Washington County, Missouri

Washington County is a county located in the Lead Belt region of southeast Missouri. It had a population of 25,195 at the 2010 census. Potosi is the county seat and largest city. One of the oldest counties in the state, it was officially organized in 1813 and named after George Washington, the first President of the United States.

History[edit]

Although it is not home to the oldest permanent settlement in the state, the area of present-day Washington County did see the first semi-permanent European presence in Missouri, as it was the first place where significant deposits of lead were discovered. As early as 1700, a French missionary, Father James Gravier, visited the region and noted amounts of lead ore on the surface in the Meramec river valley, suggesting the potential for mining operations. A major expedition was launched in 1721 under Phillipe Francois Renault, who undertook a more thorough exploration of the area and opened up several small mines north of what is now Potosi. These were run partly through the use of slave labor, but after the establishment of Ste. Genevieve and other settlements to the east in the mid-18th century, they were increasingly worked by French colonists, producing some 1,500 pounds of lead per day.^[1]

The mining activity soon spurred the development of permanent communities in the immediate vicinity. The first such was laid down in 1763 by a French entrepreneur, Francois Azor dit Breton (so called because he hailed from the French province of Brittany), who discovered another deposit of lead while hunting and dug a shaft to exploit it. The village that grew up around it was named Mine a Breton in his honor.^[2]

Mine a Breton and other settlements grew steadily in the following years, thanks to the nearby mines. At first these were mostly surface operations, but in 1799, Moses Austin, a New England entrepreneur who would later be instrumental in organizing American emigration to Texas, moved to the area, became involved in the lead mines, and rapidly expanded them, digging deeper and more efficient shafts. Austin's efforts drew American pioneers to Mine a Breton and adjacent areas, such as the Belleview valley, and soon they had laid out a new town directly northeast of Mine a Breton, which they dubbed "Potosi" after the South American city of that name.

Washington County, owing to its economic importance and rapidly growing population, would be the first county organized in Missouri after the five original counties (Cape Girardeau, New Madrid, St. Charles, St. Louis, and Ste. Genevieve). It was created by the territorial legislature on August 21, 1813, from the western part of Ste. Genevieve County, and named in honor of America's first President. Israel McGready was the first man to represent it in the legislature. Mine a Breton initially served as the county seat, but after 1814 this position passed to neighboring Potosi.^[3]

As one of the first counties organized in Missouri, Washington County was initially much larger than it is today, encompassing much of the northeastern Ozarks; its size was gradually reduced during the next several decades as more and more counties were formed from it. By 1870, it had approximately reached its current size and boundaries. Through the antebellum era, it counted among the most prosperous parts of the state thanks to its mining activity, and such communities as Potosi and Caledonia sported a number of stately homes and churches from an early date. Apart from some guerrilla action, it stayed largely in Union hands during the Civil War; after that point, though, the shift of lead mining to neighboring St. Francois County resulted in its being somewhat eclipsed. Nonetheless, Washington County remained a mining center of moderate importance--of iron and copper as well as lead--well into the 20th century.

In recent years, the county has benefited from the opening of a correctional center at Potosi, with the population growing by nearly 25% between 1990 and 2010.

Geography[edit]

Washington County lies within the Ozarks Mountains, and can variously be classed as part of southeastern or east-central Missouri. It is generally rectangular in shape, except in the northeastern corner, where the Big River forms part of its boundary. The county is bordered by Jefferson County to the northeast, St. Francois County to the east, Iron County to the south, Crawford County to the west, and Franklin County to the north.

