Grays Harbor

Formed April 14, 1854 (12^th county)

Grays Harbor County (75,636), Montesano (4,141), Aberdeen (17,012)

The excellent Beaux Arts facility was built in 1911.  It replaced an 1890 version.  The structure is at the intersection of Broadway and Main Street.  United States Highway 12 passes three blocks south of the building.  Watson Vernon is the architect.  A 1912 Administration Building augments the courthouse next door.  Aberdeen has a supporting courthouse.  The county was founded on April 14, 1854 from Thurston County as the 12^th county.  Bruceport was the first county seat until Montesano assumed the role in 1860.  Grays Harbor is named for Grays Harbor which is named for its founder Captain James Gray.  The county seat is Spanish for “healthy mountain.” 

Grays Harbor County government consists of a sheriff, an attorney, a clerk, a treasurer, an auditor, and an assessor (executive).  It has 3 Commissioners (legislative.)  Three Superior Court Judges and One District Court Judge serve Grays Harbor County (judicial.)  Grays Harbor County is in western Washington on the Pacific Ocean.  Seattle, Washington is northeast and Portland, Oregon is southeast of the county.  The county center is 8 miles Northwest of Montesano nearer Aberdeen Gardens.  The county is surrounded clockwise by Jefferson, Mason, Thurston, Lewis, and Pacific counties and the Pacific Ocean. 

The area of the county is 1902 square miles.  It is 15 out of 39 in the state.  It ranks 19 out of 39 in population in the state.  It has a density of 39.8 persons per square mile making it 19 out of 39 in the state.  Grays Harbor County has 61.7% of its population in its incorporated areas.  United States Highway 12 enters the county from the southeast, Thurston County, and terminates.  United States Highway 101 travels north to south from Jefferson County to Pacific County.  The county is shaped like a fat capital letter L.  Montesano is located in the southern quarter of the county.  Aberdeen is in the southwest quarter of the county.  Montesano is the county seat and Aberdeen is the largest city.  Montesano is 5.5% of the county population while Aberdeen is 22.5% of the county population.  This county is in the Aberdeen Micropolitan Statistical Area.