Information about King County
King County is one of the original counties. It was created by the Oregon Territorial Legislature on December 22, 1852. It was named after William Rufus De Vane King, acting vice-president under President Millard Fillmore, who had succeeded to the presidency upon the death of President Zachary Taylor. On April 19, 2005, the Governor signed Senate Bill 5332 into law, declaring that, effective July 24, 2005, King County would be named in honor of the Reverend Doctor Martin Luther King, Jr. The county seat is Seattle.