Huntingdon County was established on the 20th day of September 1787. It had been created out of Bedford County, which in turn had been part of Cumberland County. Land taken from Huntingdon County to form parts of Centre and Cambria Counties reduced the size of Huntingdon County, and on February 26, 1846, with the creation of Blair County from a portion of Huntingdon County, the present boundaries of the County were established. Since the creation of the County, there have been three courthouses.

Counties are classified on the basis of population for the purpose of regulation of county government affairs. Counties are governed by the County Code of 1955, as amended, which covers third through eighth class counties. Huntingdon County, with a population of approximately 45,000, is a Sixth Class County. The County Code, supplemented by various other legislation in specific subject areas, is the basic law for administration of county affairs.

A county is primarily an agency of the state government (and sometimes the federal government) rather than a fully independent unit of local self-government. As an agent of the state government the county administers election laws, enforces state laws, and conducts courts of justice. The Pennsylvania General Assembly prescribes many of the operations and, therefore, the costs of county government. In addition to serving as an agent of the state, counties have been granted powers of self-government similar to cities, boroughs, and townships. In exercising these powers of self-government, counties are guided by the ideal of providing for the general welfare of county residents.