Formed January 1, 1776 (55th county)
Washington County (53,934), Abingdon (8,375)
The red brick Classical Revival structure was erected in 1868. It is situated on Main Street at Court Street. Main Street is United States Highway 11 Business in the community. James Fields, David Fields, and Hockman combined on the designs. The courthouse features columns and a tower with veteran memorials on the grounds. The building was enlarged in 1954 and renovated in 1987. Major construction is occurring in 2022. Washington County was formed on January 1, 1776 from Fincastle County as the 55th county with Abingdon as the only county seat. Abingdon has had 1799, 1800, 1850, and 1868 courthouses.
Washington County government consists of a sheriff and 7 Supervisors. Three Circuit Court Judges and Four District Court Judges serve Washington and Smyth counties and Bristol City and Fifty-three Magistrate Court Judges serve Washington, Bland, Buchanan, Carroll, Dickenson, Floyd, Giles, Grayson, Lee, Montgomery, Pulaski, Russell, Scott, Smyth, Tazewell, Wise, and Wythe counties and Bristol, Galax, Norton, and Radford cities. The county is in the southwest part of Virginia on the border with Tennessee. Roanoke, Virginia is northeast and Knoxville, Tennessee is southwest of the county. The county center is 4.1 miles Northeast of Abingdon. The county is surrounded clockwise by Smyth and Grayson counties and Tennessee and the City of Bristol and Scott and Russell counties. It was named for future United States President George Washington. He is also the namesake for the county seat of Rappahannock County. The county seat is named for the home of Martha Washington. Washington County is the birthplace to 1 Virginia Governor, James Pleasants, Jr.
The area of the county is 564 square miles. It is 14 out of 133 in the state. It ranks 34 out of 133 in population in the state. It has a density of 95.6 persons per square mile making it 71 out of 133 in the state. Washington County has 19.8% of its population in its incorporated areas. Interstate Highway 81 crosses through the county from northeast to southwest from Wythe County to Bristol City. United States Highway 11 parallels Interstate Highway 81 from Wythe County to Bristol City. United States Highway 19 comes from the north, Russell County, and goes to the south, Bristol City. United States Highway 58 crosses east to west from Grayson County to Scott County. United States Highway 421 is joined with United States Highway 58 from Scott County, splits and continues south into Bristol City. The county looks like a plow with the point missing. Abingdon is located in the southern third of the county. Abingdon is the county seat and the largest city. It is 15.5% of the county population. This county is in the Kingsport-Bristol-Bristol Metropolitan Statistical Area.
Abingdon
Damascus
Glade Spring
Saltville
