Formed January 1, 1777 (1st county)
Washington County (133,005), Jonesborough (5,870), Johnson City (71,063)
The Classical Revival red brick courthouse was built in 1912 and renovated in 1987. It is situated in Courthouse Square at Main and Cherokee streets. United States Highway 11 East is three blocks to the north of the site. Baumann Brothers provided the designs. The building was enlarged in 1963. The courthouse features columns and a working clock tower. A Justice Center was built in 2009 and a satellite Courthouse has been added in Johnson City in 2013. There was also an 1847 courthouse in Jonesborough the only county seat. The county was organized on January 1, 1777 as an original county. It is named for United States President George Washington. Jonesborough is named for North Carolina Legislator Willie Jones.
Washington County government consists of a sheriff, a County Mayor, and 15 Commissioners. Four Circuit Court Judges, One Chancery Court Judge, Two General Court Judges, and Two Juvenile Court Judges serve Washington, Carter, Johnson, and Unicoi counties. The county is located in the northeast part of Tennessee. Knoxville, Tennessee is southwest and Asheville, North Carolina is southeast of the county. The county center is 3.7 miles North of Jonesborough. The county is surrounded clockwise by Sullivan, Carter, Unicoi, Greene, and Hawkins counties.
The area of the county is 326 square miles. It is 68 out of 95 in the state. It ranks 12 out of 95 in population in the state. It has a density of 408.0 persons per square mile making it 8 out of 95 in the state. Washington County has 56.2% of its population in its incorporated areas. Interstate Highway 26 travels through the county from north to south from Sullivan County to Unicoi County. Interstate Highway 81 comes from Sullivan County, north, and goes to Greene County, west. United States Highway 11 East parallels Interstate Highway 81 from Sullivan to Greene counties. United States Highway 19 West is joined with United States Highway 11 East, splits and joins Interstate Highway 26 into Unicoi County. United States Highway 23 is joined with Interstate Highway 26 from Sullivan to Unicoi counties. United States Highway 321 enters from Carter County, east, and joins United States Highway 11 East into Greene County. The county is a triangle. Jonesborough is located in the southwest quarter of the county. Johnson City is in the northern quarter of the county and extends into Carter and Sullivan counties. Jonesborough is the county seat and Johnson City is the largest city. Jonesborough is 4.1% of the county population while Johnson City is 53.4% of the county population. This county is in the Johnson City Metropolitan Statistical Area.
Jonesborough
Johnson City
Watauga