The county's total area is 762.49 square miles, including 759.91 of land and 2.58 of water.^[4] It mostly lies in a subdivision of the Ozarks known as the Salem Plateau, with the higher St. Francois Mountains just to the south and east. The western and south-central parts of the county tend to be somewhat higher and more rugged; Pruitt Mountain, lying a few miles southwest of Caledonia near the Iron County line, is the highest point at 1,582 feet. The northeast is much lower and more gently rolling, and a considerable part of the local agriculture is practiced here. The lowest point, at about 550 feet above sea level, occurs at the confluence of Big River and Mineral Fork, near the Jefferson County line.^[5]

Except for a small corner in the southeast which falls into the St. Francis River watershed, the entire county is drained by the Meramec River and its tributary, the Big River. Other notable streams include Courtois Creek and Mineral Fork.^[6]

No federal highways cross through the county. The main routes are Missouri State Highway 8, which runs west to east through its center; Highway 21, which runs roughly north to south and intersects Highway 8 at Potosi; Highway 32, which cuts through Caledonia and the southeastern part of the county; and Highway 47, which runs northwest to southeast through the unincorporated communities of Richwoods and Old Mines.

Demographics[edit]

At the 2010 census, Washington County had a total population of 25,195, with 9,355 households and 6,689 families; this was a moderate increase from its 2000 population of 23,344.^[7] The population density was 33.0 per square mile. There were 11,017 housing units, or about 14.4 per square mile. The racial makeup of the county was about 95.82% White, 2.21% African-American, 0.40% Native American, 0.19% Asian, 0.02% Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander, 0.15% from some other race, and 1.21% from two or more races. Hispanics of any race were 1.01% of the population.

The median age in the county was 39.2 years. 24.06% of the population was under the age of 18, 8.19% was between the ages of 18 and 24, 25.65% was between the ages of 25 and 44, 28.68% was between the ages of 45 and 64, and 13.41% was 65 years old or older. The sex ratio was 51.3% male, 48.7% female.^[8]

As of 2018, the median household income in the county was $39,621, and the median family income was $44,944. Males had a median income of $39,499 versus $29,724 for females. The unemployment rate was 9.0%. The per capita income was $18,915. About 20.1% of the population was below the poverty line, including 24.2% of those under the age of 18 and 10.2% of those 65 years old or older.^[9]

Missouri French

Washington County is notable for having one of the highest concentrations of persons of French descent in the American Midwest. At the 2000 census, 15.6% of residents reported having French ancestry, larger than any other group except those identifying themselves as generically American. Such Franco-Americans are especially numerous in the Mine a Breton area adjacent to Potosi and in the unincorporated Old Mines community farther to the northeast. They are mostly descended from the original French colonists who settled there in the 18th century, often known as the "Missouri French" or the "Paw-Paw French." Though the predominant element in Washington County life through the early 19th century, they had become economically and culturally marginalized by the time of the Civil War, due to the influx of Anglo-Saxon American settlers with more wealth and more connections to the new government.

The Missouri French gradually assimilated into the larger population during the 20th century, and the use of their dialect of the French language (pretty widespread up to that time) dwindled until it is practically extinct today. More recently, however, as in other originally French communities such as Ste. Genevieve, some scholars and artists have sought to revitalize awareness of Missouri French culture.^[10] The Old Mines Area Historical Society (La Société Historique de la Région de Vieille Mine), founded in 1977, holds local events to commemorate the past and keep the old language alive.^[11]

Communities[edit]

Washington County is home to four incorporated communities, including two cities and two villages.

Cities[edit]

• Irondale
• Potosi (county seat)

Villages[edit]

• Caledonia
• Mineral Point

Government[edit]

Local government in Washington County is provided by the elected officials. At present, the Republican party holds a majority of these positions.^[12]

Countywide official	Name	Party
Assessor	Debbie Summers	Democratic
Circuit Clerk	Ashley Gum	Republican
County Clerk	Jeanette Allen	Republican
Collector	Carla Zettler	Republican
Commissioner (presiding)	Dave Sansegraw	Republican
Commissioner (District 1)	Doug Short	Republican
Commissioner (District 2)	Cody Brinley	Republican
Coroner	Brian DeClue	Democratic
Prosecuting Attorney	Joshua E. Hedgecorth	Democratic
Public Administrator	Beverly Boyer	Republican
Recorder	Jamie Miner	Republican
Sheriff	Zach Jacobsen	Republican
Surveyor	R. Timothy Daugherty	Democratic
Treasurer	Phyllis Long	Republican

