Chelan County

Chelan is one of the counties in the northcentral area of Washington. The largest city in Chelan County is Sunnyslope, with an approximate area of 25.9 km². Chelan County had a population of 79,074 during the 2020 census. Several Interstate Highways pass through Chelan County within Washington state, including: 

• S. Route 97 Alternate 
• State Route 971
• State Route 150
• State Route 28
• S. Route 97
• S. Route 2

Cities and Town of Chelan County  

Chelan comprises cities and towns such as; Ardenvoir, Chelan, Wenatchee, Cashmere, Leavenworth, Chelan Falls, Entiat, Malaga, Monitor, and Stehekin. The County seat is Wenatchee. Blewett is a ghost town in Chelan County. Some of the census-designated places include Manson, Sunnyslope, Chelan Falls, and South Wenatchee.  

A Brief History of Chelan County 

Chelan county has been around since 13 March 1899 from its parents’ counties, Kittitas and Okanogan. William Sanders and Henry Dumpke were the first European settlers in the area who arrived in 1886. The natives welcomed them, encouraging them to make claims. Their presence paved the way for more settlers that the valley impressed, like L.H Woodin, who arrived from Minneapolis in 1888. 

Woodin settled and constructed a sawmill at the foot of Chelan lake. The Chelan main street was named after him. Chelan expanded quickly due to establishing a post office in 1890, a school & first resort hotel in 1893, and the first bank in 1893. The incorporation of Chelan county was on 7 May 1902. 

Geography of Chelan County 

Chelan County has 2,994 square miles of the total area, making it the 3rd largest county in Washinton. The land covers 2,921 square miles, while 73 square miles is the area covered by water. It lies on Latitude 47°50’11” and Longitude 120°03’37”.  

Some of the geographical features at Chelan County include the Cascade Mountains, Chiwaukum Mountains, Lake Chelan, Chelan Mountains, Stuart Range, Entiat Mountains, The Enchantments, and Bonanza Peak, which is the highest point in Chelan County. The Chelan River and Columbia River drains throughout the county. 

The following counties border Chelan County: 

• Douglas County borders it to the eastern side 
• Okanogan on the northeastern side
• Snohomish to the western side 
• Kittitas on the southern side
• Skagit on the northwestern side
• King County to the southwest

Chelan County Demographics  

According to the 2019 Census, approximately 77,200 individuals were living within the county’s borders. Of those individuals, about 93.2% identify themselves as white, 0.9% black or African American, 67.6% white but not Hispanic and Latinos, 1.2% Asian, 0.3% Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander, and 2.4% of more than two races.  

About 23.2% of the households had children under the age of 18 years old. Approximately 6.1% of the population consists of children under five years of age.  

Around 19.6% of persons are 65 years & above, 49.9% female, and 50.1% male. About 73.9% of the population aged 5+ years speaks English at home. Meaning 26.1% of the population speaks another language at home apart from English. Four thousand eight hundred thirty-seven (4,837) veterans were residing in the county between 2015 – 2019.  

Chelan County Maps 

You can locate anything in the county by using Chelan county maps. The maps can help you plan your trip to Chelan County by locating roads, rivers, mountains, lakes, and other geographical features. You can also find help when getting the location in the county, including hospitals, schools, fire stations, courthouses, police stations, airports, museums, etc. You can download these maps as pdf files available on at maps of the world website here. The maps are up-to-date, reflecting changes in the Washington county lines. 

Public Records at Chelan County 

Public records are open to anyone, including birth certificates, death certificates, marriage licenses, deeds, court records, land titles, tax records, and many more. If you want to access and view these public records at Chelan County, you must first obtain a copy of the document from the clerk’s or auditor’s office.  

Chelan County Offices  

Several county offices serve different purposes for residents in Chelan County. You can locate these offices throughout the county. These offices include: 

County Judge: Judge Robert E. Jourdan is the county judge who serves as the Chelan county judicial branch head. He oversees the meeting agendas, court calendars, and all legal matters about Chelan county.  

His office is at 401 Washington St, Fl 5. Wenatchee, WA 98801-4197. You can contact him via phone at 509-667-6210, send a fax at 509-667-6588, or you can also send him mail at SuperiorCourt.Judge@co.chelan.wa.us.     

Sheriff: Sheriff Mike Harum is the Chelan County sheriff who oversees law enforcement activities in the area. His office is at 401 Washington St Lower Level 1 Wenatchee WA 98801. Contact his office by phone at (509) 667-6851. You can also send him mail at [email protected].   

Commissioners Court: This department comprises three precinct commissioners who oversee the jurisdictions of Chelan County. You can reach Chelan County Commissioner’s County Courthouse at 350 Orondo Ave Wenatchee, WA 98801. You can contact the office via phone at (509) 667-6215 or Fax (509) 667-6599. 

• Precinct 1 Commissioner: Ron Walter’s office address is 350 Orondo Ave Wenatchee, WA 98801. You can contact him at (509) 667-6215 or send mail at [email protected].  
• Precinct 2 Commissioner: Keith Goehner’s office address is 350 Orondo Ave Wenatchee, WA 98801. You can contact him at (509) 667-6215 or send mail at [email protected].  
• Precinct 3 Commissioner: Buell Hawkins’s office address is 350 Orondo Ave Wenatchee, WA 98801. You can contact him via phone at (509) 667-6215 or send mail at [email protected]. 

County Clerk: Siri Woods is the clerk of Chelan county. His office address is 350 Orondo Ave 5th Level Wenatchee, WA 98801. You can contact his office at (509) 667-6380, or you can also send him mail at [email protected].     

County Auditor: Evelyn L. Arnold is the county attorney for Chelan county. Her office address is 350 Orondo Ave PO Box 400 Wenatchee, WA 98807. You can contact her office at (509) 667-6800, Fax (509) 667-6818, or you can also send her mail at [email protected].  

County Tax Assessor-Collector: Russell Griffith is the Tax Assessor-Collector in Chelan county. His office address is 350 Orondo Ave Wenatchee, WA 98801. You can contact his office at (509) 667-6365, Fax (509) 667-6664. You can also send him mail at [email protected].   

Chelan County Offices by Type