Formed October 27, 1883 (27th county)
Asotin County (22,288), Asotin (1,201), Clarkston (7,162)
The current Federalist courthouse was constructed in 1905 and remodeled in 1938 to become the courthouse. The facility is on 2nd Street between Fillmore Street and Cleveland Street. Washington State Highway 129 is one block to the north of the building. The architect is unknown for the red brick courthouse. The building was enlarged in 2002. There was an 1899 building earlier. An Annex augments the courthouse. The county was formed on October 27, 1883 from Garfield County as the 27th county and Asotin has always been the county seat. Asotin County and its county seat are Native American for “Eel Creek.”
Asotin County government consists of a sheriff and 3 Commissioners. One Superior Court Judge serves Asotin, Columbia, and Garfield counties. Asotin County is located in the southeast corner of the state on the border with both Oregon and Idaho. Spokane, Washington is north and Seattle, Washington is northwest of the county. The Snake River forms its eastern border. The county center is 12.2 miles Southwest of Asotin nearer Anatone. The county is surrounded clockwise by Whitman County and Idaho and Oregon and Garfield County.
The area of the county is 636 square miles. It is 34 out of 39 in the state. It ranks 30 out of 39 in population in the state. It has a density of 35.0 persons per square mile making it 21 out of 39 in the state. Asotin County has 37.5% of its population in its incorporated areas. United States Highway 12 passes east to west through the county from Idaho to Garfield County. The county looks like the State of Oregon lying on its west side. The City of Asotin is located on the northeast border of the county. Clarkston is in the northeast corner of the county. Asotin is the county seat and Clarkston is the largest city. Asotin is 5.4% of the county population while Clarkston is 32.1% of the county population. The county and county seat are pronounced AS-OE-TIN. This county is in the Lewiston Metropolitan Statistical Area.
Asotin
Clarkston
