Lincoln County, Washington

County in Washington, United States

County in Washington

Lincoln County

County

Lincoln County Courthouse

Location within the U.S. state of Washington

Washington's location within the U.S.

Coordinates: 47°34′58″N 118°25′04″W﻿ / ﻿47.58278°N 118.41778°W﻿ / 47.58278; -118.41778
Country|  United States
State|  Washington
Founded| November 24, 1883
Named for| Abraham Lincoln
Seat| Davenport
Largest city| Davenport
Area

• Total

| 2,339 sq mi (6,060 km2)
• Land| 2,310 sq mi (6,000 km2)
• Water| 29 sq mi (80 km2)  1.2%
Population

(2020)

• Total

| 10,876

• Estimate

(2023)

| 11,738
• Density| 4.6/sq mi (1.8/km2)
Time zone| UTC−8 (Pacific)
• Summer (DST)| UTC−7 (PDT)
Congressional district| 5th
Website| co.lincoln.wa.us

Lincoln County is a county located in the U.S. state of Washington. As of the 2020 census, the population was 10,876,[1] making it the fifth-least populous county in the state.[2] The county seat and largest city is Davenport.[3] Lincoln County was created from Whitman County in November 1883.[4] It is named for Abraham Lincoln, the 16th president of the United States.[5]

## History

[edit]

In 1883, Lincoln County was created from a portion of Spokane County, and four days later a portion of its area was split to create Douglas County. There have been no further alterations to its boundary since that time.[6] The name Sprague County was originally proposed, in honor of General John W. Sprague, until objections from legislators resulted in the name Lincoln County being used in the final bill.[7] Its 2,317 square miles make it the eighth-largest by area in the state.

Centuries ago, the area now covered by Lincoln County contained an east–west passageway used by indigenous peoples. A spring near the present-day Davenport created a large overnight camping place.

The early exploration of the Northwest Territory by Lewis and Clark did not reach as far north as the Lincoln County expanses. The first recorded entry by European explorers was of David Thompson, a scout for the North West Company, who traversed the area in 1811. He noted physical locations in present-day Lincoln County. He described Hell Gate Rapid (calling it 'Strong Rapid'). That stretch of the Columbia River is now tame, because of the presence of Grand Coulee Dam.[6] After this, there was considerable exploration by fur trappers and others, including famed Scottish botanist David Douglas in 1826.[6]

Possibly the first permanent non-indigenous resident of the area was R.M. Bacon, originally from Boston, who began raising cattle around Crab Creek in 1871. When the first post office was established in the county, Bacon was its postmaster.[6]

Emigration into the area accelerated in the late 1870s. Completion of the Northern Pacific Railway in 1883, and construction of Fort Spokane (1880-1882) hastened settlement.

## Geography and climate

[edit]

Lincoln County lies on the Channelled Scablands, known as the Big Bend Plateau. It lies 1,500-2,500 feet above sea level, with a system of channels eroded into bedrock by glacial rivers and streams, flowing from northeastern Washington.

Lincoln County climate is hot/dry in the summer, cold/moderately humid in the winter. Due to the relatively level terrain (about 1,200 feet difference from lowest to highest elevations), temperatures tend to vary little from east to west. Precipitation varies from an arid condition in the western part of the county to semi-arid in the northeast. The entire area lies in the dry intermontane basin between the Cascades and the Rocky Mountain System. Precipitation (10-20 inches annual rainfall) is a major controlling factor in agriculture. Precipitation in the Big Bend region is highly variable; from 8 inches in the west to 20 inches in the northeast.

Monthly temperature averages range from below freezing in mid-winter to highs of 65-71 °F in mid-summer.[6]

According to the United States Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 2,339 square miles (6,060 km2), of which 2,310 square miles (6,000 km2) is land and 29 square miles (75 km2) (1.2%) is water.[8]

### Geographic features

[edit]

* Channeled Scablands
* Columbia River
* Crab Creek
* Lilienthal Mountain, county high point

### Major highways

[edit]

* Interstate 90
* U.S. Route 2
* U.S. Route 395

### Adjacent counties

[edit]

* Okanogan County – northwest
* Ferry County – north
* Stevens County – northeast
* Spokane County – east
* Whitman County – southeast
* Adams County – south
* Grant County – west

### National protected area

[edit]

* Lake Roosevelt National Recreation Area (part)

## Demographics

[edit]

