This is a list of U.S. counties that were established by a state, provincial, colonial, or territorial government, which no longer exist, for one reason or another. This does not include counties that were renamed but retained their territorial integrity, or counties that were transferred wholesale to another state when it was separated from another state (Massachusetts counties transferred to Maine; Virginia counties transferred to West Virginia).

Alabama

• Baine County, Alabama (1866-1868, abolished one day and re-established as Etowah County the same day)
• Decatur County, Alabama (1821-~1825)
• Jones County, Alabama (1867) (eventually re-established in 1868 as Sanford County, Alabama and then renamed Lamar County, Alabama)

Arizona

• Pah-Ute County, Arizona

Arkansas & Arkansas Territory

• Lovely County, Arkansas (1827-1828)
• Miller County, Arkansas Territory (1820-1825, became part of Indian Territory and present-day Texas)

California

• Klamath County, California - created in 1851 from the northern half of Trinity County, but in 1874 it was divided between Humboldt and Siskiyou counties.
• Pautah County, California - created by the California legislature out of territory the state believed would be ceded to it north of Lake Tahoe, but which was given to Nevada. County never officially organized.

Colorado Territory

• Greenwood County, Colorado Territory (1870-1874)
• Platte County, Colorado Territory (1872-1874)

Connecticut

• Westmoreland County, Connecticut (see Yankee-Pennamite Wars and State of Westmoreland)

Florida

• Benton County, Florida
• Fayette County, Florida
• Mosquito County, Florida

Georgia

• Bourbon County, Georgia (organized by Georgia in 1785 out of disputed Yazoo lands in present day Mississippi; dissolved in 1788)
• Campbell County, Georgia (1828-1931)
• Milton County, Georgia (1857-1951)

Idaho & Idaho Territory

• Alturas County, Idaho (1863-~1895)
• Lah-Toh County, Idaho Territory (1864-1867)

Iowa

• Crocker County, Iowa Iowa's 100th, "Lost County". Created in 1870 from portions of Bancroft County. The county seat was located at Greenwood, Iowa. In December, 1871, the Supreme Court of Iowa declared the act creating this county a violation of the constitution, which in article eleven declares that no new county shall be created which contains less than four hundred thirty two square miles. As Crocker County was smaller than the law allowed for, it ceased to exist from and after the rendition of that decision and its territory reverted to Kossuth County. To this day, Iowa is divided into just 99 counties.

Kansas & Kansas Territory

• Arapahoe County, Kansas Territory (organized as Colorado Territory in 1861)
• Howard County, Kansas (1875)
• Otoe County, Kansas

Kentucky

• Beckham County, Kentucky (1904)

Maine, Massachusetts & Massachusetts Bay Colony

• Devonshire County, District of Maine, Massachusetts Bay Colony (1674 – 1675)
• Norfolk County, Massachusetts Colony (1643 – 1679)
• York County, Massachusetts (land that later became state of Maine)

Mississippi

• Pearl County, Mississippi (1872-1878, later reformed as Pearl River County, Mississippi)

Missouri

• Clark County, Missouri (1818-1819) (Not the same as the current Clark County, Missouri)
• Dodge County, Missouri (1849-1853)
• Hempstead County, Missouri (1818-1819)
• Lillard County, Missouri (1821-1825)

Michigan & Michigan Territory

• Brown County, Michigan Territory , became part of Wisconsin Territory now remains as Brown County, Wisconsin
• Crawford County, Michigan Territory , became part of Wisconsin Territory, now Crawford County, Wisconsin
• Des Moines County, Michigan Territory , became part of Wisconsin Territory, now Des Moines County, Iowa
• Dubuque County, Michigan Territory , became part of Wisconsin Territory, now Dubuque County, Iowa
• Iowa County, Michigan Territory , became part of Wisconsin Territory, now Iowa County, Wisconsin
• Isle Royale County, Michigan , abolished in 1897 to become part of Keweenaw County, Michigan
• Manitou County, Michigan , abolished in 1895 and to become part of Charlevoix County, Michigan and Leelanau County, Michigan
• Milwaukee County, Michigan Territory , became part of Wisconsin Territory, now Milwaukee County, Wisconsin
• Omeena County, Michigan , 1840-1853, abolished, and integrated into Grand Traverse County
• Washington County, Michigan , formed in 1867 from Marquette County, Michigan but declared unconstitutional

Minnesota & Minnesota Territory

• Manomin County, Minnesota (1857-1869)
• Pembina County, Minnesota Territory (1849-1858, reconstituted as Pembina County, Dakota Territory in 1861, eventually reduced to present-day Pembina County, North Dakota.)

