Grant County, Washington
| Grant County, Washington | ||
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 Location in the U.S. state of Washington |
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 Washington's location in the U.S. |
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| Founded | February 24, 1909 | |
| Named for | Ulysses S. Grant | |
| Seat | Ephrata | |
| Largest city | Moses Lake | |
| Area | ||
| • Total | 2,791 sq mi (7,229 km2) | |
| • Land | 2,680 sq mi (6,941 km2) | |
| • Water | 112 sq mi (290 km2), 4.0% | |
| Population (est.) | ||
| • (2015) | 93,259 | |
| • Density | 35/sq mi (14/km²) | |
| Congressional district | 4th | |
| Time zone | Pacific: UTC-8/-7 | |
| Website | www |
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Grant County is a county located in the U.S. state of Washington. As of the 2010 census, the population was 89,120. The county seat is Ephrata, and the largest city is Moses Lake. The county was formed out of Douglas County on February 24, 1909 and is named for U.S. President Ulysses S. Grant.
Grant County comprises the Moses Lake, WA Micropolitan Statistical Area.
Native American cultures in the area included the Interior Salish, Wenatchi, Okanagan. The first white settlers began to arrive in the mid-to-late-19th century, primarily with the goal of raising livestock. One government official described the area in 1879 as, "…a desolation where even the most hopeful can find nothing in its future prospects to cheer."
When railroads arrived they also brought new settlers, and the economy began a shift from ranching to dryland farming. This transition required the people to have ready access to water, and irrigation became a necessity. The first large-scale irrigation attempts began in 1898, but it would be years before real success.
With the influx of dryland farming, the county soon boasted access to three major railway systems; the Great Northern Railway, Northern Pacific Railroad and the Chicago, Milwaukee & St. Paul Railroad. In addition, the Columbia River in this area was navigable. This allowed crops to be transported out of the area easily. Towns like Wilson Creek, Quincy and Ephrata began to thrive.
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