Washington

Formed March 3, 1852 (10^th county)

Washington County (180,281), Saint George (95,345)

The Modern concrete and glass courthouse replaced an 1876 facility.  The new structure was built in 1981 using the designs of Willard C. Nelson and Associates.  The facility is located at the intersection of 200 East and 200 North streets.  Interstate Highway 15 Business is one block to the north of the location.  A 1966 Administration Building supports the courthouse.  The county was created on March 3, 1852 as the 10^th county.  Washington was the county seat until 1863 when Saint George took over.  Washington County is named for United States President George Washington.  The county seat was named for Mormon leader George Albert Smith. 

Washington County government consists of a sheriff and 3 Commissioners.  Seven District Court Judges and Three Juvenile Court Judges serve Washington, Beaver, and Iron counties.  The county is in the southwest corner of the state.  Nevada is on its western border and Arizona is on its southern border.  Salt Lake City, Utah is northeast and Las Vegas, Nevada is southwest of the county.  The county center is 18.3 miles North-Northeast of Saint George nearer Leeds.  The county is surrounded clockwise by Iron and Kane counties and Arizona and Nevada. 

The area of the county is 2426 square miles.  It is 15 out of 29 in the state.  It ranks 5 out of 29 in population in the state.  It has a density of 74.3 persons per square mile making it 6 out of 29 in the state.  Washington County has 95.8% of its population in its incorporated areas.  Interstate Highway 15 passes north to south in the county from Iron County to Arizona.  The county is a rectangle with the northeast corner bitten away.  Saint George is located in the southwest quarter of the county.  Saint George is the county seat and the largest city.  It is 52.9% of the county population.  This county is in the Saint George Metropolitan Statistical Area.