Nevada

• Ormsby County, Nevada, now independent city of Carson City

New Mexico Territory

• Santa Ana County, New Mexico Territory (1844-1876)

New York & Province of New York

• Charlotte County, Province of New York (renamed and partitioned). See Washington County, New York.
• Cornwall County, Province of New York (transferred to Massachusetts in 1686).
• Cumberland County, Province of New York (claimed by and transferred to Vermont, unclear if ever implemented or administered). See Albany County, New York.
• Dukes County, Province of New York (transferred to Massachusetts in 1691).
• Gloucester County, New York (claimed by and transferred to Vermont, unclear if ever implemented or administered).
• Tryon County, New York (renamed and partitioned). See also: Montgomery County, New York
• Yorkshire County, Province of New York (original English county, partitioned in 1683 into Kings, Queens (including modern Nassau), Suffolk, Richmond and Westchester (including modern Bronx) counties.)

North Carolina

• Albemarle County, North Carolina
• Bath County, North Carolina
• Bute County, North Carolina
• Dobbs County, North Carolina
• Glasgow County, North Carolina
• Tryon County, North Carolina

Oklahoma Territory

• Beaver County, Oklahoma Territory
• Day County, Oklahoma Territory Abolished at Oklahoma statehood. Split into Roger Mills County and Ellis County

Oregon

• Umpqua County, Oregon created 1851, gradually reduced in size until 1862, when what remained was incorporated into Douglas County

Tennessee

• James County, Tennessee (1870-1919) - Now occupied by Hamilton and Bradley Counties.
• Montgomery County, Tennessee (1796)

Texas

• Greer County, Texas (1888-1895, transferred to Oklahoma Territory under a Supreme Court decision)

Vermont & Vermont Republic

• Cumberland County, Republic of Vermont (1771-1781)
• Washington County, Republic of Vermont (1781-1782, land now in New Hampshire; Vermont relinquished claim; there is a present-day "new" Washington County, Vermont)

Virginia & Virginia Colony

• Elizabeth City County, Virginia (incorporated into the independent city of Hampton in 1952)
• Fincastle County, Virginia (land now part of Kentucky)
• Illinois County, Virginia, formed in 1778 and constituted most of present-day Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, Michigan, and Wisconsin; abolished 5 January 1782; territory ceded by Virginia to Congress in March 1784; see Illinois Country.
• Kentucky County, Virginia (1777-1780, land that later became the state of Kentucky in 1792)
• Lower Norfolk County (Colonial Virginia) (in 1691, divided into Norfolk County, Virginia and Princess Anne County, Virginia
• Nansemond County, Virginia became independent city of Nansemond in 1972; merged with independent city of Suffolk in 1974
• New Norfolk County (Colonial Virginia) Formed in 1636 from Elizabeth River Shire, divided into Lower Norfolk County and Upper Norfolk County in 1637
• Norfolk County, Virginia Formed in 1691 from part of Lower Norfolk County, was merged with independent city of South Norfolk to become new independent city of Chesapeake in 1963
• Old Rappahannock County, Province of Virginia
• Princess Anne County, Virginia (Formed in 1691 from part of Lower Norfolk County, was merged with independent city of Virginia Beach in 1963)
• Upper Norfolk County (Colonial Virginia) (renamed Nansemond County in 1642; see Nansemond County for subsequent history)
• Warwick River County, Virginia (renamed Warwick County in 1642; became independent city of Warwick in 1952; merged with city of Newport News in 1958)
• Yohogania County, Virginia (1776-1779, land now in Pennsylvania)

See also

• List of extinct states
• Historic regions of the United States
• Lost counties, cities and towns of Virginia
• List of parishes of Louisiana

External links

*To be harvested.

• Ghost Counties: Your Guide to America's Dead, Forgotten Counties
• Handbook of Texas Online: DEFUNCT COUNTIES*
• Iowa's Defunct Counties
• Defunct Kansas Counties
• Dead Counties*
• Ancestry.com: County Boundaries & Boundary Changes
• Formation of South Carolina Counties*
• SDGENWEB Extinct County Selection List*
• Virginia Counties*
• Missing Counties of Virginia*
• Extinct Louisiana parishes and counties