Historical population Census| Pop.| Note| %±

|
|
|

1890| 9,312| | —
1900| 11,969| | 28.5%
1910| 17,539| | 46.5%
1920| 15,141| | −13.7%
1930| 11,876| | −21.6%
1940| 11,361| | −4.3%
1950| 10,970| | −3.4%
1960| 10,919| | −0.5%
1970| 9,572| | −12.3%
1980| 9,604| | 0.3%
1990| 8,864| | −7.7%
2000| 10,184| | 14.9%
2010| 10,570| | 3.8%
2020| 10,876| | 2.9%
2023 (est.)| 11,738| [9]| 7.9%
U.S. Decennial Census[10]
1790–1960[11] 1900–1990[12]
1990–2000[13] 2010–2020[1]

### 2010 census

[edit]

As of the 2010 census, there were 10,570 people, 4,422 households, and 3,059 families residing in the county.[14] The population density was 4.6 people per square mile (1.8 people/km2). There were 5,776 housing units at an average density of 2.5 units per square mile (0.97 units/km2).[15] The racial makeup of the county was 95.0% white, 1.6% American Indian, 0.4% Asian, 0.3% black or African American, 0.5% from other races, and 2.2% from two or more races. Those of Hispanic or Latino origin made up 2.3% of the population.[14] In terms of ancestry, 42.3% were German, 14.6% were Irish, 13.9% were English, 5.5% were Norwegian, 5.3% were Scotch-Irish, and 3.6% were American.[16]

Of the 4,422 households, 25.9% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 57.3% were married couples living together, 7.7% had a female householder with no husband present, 30.8% were non-families, and 27.1% of all households were made up of individuals. The average household size was 2.37 and the average family size was 2.85. The median age was 47.6 years.[14]

The median income for a household in the county was $45,582 and the median income for a family was $52,083. Males had a median income of $44,491 versus $30,617 for females. The per capita income for the county was $24,757. About 7.1% of families and 12.1% of the population were below the poverty line, including 21.5% of those under age 18 and 6.0% of those age 65 or over.[17]

### 2000 census

[edit]

As of the 2000 census, there were 10,184 people, 4,151 households, and 2,914 families in the county. The population density was 4 people per square mile (1.5 people/km2). There were 5,298 housing units at an average density of 2 units per square mile (0.77 units/km2). The racial makeup of the county was 95.64% White, 0.23% Black or African American, 1.63% Native American, 0.25% Asian, 0.07% Pacific Islander, 0.58% from other races, and 1.61% from two or more races. 1.88% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race. 36.6% were of German, 10.5% English, 9.3% United States or American and 5.8% Irish ancestry.

There were 4,151 households, out of which 29.30% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 60.90% were married couples living together, 6.40% had a female householder with no husband present, and 29.80% were non-families. 26.00% of all households were made up of individuals, and 12.30% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.42 and the average family size was 2.91.

In the county, the population was spread out, with 25.30% under the age of 18, 5.20% from 18 to 24, 23.20% from 25 to 44, 27.40% from 45 to 64, and 19.00% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 43 years. For every 100 females there were 98.40 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 94.70 males.

The median income for a household in the county was $35,255, and the median income for a family was $41,269. Males had a median income of $31,086 versus $22,444 for females. The per capita income for the county was $17,888. About 8.40% of families and 12.60% of the population were below the poverty line, including 17.60% of those under age 18 and 7.70% of those age 65 or over.

## Government and politics

[edit]

The county is administered by a three-member Board of Commissioners.

Like neighboring Adams County, Lincoln County is one of the most conservative counties in Washington. The last Democratic presidential candidate to carry the county was Harry Truman in 1948. In 1964, it was one of only three counties in the state to be carried by Barry Goldwater, and was the nation's northernmost county or equivalent to vote for Goldwater.[18] In the last nine presidential elections, no Democratic candidate has received more than 36 percent of the county's vote; the last Democratic gubernatorial nominee it backed was Booth Gardner in 1988, during a major drought and farm crisis.[19] In 2016, Donald Trump won over 70 percent of the county's vote.[20]

