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Washington County, Virginia facts for kids

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Washington County
Washington County Courthouse
Washington County Courthouse
Flag of Washington County
Flag
Official seal of Washington County
Seal
Map of Virginia highlighting Washington County
Location within the U.S. state of Virginia
Map of the United States highlighting Virginia
Virginia's location within the U.S.
Country  United States
State  Virginia
Founded 1776
Named for George Washington
Seat Abingdon
Largest town Abingdon
Area
 • Total 566 sq mi (1,470 km2)
 • Land 561 sq mi (1,450 km2)
 • Water 5.0 sq mi (13 km2)  0.9%
Population
 (2020)
 • Total 53,935 Decrease
 • Density 95/sq mi (37/km2)
Time zone UTC−5 (Eastern)
 • Summer (DST) UTC−4 (EDT)
Congressional district 9th

Washington County is a county located in the state of Virginia. In 2020, about 53,935 people lived there. The main town and county seat is Abingdon. Washington County is part of a larger area known as the "Tri-Cities" region. This region includes Bristol, Tennessee and Virginia, Kingsport, Tennessee, and Johnson City, Tennessee.

History of Washington County

For thousands of years, different groups of Native Americans lived in this area. When European settlers arrived, the Chiska people had a main village near what is now Saltville. The Cherokee people later took over this region around 1671. They gave the land to the Virginia Colony in 1770 through a special agreement called the Treaty of Lochaber.

The county was officially formed by people from Virginia in 1776. It was created from a larger area called Fincastle County. The county was named after George Washington. He was the leader of the Continental Army during the American Revolutionary War. Washington County was one of the first places in the United States to be named after him.

The Chickamauga Cherokee people sometimes attacked Washington County during the Cherokee–American wars. In July 1776, a chief named Dragging Canoe led an attack on Black's Fort. This fort was later renamed Abingdon in 1778. The area continued to face attacks until after a Chickamauga leader named Bob Benge was defeated in 1794.

Over the years, the county's borders changed. In 1786, the northwestern part of Washington County became Russell County. Later, in 1814, parts of Washington, Lee, and Russell counties joined to form Scott County. In 1832, the northeastern part of Washington County became part of Smyth County. Finally, in 1890, the town of Goodson became the independent city of Bristol. After these changes, Washington County became the size it is today.

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A farm in Washington County, Virginia

Geography of Washington County

Washington County covers a total area of about 566 square miles (1,466 square kilometers). Most of this area, 561 square miles (1,453 square kilometers), is land. Only about 5 square miles (13 square kilometers) is water. Washington County is located in the Appalachian Mountains region.

County Districts

The county is divided into seven main areas called magisterial districts. These districts are Harrison, Jefferson, Madison, Monroe, Taylor, Tyler, and Wilson.

Neighboring Counties

Washington County shares its borders with several other counties and one independent city:

Protected Natural Areas

Parts of two national protected areas are located in Washington County:

  • Jefferson National Forest
  • Mount Rogers National Recreation Area

Main Roads and Highways

Several important roads and highways pass through Washington County. These include:

  • I-81
  • US 11
  • US 19
  • US 58

  • US 58 Alt.
  • US 421
  • SR 75
  • SR 80
  • SR 91
  • SR 617
  • SR 625

Population and People

Historical population
Census Pop.
1790 5,625
1800 9,536 69.5%
1810 12,156 27.5%
1820 12,444 2.4%
1830 15,614 25.5%
1840 13,001 −16.7%
1850 14,612 12.4%
1860 16,892 15.6%
1870 16,816 −0.4%
1880 25,203 49.9%
1890 29,020 15.1%
1900 28,995 −0.1%
1910 32,830 13.2%
1920 32,376 −1.4%
1930 33,850 4.6%
1940 38,197 12.8%
1950 37,536 −1.7%
1960 38,076 1.4%
1970 40,835 7.2%
1980 46,487 13.8%
1990 45,887 −1.3%
2000 51,103 11.4%
2010 54,876 7.4%
2020 53,935 −1.7%
U.S. Decennial Census
1790-1960 1900-1990
2010 2020

2020 Census Information

The 2020 United States Census collected information about the people living in Washington County. This table shows the different groups of people and how their numbers changed from 2010 to 2020.

Washington County, Virginia - Population Details
Race / Ethnicity Pop 2010 Pop 2020 % 2010 % 2020
White alone 52,798 50,338 96.21% 93.33%
Black or African American alone 686 651 1.25% 1.21%
Native American or Alaska Native alone 90 91 0.16% 0.17%
Asian alone 202 334 0.37% 0.62%
Pacific Islander alone 6 0 0.01% 0.00%
Some Other Race alone 21 134 0.04% 0.25%
Mixed Race/Multi-Racial 349 1,496 0.64% 2.77%
Hispanic or Latino (any race) 724 891 1.32% 1.65%
Total 54,876 53,935 100.00% 100.00%

Note: The US Census counts Hispanic/Latino people as an ethnic group. This means they can be of any race.

Education in Washington County

Colleges and Universities

  • Emory and Henry College, located in Emory
  • Virginia Highlands Community College, located in Abingdon
  • Virginia Intermont College, which closed in 2014. While its main campus was in Bristol, its Equestrian Center was in Washington County. This center is now part of Emory & Henry College.

Public High Schools

Communities in Washington County

Towns

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Farmland in Washington County near Friendship and Wideners Valley

Census-Designated Places

These are areas that are like towns but are not officially incorporated as towns.

Other Communities

Many other smaller communities are located in Washington County. Some of these include:

Some parts of Washington County use Bristol addresses, even though they are not in the city of Bristol itself.

Notable People from Washington County

Many interesting people have come from Washington County, Virginia. Here are a few of them:

  • Frederick C. Boucher - A member of the U.S. Congress.
  • Red Byron - A famous race car driver.
  • David Campbell - A former Governor of Virginia.
  • John Buchanan Floyd - Also a Governor of Virginia and a U.S. Secretary of War.
  • Robert William Hughes - A lawyer and newspaper publisher who became a U.S. District Court judge.
  • John Warfield Johnston - A lawyer, judge, and U.S. Senator.
  • Barbara Kingsolver - A well-known writer and novelist.
  • Joseph Meek - An American frontiersman.
  • William Frank Newton - A talented jazz musician.
  • John E. Reinhardt - An Ambassador to Nigeria and Director of the U.S. Information Agency.
  • Wyndham Robertson - Another former Governor of Virginia.
  • Connally Findlay Trigg - A member of the U.S. Congress.
  • Hiram Emory Widener, Jr. - A U.S. District Court and U.S. Court of Appeals judge.

See also

Kids robot.svg In Spanish: Condado de Washington (Virginia) para niños

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