Washington

Formed December 25, 1839 (22^nd county)

Washington County (22,567), Washington (7,357)

A red brick and stone courthouse was built in 1886 at Main and B streets.  Iowa State Highway 92 travels three blocks to the south of the courthouse.  Washington, the only county seat, also had an 1847 courthouse.  Foster & Liebbe designed this Romanesque courthouse.  The building features a tower and a Lady Justice.  Memorials are in the city park.  Washington County was created as Slaughter County on December 25, 1839 as the 22^nd county but shortly renamed to honor President George Washington.  The county was taken from Native American Territory.  The county seat is named for the county. 

Washington County government consists of a sheriff, a recorder, an attorney, a treasurer, and an assessor (executive).  It has 5 Supervisors (legislative.)  Fifteen District Court Judges and Thirteen Magistrates serve Washington, Appanoose, Davis, Des Moines, Henry, Jefferson, Keokuk, Lee, Louisa, Mahaska, Monroe, Poweshiek, Van Buren, and Wapello counties (judicial.) Washington County is in southeast Iowa.  Cedar Rapids, Iowa is north and Davenport, Iowa is east of the county.  The county center is 5.7 miles Northwest of Washington.  The county is surrounded clockwise by Johnson, Louisa, Henry, Jefferson, Keokuk, and Iowa counties. 

The county has an area of 569 square miles.  It is 54 of 99 in the state.  It ranks 27 out of 99 in population in the state.  It has a density of 39.7 persons per square mile making it 27 out of 99 in the state.  Washington County has 62.6% of its population in its incorporated areas.  United States Highway 218 travels north to south through the county from Johnson County to Henry County.  The county is a rectangle with a wavy northeast corner.  The City of Washington is located south of center in the county.  Washington is the county seat and the largest city.  It is 32.6% of the county population.  This county is in the Iowa City Metropolitan Statistical Area.