United States presidential election results for Lincoln County, Washington[21] Year  | Republican | Democratic | Third party(ies)

|
|
|

No. | % | No. | % | No. | %
2024 | 5,272  | 73.80% | 1,678  | 23.49%  | 194  | 2.72%
2020 | 5,150  | 73.23% | 1,713  | 24.36%  | 170  | 2.42%
2016 | 4,108  | 70.09% | 1,244  | 21.23%  | 509  | 8.68%
2012 | 4,063  | 68.74% | 1,673  | 28.30%  | 175  | 2.96%
2008 | 3,803  | 63.30% | 2,032  | 33.82%  | 173  | 2.88%
2004 | 4,015  | 69.09% | 1,706  | 29.36%  | 90  | 1.55%
2000 | 3,546  | 68.23% | 1,417  | 27.27%  | 234  | 4.50%
1996 | 2,587  | 51.40% | 1,806  | 35.88%  | 640  | 12.72%
1992 | 2,152  | 43.59% | 1,653  | 33.48%  | 1,132  | 22.93%
1988 | 2,689  | 57.89% | 1,884  | 40.56%  | 72  | 1.55%
1984 | 3,474  | 66.90% | 1,671  | 32.18%  | 48  | 0.92%
1980 | 3,324  | 62.28% | 1,597  | 29.92%  | 416  | 7.79%
1976 | 2,925  | 57.57% | 1,978  | 38.93%  | 178  | 3.50%
1972 | 3,647  | 69.14% | 1,453  | 27.55%  | 175  | 3.32%
1968 | 2,994  | 59.25% | 1,721  | 34.06%  | 338  | 6.69%
1964 | 2,911  | 55.84% | 2,299  | 44.10%  | 3  | 0.06%
1960 | 3,211  | 58.77% | 2,248  | 41.14%  | 5  | 0.09%
1956 | 3,114  | 57.77% | 2,273  | 42.17%  | 3  | 0.06%
1952 | 3,422  | 63.31% | 1,974  | 36.52%  | 9  | 0.17%
1948 | 2,348  | 47.68%  | 2,518  | 51.14% | 58  | 1.18%
1944 | 2,723  | 53.75% | 2,328  | 45.95%  | 15  | 0.30%
1940 | 2,627  | 47.32%  | 2,896  | 52.16% | 29  | 0.52%
1936 | 1,325  | 26.14%  | 3,627  | 71.55% | 117  | 2.31%
1932 | 1,748  | 38.04%  | 2,725  | 59.30% | 122  | 2.66%
1928 | 2,718  | 59.62% | 1,807  | 39.64%  | 34  | 0.75%
1924 | 2,042  | 46.16% | 743  | 16.79%  | 1,639  | 37.05%
1920 | 3,038  | 65.04% | 1,395  | 29.87%  | 238  | 5.10%
1916 | 2,356  | 43.06%  | 2,827  | 51.67% | 288  | 5.26%
1912 | 691  | 14.46%  | 1,829  | 38.26%  | 2,260  | 47.28%
1908 | 2,025  | 55.19% | 1,443  | 39.33%  | 201  | 5.48%
1904 | 2,472  | 67.41% | 1,004  | 27.38%  | 191  | 5.21%
1900 | 1,414  | 45.58%  | 1,585  | 51.10% | 103  | 3.32%
1896 | 781  | 30.18%  | 1,771  | 68.43% | 36  | 1.39%
1892 | 915  | 39.19% | 831  | 35.59%  | 589  | 25.22%

## Economy

[edit]

The county is dependent on agriculture, primarily wheat farming. Lincoln County is generally considered the second-largest producer of wheat in the United States (following Whitman County, Washington), sometimes producing 25 million bushels (680,000 t) per year.[22] Only about 500,000 of 900,000 acres (2,000 of 3,600 km2 (1,390 sq mi)) of farmland in the county are planted in any given year due to the practice of typically harvesting one crop every two years ("summer-fallow"), a necessity in a region with only 12 inches (300 mm) of precipitation annually.

