Wasco

Formed January 11, 1854 (14^th county)

Wasco County (26,663), The Dalles (16,024)

The tan brick and masonry Classical Revival facility was built in 1914 on Washington Street between 4^th and 5^th streets.  United States Highway 30 is one block northeast of the building.  Charles J. Crandall is the building designer.  The building features columns.  There have been 1859 and 1884 versions earlier in The Dalles, the only county seat.  The county was created on January 11, 1854 from parts of Clackamas, Lane, Linn, and Marion counties as the 14^th county.  It is named for a Native American tribe.  The Dalles is named for a French word for “the flagstones” on the Columbia River. 

Wasco County government consists of a treasurer, a sheriff, an attorney, an administrator, and a clerk (executive).  It has 3 Commissioners (legislative.)  Four District Court Judges serve Wasco, Gilliam, Hood River, Sherman, and Wheeler counties (judicial.)  The county is on the northern border with Washington.  The Columbia River forms its northern border.  The county center is 25.1 miles South of The Dalles nearer Dufur.  The county is surrounded clockwise by Washington and Sherman, Gilliam, Wheeler, Jefferson, Marion, Clackamas, and Hood River counties. 

The area of the county is 2381 square miles.  It is 14 out of 36 in the state.  It ranks 22 out of 36 in population in the state.  It has a density of 11.2 persons per square mile making it 25 out of 36 in the state.  Wasco County has 66.1% of its population in its incorporated areas.  Interstate Highway 84 travels through the county from east to west from Sherman County to Hood River County.  United States Highway 26 clips the southwest corner from Clackamas County to Jefferson County.  United States Highway 30 is joined with Interstate Highway 84 from Sherman County, splits and rejoins into Hood River County.  United States Highway 97 enters from Sherman County, east, and exits into Jefferson County, south.  United States Highway 197 goes from Washington, north, to terminate.  The county shape looks like a squashed capital letter L.  The Dalles is located on the northwest border of the county.  The Dalles is the county seat and the largest city.  It is 60.1% of the county population.  This county is in The Dalles Micropolitan Statistical Area.