At the state level, Washington County is part of three separate districts in the Missouri House of Representatives. The central and northeastern parts of the county, including a portion of the city of Potosi, is part of the 118th District, which also includes part of Jefferson County. It is currently represented by Mike McGirl (R-Potosi), who was elected to his first term in November 2018, defeating Democrat Barbara Marco.

Candidate	Party	Votes	Vote Percentage
Mike McGirl	Republican	8,215	65.594%
Barbara Marco	Democratic	4,309	34.406%

McGirl somewhat overperformed in Washington County, winning 2,879 votes to 1,065 for Marco.

The rural northwestern part of the county is part of the 119th District, which also includes part of Franklin County. It is currently represented by Nate Tate (R-St. Clair), who was elected to his second term in November 2018, defeating Democrat Marcie Nichols.

Candidate	Party	Votes	Vote Percentage
Nate Tate	Republican	9,164	70.819%
Marcie Nichols	Democratic	3,776	29.181%

Tate slightly underperformed in Washington County, winning 330 votes to 154 for Nichols.

The southernmost part of the county, including the rest of Potosi, is part of the 144th District, which also includes Iron and parts of Reynolds and Wayne Counties. It is currently represented by Chris Dinkins (R-Annapolis), who was elected to her second term in November 2018 without opposition.

In the Missouri State Senate, Washington County is part of the 3rd District, which also includes Iron, Reynolds, St. Francois, and Ste. Genevieve Counties, and part of Jefferson County. It is currently represented by Elaine Gannon (R-De Soto), who was elected to her first term in November 2020 without opposition.

At the federal level, Washington County is part of Missouri's 8th Congressional District, which includes most of southeast and south-central Missouri. It is represented by Jason Smith (R-Salem), who won re-election in November 2018, defeating Democrat Kathy Ellis.

Candidate	Party	Votes	Vote Percentage
Jason Smith	Republican	194,042	73.39%
Kathy Ellis	Democratic	66,151	25.019%
Jonathan Shell	Libertarian	4,206	1.591%

Smith slightly underperformed his average margin in Washington County, winning 69.230% of the vote.^[13]

Political Culture

As the above numbers indicate, Washington County is at present a fairly reliably Republican county, although somewhat less so than other counties in southern Missouri. Throughout the 20th century, the presence of a sizable but not overwhelming contingent of unionized (and therefore strongly Democratic) mine workers made it something of a battleground county; from 1948 to 1996, it almost always chose the eventual winner of the presidential elections (except in 1960 and 1988). It strongly supported Bill Clinton in 1992 and 1996, and in 2008, it voted for Barack Obama over John McCain (albeit by a margin of only five votes). Since then, however, it has steadily trended Republican, as blue-collar workers became alienated by the Democratic Party’s social radicalism. In 2016, Donald Trump carried the county with 75.93% of the vote.^[14]

Like much of southern Missouri, Washington County can be included within the Bible Belt, combining social conservatism with economic populism--though the latter is more pronounced than in other areas, on account of the mining culture’s legacy. In 2004, it voted overwhelmingly in favor of Constitutional Amendment 2, which recognized marriage as between a man and a woman only--the measure passed in Washington County with 81.37% support. In 2006, while the state narrowly passed an amendment to fund embryonic stem-cell research, the county decisively defeated the measure with 56.48% voting against. At the same time, it often supports economic measures that appear to favor the working and middle class, more frequently than much of the region. In the November 2018 election, the county supported a proposed increase in the state minimum wage, with 57.26% voting in favor (it passed the state at large). These results mark Washington County as an independent but right-leaning county.

References[edit]