Washington County, Kentucky

Washington County Education, Geography, and History

Washington County is a county located in the state of Kentucky. Based on the 2010 census, the population was 11,717. The county was established in 1792.  The county seat is Springfield. Washington county is named for George Washington.

Etymology - Origin of Washington County Name

George Washington

Demographics:

County QuickFacts: CensusBureau Quick Facts

Washington County History

Washington County was established in 1792 from land given by Nelson County. This county was the first county created by the Commonwealth of Kentucky after its separation from Virginia.

The Washington County Courthouse, completed in 1816, is the oldest courthouse still in use in Kentucky. Washington County was the first county formed in the Commonwealth of Kentucky when it reached statehood, and the sixteenth county formed. The center of population of Kentucky is located in Washington County, in the city of Willisburg.

The county is located in the Outer Bluegrass region of the state. The elevation in the county ranges from 475 to 1020 feet above sea level. In 2000 the county population was 10,916 in a land area of 300.59 square miles, an average of 36.3 people per square mile. The county seat is Springfield.

Geography: Land and Water

As reported by the Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 301 square miles (780 km²), of which 297 square miles (770 km²) is land and 3.9 square miles (10 km²) (1.3%) is water.

Washington county is located close to the center of Kentucky in the historic bluegrass region of Kentucky. Willisburg Lake is a 126-acre reservoir in Washington County.

Neighboring Counties

Bordering counties are as follows:

• Northeast: Anderson County
• East: Mercer County
• Southeast: Boyle County
• Southwest: Marion County
• West: Nelson County

Education

The county is served by Washington County Schools, a district that contains five schools:

North Washington Elementary School in Willisburg for grades PK, K-8 with 468 students
Washington County Elementary School in Springfield for grades PK, K-5 with 387 students
Care Academy, Inc. in Willisburg for grades 6-12 with 65 students
Washington County Middle School in Springfield for grades 6-8 with 206 students
Washington County High School in Springfield for grades 9-12 with 626 students
St. Catharine College is located near Springfield.

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