Our city of approximately 10,000 residents is located in northeastern North Carolina on the beautiful Pamlico River. We are proud to have been the first city in America to be named for General George Washington, the future first president of the United States.
In its infancy, Washington was a regional shipping center because of its strategic location at the junction of inland and coastal rivers. The shipping heritage is evident in some waterfront commercial buildings from that era. The architecture in the large residential and commercial Historic District captures later phases of Washington's history and development. Main Street in Washington's Historic Downtown is flanked by 19th & early 20th century commercial buildings punctuated with ornate brickwork.
Recent renovations to the waterfront provide a stronger connection between Washington's unique features— its scenic water venue and its quaint Historic District — as the city and the community chart the course for a prosperous and vital future.