Washington

Formed March 12, 1772 (12^th county)

Washington County (61,302), Fort Edward (3,169), Hudson Falls (7,429)

The Modern red brick 1961 building replaced an 1892 courthouse.  There was also an 1806 courthouse in Hudson Falls and an 1869 courthouse in Salem.  The structure is located on Broadway north of Gates Avenue.  United States Highway 4 is Broadway in the town.  Milton Lee Crandell is the architect.  A County Administration 1961 Building is also in Fort Edward.  The county was created on March 12, 1772 from Albany County as the 12^th county.  Hudson Falls and Salem were the county seats until 1993 when Fort Edward took over.  Washington County is named for General George Washington.  The county seat is named for the fort which is named for the grandson of King George II. 

Washington County government consists of an executive, an administrator, a sheriff, a comptroller, an attorney, an assessor, and a clerk (executive).  It has 17 Legislators (legislative.)  One County Court Judge and One Family Court Judge serve Washington County (judicial.)  Washington County is located on the eastern border with Vermont.  The Hudson River forms its western border.  Albany, New York is southwest and Burlington, Vermont is northeast of the county.  The county center is 16.3 miles East of Fort Edward near West Hebron.  The county is surrounded clockwise by Essex County and Vermont and Rensselaer, Saratoga, and Warren counties. 

The area of the county is 846 square miles.  It is 27 out of 62 in the state.  It ranks 41 out of 62 in population in the state.  It has a density of 72.5 persons per square mile making it 42 out of 62 in the state.  Washington County has 32.3% of its population in its incorporated areas.  United States Highway 4 enters from the northeast, Vermont, and exits to the west, Saratoga County.  The county is shaped like a glass with a straw sticking out of the northwest top.  Fort Edward is on the western border south of Hudson Falls.  Hudson Falls is located on the western border of the county.  Fort Edward is the county seat and Hudson Falls is the largest city.  Fort Edward is 5.2% of the county population while Hudson Falls is 12.1% of the county population.  This county is in the Glens Falls Metropolitan Statistical Area.