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Iowa Counties

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Iowa Counties

There are 99 Counties in Iowa. The first two counties, Des Moines County and Dubuque County, were created in 1834 when Iowa was still part of the Michigan Territory. In preparation for Michigan's statehood, part of Michigan Territory was formed into Wisconsin Territory in 1836]. Two years later, the western portion was split off to become Iowa Territory. The south-eastern part of Iowa Territory became Iowa, the 29th state in the union, on 28 December 1846, by which point 44 Counties had been created. Counties continued to be created by the state government until 1857, when the last county, Humboldt County, was created.

Washington County, Iowa

Washington County History, Geography, Demographics, Cities and Towns, and Education

County Seat: Washington
Year Organized: 1837
Square Miles: 569

Court House:

P.O. Box 889
Washington, IA 52353-0889

Etymology - Origin of County Name

Washington is named for George Washington, the first president of the United States

Demographics:

County QuickFacts: Census Bureau Quick Facts

County History

Washington County was originally named Slaughter County, after William B. Slaughter, secretary of the Territory of Wisconsin. Residents of the county did not like the sound of Slaughter and therefore changed the name to Washington, in honor of George Washington, 1st president of the United States. The county was established and originated in 1839.

The first county seat was located at Astoria. The only building present in the town was an unfinished log cabin that served as the courthouse. Locating commissioners were appointed to locate a county seat that would be suitable for present day, as well as future, county business. The town of Washington was chosen in the summer of 1839. A temporary courthouse, which lasted eight years, was erected at a cost of $759. It was two stories high, with native oak and walnut used in its construction.

A second courthouse was begun in February 1845 and completed in July 1847. It was a small brick building, complete with a center spire. This building was in use until 1868, when it was deemed unsafe and torn down. The county business was then conducted in the Everson's Opera House until the third courthouse was finished in 1887.

This third courthouse cost a total of $75,000 to construct and furnish. It is constructed of pressed brick for the walls and stone for the large basement. It has granite columns and stone for trim, both of which came from Ohio. The courthouse also contains a large 181-foot tower, complete with the former Washington Academy clock. Over the years this clock became worn down and unreliable for the time. The Washington County Historical Society raised the needed funds, with the help of the Carlton "Tug" Wilson estate, to refurbish this 100-plus-year-old monument.

Neighboring Counties:

Northeast: Johnson County
Southeast: Louisa County; Henry County
Southwest: Jefferson County
West: Keokuk County
Northwest: Iowa County

Cities and Towns:

- Ainsworth	city	Incorporated Area
- Brighton	city	Incorporated Area
- Crawfordsville	city	Incorporated Area
- Kalona	city	Incorporated Area
- Pleasant Plain	city	Incorporated Area
- Riverside	city	Incorporated Area
- Washington (County Seat)	city	Incorporated Area
- Wellman	city	Incorporated Area
- West Chester	city	Incorporated Area

County Resources:

Enter County Resources and Information Here

County Resources

The history of our nation was a prolonged struggle to define the relative roles and powers of our governments: federal, state, and local. And the names given the counties, our most locally based jurisdictions, reflects the "characteristic features of this country!"

But age, size and colorful names of our counties isn't the only reason to explore counties' role in American history, or the history of county government itself. In fact, the story of county government reflects the larger meanings of American history.

Today's counties are the most flexible, locally responsive and creative governments in the US. They are the most diverse, varying in size, population, geography, and governmental structure. In their politics and policies, they express a 1990's political slogan "Think globally, act locally."