Located in the geographic center of the state, Chatham county covers 707 square miles of gently rolling hills, abundant cropland and pastureland, and friendly communities.

It is flanked on the north by Alamance, Orange and Durham counties, on the south by Lee and Moore counties, by the Deep and Cape Fear Rivers, on the west by Randolph county, and on the east by Wake and Harnett counties.  It's three main rivers, the Deep, Haw and Rocky, unite to form the upper Cape Fear River near the southeastern part of the county.

The first settlers arrived in the area between 1745 and 1750 and established homes near the rivers. 

By 1760, the area was becoming populated, and in 1771, the decision was made to break away from southern Orange county.

According to "Chatham County: 1771-1791", the reason for this decision was, "The extent of the county of Orange rendered the attendance of the inhabitants of the southern part to do public duties extremely difficult and expensive."

Chatham county was named for William Pitt, Earl of Chatham (1708-1778), the English Secretary of State who opposed the strong measures England used against the American colonies just before the Revolutionary War.

The county seat of Chatham county, Pittsboro, was established by legislative act on January 6, 1787.