Washington County, Ohio

Washington County Education, Geography, and History

Washington County is a county located in the state of Ohio. Based on the 2010 census, the population was 61,778. Its county seat is Marietta. The county, the oldest in the state, is named for George Washington.

Washington County comprises the Marietta, OH Micropolitan Statistical Area, which is also included in the Parkersburg-Marietta-Vienna, WV-OH Combined Statistical Area.

Etymology - Origin of Washington County Name

Residents named the county in honor of George Washington, a hero of the American Revolution and the first President of the United States. Washington County was the first county created in what would become Ohio.

Demographics:

County QuickFacts: CensusBureau Quick Facts

Washington County History

On July 27, 1788, the government of the Northwest Territory authorized the creation of Washington County. Residents named the county in honor of George Washington, a hero of the American Revolution and the first President of the United States. Washington County was the first county created in what would become Ohio. Originally, the county covered almost fifty percent of modern-day Ohio. As more people migrated to the state, new counties were separated from Washington County to provide new residents with more direct contact with their local government.

Washington County is located in southeastern Ohio. The county's southern border lies along the Ohio River. It is predominantly rural, with two percent of the county's 635 square miles consisting of urban areas. The county is also in the heart of Appalachia. The county seat is Marietta, the first community established by the Ohio Company of Associates in 1788. With a population of 14,515 people, Marietta was the county's largest community in 2000. Washington County's population has remained relatively steady in recent years. The population of the county was 63,251 in 2000. The county averages almost one hundred people per square mile.

The largest employers in Washington County are farms, retail businesses, and service industries. During the nineteenth century, many county residents earned a living through shipping on the Ohio River. In 1999, the per capita income in the county was 22,298 dollars, with 12.3 percent of the people living in poverty.

Most voters in Washington County claim to be independents.

Ohio Governor Return Jonathan Meigs, Jr., was a resident of Washington County.

Sources
Washington County, Ohio History Central, July 24, 2008,
http://www.ohiohistorycentral.org/entry.php?rec=2028&nm=Washington-County

Geography: Land and Water

As reported by the Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 640 square miles (1,700 km²), of which 632 square miles (1,640 km²) is land and 8.0 square miles (21 km²) (1.3%) is water. It is the fifth-largest county in Ohio by land area.

Washington County's southern and eastern boundary is the Ohio River. The Muskingum River, Little Muskingum River, Duck Creek, and the Little Hocking River flow through the county to the Ohio River.

Neighboring Counties

Bordering counties are as follows:

• Noble County (north)
• Monroe County (northeast)
• Tyler County, West Virginia (east)
• Pleasants County, West Virginia (southeast)
• Wood County, West Virginia (south)
• Athens County (southwest)
• Morgan County (northwest)

Education

There are six high schools that serve the people of Washington County (as of 2014).

Belpre Golden Eagles
Beverly Fort Frye Cadets
New Matamoras Frontier Cougars
Marietta Tigers
Vincent Warren Warriors
Waterford Wildcats

There is also the Washington County Career Center, a tech school, and the Washington State Community College, a two-year college, both located in Marietta.

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