Potter County was created on March 26, 1804 from part of Lycoming County and named for General James Potter. Coudersport, the county seat, was laid out in 1807 and incorporated as a borough on February 7, 1848. It was named for Jean Samuel Couderc, an Amsterdam banker.

Potter County was made for people who seek the escape and recreation of the great outdoors, the peace and quiet of the country, the friendliness of small towns, the wide open spaces where there's always room to relax. Come, hike the many trails in our state parks and forests; visit our festivals and celebrations; get to know our people, our places, our treasures. Explore the challenge of hunting the whitetail deer, wild turkey, black bear, and small game that fill our forests. Once you've faced the challenge of our wilderness, you will return again and again. And each time, a friendly welcome will be waiting.

Fall offers a spectacular rainbow of colors with our hills covered in brilliant red, orange and yellow foliage, sparkling blue skies, and crisp, crystal-clear nights. To call this region a "winter wonderland" is no exaggeration. Blanketed in white, those same hills become home to cross-country and downhill skiers, snowmobilers, hikers and hunters. Potter County is adorned in soft pastels as winter gives way to spring. Then every hillside, valley, pool and stream teems with new life as our wildlife replenishes its numbers. Summer bursts forth in a riot of colors. The intense greens of our hills and our bright blue waters provide a backdrop for the bright primary colors of our many festivals and celebrations.

Truly, Potter County has something for every member of the family; Good times, good friends, good memories. Come, explore it for yourself.