City Of Washington

History:
Settlers began to come into this area after the Kansas Territory was opened in 1854. However, most of the thousands of gold seekers traveled across Washington County in 1849 along the Oregon Trail on their way to California. Not until 1857 did the first settlers come in number to carve out farms in the rich creek and river valleys.

Washington City came into being in 1860, one year before Kansas became a state, being founded by Mr.'s Ballard, Bowen, and Pierce. After the end of the Civil War, settlers came more rapidly and the town began to grow. The coming of the Union Pacific Railroad to the county was celebrated in 1877 and the Burlington Railroad in 1884. In recent years, Burlington and Missouri Pacific railroads no longer serves Washington City.