WASHINGTON COUNTY HISTORICAL SOCIETY (Washington County, Utah)
WASHINGTON COUNTY BOUNDARY CHANGES
HISTORY
The county was formed on March 3, 1852 by an act of the territorial legislature. Harmony, one of the only settlements in the area at that time, was appointed as the first county seat. The first boundaries of Washington County stretched nearly 600 miles - the entire width of the territory.The town of Washington was made the seat of Washington County in 1859 by act of the Territorial Legislature.
On January 14, 1863, St. George was designated as the county seat and has remained so ever since.
Kane County was created in 1864 and in 1866 the upper Virgin River area was placed in Kane County with Grafton as the Kane County seat. Kanarraville was included in the [Washington?] county at that time, but later returned to Iron County. In 1867, the Kane County seat was moved to Rockville and then to Toquerville in 1969.
In 1884, that section of the county was returned to Washington County.
The county achieved its present shape and size in 1892.