Washington County (pop. 24,935) is north of Bay County. It’s one of 30 Washington counties, and one Washington Parish, in the U.S.
Washington County has some of the highest points in Florida, including Oak Hill (#2, at 331 feet), High Hill (#3, 323 feet), and Sand Mountain (250 feet).
Falling Waters State Park has the highest waterfall in the state.
The county seat of Washington County is the city of Chipley (pop. 3,605).
The Seacrest Wolf Preserve, south of Chipley, is the largest wolf preserve in the Southeast.
Basketball star Artis Gilmore was born in Chipley in 1949. A 7’2″ center, he played in the American Basketball Association for six years, and later was a six-time NBA all-star.
The original county seat of Washington County was Vernon (pop. 744), located in the geographic center of the county. It was named for George Washington’s home in Virginia.
Filmmaker Errol Morris’s documentary “Vernon, Florida” was released in 1981.
The town of Wausau calls itself “The Possum Capital of the World.” The city has an annual Possum Festival and a Possum Monument, honoring the animal for its historic contribution of “food and fur” to the local population.
In the southwestern corner of the county is the Ebro Greyhound Park and Poker Room, established in 1955.
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