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Washington County, Virginia facts for kids

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Washington County
Washington County Courthouse
Washington County Courthouse
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 sq mi (10 km2)  0.9%
Population
 (2020)
 • Total 53,935
 • Density 95.29/sq mi (36.79/km2)
Time zone UTC−5 (Eastern)
 • Summer (DST) UTC−4 (EDT)
Congressional district 9th

Washington County is a county located in the Commonwealth of Virginia. As of the 2020 census, the population was 53,935. Its county seat is Abingdon.

Washington County is part of the KingsportBristolBristol, TN-VA Metropolitan Statistical Area, which is a component of the Johnson City–Kingsport–Bristol, TN-VA Combined Statistical Area, commonly known as the "Tri-Cities" region.

History

For thousands of years, indigenous peoples of varying cultures lived in the area. At the time of European encounter, the Chiska had a chief village near what is now Saltville, destroyed by the Spaniards in 1568. The Cherokee annexed the region from the Xualae around 1671, and ceded it to the Virginia Colony in 1770 at the Treaty of Lochaber.

The county was formed by Virginians in 1776 from Fincastle County. It was named for George Washington, who was then commander-in-chief of the Continental Army. Washington County is among the first geographical regions to be named after the president of the United States.

Washington County was raided by the Chickamauga Cherokee during the Cherokee–American wars. In July, 1776, Chief Dragging Canoe led an attack on Black's Fort (renamed Abingdon in 1778). The area remained prone to attack until after Chickamauga leader Bob Benge was finally slain by settlers in Washington County in 1794.

As with many other frontier counties, the boundaries and territory changed over the years. In 1786 the northwestern part of Washington County became Russell County. In 1814 the western part of what remained of Washington County was combined with parts of Lee and Russell counties to form Scott County. In 1832 the northeastern part of Washington was combined with part of Wythe County to form Smyth County. Finally, with the incorporation of the town of Goodson as the independent city of Bristol in 1890, Washington County assumed its present size.

WashingtonCountyVA
A farm in Washington County, Virginia

Geography

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 566 square miles (1,470 km2), of which 561 square miles (1,450 km2) is land and 5 square miles (13 km2) (0.9%) is water.

Districts

The county is divided into seven magisterial districts: Harrison, Jefferson, Madison, Monroe, Taylor, Tyler, and Wilson.

Adjacent counties

National protected areas

  • Jefferson National Forest (part)
  • Mount Rogers National Recreation Area (part)

Major highways

  • I-81
  • US 11
  • US 19
  • US 58
  • US 421
  • SR 75
  • SR 80
  • SR 91

  • US 58 Alt.

Demographics

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

Washington County, Virginia - Demographic Profile
(NH = Non-Hispanic)
Race / Ethnicity Pop 2010 Pop 2020 % 2010 % 2020
White alone (NH) 52,798 50,338 96.21% 93.33%
Black or African American alone (NH) 686 651 1.25% 1.21%
Native American or Alaska Native alone (NH) 90 91 0.16% 0.17%
Asian alone (NH) 202 334 0.37% 0.62%
Pacific Islander alone (NH) 6 0 0.01% 0.00%
Some Other Race alone (NH) 21 134 0.04% 0.25%
Mixed Race/Multi-Racial (NH) 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 treats Hispanic/Latino as an ethnic category. This table excludes Latinos from the racial categories and assigns them to a separate category. Hispanics/Latinos can be of any race.

Communities

Towns

ScenicWashingtonCoVa
Farmland in Washington County near Friendship and Wideners Valley

Census-designated places

Other unincorporated communities

Education

Colleges

  • Emory and Henry College, Emory
  • Virginia Highlands Community College, Abingdon
  • Virginia Intermont College, Bristol (closed 2014) ** Portion ** The main VIC campus was located in the City of Bristol, however the Equestrian Center (now part of Emory & Henry College) is located in Washington County.

Public high schools

Notable people

See also

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

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