Washington County Origins                                                                 

Compiled by James W. Blankenship jkblank1(at)sbcglobal.net

 

Adams created Nov 28, 1883. from Whitman                                                         
Asotin created Oct 27, 1883  from Garfield                                                 

Benton created Mar 08, 1905 from Klickitat                                                          

Chehalis created Apr14, 1854 from Thurston                                                         
Chelan created Mar13, 1899 from Okanogan & Kittitas                                       
Clallam created Apr 26, 1854 from Jefferson                                                         
Clark created Aug 20, 1845  Original                                                                      
Columbia created Nov 11, 1875 from Walla Walla                                     
Cowlitz created Apr 21, 1854 from    Cowlitz Indian land                                        

Douglas created Nov 28, 1883 from Lincoln                                                           

Ferry created Feb 21, 1899 from Stevens                                                               
Franklin created Nov 28, 1883 from Whitman                                                        
Ferguson created Jan 23, 1863 from Walla Walla repealed 1865             

 

Garfield created Nov 29, 1881 from Columbia                                                       
Grant created Feb24, 1909 from Douglas                                                               
Grays Harbor 1915 Chehalis renamed                                                                    

Island created Jan 6, 1853 from Thurston                                                               

Jefferson created Dec 22, 1852 from Thurston                                                      

 

King created Dec 22, 1852 from Thurston                                                              
Kitsap created Jan16, 1857 from King & Jefferson                                               
Kittitas created Nov  24, 1883 from Klickitat                                                         
Klickitat created Dec 20, 1859 from Walla Walla                                      

 

Lewis created Dec 19, 1845  Original                                                                      
Lincoln created Nov 24, 1883 from Whitman                                                          

Mason created 1864 Sawamish renamed                                                                

Okanogan created Feb 02, 1888 from Stevens                                                       

Pacific created Feb 04, 1851 Original                                                                      
Pend created Oreille Mar 01, 1911 from Stevens                                                  
Pierce created Dec, 22, 1852 from Thurston                                                           

San Juan created Oct 31, 1873 from Whatcom                                                       
Sawamish created Mar 13, 1854 from King                                                            
Skagit created Nov 28, 1883 from Whatcom                                                          
Skamania created Mar 09, 1854 from Clark                                                          
Snohomish created Jan14, 1861 from Island                                                           
Spokane created Jan 29, 1858 annexed Jan 19, 1864 Stevens 
Spokane created Oct 30, 1879 from Stevens                                                          

Stevens created Jan 20, 1863 from Idaho Territory                                               

Thurston created Jan 12, 1852 from Lewis                                                 

Wahkiakum created Apr 25, 1854 from Cowlitz                                                     
Walla Walla created Apr 25, 1854 from Skamania                                     
Whatcom created Mar 9, 1854 from Island                                                
Whitman created Nov 29, 1871 from Stevens                                                         

Yakima created Jan 21, 1865 from Ferguson                                                          

 

Timeline                                                                                                   

 

1805 Louis and Clark                                                                                                           

Louis and Clark camped on the south side of the Columbia River modern Astoria, Oregon building Fort Clatsop.

 

1811: Fort Astoria                                                                                                                 

John Jacob Astor builds Fort Astoria at the mouth of the Columbia River as part of his Pacific Fur Company.

 

1834: Oregon Trail                                                                                                               

The Whitman Party, including Dr. Marcus Whitman and his wife Narcissa and also Reverend H. H. Spalding and his wife Eliza set up mission at the junction of the Columbia and Snake Rivers. Their travel route would become known as the Oregon Trail and used by thousands of future settlers.

 

1848: Oregon Territory Created                                                                                          

 

Clark created August 20, 1845 Original                                                                  

Lewis created Dec 19, 1845 Original                                                                       

Pacific created Feb 04, 1851 Original                                                                      

Thurston created Jan 12, 1852 from Lewis                                                 

Jefferson created Dec 22, 1852 from Thurston                                                      

King created Dec 22, 1852 from Thurston                                                              
Pierce created Dec, 22, 1852 from Thurston                                                           

Island created Jan 6, 1853 from Thurston                                                               

Feb  08, 1853 Washington Territory  created from  Oregon Territory                              

 

Skamania created Mar 09, 1854 from Clark                                                          
Whatcom created Mar 09, 1854 from Island                                                          

Chehalis created April 14, 1854 from Thurston                                                      
Cowlitz created Apr 21, 1854 from    Cowlitz Indian land                                        
Wahkiakum created Apr 25, 1854 from Cowlitz                                                     
Walla Walla created Apr 25, 1854 from Skamania                                     
Clallam created April 26, 1854 from Jefferson                                                       

Sawamish created Mar 13, 1854 from King                                                            

Kitsap created Jan16, 1857 from King & Jefferson                                               

Spokane created Jan 29, 1858 annexed Jan 19, 1864 Stevens                              

Klickitat created Dec 20, 1859 from Walla Walla                                      

Stevens created Jan 20, 1863 from Idaho Territory                                               
Ferguson created Jan 23, 1863 from Walla Walla repealed 1865             

Mason 1864 Sawamish renamed                                                                             

Yakima created Jan 21, 1865 from Ferguson                                                          

 

Whitman created Nov 29, 1871 from Stevens                                                         

San Juan created Oct 31, 1873 from Whatcom                                                       

Columbia created Nov 11, 1875 from Walla Walla                                     

Spokane created Oct 30, 1879 from Stevens                                                          

 

Garfield created Nov 29, 1881 from Columbia                                                       

Kittitas created Nov  24, 1883 from Klickitat                                                         
Lincoln created Nov 24, 1883 from Whitman                                                          
Lincoln created Nov 24, 1883 from Whitman                                                          

Adams created Nov 28, 1883. from Whitman                                                         
Franklin created Nov 28, 1883 from Whitman                                                        
Skagit created Nov 28, 1883 from Whatcom                                                          

Asotin created Oct 27, 1883  from Garfield                                                 

Okanogan created Feb 02, 1888 from Stevens                                                       

Nov  11, 1889 Washington statehood