Subdivision of New York Counties
- When
- 1683
- Where
- Province of New York
- Episodes
- 2
On November 1, 1683, Royal Governor Thomas Dongan reorganized the government of the Province of New York, dividing the colony into twelve counties. This administrative restructuring followed the creation of a colonial Assembly earlier that year and established a county-town hierarchy that persists in New York State today.
Episodes
- Creation of Colonial Assembly
A colonial Assembly was established in October 1683, defining representation for various regions within the province.
- Division into Twelve Counties
On November 1, 1683, Governor Thomas Dongan reorganized the government, dividing the province into twelve counties, each subdivided into towns.
Background and detail
Administrative Reform. In October 1683, a colonial Assembly was created, with representation allocated to specific regions like Long Island and New York City. Concurrently, the Court of Assizes was abolished, transferring jurisdiction to new courts. These legal and legislative changes paved the way for the significant territorial reorganization that followed in November.
County Subdivision. On November 1, 1683, the government was reorganized, and the state was divided into twelve counties. Each county was further subdivided into towns, a pattern similar to New England. This structure established by Governor Dongan remains the foundational administrative framework for New York State, even as the number of counties has since increased to 62.
People involved
- Thomas Dongan · Royal Governor
- Charles II · King of England
Sources
- Province of New York Wikipedia, revision of 2026-09-26
Machine-drafted from the cited Wikipedia passages and checked by a reviewing model, not by a human editor. Every passage cites the revision it was written from; dates and places follow those passages.