Washington

Formed November 1, 1799 (60^th county)

Washington County (11,001), Plymouth (3,314)

The 1819 red brick Classical Revival facility is on Main Street at Adams Street.  The courthouse is five blocks north of United States Highway 64 in the town.  Charles C. Benton and Frank W. Benton are the architects.  The building features columns and veterans are honored on the grounds.  The county was taken from Tyrrell County on November 1, 1799 as the 60^th county.  Roper was the first county seat until 1823 when Plymouth took over.  The county is named for United States President George Washington.  He is also the namesake of the county seat of Beaufort County.  Plymouth is named for Plymouth, Massachusetts. 

Washington County government consists of a manager, a register, a sheriff, an attorney, and a clerk (executive).  It has 5 Commissioners (legislative.)  Sixteen Superior Court Judges serve Washington, Beaufort, Bertie, Camden, Chowan, Currituck, Dare, Durham, Edgecombe, Franklin, Gates, Granville, Halifax, Hertford, Hyde, Martin, Nash, Northampton, Pasquotank, Perquimans, Person, Pitt, Tyrrell, Vance, Warren, and Wilson counties, Five District Court Judges serve Washington, Beaufort, Hyde, Martin, and Tyrrell counties and a court clerk serves Washington County (judicial.)  Washington County is in the eastern part of the state.  Norfolk, Virginia is north and Raleigh, North Carolina is west of the county.  The center of the county is 12.9 miles East-Southeast of Plymouth nearer Roper.  The county is surrounded clockwise by Chowan, Perquimans, Tyrrell, Hyde, Beaufort, Martin, and Bertie counties. 

The area of the county is 422 square miles.  It is 64 out of 100 in the state.  It ranks 93 out of 100 in population in the state.  It has a density of 26.1 persons per square mile making it 94 out of 100 in the state.  Washington County has 36.4% of its population in its incorporated areas.  United States Highway 64 travels through the county east to west from Tyrrell County to Martin County.  Washington County looks like a pile of leaves slanting northeast.  Plymouth is located on the northwest border of the county.  Plymouth is the county seat and the largest city.  It is 30.1% of the county population.