Formed December 9, 1825 (12th county)
Washington County (25,322), Chipley (3,662)
The Modern tan brick structure was built in 2016. It sits at 3rd and Jackson streets. Jackson Avenue is United States Highway 90. JRA Architects were the building architects of the concrete building. The building features columns with solar panels in front. Railroad officer William D. Chipley provided his name to the county seat. President George Washington is the namesake for the county. Escambia County yielded Washington County on December 9, 1825 as the 12th county. The county yielded Bay, Holmes, Calhoun, and Gulf counties. Vernon was the original county seat until 1927.
Washington County government consists of a manager, sheriff, and appraiser (executive). It has 5 Commissioners (legislative.) Nine Circuit Court Judges serve Washington, Bay, Calhoun, Gulf, Holmes, and Jackson counties and a County Court Judge, clerk, and county attorney serve Washington County (judicial.) The county is in the panhandle of Florida to the west of Tallahassee, Florida. The Choctawhatchee River forms its west border. The center of the county is 15.4 miles Southwest of Chipley nearer Vernon. The county is surrounded clockwise by Holmes, Jackson, Bay, and Walton counties.
The area of the county is 580 square miles. It is 48 out of 67 counties in the state. It ranks 53 out of 67 in population in the state. It has a density of 43.7 persons per square mile making it 52 out of 67 in the state. Washington County has 21.0% of its population in its incorporated areas. Interstate Highway 10 crosses the county’s north part entering and exiting twice, from Jackson County, east, to Holmes County, west, to Walton County, west. United States Highway 90 parallels Interstate Highway 10 from Jackson County to Holmes County. The county looks like an animal on its back. Chipley is in the extreme northeast corner of the county. Chipley is the county seat and the largest city. It is 14.5% of the county population.
Caryville
Chipley
Ebro
Vernon
Wausau
