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Washington, North Carolina
Washington from the corner of Stewart Street and West Main Street
Washington from the corner of Stewart Street and West Main Street
Flag of Washington, North Carolina
Flag
Official seal of Washington, North Carolina
Seal
Nickname(s): 
Little Washington, Original Washington
Washington, North Carolina is located in North Carolina
Washington, North Carolina
Washington, North Carolina
Location in North Carolina
Country  United States
State  North Carolina
County Beaufort
Government
 • Type Council-Manager form of government
Area
 • Total 9.02 sq mi (23.37 km2)
 • Land 8.19 sq mi (21.21 km2)
 • Water 0.83 sq mi (2.16 km2)
Elevation
7 ft (2 m)
Population
 (2020)
 • Total 9,875
 • Density 1,205.74/sq mi (465.55/km2)
Time zone UTC−5 (Eastern (EST))
 • Summer (DST) UTC−4 (EDT)
ZIP Code
27889
Area code 252
FIPS code 37-71220
GNIS feature ID 2405682
Website www.washingtonnc.gov

Washington is a city in Beaufort County, North Carolina, United States. It sits on the northern bank of the Pamlico River. In 2020, about 9,875 people lived there. Washington is the main city, or county seat, of Beaufort County.

People often call it "Original Washington" or "Little Washington." This helps tell it apart from Washington, D.C.. The closest big city is Greenville, which is about 20 miles to the west.

The city was started in 1776. It was built on land given by a person named Col. James Bonner. Washington was the very first city in the United States to be named after George Washington. He later became the first president of the country.

History of Washington, NC

Washington, North Carolina municipal building
Washington Municipal Building

The area where Washington is now was first settled in the 1770s. It was founded by James Bonner on his land. Back then, it was known as Forks of the Tar. In 1776, its name was changed to Washington.

During the American Revolutionary War, Washington was an important place for supplies. It helped when other big ports nearby were blocked by the British army.

Geography and Climate

Washington is located in North Carolina. It has a humid subtropical climate. This means it has hot, humid summers and mild winters.

Climate data for Washington, North Carolina (1981–2010 normals),
Month Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Year
Mean daily maximum °F (°C) 53.8
(12.1)
56.9
(13.8)
63.8
(17.7)
72.8
(22.7)
80.5
(26.9)
87.3
(30.7)
89.7
(32.1)
88.3
(31.3)
83.2
(28.4)
74.1
(23.4)
65.6
(18.7)
56.8
(13.8)
72.7
(22.6)
Mean daily minimum °F (°C) 34.2
(1.2)
36.4
(2.4)
41.9
(5.5)
50.3
(10.2)
59.3
(15.2)
68.5
(20.3)
72.5
(22.5)
70.9
(21.6)
65.4
(18.6)
53.5
(11.9)
44.5
(6.9)
35.7
(2.1)
52.8
(11.6)
Average precipitation inches (mm) 3.85
(98)
3.32
(84)
4.22
(107)
3.14
(80)
4.11
(104)
4.44
(113)
5.45
(138)
5.22
(133)
5.81
(148)
3.28
(83)
3.2
(81)
3.26
(83)
49.3
(1,250)
Average snowfall inches (cm) 0.5
(1.3)
0.4
(1.0)
0.2
(0.51)
0.1
(0.25)
0
(0)
0
(0)
0
(0)
0
(0)
0
(0)
0
(0)
0
(0)
0.8
(2.0)
2
(5.1)
Source: NOAA (Monthly Climate Normals)

Population and People

Historical population
Census Pop.
1850 2,015
1860 1,599 −20.6%
1870 2,094 31.0%
1880 2,462 17.6%
1890 3,545 44.0%
1900 4,842 36.6%
1910 6,211 28.3%
1920 6,314 1.7%
1930 7,035 11.4%
1940 8,569 21.8%
1950 9,698 13.2%
1960 9,939 2.5%
1970 8,961 −9.8%
1980 8,418 −6.1%
1990 9,075 7.8%
2000 9,583 5.6%
2010 9,744 1.7%
2020 9,875 1.3%
U.S. Decennial Census

2020 Census Information

In 2020, there were 9,875 people living in Washington. There were 4,038 households and 2,251 families.

Washington Racial Composition
Race Num. Perc.
White 4,483 45.4%
Black or African American 4,252 43.06%
Native American 20 0.2%
Asian 73 0.74%
Pacific Islander 1 0.01%
Other/Mixed 332 3.36%
Hispanic or Latino 714 7.23%

2010 Census Information

In 2010, the city had 9,744 people. About 49% of the people were White. Around 45.5% were Black or African American. About 5.5% were Hispanic or Latino American.

The average age in the city was 40 years old. About 24.7% of the people were under 18.

Arts and Culture

OP 64 Map of Tar River, NC (9091346619)
Map of Washington during the American Civil War
Washingtonestuarium
North Carolina Estuarium

Washington has many old buildings and important places. Some of these buildings are from the colonial and Victorian times. Several historic sites are listed on the National Register of Historic Places. These include:

  • Bank of Washington, West End Branch
  • Beaufort County Courthouse
  • Bowers-Tripp House
  • North Market Street Historic District
  • Rosedale
  • Washington Historic District
  • Zion Episcopal Church

A Farmer's and Artisan's Market is often held. It takes place on the green areas along the waterfront.

The North Carolina Estuarium is located along the Pamlico River. It has over 200 exhibits about the nature of North Carolina's estuaries. These are places where rivers meet the sea. The Estuarium also has a boardwalk that is about three-quarters of a mile long.

The Turnage Theatre is a restored building downtown. It used to be a vaudeville theater and a movie theater. It reopened in 2014 and now hosts plays and live shows.

During the American Civil War, the Union Army attacked Washington. A cannonball from this attack is on display in a lawyer's office on Water Street. Many towns nearby also have Civil War items and museums. People who re-enact Civil War battles meet near Washington every year.

The Washington Public Library is part of the BHM Regional Library system.

Education in Washington

Public schools in Washington are managed by Beaufort County Schools. Here are some of the schools in Washington:

  • Early College High School
  • Eastern Elementary School
  • J.C. Tayloe Elementary School
  • John Small Elementary School
  • P.S. Jones Middle School
  • Washington High School

Media and News

Print News

The Washington Daily News is a local newspaper. In 1990, it won a special award called the Pulitzer Prize. It won for stories about water pollution in the area. This made it the smallest daily newspaper ever to win that award.

Television and Radio

Beaufort County Courthouse
Beaufort County Courthouse

The TV station WITN is based in Washington.

The city also has several radio stations:

  • 93.3 FM: WERO Bob 93.3
  • 97.5 FM: WLGT 97.5 The Bridge
  • 1320 AM: WTOW Washington Original Gospel Station

Famous People from Washington

Many notable people have come from Washington, North Carolina:

See also

Kids robot.svg In Spanish: Washington (Carolina del Norte) para niños

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