As far" as I'm aware, I live in Alameda County, California, USA, and not The County Alameda. The second does sound more lyrical somehow, though. :)

and a thread-creep aside, while I'm thinking about it ... for California folks. ... I notice that in the San Francisco Bay Area we refer to freeways with just the number, as in 80 or 5, and in Southern California, it's _the_ 5 or _the_ 405, (pronounced four-oh-five) etc.   Interesting.

Now returning to previously-scheduled county discussion ... :)
Teresa