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Washington Counties

There 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.

Skagit County, Washington

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

County Seat: Mount Vernon
Year Organized: 1883
Square Miles: 1,735

Court House:

1800 Continental Pl #100
County Courthouse
Mount Vernon, WA 98273-5625

Etymology - Origin of County Name

The Skagit Native American tribe.

Demographics:

County QuickFacts: Census Bureau Quick Facts

History

Skagit County was created 28 November 1883 from Whatcom County.

Skagit County encompasses some of the most spectacular scenery in Washington state. From Rosario Strait and the flats (a riverine delta) to the forested gorges of the Skagit River to the craggy Cascades Mountains, it is an area rich in nature and human history. Home to native peoples for millennia, it attracted the attention of European and American explorers as early as the 1790s. Euro-American settlement began in earnest in the early 1860s. After the first dike was built on the LaConner flats in 1863, the county began to emerge as a major agricultural center. Throughout the twentieth century the areaÃ¢â‚¬â„¢s reputation as a world leader in seed production increased along with its importance as a fishery and lumber producer and as an international destination for recreational salmon and steelhead fishing. Today, the county boasts good schools, museums, performing arts theaters, Skagit Valley College, malls and specialty commercial districts as well as wonderful state and national parks. It is also the center of Washington stateÃ¢â‚¬â„¢s petroleum industry.
File 5663: Full Text >

Geography

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 1,920 square miles (4,974 km²), of which, 1,735 square miles (4,494 km²) of it is land and 185 square miles (480 km²) of it (9.65%) is water.

Neighboring Counties:

Whatcom County, Washington - north
Okanogan County, Washington - east
Chelan County, Washington - southeast
Snohomish County, Washington - south
Island County, Washington - southwest
San Juan County, Washington - west

Cities and Towns:

- Anacortes	city	Incorporated Area
- Burlington	city	Incorporated Area
- Concrete	town	Incorporated Area
- Hamilton	town	Incorporated Area
- La Conner	town	Incorporated Area
- Lyman	town	Incorporated Area
- Mount Vernon (County Seat)	city	Incorporated Area
- Sedro-Woolley	city	Incorporated Area

County Resources:

Enter County Resources and Information Here

County Resource Guide

Counties: US Map

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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