TOWNS
Washington County administrative offices are located at 432 East Washington Street, West Bend, WI 53095; phone: 262-335-4400.
The county was established in 1836 with Port Washington designated as the county seat. At that time, matters of the court were handled through Milwaukee County. When Washington received its own court in 1845, four towns (Port Washington, Cedarburg, Grafton and West Bend) competed for the designation, but a resolution would have to wait a number of years. In 1853 the county was divided in two with the new Ozaukee County having Port Washington as its seat and the original, remaining Washington County having West Bend, finally, after 13 years of contention and confusion.