In 1991, April was designated as National County Government Month (NCGM). Since then, the National Association of Counties (NACo) has encouraged county governments to participate by making their services and programs known to the communities they serve. This year’s theme is “Serving the Underserved” (Fig 1).
Fig 1. 2018 NCGM logo (NACo)
Do you know what role county government plays in your region? County government is responsible for various services – from road maintenance, park maintenance and preservation, police protection, collecting property taxes, registering voters and managing elections, recording deeds and other legal instruments, and of course, providing access to public records. However, they also provide invaluable social services, such as children services, veteran services, job and family services, health services, as well as numerous other services and support programs.
Not all counties are the same, and each delivers services and programs in a way that best supports their community. The first county government was formed in Virginia in 1634 and by the 1830s, most states had elected county boards. Additionally, the roles and responsibilities of county government are largely mandated by the state.
As we are the keepers of Greene County’s history, we have to include a little history lesson. Greene County was established in 1803 and originally stretched up to Lake Erie (Fig 2), and was named for the American Revolutionary War General, Nathaniel Greene (Fig 3). By 1819, the county was sectioned off, and Ross and Hamilton counties were formed, establishing Greene County’s current boundaries (Fig 4).

Fig 2. Original counties of Ohio in 1803 (Auditor of State)

Fig 3. General Nathaniel Greene (Wikimedia Commons)

Fig 4. Greene County in 1855 (Greene County Archives)
To learn more about what we hold, and what kind of information you will find at the Greene County Records Center & Archives, visit our
website! Additionally, we invite you to learn more about the services and programs Greene County provides to its citizens, by visiting the County website at
http://co.greene.oh.us/.
Until Next Time…
Sources:
Ferguson, Thomas E., Ohio Lands: A Short History, Ohio Auditor of State, 1991
National Association of Counties (NACo): http://www.naco.org/articles/celebrate-role-counties-during-national-county-government-month
Wikimedia Commons