Washington County, Texas

Washington County
The Washington County Courthouse in Brenham
The Washington County Courthouse in Brenham
Map of Texas highlighting Washington County
Location within the U.S. state of Texas
Map of the United States highlighting Texas
Texas's location within the U.S.
Coordinates: 30°13′N 96°25′W / 30.21°N 96.41°W / 30.21; -96.41
Country United States
State Texas
Founded1837
Named forGeorge Washington
SeatBrenham
Largest cityBrenham
Area
 • Total622 sq mi (1,610 km2)
 • Land604 sq mi (1,560 km2)
 • Water18 sq mi (50 km2)  2.9%
Population
 (2020)
 • Total35,805 Increase
 • Density58/sq mi (22/km2)
Time zoneUTC−6 (Central)
 • Summer (DST)UTC−5 (CDT)
Congressional district10th
Websitewww.co.washington.tx.us
Brenham Heritage Museum

Washington County is a county in Texas. As of the 2020 census, the population was 35,805.[1] Its county seat is Brenham, which is located along U.S. Highway 290, 72 miles northwest of Houston.[2] The county was created in 1835 as a municipality of Mexico and organized as a county in 1837.[3][4] It is named for George Washington, the first president of the United States.

Washington County comprises the Brenham, TX Micropolitan Statistical Area, which is also included in the Houston-The Woodlands, TX Combined Statistical Area.

Washington-on-the-Brazos in the county is notable as the site of the signing of the Texas Declaration of Independence during the Convention of 1836. Reflecting the county's history as a destination of mid-19th-century German immigrants who came after the 1848 German revolutions, in the 2000 US Census, more than one third of residents identified as being of German ancestry.

  1. ^ "Washington County, Texas". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved January 30, 2022.
  2. ^ "TSHA | Brenham, TX".
  3. ^ "Texas: Individual County Chronologies". Texas Atlas of Historical County Boundaries. Newberry Library. 2008. Retrieved June 23, 2015.
  4. ^ "Washington County". Texas Almanac. Texas State Historical Association. May 19, 2015. Retrieved June 23, 2015.