Washington County, Missouri

Template:Short description Template:Use mdy dates Template:Infobox U.S. county

Washington County is a county located in the southeastern part of the U.S. state of Missouri. As of the 2020 United States census, the population was 23,514.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> The county seat and largest city is Potosi.<ref name="GR6">Template:Cite web</ref> The county was officially organized on August 21, 1813, and was named in honor of George Washington, the first President of the United States.<ref>Template:Cite book</ref>

History

The French explorers Renault and La Motte entered the area of present-day Potosi in 1722–23. However, no permanent settlements were made until 1763, when François Breton settled near Potosi and began to operate a mine bearing his name. The Bellview Valley, near Caledonia and Belgrade, was settled in 1802 by the families of William and Helen Watson Reed, their sons, Robert, Joseph, and Thomas Reed, William Reed's brother and nephew, Joseph and William Reed, Annanias McCoy, and Benjamin Crow. Washington County was officially organized on August 21, 1813, out of Ste. Genevieve County.

Geography

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of Template:Convert, of which Template:Convert is land and Template:Convert (0.3%) is water.<ref name="GR1">Template:Cite web</ref>

Adjacent counties

National protected area

Mark Twain National Forest (part)

Demographics

Template:US Census population

Largest ancestries (2000)	Percent
American Template:Flagicon	19.8%
French Template:Flagicon Template:Flagicon image	15.6%
German Template:Flagicon	10.4%
Irish Template:Flagicon	9.6%
English Template:Flagicon	5.9%

As of the census<ref name="GR2">Template:Cite web</ref> of 2000, there were 23,344 people, 8,406 households, and 6,237 families residing in the county. The population density was Template:Convert. There were 9,894 housing units at an average density of Template:Convert. The racial makeup of the county was 95.47% White, 2.48% Black or African American, 0.66% Native American, 0.15% Asian, 0.01% Pacific Islander, 0.15% from other races, and 1.08% from two or more races. Approximately 0.73% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.

There were 8,406 households, out of which 36.40% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 58.60% were married couples living together, 10.60% had a female householder with no husband present, and 25.80% were non-families. 22.00% of all households were made up of individuals, and 9.40% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.64 and the average family size was 3.05.

In the county, the population was spread out, with 26.60% under the age of 18, 9.80% from 18 to 24, 29.20% from 25 to 44, 22.70% from 45 to 64, and 11.70% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 35 years. For every 100 females there were 106.40 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 106.40 males.

The median income for a household in the county was $32,001, and the median income for a family was $38,193. Males had a median income of $27,871 versus $18,206 for females. The per capita income for the county was $16,095. About 17.10% of families and 20.80% of the population were below the poverty line, including 25.40% of those under age 18 and 12.90% of those age 65 or older.

Religion

According to the Association of Religion Data Archives County Membership Report (2000), Washington County is a part of the Bible Belt with evangelical Protestantism being the majority religion. The most predominant denominations among residents in Washington County who adhere to a religion are Roman Catholics (36.73%), Southern Baptists (21.74%), and Baptist Missionary Association of America (16.86%).

2020 Census

Washington County Racial Composition<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
Race	Num.	Perc.
White (NH)	21,378	91%
Black or African American (NH)	610	2.6%
Native American (NH)	78	0.33%
Asian (NH)	40	0.17%
Pacific Islander (NH)	1	0.004%
Other/Mixed (NH)	1,180	5%
Hispanic or Latino	227	0.97%

Politics

Local

Republicans hold a sizeable majority of the elected positions in the county.

Template:Missouri county elected officials

State

Washington County is divided into three legislative districts in the Missouri House of Representatives.

District 118 – Currently represented by Mike McGirl (R-Potosi) and consists of the northeastern part of the county and includes Cadet, Mineral Point, Old Mines, Richwoods, Tiff, and part of Potosi.

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District 119 – Currently represented by Nate Tate (R-St. Clair). Consists of the northwestern part of the county, including Pea Ridge.

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District 144 – Currently represented by Chris Dinkins (R-Annapolis). Consists of the southern parts of the county including Belgrade, Caledonia, Courtois, Hopewell, Irondale, and part of Potosi.

