Location: Columbia County

Over 4,000 people live in Columbia, County, Washington! It’s the third smallest county in Washington State. The biggest area in Columbia County is the county seat of Dayton. The town of Starbuck, WA and the unincorporated communities of Alto, Huntsville, Marengo and Turner are also part of Columbia County. From Wikipedia: “Dayton was founded in the 1860s. A town site plat was filed by Jesse N. and Elizabeth Day on November 23, 1871. Dayton was officially incorporated on November 10, 1881 and was named for Jesse Day. Dayton has the oldest train depot (1881) in Washington State and the oldest continuously used courthouse (1887). The historical community of Baileysburg was once located about one mile southeast of Dayton, at the junction of North Touchet and South Touchet Roads… Dayton is somewhat milder than most of eastern Washington in the winter and has a Mediterranean climate with hot summers (though nights are pleasantly cool) and chilly, though not severe winters with only very moderate snowfall. Precipitation is moderate for most of the year except for a dry period between July and September when major wildfires are very common in the region with the hot days and very low humidity.” It was divided out of Walla Walla County in November 1875. The entire county is usually included in the Walla Walla metropolitan statistical area.