Livestock husbandry is also a significant county activity, although to a significantly lower degree. For example, in 1954 the county was #3 in the state for crop income, but was only #21 in the state for income from livestock and livestock products.[6]

## Communities

[edit]

### Cities

[edit]

* Davenport (county seat)
* Harrington
* Sprague

### Towns

[edit]

* Almira
* Creston
* Odessa
* Reardan
* Wilbur

### Unincorporated communities

[edit]

* Clark
* Edwall
* Irby
* Lamona
* Lincoln
* Mondovi
* Mohler
* Seven Bays

### Ghost towns

[edit]

* Fishtrap
* Govan

## See also

[edit]

* National Register of Historic Places listings in Lincoln County, Washington

## Further reading

[edit]

* An illustrated history of the Big Bend country : embracing Lincoln, Douglas, Adams, and Franklin counties, state of Washington. Western Historical Pub. Co. 1904.Available online through the Washington State Library's Classics in Washington History collection
* lincoln County Poor Farm website

## References

[edit]

1. ^ a b "State & County QuickFacts". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved November 9, 2024.
2. ^ Ahead of Ferry County (7,178), Wahkiakum County (4,422), Columbia County (3,952), and Garfield County (2,286).
3. ^ "Find a County". National Association of Counties. Retrieved June 7, 2011.
4. ^ "Milestones for Washington State History — Part 2: 1851 to 1900". HistoryLink.org. March 6, 2003.
5. ^ Gannett, Henry (1905). The Origin of Certain Place Names in the United States. U.S. Government Printing Office. p. 187.
6. ^ a b c d e f Lincoln County History
7. ^ Smith, Charles W. (July 1909). "The Naming of Counties in the State of Washington". The Magazine of History With Notes and Queries. X (1). New York: William Abbatt: 83. Retrieved October 23, 2024 - via HathiTrust.
8. ^ "2010 Census Gazetteer Files". United States Census Bureau. August 22, 2012. Retrieved July 7, 2015.
9. ^ "Annual Estimates of the Resident Population for Counties: April 1, 2020 to July 1, 2023". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved November 10, 2024.
10. ^ "U.S. Decennial Census". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved January 7, 2014.
11. ^ "Historical Census Browser". University of Virginia Library. Retrieved January 7, 2014.
12. ^ "Population of Counties by Decennial Census: 1900 to 1990". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved January 7, 2014.
13. ^ "Census 2000 PHC-T-4. Ranking Tables for Counties: 1990 and 2000" (PDF). United States Census Bureau. Archived from the original (PDF) on February 26, 2015. Retrieved January 7, 2014.
14. ^ a b c "DP-1 Profile of General Population and Housing Characteristics: 2010 Demographic Profile Data". United States Census Bureau. Archived from the original on February 13, 2020. Retrieved March 6, 2016.
15. ^ "Population, Housing Units, Area, and Density: 2010 – County". United States Census Bureau. Archived from the original on February 13, 2020. Retrieved March 6, 2016.
16. ^ "Selected Social Characteristics in the United States – 2006–2010 American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates". United States Census Bureau. Archived from the original on February 13, 2020. Retrieved March 6, 2016.
17. ^ "Selected Economic Characteristics - 2006–2010 American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates". United States Census Bureau. Archived from the original on February 13, 2020. Retrieved March 6, 2016.
18. ^ David Leip's Presidential Atlas Map for Washington by election
19. ^ Dave Leip. "Gubernatorial General Election Map Comparison – Washington". Dave Leip’s U.S. Election Atlas.
20. ^ David Leip's Presidential Atlas Map for Washington, 2016
21. ^ Leip, David. "Dave Leip's Atlas of U.S. Presidential Elections". uselectionatlas.org. Retrieved April 10, 2018.
22. ^ United States Dept. of Agriculture

* v
* t
* e

Places adjacent to Lincoln County, Washington

| Okanogan County | Ferry County | Stevens County

|
|

|  |
Grant County |

Lincoln County, Washington

| Spokane County
|  |
| Adams County | Whitman County

* v
* t
* e

Municipalities and communities of Lincoln County, Washington, United States

County seat: Davenport

Cities|

* Davenport
* Harrington
* Sprague

Map of Washington highlighting Lincoln County

Towns|

* Almira
* Creston
* Odessa
* Reardan
* Wilbur

Unincorporated
communities|

* Clark
* Edwall
* Govan
* Irby
* Lamona
* Lincoln
* Miles
* Mohler
* Waukon

Ghost town|

* Fishtrap
* Sherman
* Telford

* Washington portal
* United States portal

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State of Washington

Olympia (capital)

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Eastern/Inland|

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Shared|

* Cascade Range
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Largest
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* Whatcom
* Whitman
* Yakima

* Washington (state) portal
* Pacific Northwest portal

Authority control databases

International|

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National|

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47°34′N 118°25′W﻿ / ﻿47.57°N 118.41°W﻿ / 47.57; -118.41
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