Washington, commonly known as The Original Washington, or Little Washington, is a city in Beaufort County, North Carolina, United States, located on the northern bank of the Pamlico River. The population was 9,744 at the 2010 census. It is the county seat of Beaufort County. The closest major city is Greenville, approximately 20 miles to the west.Established in 1776 on land donated by Col. James Bonner, Washington is the first city named after George Washington, the first president of the United States.