New York State...
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New York Counties
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Washington County, New York
Washington County History, Geography, Demographics, Cities and Towns, and Education
County Seat: Fort Edward
Year Organized: 1772
Square Miles: 836 |
Court House: 383 Broadway, Building C
County Courthouse
Fort Edward, NY 12828-1015
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Etymology - Origin of County Name
in honor of George Washington, first President of the United
States
Demographics:
County QuickFacts:
Census Bureau Quick Facts
History
When counties were established in New York State in 1683, the present Washington County was part of Albany
County. This was an enormous county, including the northern part of New York State as well as all of the present
State of Vermont and, in theory, extending westward to the Pacific Ocean. This county was reduced in size on July 3,
1766 by the creation of Cumberland County, and further on March 16, 1770 by the creation of Gloucester County, both
containing territory now in Vermont.
On March 12, 1772, what was left of Albany County was split into three parts, one remaining under the name Albany
County. The other two were called Tryon County (later renamed Montgomery County) and Charlotte County.
In 1784, the name "Charlotte County" was changed to honor George Washington, the American Revolutionary War general
and later President of the United States of America.
In 1788, Clinton County was split off from Washington County. This was a much larger area than the present Clinton
County, including several other counties or county parts of the present New York State.
In 1791, the Town of Cambridge was transferred from Albany County to Washington County.
In 1813, Warren County was split off from Washington County.
In 1994, with the completion of the new municipal center, the county seat was moved from Hudson Falls to Fort
Edward.
The first Europeans to claim land in today’s Washington County were the Dutch. However, substantial settlement only
occurred toward the end of the French and Indian War (1755-1763), when the British crown awarded land to many soldiers
of that conflict, and sold land patents to potential settlers and investors.
Full History at NYSAC
Geography
Washington County is located in the northeastern section of the State. The eastern boundary of Washington County
is the New York-Vermont border, part of which is Lake Champlain.
According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 846 square miles (2,191 kmē), of which, 835
square miles (2,164 kmē) of it is land and 10 square miles (27 kmē) of it (1.23%) is water.
Neighboring Counties:
- Essex County, New York - north
- Addison County, Vermont - northeast
- Rutland County, Vermont - east
- Bennington County, Vermont - southeast
- Rensselaer County, New York - south
- Saratoga County, New York - southwest
- Warren County, New York - west
Cities and Towns:
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- Argyle |
village |
Incorporated Area |
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- Cambridge |
village |
Incorporated Area |
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- Fort Ann |
village |
Incorporated Area |
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- Fort Edward
(County
Seat) |
village |
Incorporated Area |
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- Granville |
village |
Incorporated Area |
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- Greenwich |
village |
Incorporated Area |
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- Hampton |
town |
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- Hartford |
town |
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- Hebron |
town |
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- Hudson Falls |
village |
Incorporated Area |
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- Jackson |
town |
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- Kingsbury |
town |
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- Putnam |
town |
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- Salem |
village |
Incorporated Area |
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- White Creek |
town |
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- Whitehall |
village |
Incorporated Area |
County Resources:
Enter County Resources and Information Here
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County Resource Guide
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The history of our nation can be seen as a prolonged struggle to define the relative roles and powers of our governments: federal, state, and local. And the names we've given our counties, our most locally based jurisdictions, reflects the "characteristic
features of our 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." |
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Penn Foster High School
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