Ferry County is a

county A county () is a geographic region of a country used for administrative or other purposesL. Brookes (ed.) '' Chambers Dictionary''. Edinburgh: Chambers Harrap Publishers Ltd, 2005. in some nations. The term is derived from the Old French denoti ...

located on the northern border of the

U.S. state In the United States, a state is a constituent political entity, of which there are 50. Bound together in a political union, each state holds governmental jurisdiction over a separate and defined geographic territory where it shares its so ...

of Washington. As of the 2020 census, the population was 7,178, making it the fourth-least populous county in Washington. The

county seat A county seat is an administrative center, seat of government, or capital city of a county or parish (administrative division), civil parish. The term is in use in five countries: Canada, China, Hungary, Romania, and the United States. An equiva ...

and largest city is

Republic A republic, based on the Latin phrase ''res publica'' ('public affair' or 'people's affair'), is a State (polity), state in which Power (social and political), political power rests with the public (people), typically through their Representat ...

. The county was created out of Stevens County in February 1899 and is named for Elisha P. Ferry, the state's first

governor A governor is an politician, administrative leader and head of a polity or Region#Political regions, political region, in some cases, such as governor-general, governors-general, as the head of a state's official representative. Depending on the ...

Etymology

The county was first slated by the state government to be named "Eureka County", but was revised while the bill was in discussion to "Ferry County" in recognition of the Territory's last governor and the State's first governor, Elisha P. Ferry. The change is suggested to have happened as a bookend to the naming of Stevens County, named for the first governor of

Washington Territory The Washington Territory was an organized incorporated territory of the United States that existed from March 2, 1853, until November 11, 1889, when the territory was admitted to the Union as the State of Washington. It was created from the ...

History

The Territorial Legislature of Washington Territory first carved Stevens County from Walla Walla County in 1863 to encompass all the land from the Columbia River west to the Cascades and north of the Wenatchee River. On January 20, 1864, the original territorial Spokane County was dissolved and merged with the unorganized Stevens County. On February 2, 1888 the western expanse of territorial Stevens County was sectioned off by dividing the county in half along the Okanogan Highlands crest. Eleven years later, on February 18, 1899, the western section of Stevens County was again sectioned off, this time along the Columbia, to form Ferry County. The town of

is the county's seat of government, as well as the largest town. It was founded at the end of the nineteenth century by gold prospectors and was incorporated in 1900. The original election precinct of Republic was created on April 6, 1898. Following the 1922 primary elections, a group of citizens called for an investigation into possible election irregularities. The group claimed that two of that years voting precincts had been formed unlawfully in conjunction with misconduct in six precincts by election officers and the canvassing board. As a result of the actions, the validity of two candidates were called in question. Demands were made that Thomas F. Barker, seeking re-election as sheriff, and John W. McCool, seeking the County Treasurer seat, be barred from the ballot. Barker was notably facing charges at the federal level at that time from allegations of conspiring and abetting bootleggers. During the

Great Depression The Great Depression was a severe global economic downturn from 1929 to 1939. The period was characterized by high rates of unemployment and poverty, drastic reductions in industrial production and international trade, and widespread bank and ...

several

Civilian Conservation Corps The Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC) was a voluntary government unemployment, work relief program that ran from 1933 to 1942 in the United States for unemployed, unmarried men ages 18–25 and eventually expanded to ages 17–28. The CCC was ...

camps were opened in the County, with Camp Growden on Sherman Creek, between Sherman Pass and Kettle Falls being the largest and longest running. The Camp was open between 1934 and 1941, while smaller and "spike" camps were seasonally staffed on Boulder Pass, in Republic, near Quartz Mountain, and around Mount Bonaparte to the west. The original county courthouse, made of wood, burned in 1934. Its replacement, made of concrete and stucco, was under consideration beginning in 2018 for historical preservation. On August 13, 2001, a series of major wildfires and complexes were ignited by regional lightning storms passing over eastern Washington. Among them was the Mount Leona Fire which burned for several weeks and encompassed over 6,000 acres in the central Kettle River range northeast of Curlew Lake.

Geography

Ferry County is bordered on the north by the Kootenay Boundary Regional District, British Columbia, Canada, along the 49th parallel; to the west by Okanogan County along the boundary between ranges 31 and 32 east; to the south by Lincoln County in the midline of the

Columbia River The Columbia River (Upper Chinook language, Upper Chinook: ' or '; Sahaptin language, Sahaptin: ''Nch’i-Wàna'' or ''Nchi wana''; Sinixt dialect'' '') is the largest river in the Pacific Northwest region of North America. The river headwater ...

; and on the east by Stevens County, again along the Columbia River and then Kettle River midlines. According to the

United States Census Bureau The United States Census Bureau, officially the Bureau of the Census, is a principal agency of the Federal statistical system, U.S. federal statistical system, responsible for producing data about the American people and American economy, econ ...

