pennsylvania.

Benton County, FL - This ancient jurisdiction made up what is now the eastern half of Hernando and Pasco counties.

Fayette County, FL - This county rested betwixt the Apalachicola and Chipola rivers in 1832-33. Now it has been taken over by Calhoun and Jackson counties.

Mosquito County, FL - Mosquitoes are neat! I would adore living in a county known for mosquitoes. This defunct Florida jurisdiction included what is now several counties around Orlando.

Campbell County, GA - In 1932, Fulton County, which includes Atlanta, absorbed two adjacent counties, accounting for the hilarious shape it has today. To the southwest was Campbell County, whose county seat was Fairburn. If Campbell County was around today, it would probably want to change its name to avoid the bad publicity generated by a county in Kentucky with the same name. (Just kidding.)

Milton County, GA - The other county conquered by Fulton County was Milton County, to the northeast, whose county seat was Alpharetta.

Dane County, IL - Established 1839 and renamed Christian County in 1840.

Richardville County, IN - Formed 1844 and was supposedly part of a Miami reservation. It was renamed Howard County in 1846.

Aishcum, Anamickee, Bleeker, Cheonoquet, Kanotin, Kautawaubet, Meegisee, Michilimackinac, Mikenauk, Neewago, Notipekago, Okkuddo, Shawano, Tonedagana, Unwattin, and Wabassee counties, MI - Renamed Lake, Alpena, Menominee, Montmorency, Iosco, Wexford, Antrim, Mackinac, Roscommon, Alcona, Mason, Otsego, Crawford, Emmet, Osceola, and Kalkaska.

Isle Royale County, MI - Established 1861, and absorbed by Keweenaw County in 1897.

Bullfrog County, NV - A strange chapter in the history of American counties! In 1987, Nevada became steamed at the Reagan regime for dumping nuclear waste there. So the legislature carved Bullfrog County, population 0, which was completely surrounded by Nye County. Bullfrog County consisted entirely of the nuclear suppository at Yucca Mountain. Its county seat was Carson City, the state capital, and all of its officials were appointed directly by the state. The invention of Bullfrog County allowed the state to lay a hefty tax on the feds for poisoning its environment. But the courts threw out Bullfrog County, and it was abolished in 1989.

Lake County or Roop County, NV - Nevada was established as a territory in 1861, and Lake County was one of the original 9 counties. Its first county elections were conducted in Susanville and Janesville, now in California. Nobody knew where the Nevada/California boundary was, and both states claimed that area was theirs. The county was renamed Roop County in 1862. California tried to arrest Roop County officials, and surveyors established that the border between the two states was at 120 degrees west, so Roop County lost its population base. In 1883, this mostly uninhabited jurisdiction became the northern three-fourths of Washoe County.

Ormsby County, NV - In 1969, Carson City ate the rest of Ormsby County and became an independent city.

Day County, OK - Absorbed by the counties of Roger Mills and Ellis around the time Oklahoma became a state in 1907.

Tryon County, PA - Independence Hall in Philadelphia features maps of the colonies from the 18th Century. It appears that this county was in what is now central New York State.

Armstrong County, SD - South Dakota now has two counties (Shannon and Todd), comprised of Indian reservations, that are "attached" to other counties. It used to have at least 5 more, which have been taken over by the counties they were linked to. One of them is Armstrong County, annexed by Dewey County in 1954.

Schnasse and Sterling counties, SD - Annexed by Ziebach County in 1911.

Washabaugh County, SD - Annexed by Jackson County in 1979.

Washington County, SD - Annexed by Shannon County in 1943--although Shannon County itself is "attached" to Fall River County.

James County, TN - In 1919, Chattanooga-based Hamilton County swallowed James County, whose county seat was Ooltewah.

Elizabeth City County, VA - Yes, those geniuses called it Elizabeth City County. It was one of at least 5 counties in the Hampton Roads area to be fashioned into independent cities. Elizabeth City County was devoured by the city of Hampton in 1952.

Kentucky County, VA - What is now the state of Kentucky used to be one huge, Bazooka-blowin' county in Virginia.

Nansemond County, VA - Became the city of Nansemond in 1972 and was quickly swallowed by the city of Suffolk in 1974.

Norfolk County, VA - Became the city of Chesapeake in 1963.

Princess Anne County, VA - Eaten by Virginia Beach in 1963.

Warwick County, VA - Became the city of Warwick in 1952, before Newport News annexed it in 1958.

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