All of Washington County is a part of Missouri's 3rd District in the Missouri Senate and is currently represented by Elaine Gannon (R-De Soto). Template:Election box begin Template:Election box candidate with party link Template:Election box end Template:Election box begin Template:Election box candidate with party link Template:Election box candidate with party link Template:Election box end Template:Election box begin Template:Election box candidate with party link Template:Election box candidate with party link Template:Election box end

Past Gubernatorial Elections Results
Year	Republican	Democratic	Third Parties
2024	79.89% 7,999	17.69% 1,771	2.43% 243
2020	75.34% 7,442	21.47% 2,121	3.19% 315
2016	61.34% 5,681	33.91% 3,141	4.75% 440
2012	42.25% 3,697	55.12% 4,823	2.63% 230
2008	31.08% 2,993	67.05% 6,456	1.87% 180
2004	50.37% 4,622	47.87% 4,393	1.76% 162
2000	42.93% 3,536	49.90% 4,110	7.17% 591
1996	39.69% 3,097	57.77% 4,508	2.54% 198
1992	39.60% 3,049	60.40% 4,851	0.00% 0
1988	57.19% 3,978	42.64% 2,966	0.17% 12
1984	51.46% 3,460	48.54% 3,264	0.00% 0
1980	50.52% 3,278	49.35% 3,202	0.12% 8
1976	47.00% 2,855	52.84% 3,210	0.16% 10

Federal

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Political culture

At the presidential level, Washington County was a fairly independent-leaning or battleground county for many years; however, it has voted increasingly more Republican in recent elections. While George W. Bush carried Washington County in 2004, he narrowly lost the county to Al Gore in 2000, and both times the margins of victory were significantly closer than in many of the other rural areas. Bill Clinton also carried Washington County both times in 1992 and 1996 by convincing double-digit margins, and unlike most of the other rural counties in Missouri, Washington County was one of only nine counties in Missouri that favored Barack Obama over John McCain. Obama won Washington County by just five votes in the 2008 election.

Like most rural areas throughout Missouri, voters in Washington County generally adhere to socially and culturally conservative principles but are more moderate or populist on economic issues, typical of the Dixiecrat philosophy.Template:Citation needed In 2004, Missourians voted on a constitutional amendment to define marriage as the union between a man and a woman—it overwhelmingly passed Washington County with 81.37 percent of the vote. The initiative passed the state with 71 percent of support from voters as Missouri became the first state to ban same-sex marriage. In 2006, Missourians voted on a constitutional amendment to fund and legalize embryonic stem cell research in the state—it failed in Washington County with 56.48 percent voting against the measure. The initiative narrowly passed the state with 51 percent of support from voters as Missouri became one of the first states in the nation to approve embryonic stem cell research. Despite Washington County's longstanding tradition of supporting socially conservative platforms, voters in the county have a penchant for advancing populist causes like increasing the minimum wage.Template:Citation needed In 2006, Missourians voted on a proposition (Proposition B) to increase the minimum wage in the state to $6.50 an hour—it passed Washington County with 81.47 percent of the vote. The proposition strongly passed every single county in Missouri with 75.94 percent voting in favor as the minimum wage was increased to $6.50 an hour in the state. In 2018, Washington County rejected Proposition A which would have made Missouri a right-to-work state with 82.1 percent of the vote.

Education

Among adults 25 years of age and older in Washington County, 62.5% possess a high school diploma or higher, while 7.5% hold a bachelor's degree or higher as their highest educational attainment.

Public schools

Kingston K-XIV School District – Cadet
- Kingston Elementary School (PK-05)
- Kingston Middle School (06-08)
- Kingston High School (09-12)
Potosi R-III School District – Potosi
- Potosi Pre-School (PK)
- Potosi Elementary School (PK-03)
- Trojan Intermediate School (04-06)
- John A. Evans Middle School (07-08)
- Potosi High School (09-12)
Richwoods R-VII School District – Richwoods
- Richwoods Elementary School (PK-08)
Valley R-VI School District – Caledonia/ Belgrade
- Valley Elementary School (K-6) – Caledonia
- Valley High School (07-12)- Caledonia

Private schools

St. Joachim Elementary School – Cadet – (PK-08) – Roman Catholic

Colleges and universities

Mineral Area College Annex – Potosi – A satellite campus of Mineral Area College-Park Hills.

Public libraries

Washington County Library<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Government and infrastructure

The Potosi Correctional Center of the Missouri Department of Corrections is located in an unincorporated area in the county.<ref>"Institutional Facilities Template:Webarchive." Missouri Department of Corrections. Retrieved September 18, 2010. "Potosi Correctional Center (C-5)" "11593 State Highway O Mineral Point, MO 63660"</ref> The prison houses male death row inmates.<ref>Lombardi, George, Richard D. Sluder, and Donald Wallace. "The Management of Death-Sentenced Inmates: Issues, Realities, and Innovative Strategies Template:Webarchive." Missouri Department of Corrections. 8–9. Retrieved September 18, 2010.</ref> 911 services are provided by the Washington County Central Dispatch Center. Major fire departments in the county include those of Potosi, Richwoods, Irondale, Belgrade, and Caledonia. The Washington County Sheriff's Office provides law enforcement for the county. Its sheriff is Dwayne S. Reed as of 2025.