, the county has a total area of , of which is land and (2.4%) is water. Most of Ferry County is covered by the rugged Kettle River Range, which extends from the Canada–US border to its southernmost perimeter bounded by the Columbia River and Roosevelt Lake. Only a narrow north–south strip running the length of the county on the west between the

Sanpoil River The Sanpoil River (also spelled San Poil) is a tributary of the Columbia River, in the U.S. state of Washington. The river is named for the Sanpoil, the Interior Salish people who live along the river course. The name is from the Okanagan ...

and the Okanogan County line encompasses part of the Okanogan Highland. Except for the town of Republic, the county is sparsely populated. The county has three major river systems, with the impounded

s Franklin D. Roosevelt Lake forming the southern and most of the eastern county boundary. Along the northern border, the Kettle River drops south into the county near the

Midway, British Columbia Midway is in the West Kootenay region of south central British Columbia. The village lies west of Greenwood, British Columbia, Greenwood and east of Osoyoos along British Columbia Highway 3, Highway 3. Name origin Around 1884, Louis Eholt obta ...

border crossing, before turning north again at

Curlew The curlews () are a group of nine species of birds in the genus ''Numenius'', characterised by their long, slender, downcurved bills and mottled brown plumage. The English name is imitative of the Eurasian curlew's call, but may have been infl ...

to cross into Canada at the Danville border crossing. It swings south again on the eastern side of the Kettle River Range and passes into the US just east of the Lauier border crossing and is the northern section of the Ferry-Stevens county Border before joining with the Columbia River north of Barney's Junction. The southern and south central part of the county from just south of Curlew Lake is all drained by the south flowing Sanpoil River, which joins Franklin D. Roosevelt Lake at the southern tip of the county south of Keller. Southwest of Republic in the eastern edge of the Okanogan highlands is a group of four recreational lakes, Swan Lake, Ferry Lake, Fish Lake, and Long Lake in Colville National Forest land, while the Lake Roosevelt National Recreation Area is accessible on the eastern edges of the county.

Kettle River Peaks

The highest peaks in the county are located along the crest of the Kettle River Range and are part of either the Colville National Forest or the Colville Indian Reservation. Washington State Route 20 crosses over the Kettle River Range along the southern shoulder of Sherman Peak at Sherman Pass, which at is highest mountain pass open all year in the state. Boulder-Deer Creek Pass is a paved two-lane county road and one of several critical secondary roads that provide access into and out of Ferry County. It's eastern terminus is with U.S. Route 395 south of

Orient The Orient is a term referring to the East in relation to Europe, traditionally comprising anything belonging to the Eastern world. It is the antonym of the term ''Occident'', which refers to the Western world. In English, it is largely a meto ...

, while the western end forms a junction with State Route 21 at Curlew, and the western continuation of the road is labeled as the West Kettle River Road. Boulder Creek Road is one of three passes crossing the Kettle River Range, and the northern most. In the southern Kettle River Range is Bridge Creek Pass between Highway 21 and Inchelium. The road starts at approximately at Curlew and climbs up to an crest of and then drops back down to about at Highway 395. Crossing the county east to west is the Pacific Northwest National Scenic Trail, which enters the county along the Boulder pass highway, turns south along the Kettle Crest National Recreation Trail and turns west again along the 13 mile trail. *

Copper Butte Copper is a chemical element; it has Chemical symbol, symbol Cu (from Latin ) and atomic number 29. It is a soft, malleable, and ductility, ductile metal with very high thermal conductivity, thermal and electrical conductivity. A freshly expo ...

, highest point: *Snow Peak, *Scar Mountain, *Wapaloosie Mountain, *Sherman Peak, *Bald Mountain, *White Mountain, *Columbia Mountain, *Midnight Mountain, *King Mountain, *Edds Mountain,

Economy

Ferry County reaches to

Canada Canada is a country in North America. Its Provinces and territories of Canada, ten provinces and three territories extend from the Atlantic Ocean to the Pacific Ocean and northward into the Arctic Ocean, making it the world's List of coun ...

on the north, and to the

on the east. Its southern portion is in the boundary of the

Colville Indian Reservation The Colville Indian Reservation is an Indian reservation located in Washington (state), Washington state, U.S. It is inhabited and managed by the Confederated Tribes of the Colville Reservation, which are List of federally recognized tribes in ...

, controlled by the Colville Confederated Tribes, and its northern portion is largely occupied by Colville National Forest. As a result, only eighteen percent of the total county area is taxable-use ground. The county's economy is largely based on timber-extraction, and mining. Ferry County's topography and climate make it an ideal recreation destination, so tourism has become a significant portion of the county's economy. Washington State Highway 20, designated a National Scenic Highway, crosses the county east–west, and has the state's highest navigable pass (5,575 feet above sea level). The county seat, Republic, is the site of the Stonerose Interpretive Center and Fossil Site, which exhibits and explains Eocene-era fossils from an ancient lake bed north of Republic. Anderson's Grocery is the main grocery of northern Ferry County, having been in operation since 1900, and never burning down.

