When was Wahkiakum County founded?

Wahkiakum County was founded in 1854, formed from Cowlitz County, and named after Wahkiakum.

What is the county seat of Wahkiakum County?

The county seat of Wahkiakum County is Cathlamet.

Is there an online parcel map for Wahkiakum County?

Yes. A public source publishes a parcel map of 4,465 parcels, rated good enough here. You can click any parcel on it in Parcel Chart's free map, no sign-in needed.

Has Wahkiakum County's boundary or name changed?

Wahkiakum County was created in 1854 from Cowlitz County. Since then the Atlas of Historical County Boundaries records 5 later changes, chiefly involving Chehalis County, Grays Harbor County and Lewis County.

Who issues building permits in Wahkiakum County?

The county's page on building permits: Aquatic Resource Permit Application Packet. Inside a city or town, ask that city first.

Who issues septic and well permits in Wahkiakum County?

The county's page on septic systems and wells: Mental Health Services.

Is my lot in a flood zone?

We do not have flood maps for Wahkiakum County yet. Look up the address on FEMA's Flood Map Service Center, which shows the effective flood map for any lot.

Wahkiakum County, Washington: parcels, history and offices

Where it is

Wahkiakum on the map of Washington

Washington has 39 counties and county equivalents, each with its own records office. Shapes with a page are links.

Counties of Washington · Wahkiakum highlighted

History

Formed in 1854 from Cowlitz County

An old deed may name a county that no longer exists, or a boundary that has since moved.

Wahkiakum County was created from Cowlitz County on April 25, 1854, and named after Wahkiakum. The county was briefly lost to Cowlitz in 1855, then regained and adjusted through boundary changes with Lewis, Chehalis (now Grays Harbor), and Pacific counties through the 1870s. When Washington became a state in 1889, Wahkiakum County continued as an organized county.

Boundary changes from the Newberry Library, Atlas of Historical County Boundaries.

1854
Wahkiakum County created Wahkiakum created by Washington Territory from Cowlitz.
from Cowlitz
25 April 1854 · Wash. Terr. Laws 1854, 1st sess., p. 474
1855
Lost territory Wahkiakum lost to Cowlitz.
to Cowlitz
26 January 1855 · Wash. Terr. Laws 1854, 2nd sess., p. 36
1867
Gained territory Wahkiakum gained from Lewis, lost to Chehalis (now Grays Harbor) and Pacific.
from Lewis from Chehalis from Grays Harborfrom Pacific
31 January 1867 · Wash. Terr. Laws 1866-1867, 14th sess., p. 48
1869
Gained territory Wahkiakum gained from Chehalis (now Grays Harbor).
from Chehalisfrom Grays Harbor
2 December 1869 · Wash. Terr. Laws 1869, 2nd biennial sess., sec. 1/pp. 295-296
1879
Lost territory Wahkiakum lost to Lewis, exchanged with Pacific.
to Lewis to Pacific
13 November 1879 · Wash. Terr. Laws 1879, 7th biennial sess., pp. 213-214
1889
Became part of Washington Wahkiakum continued as a Washington county when the state of Washington admitted to the Union and Washington Territory eliminated. 11 November 1889 · U.S. Stat., vol. 25, ch. 180[1889], p. 676; U.S. Stat. pres. proc., vol. 26[1889], p. 10; Van Zandt, 155-156

Land and parcels

What the maps cover in Wahkiakum

Who publishes each layer, how good it is, and when we last checked.

Parcels Good enough

Lot lines and tax-map numbers for 4,465 parcels. Drawn for tax purposes: usually within a few feet of a survey, but not a survey.
edited 14 October 2026 · checked 15 October 2026
Address points Missing

No public address points layer found for Wahkiakum County yet.
Buildings Reference

Roof outlines traced from aerial imagery from FEMA Response Geospatial Office with Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL). Good for seeing what is on a lot; not accurate enough to set a fence from.
checked 18 October 2026

Official: from the office that keeps the record
Good enough: a reliable statewide or national copy
Fallback: a guide only; check the official record
Missing: nothing public found yet

People and land

Wahkiakum by the Census

Population

4,422 2020 Census count

Housing units

2,189 2020 Census count

Land area

263 square miles

Water area

24 square miles

People per sq mi

17 population ÷ land area

Source: US Census Bureau, 2020 Census; US Census Bureau, 2020 Gazetteer Files. Not endorsed or certified by the Census Bureau.

Rules and offices

Who to ask before you build, dig or sell

Official county pages only. We link to them; we do not copy them, because they change.

Inside a city or town, permits usually come from that city rather than the county.

Records

Clerk of court: deeds and platsfrom co.wahkiakum.wa.us · checked 13 October 2026

Permits

Health department: septic and wellfrom co.wahkiakum.wa.us · checked 13 October 2026
Aquatic Resource Permit Application Packetfrom co.wahkiakum.wa.us
Land Use, Building Permits & Shoreline Permitsfrom co.wahkiakum.wa.us
On-Site Septic System Permitsfrom co.wahkiakum.wa.us
Find out about Septic & Water for a Parcelfrom co.wahkiakum.wa.us

Zoning and code

Planning and zoningfrom co.wahkiakum.wa.us · checked 13 October 2026
Ordinancesfrom co.wahkiakum.wa.us
SEPA Ordinancefrom co.wahkiakum.wa.us
Boundary: Zoning for the Town of Cathlametfrom co.wahkiakum.wa.us
Title 19 Zoning Town of Cathlametfrom cathlamet.municipal.codes

GIS and maps

County GIS and maps 360-849-9406from co.wahkiakum.wa.us · checked 13 October 2026

County government

County government
The official website of Wahkiakum County.
co.wahkiakum.wa.us

See your own lot on these maps

Open Wahkiakum County on Parcel Chart's free map and click your parcel. Save it with a free account; the full record of your place (site map, projects, documents) is Pro, in early access.

Open the free map no sign-in Pro early access

Questions

Common questions about Wahkiakum County

When was Wahkiakum County founded?: Wahkiakum County was founded in 1854, formed from Cowlitz County, and named after Wahkiakum.
What is the county seat of Wahkiakum County?: The county seat of Wahkiakum County is Cathlamet.
Is there an online parcel map for Wahkiakum County?: Yes. A public source publishes a parcel map of 4,465 parcels, rated good enough here. You can click any parcel on it in Parcel Chart's free map, no sign-in needed.
Has Wahkiakum County's boundary or name changed?: Wahkiakum County was created in 1854 from Cowlitz County. Since then the Atlas of Historical County Boundaries records 5 later changes, chiefly involving Chehalis County, Grays Harbor County and Lewis County.
Who issues building permits in Wahkiakum County?: The county's page on building permits: Aquatic Resource Permit Application Packet. Inside a city or town, ask that city first.
Who issues septic and well permits in Wahkiakum County?: The county's page on septic systems and wells: Mental Health Services.
Is my lot in a flood zone?: We do not have flood maps for Wahkiakum County yet. Look up the address on FEMA's Flood Map Service Center, which shows the effective flood map for any lot.

Nearby

Wahkiakum CountyWashington