Washington

Formed July 5, 1843 (3^rd county)

Washington County (600,383), Hillsboro (106,438)

The tan brick Neo-Classical building was erected in 1928.  The facility is on 2^nd Avenue between Main and Lincoln streets.  Oregon State Highway 8 is two blocks south of the site.  O. R. W. Hossack is the architect.  A Justice Building was added in 1970, a Juvenile Court in 1993, a County Administration Building in 1990, and a Public Safety Building in 1971.  A classier 1873 courthouse preceded the current one also in Hillsboro, the only county seat.  Washington County was an original county (3^rd county) formed on July 5, 1843.  It is named for United States President George Washington.  The county seat was originally called Columbia but later named for settler David Hill. 

Washington County government consists of a sheriff and 5 Commissioners.  Twelve District Court Judges serve Washington County.  The county is in the northwest part of the state.  Portland, Oregon is directly east and Eugene, Oregon is south of the county.  The county center is in Hillsboro 4.5 miles West-Northwest of the city center.  The county is surrounded clockwise by Columbia, Multnomah, Clackamas, Yamhill, and Tillamook counties. 

The area of the county is 724 square miles.  It is 31 out of 36 in the state.  It ranks 2 out of 36 in population in the state.  It has a density of 829.3 persons per square mile making it 2 out of 36 in the state.  Washington County has 59.9% of its population in its incorporated areas.  Interstate Highway 5 crosses the county from the north, Multnomah County, to the south, Clackamas County.  United States Highway 26 goes east to northwest from Multnomah County to Tillamook County.  The county is shaped like a plow blade.  Hillsboro is located in the southeast quarter of the county.  Hillsboro is the county seat and the largest city.  It is 17.7% of the county population.  This county is in the Portland-Vancouver-Beaverton Metropolitan Statistical Area.

Wilsonville