County Formation in Western Maryland, 1637-1997

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"Western" is defined as west of Chesapeake Bay and Cecil Co. (i.e., mainland Maryland)

YEAR	CHANGE: when a county reaches its 1997 form, its name is highlighted in red.
1637	Formation of St. Marys Co., the first and only county in MD until 1642
1642	Kent Co. formed from St. Marys Co.
1650	Anne Arundel and "old" Charles Cos. formed from St. Marys Co.
1654	Patuxent Co. formed from all of "old" Charles Co. and part of St. Marys Co.
	Name of Anne Arundel Co. changed to Providence Co.
	Name of St. Marys Co. changed to Potomac Co.
At this point, Anne Arundel, St. Marys, and "old" Charles Cos. have ceased to exist
1658	"new" Charles Co. formed from part of Potomac Co.
	Name of Patuxent Co. changed to Calvert Co.
	Name of Providence Co. changed back to Anne Arundel Co.
	Name of Potomac Co. changed back to St. Marys Co.
At this point, Anne Arundel and St. Marys Cos. have been resurrected as they were before the name changes four years previous (though St. Marys Co. is smaller due to the formation of the new Charles Co.); however, the new Charles Co. is not the old one. The "old" Charles Co. bordered on Chesapeake Bay, roughly equivalent to (though somewhat larger than) today's Calvert Co. The "new" Charles Co. is west of the old one and borders with Virginia, in what was once part of the original St. Marys Co.
1659	Baltimore Co. formed mostly de novo, but in small part from Anne Arundel and Kent Cos.
1674	Cecil Co. formed from Baltimore Co.
1695	Prince Georges Co. formed mostly de novo, but in part from Charles and Calvert Cos.
1696	St. Marys Co. and Charles Co. gained from Calvert Co.
1698	Anne Arundel Co. and Baltimore Co. exchange land
1727	Anne Arundel Co. gained from Baltimore Co.
1748	Frederick Co. formed mostly de novo, but in part from Prince Georges Co.
1748	Charles Co. gained from Prince Georges Co.
1750	Frederick Co. gained from Baltimore Co.
1773	Harford Co. formed from Baltimore Co.
1776	Washington and Montgomery Cos. formed from Frederick Co.
1789	Allegany Co. formed from Washington Co.
1791	District of Columbia formed from Montgomery and Prince Georges Cos.
1824	Calvert Co. gained from Anne Arundel Co.
1837	Carroll Co. formed from Frederick Co. and Baltimore Co.
1851	Howard Co. formed from Anne Arundel Co. Baltimore City becomes independent from Baltimore Co.
1872	Garrett Co. formed from Allegany Co.
1888	Baltimore City gained from Baltimore Co.
1918	Baltimore City gained from Baltimore Co.
1997	Montgomery Co. gained (very slightly) from Prince Georges Co.

Source: AniMapPlus: County Boundary Historical Atlas. Gold Bug Software, Alamo, CA.

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