Okanogan County, WA

Established by the Washington Territorial Legislature from the western part of Stevens County on February 2, 1888.

Okanogan County is located in North Central Washington. In 1811 the Pacific Fur Company established the first Anglo-European settlement in eastern Washington at Fort Okanogan, where the Columbia River (Okanogan County) and Okanogan River join. Fur traders were followed by miners in the 1850’s, exploring the area for gold, and permanent settlement began in the 1870’s. The county is known as a rich agricultural area noted for apple orchards and cattle ranching. Gold, copper and iron are actively mined, and combined with the timber and recreation industries, mining balances the area’s economy. The Colville Indian Reservation, headquartered at Nespelem, occupies the southeast corner of the county.