Washington is the north-western town of Knox County. It is bounded on the south by Waldoboro and Jefferson, east by Union, west by Somerville in Lincoln County, and north by Palermo and Liberty in Waldo County, and Appleton in Knox County. It contains two considerable ponds, Washington and Clark’s; the first having an area of 800 and the last of 350 square acres. The streams are Damariscotta River, which bisects the town from north to south, and the outlet of Clark’s Ponds and of Washington Pond,—the last constituting Muscongus River. The surface of the town is uneven and in some parts rocky. Patricktown Mountain, in the north-western part, is the greatest elevation. The soil is productive, and the inhabitants are generally thrifty. Washington, the chief business centre, is about 35 miles easterly of Augusta, and 22 miles north-west of Rockland. It is on the stage-line from Augusta to Rockland and to Belfast. The post-offices are North and West Washington. The products of manufacture are boots and shoes, barrels and casks, cabinet-work, lumber (two mills), staves, harnesses, flour and meal, etc. Washington was in part included in the Plymouth and in part in the Muscongus (subsequently called the Waldo) patent. The town was made up of the westerly part of Union and several strips and gores adjacent, and was incorporated in 1811, under the name of Putnam. Among the petitioners for incorporation were Mark Hatch, John and James Laughton, John Bowmin, David Colamy, Benjamin Speed, William Starrett, Thomas Nelson, James Daggett, Samuel Stickney and Sanford Rhoades. The name was changed to Washington in 1823. The religious societies are the Free Baptist Methodist, Congregational, and Baptist. The number of public schoolhouses is twelve; and the school property is estimated at $3,000. The valuation of estates in 1870 was $289,857. In 1880 it was $294,551. The population in 1870 was 1,276. In 1880 it was 1,249.

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