Demographics

2010 census

As of the 2010 census, there were 7,551 people, 3,190 households, and 2,070 families living in the county. The population density was . There were 4,403 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup of the county was 76.3% white, 16.7% American Indian, 0.7% Asian, 0.3% black or African American, 0.1% Pacific islander, 1.2% from other races, and 4.8% from two or more races. Those of Hispanic or Latino origin made up 3.4% of the population. In terms of ancestry, 23.0% were German, 18.0% were English, 12.3% were Irish, and 3.7% were American. Of the 3,190 households, 23.9% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 49.2% were married couples living together, 9.2% had a female householder with no husband present, 35.1% were non-families, and 28.5% of all households were made up of individuals. The average household size was 2.29 and the average family size was 2.75. The median age was 47.3 years. The median income for a household in the county was $35,485 and the median income for a family was $43,576. Males had a median income of $41,755 versus $30,972 for females. The per capita income for the county was $18,021. About 13.6% of families and 20.8% of the population were below the

poverty line The poverty threshold, poverty limit, poverty line, or breadline is the minimum level of income deemed adequate in a particular country. The poverty line is usually calculated by estimating the total cost of one year's worth of necessities for ...

, including 24.3% of those under age 18 and 12.4% of those age 65 or over.

2000 census

As of the 2000 census, there were 7,260 people, 2,823 households, and 1,987 families living in the county. The

population density Population density (in agriculture: Standing stock (disambiguation), standing stock or plant density) is a measurement of population per unit land area. It is mostly applied to humans, but sometimes to other living organisms too. It is a key geog ...

was . There were 3,775 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup of the county was 75.48%

White White is the lightest color and is achromatic (having no chroma). It is the color of objects such as snow, chalk, and milk, and is the opposite of black. White objects fully (or almost fully) reflect and scatter all the visible wa ...

, 0.21%

Black Black is a color that results from the absence or complete absorption of visible light. It is an achromatic color, without chroma, like white and grey. It is often used symbolically or figuratively to represent darkness.Eva Heller, ''P ...

African American African Americans, also known as Black Americans and formerly also called Afro-Americans, are an Race and ethnicity in the United States, American racial and ethnic group that consists of Americans who have total or partial ancestry from an ...

, 18.28% Native American, 0.29% Asian, 0.06%

Pacific Islander Pacific Islanders, Pasifika, Pasefika, Pacificans, or rarely Pacificers are the peoples of the list of islands in the Pacific Ocean, Pacific Islands. As an ethnic group, ethnic/race (human categorization), racial term, it is used to describe th ...

, 2.23% from other races, and 3.46% from two or more races. 2.82% of the population were

Hispanic The term Hispanic () are people, Spanish culture, cultures, or countries related to Spain, the Spanish language, or broadly. In some contexts, Hispanic and Latino Americans, especially within the United States, "Hispanic" is used as an Ethnici ...

or Latino of any race. 14.1% were of German, 9.5%

United States The United States of America (USA), also known as the United States (U.S.) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It is a federal republic of 50 U.S. state, states and a federal capital district, Washington, D.C. The 48 ...

or American, 9.1% Irish, and 7.6% English ancestry. 96.7% spoke English and 1.9% Spanish as their first language. There were 2,823 households, out of which 30.10% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 54.70% were

married couples Marriage, also called matrimony or wedlock, is a culturally and often legally recognised union between people called spouses. It establishes rights and obligations between them, as well as between them and their children (if any), and b ...

living together, 10.20% had a female householder with no husband present, and 29.60% were non-families. 24.80% of all households were made up of individuals, and 9.10% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.49 and the average family size was 2.95. In the county, the population was spread out, with 26.90% under the age of 18, 7.60% from 18 to 24, 23.40% from 25 to 44, 29.50% from 45 to 64, and 12.60% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 40 years. For every 100 females there were 107.70 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 105.20 males. The median income for a household in the county was $30,388, and the median income for a family was $35,691. Males had a median income of $32,103 versus $23,371 for females. The

per capita income Per capita income (PCI) or average income measures the average income earned per person in a given area (city, region, country, etc.) in a specified year. In many countries, per capita income is determined using regular population surveys, such ...

for the county was $15,019. About 13.30% of families and 19.00% of the population were below the

, including 20.40% of those under age 18 and 10.30% of those age 65 or over.

Government

County law enforcement

County-wide law enforcement is provided by the Ferry County Sheriff Office which is headquartered in Republic. Henry Waisman was the county's first sheriff, appointed by the county commissioners following the county's 1899 organization, with a mandate to serve until the first general election in 1900. The county's first elected sheriff was A.E. Stewart. The sheriff in 2016 was Ray Maycumber.