Adams County, Washington facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Adams County
U.S. county
Adams County Courthouse (erected 1941) in 2014
Location within the U.S. state of Washington
Washington's location within the U.S.
Country	United States
State	Washington
Founded	November 28, 1883
Named for	John Adams
Seat	Ritzville
Largest city	Othello
Area
• Total	1,929.802 sq mi (4,998.16 km2)
• Land	1,924.989 sq mi (4,985.70 km2)
• Water	4.813 sq mi (12.47 km2)  0.3%%
Population  (2020)
• Total	20,613
• Estimate  (2023)	20,820
• Density	10.68141/sq mi (4.12411/km2)
Time zone	UTC−8 (Pacific)
• Summer (DST)	UTC−7 (PDT)
Congressional districts	4th, 5th

Adams County is a county in the U.S. state of Washington. In 2020, about 20,613 people lived there. The main town, called the county seat, is Ritzville. The biggest city in the county is Othello.

Adams County was created in November 1883. It was named after John Adams, who was the second President of the United States. Ritzville is in the northeast part of the county. It's a good place for travelers to stop because it's near major highways. Othello is located in the southwest part of the county.

History of Adams County

How Adams County Started

The Governor of Washington Territory officially approved the creation of Adams County on November 28, 1883. At that time, Adams County and Franklin County were formed from parts of Whitman County. The first county meeting happened on December 19, 1883. During this meeting, Ritzville was chosen as the county seat. By 1885, the county offices were set up in a house bought in Ritzville.

Early Growth and Farming

In 1890, the census showed that 2,098 people lived in Adams County. Because the population was growing, they decided to build a proper courthouse. Construction for a two-story brick building started on February 23, 1892. It had a tower and a basement.

Wheat farming was very important to the early settlers. In 1909, Adams County proudly called itself the "bread basket of the world." Ritzville was even said to be the world's largest inland wheat exporter. Farmers used a method called dryland farming. This helped them grow wheat in the county's dry climate. They would let fields rest every other year to save enough moisture for good crops.

Changes to the Courthouse and Population

In 1905, the county courthouse needed more space. Architects from Spokane drew plans for an addition. The new part of the courthouse was finished in October 1905.

The county's population went down quite a bit between 1910 and 1940. It dropped by almost five thousand people. In 1940, the old courthouse was replaced. A new three-story building with a jail was completed in December 1940.

In 1943, the government approved the Columbia Basin Project. This project brought irrigation to the area, starting in 1946. With more water for farming, agricultural production grew. This led to the population increasing steadily. From 1940 to 2010, the population grew by 12,500 people.

Geography of Adams County

Adams County covers about 1,929.8 square miles. Most of this area, about 1,924.9 square miles, is land. Only a small part, about 4.8 square miles, is water.

Main Roads

• Interstate 90
• U.S. Route 395

Neighboring Counties

• Lincoln County - to the north
• Whitman County - to the east
• Franklin County - to the south
• Grant County - to the west

Protected Natural Areas

• Columbia National Wildlife Refuge (part)
• Saddle Mountain National Wildlife Refuge (part)

Population and People

Adams County has a large percentage of Latino residents. In 2020, about 63.65% of the people living there were Latino.

In early 2024, the average value of a home in Adams County was around $239,530. There were about 6,304 households, with an average of 3.21 people per home. The average household income was about $63,105. Around 14.6% of the population lived below the poverty line. About 62.3% of people in the county had jobs. Also, 71.0% had a high school diploma, and 14.7% had a college degree or higher.

The most common backgrounds reported by people were English (48.9%) and Spanish (48.9%). The average age in the county was 29.0 years old.

2020 Census Information

In 2020, Adams County had 20,613 people living there. There were 6,228 households and 4,794 families. The population density was about 10.7 people per square mile. About 34.5% of residents were under 18 years old. Also, 8.7% were under 5, and 12.2% were 65 or older.

2010 Census Information

In 2010, there were 18,728 people in Adams County. About 47.9% of households had children under 18. Most households (58.7%) were married couples. The average household size was 3.25 people. The average family size was 3.71 people. The average age was 29.0 years.

The average income for a household was $40,829. For families, it was $43,551. About 25.1% of the population lived below the poverty line. This included 36.6% of those under 18.

Communities in Adams County

Cities

Towns

Unincorporated Communities

Ghost Towns

Courthouses of Adams County

From 1884 to 1892, courts in Ritzville were held in rented spaces. In 1885, the county bought a building for its offices. In 1891, they decided to build a permanent courthouse. This building was finished by August 20, 1891. It was a two-story brick building with a four-story tower.

In 1905, a two-story addition was built onto the front of the courthouse. This addition included a new four-story tower, which changed the building's look a lot. This building was later replaced by the current courthouse in 1940. The current courthouse has an art-deco style.

See also

In Spanish: Condado de Adams (Washington) para niños