Washington County Information

Facts about Washington County

Established on March 28, 1781, Washington County was the first county in the United States to be named in honor of General George Washington. The county encompasses 863.6 square miles. It is bordered on the north by urban Allegheny County, to the south by rural Greene County, to the East by Westmoreland County from which it was carved, and to the West by the state of West Virginia. The county’s terrain is rolling hills. In the northeastern part of the county the hills are gently sloping. In the southwestern section of the county they become almost rugged. This area is part of the Allegheny Plateau west of the Appalachian Mountains. Elevations range from a high of 1,516 feet to a low of 727 feet above sea level. The Monongahela River, one of the most traveled rivers East of the Mississippi, forms an Eastern natural boundry to the county.

The county is divided into 67 municipalities with the majority of the population residing in the urban and suburban areas. The population has remained over 200,000 for the last few decades and at present is slightly over 204,000.

The county seat, the City of Washington, is located a short distance from the intersection of Interstates 70 and 79. Interstate 70 provides access to cities in the Midwest and to cities in the East via the Pennsylvania Turnpike. Interstate 79 links Washington to cities in the North and cities to the South.
The National Pike, (Route 40), America’s first federally built highway crosses the county and the City of Washington.

Agriculture is a significant industry in Washington County. Total market value of agricultural products sold by farms with sales of $10,000 or more was $71,192,000 according to the 1997 Census of Agriculture and the 1993 Pennsylvania Equine Profile. Washington County ranks 1st in the number of sheep and lambs, 3rd in total equine, 4th in number of farms with 1,307 farms comprising186,190 acres, 6th in alfalfa production, 7th in all other hay production and 7th in all hay production. The average farm size in the county is 142 acres.

Washington County is well-known for its picturesque covered bridges and miles of scenic country roads. The county also has a noteworthy historical past. It was at the center of one of the most famous events of early American history, the Whiskey Rebellion. David Bradford, local attorney, organized area farmers in a protest against the federal excise tax levied on whiskey. Dr. Francis J. Lemoyne, an abolitionist, founded the Western Abolition Society. The homes of both of these notable figures in early American history have been maintained and are open to the public.

County Statistics

Need some stats for your county? Check out these resources.

Washington County - http://www.co.washington.pa.us

Government information site on demographics, economics, and educational information:
http://govinfo.library.orst.edu/

US Census Bureau
United States Department of Commerce

To find timely, relevant, and quality data about the people and economy of the United States, click here:
http://www.census.gov/

USDA Home Page:
http://www.usda.gov/
http://www.nass.usda.gov/pa/

Program Highlights

Penn State Cooperative Extension helps individuals, families, businesses, and communities throughout Pennsylvania with information and a broad range of educational programs designed to:

Support productive, profitable, and competitive businesses and a strong agriculture and food system
Enable people to better understand and deal with complex public issues.
Strengthen families, children and youth, and the elderly
Build caring, safe, and healthy communities
Ensure the long-term vitality of Pennsylvania's natural resources




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Washington County Information Facts about Washington County Established on March 28, 1781, Washington County was the first county in the United States to be named in honor of General George Washington. The county encompasses 863.6 square miles. It is bordered on the north by urban Allegheny County, to the south by rural Greene County, to the East by Westmoreland County from which it was carved, and to the West by the state of West Virginia. The county’s terrain is rolling hills. In the northeastern part of the county the hills are gently sloping. In the southwestern section of the county they become almost rugged. This area is part of the Allegheny Plateau west of the Appalachian Mountains. Elevations range from a high of 1,516 feet to a low of 727 feet above sea level. The Monongahela River, one of the most traveled rivers East of the Mississippi, forms an Eastern natural boundry to the county. The county is divided into 67 municipalities with the majority of the population residing in the urban and suburban areas. The population has remained over 200,000 for the last few decades and at present is slightly over 204,000. The county seat, the City of Washington, is located a short distance from the intersection of Interstates 70 and 79. Interstate 70 provides access to cities in the Midwest and to cities in the East via the Pennsylvania Turnpike. Interstate 79 links Washington to cities in the North and cities to the South. The National Pike, (Route 40), America’s first federally built highway crosses the county and the City of Washington. Agriculture is a significant industry in Washington County. Total market value of agricultural products sold by farms with sales of $10,000 or more was $71,192,000 according to the 1997 Census of Agriculture and the 1993 Pennsylvania Equine Profile. Washington County ranks 1st in the number of sheep and lambs, 3rd in total equine, 4th in number of farms with 1,307 farms comprising186,190 acres, 6th in alfalfa production, 7th in all other hay production and 7th in all hay production. The average farm size in the county is 142 acres. Washington County is well-known for its picturesque covered bridges and miles of scenic country roads. The county also has a noteworthy historical past. It was at the center of one of the most famous events of early American history, the Whiskey Rebellion. David Bradford, local attorney, organized area farmers in a protest against the federal excise tax levied on whiskey. Dr. Francis J. Lemoyne, an abolitionist, founded the Western Abolition Society. The homes of both of these notable figures in early American history have been maintained and are open to the public. County Statistics Need some stats for your county? Check out these resources. Washington County - http://www.co.washington.pa.us Government information site on demographics, economics, and educational information: http://govinfo.library.orst.edu/ US Census Bureau United States Department of Commerce To find timely, relevant, and quality data about the people and economy of the United States, click here: http://www.census.gov/ USDA Home Page: http://www.usda.gov/ http://www.nass.usda.gov/pa/ Program Highlights Penn State Cooperative Extension helps individuals, families, businesses, and communities throughout Pennsylvania with information and a broad range of educational programs designed to: Support productive, profitable, and competitive businesses and a strong agriculture and food system Enable people to better understand and deal with complex public issues. Strengthen families, children and youth, and the elderly Build caring, safe, and healthy communities Ensure the long-term vitality of Pennsylvania's natural resources
Penn State \| College of Agricultural Sciences \| Cooperative Extension & Outreach This page last updated Friday, November 7, 2003 Copyright Information This publication is available in alternative media on request. Penn State is an Affirmative Action, Equal Opportunity University. This site is a product of Penn State College of Agricultural Sciences. Please e-mail us with your questions, comments or suggestions at WashingtonExt@psu.edu.