Washington County, Arkansas

Washington County Education, Geography, and History

Washington County is a county located in the northwest part of the US state of Arkansas. Based on the 2010 census, the population was 203,065, making it the third-most populous county in Arkansas. The county seat is Fayetteville. Washington County was formed on October 17, 1828. The county is named for George Washington, the first President of the United States.

Washington County is part of the Fayetteville-Springdale-Rogers, AR-MO Metropolitan Statistical Area.

Etymology - Origin of Washington County Name

Washington county is named for George Washington, the first US president. George Washington (February 22, 1732 - December 14, 1799) served as the first President of the United States of America (1789-1797), and led the Continental Army to victory over the Kingdom of Great Britain in the American Revolutionary War (1775-1783).

Demographics:

County QuickFacts: CensusBureau Quick Facts

Washington County History

Washington county was created by the action of the Territorial Legislature in October 1828, from part of Crawford County and a tract known as Lovely's Purchase, in which it was named after George Washington. The county seat was first called Washington but since Hempstead County already had a Washington community, the name was then changed to Fayetteville. A beautiful view of the courthouse rising above the US courthouse and Fayetteville skyline can be seen from Mt. Sequoyah.  Washington is the second most populous county in Arkansas and one of the fastest growing. Essentially an urbanized county, Washington boasts a rich cultural life and amenities connected with metropolitan areas. Still, the county leads the state in dollar value of agricultural products produced annually, especially poultry and beef cattle. The economy is well balanced among agriculture, retail and service establishments, industry, and public institutions. The University of Arkansas is the largest single employer in the region. The University and the Walton Arts Center in Fayetteville and the Arts Center of the Ozarks in Springdale offer theatre, concerts, and other cultural events. Two museums, the University and Shiloh, are located in Springdale and are well-supported historical centers. Popular tourists' areas are Devil's Den State Park, the White and Illinois rivers, and the Boston Mountains. The scenic spring woods bloom with dogwood, redbud, sarvis, and the flaming fall foliage draws visitors by the thousands. Many arts & crafts' fairs are held in the area also attracting thousands of visitors each year. Grape and apple festivals are also annual attractions for the area. Tourists and locals alike, the elderly as well as the young, enjoy the many things offered in Washington County.

Geography: Land and Water

As reported by the Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 952 square miles (2,470 km²), of which 942 square miles (2,440 km²) is land and 10 square miles (26 km²) (1.1%) is water.

 The landscape of the county is flat-topped mountains and valleys with hardwood forests south and east with rolling hills and prairie in the northwest. It is the fourth-largest county by area in Arkansas. The county is in the Boston Mountains, a subdivision of the Ozark Mountains. Devil's Den State Park in southern Washington County is known for its picturesque views and mountain vistas. Washington County also contains Lake Wedington, located in scenic country west of Fayetteville on Wedington Drive.

Neighboring Counties

Bordering counties are as follows:

• North: Benton County
• East: Madison County
• South: Crawford County
• Southwest: Adair County, Okla.

Education

Unified school districts

• Farmington School District
• Fayetteville School District
• Greenland School District
• Haas Hall Academy
• Lincoln School District
• Prairie Grove School District
• Springdale School District
• West Fork School District

Colleges and universities

The University of Arkansas at Fayetteville was founded in 1871 on the site of a hilltop farm that overlooked the Ozark Mountains, giving it the nickname "The Hill". The University of Arkansas is in Fayetteville, in Washington County. Historically, Cane Hill College in Canehill was the first college in Arkansas, prior to the University of Arkansas's founding in 1871. Canehill probably influenced the placing the University of Arkansas Washington County, since the history of education in the county was a major factor in the decisi

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