Adams County is a county in the U.S. state of Washington. As of the 2020 census, the population was 20,613. The county seat is Ritzville, and its largest city is Othello. The county was formed out of Whitman County in November 1883 and is named after John Adams, the second President of the United States. Adams County's two most populous cities are Ritzville and Othello. Ritzville is located in the northeastern corner of the county at the junction of I-90 and US 395, making it a popular stop for travelers. Ritzville is an hour's drive from Spokane. Othello is located in the southwestern panhandle of the county.
History
Incorporation
The Governor of Washington Territory approved the proposed Adams County Articles of Incorporation on November 28, 1883. At that time Adams County and Franklin County were formed out of territory from Whitman County. The first County meeting (December 19, 1883) established Ritzville as the county seat.
By 1885, the county offices were established, in a wood-frame house purchased for the purpose in Ritzville.
left|thumb|(Second) County Courthouse in Ritzville, completed on August 20, 1892.
The 1890 census showed that Adams County boasted 2,098 residents. The growing population justified a purpose-built courthouse, so construction began on a new brick courthouse on February 23, 1892.
20th century
Wheat farming was a main focus of early residents. By 1904, Ritzville had become the largest initial shipping point for wheat in the United States; a 1909 pamphlet at the Alaska-Yukon-Pacific Exposition in Seattle read:<blockquote>Adams County, Washington, the bread basket of the world. A land of wonderful resources where courage, intelligence, strenuous and persistent efforts of the hardy pioneer have wrested the hidden wealth from mother earth ... [a] golden wheat belt which has pushed its way steadily into the wilderness of sage brush which the pioneers found when they came. The gold has gradually absorbed the brown ... the history of Adams County is a song of wheat.
Geography
According to the United States Census Bureau, the county has a total area of , of which is land and (0.3%) is water.
Major highways
- 20px Interstate 90
- 23px U.S. Route 395
Adjacent counties
- Lincoln County - north
- Whitman County - east
- Franklin County - south
- Grant County - west
National protected areas
- Columbia National Wildlife Refuge (part)
- Saddle Mountain National Wildlife Refuge (part)