District of Columbia: Individual County Chronologies

District of Columbia Atlas of Historical County Boundaries

John H. Long, Editor; Peggy Tuck Sinko, Associate Editor and Historical Compiler; Douglas Knox, Book Digitizing Director; Emily Kelley, Research Associate; Laura Rico-Beck, GIS Specialist and Digital Compiler; Peter Siczewicz, ArcIMS Interactive Map Designer; Robert Will, Cartographic Assistant

Copyright The Newberry Library 2008

ALEXANDRIA

27 Feb 1801
ALEXANDRIA (now ARLINGTON, Va.) created as one of two original counties when the federal government established a circuit court for the seat of national government, now called the District of Columbia; the counties were to administer the new judicial system and perform other functions. ALEXANDRIA covered the area west of the Potomac River that had been ceded from Virginia in 1791 [FAIRFAX (Va.)]. ALEXANDRIA shared concurrent jurisdiction of the Potomac with WASHINGTON. (U.S. Stat., vol. 2, ch. 15 [1801]/pp. 103-108)
07 Sep 1846
ALEXANDRIA (now ARLINGTON, Va.) eliminated from the District of Columbia when the federal government retroceded to Virginia all of the district territory west of the Potomac River; ALEXANDRIA eliminated from the District of Columbia. (U.S. Stat., vol. 9, ch. 35 [1846]/pp. 35-37, and appendix 3/p. 1000)

ARLINGTON (Va.) (see ALEXANDRIA)

District of Columbia

30 Mar 1791
The United States created an unnamed district from land ceded by Maryland and Virginia to be the seat of national government. The district was a square with each corner at a point of the compass (north, east, south, and west) and each side ten miles long. Until 1801 the county jurisdictions of Maryland and Virginia continued in the ceded areas. (Richardson, 1:102; Van Zandt, 90)
27 Feb 1801
The federal government established a circuit court for the seat of national government, now called the District of Columbia, and created two counties to administer the new judicial system and to perform other functions: ALEXANDRIA (now ARLINGTON, Va.) covered the area west of the Potomac River that had been ceded from Virginia; WASHINGTON covered the area east of the river that had been ceded from Maryland. (U.S. Stat., vol. 2, ch. 15 [1801]/pp. 103-108)
07 Sep 1846
The federal government retroceded to Virginia all of the district territory west of the Potomac River; ALEXANDRIA (now ARLINGTON, Va.) eliminated from the District of Columbia. (U.S. Stat., vol. 9, ch. 35 [1846]/pp. 35-37, and appendix 3/p. 1000)
21 Feb 1871
The federal government reorganized the District of Columbia on the model of a unified territorial government without lower levels of county or municipal government; WASHINGTON eliminated, although for a while it persisted informally as a geographic unit. (U.S. Stat., vol. 16, ch. 62 [1871]/pp. 419-429)

FAIRFAX (Va.)

30 Mar 1791
The United States created an unnamed district from land ceded by Maryland and Virginia to be the seat of national government. The district was a square with each corner at a point of the compass and each side ten miles long. FAIRFAX (Va.) continued county functions of Virginia in the ceded area. (Hening, 7:148-149; Richardson, 1:102; Van Zandt, 90)
27 Feb 1801
FAIRFAX (Va.) lost to creation of ALEXANDRIA (now ARLINGTON, Va.) when the federal government established a circuit court for the seat of national government (now called the District of Columbia) and created two counties to administer judicial and administrative functions. FAIRFAX (Va.) eliminated from the District of Columbia. (U.S. Stat., vol. 2, ch. 15 [1801]/pp. 103-108)

MONTGOMERY (Md.)

30 Mar 1791
The United States created an unnamed district from land ceded by Maryland and Virginia to be the seat of national government. The district was a square with each corner at a point of the compass and each side ten miles long. MONTGOMERY (Md.) continued county functions of Maryland in the ceded area. (Md., Laws Since 1763, "Proceedings of Convention," 6 September 1776; Richardson, 1:102; Van Zandt, 90)
27 Feb 1801
MONTGOMERY (Md.) lost to creation of WASHINGTON (extinct) when the federal government established a circuit court for the seat of national government (now called the District of Columbia) and created two counties to administer judicial and administrative functions; MONTGOMERY (Md.) eliminated from the District of Columbia. (U.S. Stat., vol. 2, ch. 15 [1801]/pp. 103-108)

PRINCE GEORGES (Md.)

30 Mar 1791
The United States created an unnamed district from land ceded by Maryland and Virginia to be the seat of national government. The district was a square with each corner at a point of the compass and each side ten miles long. PRINCE GEORGES (Md.) continued county functions of Maryland in the ceded area. (Archives of Md., 46:141-142; Richardson, 1:102; Van Zandt, 90)
27 Feb 1801
PRINCE GEORGES (Md.) lost to creation of WASHINGTON (extinct) when the federal government established a circuit court for the seat of national government (now called the District of Columbia) and created two counties to administer judicial and administrative functions; PRINCE GEORGES (Md.) eliminated from the District of Columbia. (U.S. Stat., vol. 2, ch. 15 [1801]/pp. 103-108)

WASHINGTON (extinct)

27 Feb 1801
WASHINGTON (extinct) created as one of two original counties when the federal government established a circuit court for the seat of national government, now called the District of Columbia; the counties were to administer the new judicial system and perform other functions. WASHINGTON covered the area east of the Potomac River that had been ceded from Maryland in 1791 [MONTGOMERY (Md.) and PRINCE GEORGES (Md.)]. WASHINGTON shared concurrent jurisdiction of the Potomac with ALEXANDRIA (now ARLINGTON, Va.). (U.S. Stat., vol. 2, ch. 15 [1801]/pp. 103-108)
21 Feb 1871
The federal government reorganized the District of Columbia on the model of a unified territorial government without lower levels of county or municipal government; WASHINGTON eliminated, although for a while it persisted informally as a geographic unit. (U.S. Stat., vol. 16, ch. 62 [1871]/pp. 419-429)