Lewis County
- State
- Washington
- County Seat:
- Chehalis
- Year Organized:
- 1845
- Total Square Miles:
-
2436.253
- Population:
-
78200 (2017)
- Persons/Square Mile:
- 32
County structure
- Government Type:
- County
- Authority:
- Dillon's Rule
- Legislative Body:
- Board of Commissioners
- Size of Legislative Body:
- 3
Demographics
- 2018 Population:
- 78200
- 25 to 64 Years of Age:
- 50.17%
- 65 Years of Age and Older:
- 20.99%
Economy, 2018
- Gross Domestic Product (GDP):
- $3.4 B
- Labor Force:
- 33,752
- Unemployment Rate:
- 6.30%
Lewis County is one of the 39 counties in the state of Washington. It’s the 16th most populated county in the state, with a population of about 82,149 according to the 2020 Census Redistricting dataset. As for the size, the county boasts an area totaling 2,436 square miles, with only 33 square miles being water. The largest city in the county is Centralia, with the county seat situated in Chehalis.
Lewis County is undoubtedly an ideal environment for manufacturing industries, thanks to the four major railroads and two highways. Being in the Northwest, the county lies in the wood basket making it one of the most renowned counties in the timber producing industry. Moreover, it’s home to energy production/management, advanced materials, and food manufacturing companies. The county also incorporates a major North to South fiber link, including several fiber lines for easy access, even on wholesale.
History of Lewis County
On December 19, 1845, the provisional Government of Oregon created the county and had it originally named after the famous George Vancouver. In 1849, the county was renamed Lewis County after Meriwether Lewis, the Lewis and Clark Expedition skipper. During that time, the British Columbia, Puget South region, and US territory north of the Cowlitz River were all inside the county lines.
British Columbia and Washington have half their territories drawn from Lewis County’s original map lines as of the present-day county map. The transcontinental railroad construction in the 1870s and logging technology advancements were the primary factors that encouraged settlement in the county.
Neighboring Counties
Pacific County, Washington to the West
Wahkiakum County, Washington to the South/Southwest
Cowlitz County, Washington to the South
Skamania County, Washington to the South/Southeast
Yakima County, Washington to the East
Pierce County, Washington to the North/Northeast
Thurston County, Washington to the North
Grays Harbor County, Washington to the North/Northwest
Lewis County Offices
Offices in Lewis County include:
Prosecutor’s Office
The Prosecuting Attorney is, in other words, Lewis County’s chief legal officer. The mission of this office is to enforce the law against crime and represent the interests of victims of crime. Besides acting as an advocate for crime victims during trials and sentences, the Prosecuting Attorney’s office also relays information about court dates and receives orders for the victim’s restitution.
Additionally, it’s the Prosecutor’s responsibility to offer legal advice to county departments and the Board of County Commissioners in Lewis County. The office may also intervene in specific child support cases. With the Prosecuting Attorney also being responsible for other statutory duties, they have the authority to appoint Deputy Prosecuting Attorneys to help perform them.
Sheriff’s Office
As you’d expect, the Sheriff’s Office is responsible for delivering professional service and partnering with the community to enhance the quality of life, security, and safety in Lewis County.
To achieve that, the Lewis County Sheriff’s Office performs the following assigned duties:
- Patrolling county roads and water bodies
- Resolving disputes
- Responding to emergencies.
- Monitoring traffic safety
- Executing warrants
- Arresting criminal suspects
- Conducting investigations on complaints and crime
- Attend to court duties
Assessor’s Office
The County Assessor’s Office is liable for appraising all property fairly and equally while being professional and courteous to all taxpayers in Lewis County. This includes maintaining precise information and data for taxation purposes.
Moreover, the County Assessor’s goal is to provide satisfactory customer service both online and in the office. The Assessor also participates in legislation across the state to enhance the taxation system and provide public education on property taxation.
Clerk’s Office
The Clerk’s Office is responsible for keeping the Superior Court’s records in Lewis County. Their mission is to serve the citizens and courts of Lewis County in a way best matched to deliver effective, efficient, and quality service. The County Clerk’s position is best characterized as the Superior Court’s financial and administrative officer.
Auditor’s Office
There are four departments in the Lewis County Auditor’s Office. They include:
- Elections
- Vehicle Licensing
- Document Recording
- Financial Services
The County Auditor is liable for inspecting all financial transactions to ensure proper reporting and adequate coverage of the county’s expenditure. Being the county recorder, the Auditor’s Office is also responsible for recording and safe storing of surveys, land corner records, land ownership documents, federal and state tax liens, plats, uniform commercial codes and other miscellaneous legal records and ordinances. Further, it’s the Auditors duty to issue marriage and motor vehicle licenses.
Coroner’s Office
The coroner determines the manner and cause of deaths reported in Lewis County by leading professional medicolegal death investigations. The office is accountable and accessible to the media, citizens, and other elected officials.
The Lewis County Coroner’s Office partners with the community to develop and adopt proactive approaches to help cut down preventable deaths. Staff members working in the coroner’s office are highly trained to enhance professionalism and proficiency.
Treasurer’s Office
As you’d expect, the treasurer holds a vital position in Lewis County’s public trust in affairs on the local government finances. Serving as the county “bank,” the Treasurer’s Office invests, disburses, receipts, and accounts for funds used in each local government entity.
In addition, the treasurer’s office offers custody for all forwarded funds collected by the various districts and county offices. With property taxes being a major revenue source to the local government, the Treasurer’s Office bills them based on the assessment results from the Assessor’s Office.
Public Records Office
All records prepared, owned, retained, or used by any office or department in the Lewis County government except for the Lewis County Courts are governed by the Public Records Act and are considered public records.
Court records such as judgements, child custody or support, divorce decrees, guardianship or probate, are not for the County’s Public Records Office to handle. Nonetheless, they are accessible to the public for copying and inspection under court rules and applicable law. Requests involving such records should be addressed and submitted directly to the respective offices.
Submitting, tracking, and delivering record requests in Lewis County is pretty effortless, with the county utilizing a web-based public records center. Click here to access the Records portal.