Clallam County, Washington

Clallam County is a county in the U.S. state of Washington. As of the 2020 census, the population was 77,155, with an estimated population of 77,616 in 2023. The county seat and largest city is Port Angeles; the county as a whole comprises the Port Angeles, WA Micropolitan Statistical Area. The name is a Klallam word for "the strong people". The county was formed on April 26, 1854. Located on the Olympic Peninsula, it is south from the Strait of Juan de Fuca, which forms the Canada–US border, as British Columbia's Vancouver Island is across the strait.

Clallam County was a bellwether, voting for the winning candidate in every presidential election from 1980 to 2020, holding the longest record for predicting official presidential election winners in the entire country. It has also voted the winning candidate in every election since 1920 except for 1968, 1976, and 2024.

Geography

According to the United States Census Bureau, the county has a total area of , of which is land and (35%) is water.

Located in Clallam County is Cape Alava, the westernmost point in both Washington and the contiguous United States, with a longitude of 124 degrees, 43 minutes and 59 seconds West (−124.733). Near Cape Alava is Ozette, the westernmost town in the contiguous United States. Clallam County also contains the west-northwesternmost, northwesternmost, and north-northwesternmost points in the contiguous United States.

Geographic features

Mount Angeles
Cape Flattery
Clallam River
Dungeness Spit
Elwha River
Gray Wolf Ridge
Hoh River
Hoko River
Lake Crescent
Lake Ozette
Lyre River
Pacific Ocean
Pysht River
Seven Lakes Basin
Sol Duc Hot Springs
Sol Duc River
Strait of Juan de Fuca
Tatoosh Island
Waadah Island

Adjacent counties

Capital Regional District, British Columbia – north
Jefferson County – south & east

National protected areas

Pacific Northwest National Scenic Trail (part)
Dungeness National Wildlife Refuge
Flattery Rocks National Wildlife Refuge
Olympic National Forest (part)
Olympic National Park (part)
Quillayute Needles National Wildlife Refuge (part)

Demographics

Transportation

thumb|[[US Route 101 at the interchange with Washington State Route 117]] Clallam Transit operates bus service between and within the towns of the county and to destinations outside Clallam County.

Major highway

23px U.S. Route 101

Airports

The following public use airports are located in the county:

William R. Fairchild International Airport (CLM) – Port Angeles
Forks Airport (S18) – Forks
Quillayute Airport (UIL) – Quillayute / Forks
Sekiu Airport (11S) – Sekiu
Sequim Valley Airport (W28) – Sequim

Communities

thumb|right|Crossroads in Port Angeles, [[Strait of Juan de Fuca and Vancouver Island in the background]]

Cities

Forks
Port Angeles (county seat)
Sequim

Census-designated places

Bell Hill
Blyn
Carlsborg
Clallam Bay
Jamestown
Neah Bay
Port Angeles East
River Road
Sekiu

Unincorporated communities

Agnew
Beaver
Crane
Diamond Point
Dungeness
Elwha
Fairholm
Joyce
La Push
Maple Grove
Ozette
Pysht
Piedmont
Sappho

Popular culture

The popular Twilight Saga novels and film series are set in Clallam County. The main storyline is set in Forks; however, the characters also visit neighboring Port Angeles.

The rural-comedy film series Ma and Pa Kettle (1949–1957) is set in a fictionalized Cape Flattery.

References

External links

Clallam County – official website
North Olympic Library System
Clallam County – Thumbnail History
University of Washington Libraries Digital Collections – The Pacific Northwest Olympic Peninsula Community Museum A web-based museum showcasing aspects of the rich history and culture of Washington State's Olympic Peninsula communities. Features cultural exhibits, curriculum packets and a searchable archive of over 12,000 items that includes historical photographs, audio recordings, videos, maps, diaries, reports and other documents.