Douglas

Formed November 28, 1883 (31^st county)

Douglas County (42,937), Waterville (1,132), East Wenatchee (14,154)

The 1905 Classical Revival structure is the only one for the county.  The courthouse is at the intersection of Rainier and Walnut streets.  The structure is three blocks southeast of United States Highway 2 passing through the town.  Newton C. Gauntt is the architect of the red brick courthouse.  It was enlarged in 1950 and a stone Annex was built in 2002.  It features a tower.  The county was founded on November 28, 1883 from Lincoln County as the 31^st county.  Okanogan City was the first county seat followed by Waterville in 1887.  The county is named for American Statesman Stephan A. Douglas.  Waterville was named for a local well which, at the time of its founding, was the source of water. 

Douglas County government consists of a sheriff, an attorney, a clerk, a treasurer, an auditor, and an assessor (executive).  It has 3 Commissioners (legislative.)  One Superior Court Judge and One District Court Judge serve Douglas County (judicial.) The county is located in eastern Washington.  Spokane, Washington is east and Seattle, Washington is west of the county.  The Columbia River forms its northern and western borders.  The county center is 17.2 miles Northeast of Waterville nearer Withrow.  The county is surrounded clockwise by Okanogan, Grant, Kittitas, and Chelan counties. 

The area of the county is 1819 square miles.  It is 17 out of 39 in the state.  It ranks 25 out of 39 in population in the state.  It has a density of 23.6 persons per square mile making it 25 out of 39 in the state.  Douglas County has 44.8% of its population in its incorporated areas.  United States Highway 2 crosses east to west in the county from Grant County to Chelan County.  United States Highway 97 enters from Chelan County, northwest, and joins United States Highway 2 back into Chelan County, southwest.  The county resembles lying on its back tilted northeast.  Waterville is located in the southwest quarter of the county.  East Wenatchee is on the southwest border of the county.  Waterville is the county seat and East Wenatchee is the largest city.  Waterville is 2.6% of the county population while East Wenatchee is 33.0% of the county population.  The largest city is pronounced EEST WE-NA-CHEE.  This county is in the Wenatchee-East Wenatchee Metropolitan Statistical Area.