Ephrata (ee-FRAY-ta) is a city in Grant County, Washington, United States. The population was 6,808 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat of Grant County. Ephrata was officially incorporated on June 21, 1909 and was given the county seat for the newly created Grant County. Historically, the settlement of Ephrata is quite recent. There was no known settlement until 1886, just three years before Washington attained statehood. The horse rancher Frank Beezley was the first to settle near the natural springs, thus the area was known as Beezley Springs.