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Washington Counties
 Click Image to Enlarge Washington CountiesThere are 39 counties in the state of Washington. Washington was carved out of the western part of Washington Territory and admitted to the Union as the 42nd state in 1889. The first counties were created from unorganized territory in 1845. |
San Juan County, WashingtonSan Juan County History, Geography, Demographics, Cities and Towns, and Education
Etymology - Origin of County NameSan Juan Island. Demographics:County QuickFacts: Census Bureau Quick Facts County HistorySan Juan County was created 31 October 1873 from Whatcom County Accessible only by water or air, San Juan County is an archipelago of hundreds of islands, reefs, and rocks between
mainland Washington and Vancouver Island. Around 20 islands are inhabited. The largest three -- Orcas, San Juan, and
Lopez -- contain most of the land area and nearly all the population. Only in 1872, later than any other area in the 48
contiguous states, did the San Juan islands become an undisputed part of the United States following the "Pig War"
boundary dispute with Great Britain. San Juan County was created the next year. Like the Lummi, Samish, and other
Northern Straits Salish peoples who have made the islands home for thousands of years, early settlers depended heavily
on the islands' rich marine resources. As settlement increased the islands supplied the surrounding region with fish,
agricultural produce, timber, and lime from some of the nation's richest deposits. A few residents still make a living
from fishing, farming, or forestry, but tourism, construction, real estate, and self-employment are now the leading
economic sectors as ever more weekend visitors, summer-home buyers, and retirees flock to enjoy the San Juans' beauty. GeographyAccording to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 621 square miles (1,609 kmē).Of this, 175
square miles (453 kmē) of it is land and 446 square miles (1,156 kmē) of it (71.84%) is water. The highest point in
the county is Mount Constitution on Orcas Island at 2,407 feet (734 meters) above sea level. Neighboring Counties:
It also shares a western border with the Capital Regional District, British Columbia, Canada. Cities and Towns:
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." |
