Washington's current flag.

The History of Washington includes thousands of years of Native American history before Europeans and Americans arrived and began to establish territorial claims. The region was part of Oregon Territory from 1848 to 1853, after which it was separated from Oregon and established as Washington Territory. In 1889, Washington became the 42nd state of the United States. Source: http://www. ... Source: http://www. ... This article is about the people indigenous to the United States. ... Seal of the Oregon Territory. ... Categories: Historical stubs | Washington history | U.S. historical regions and territories ...

Pre-history

Archaeological evidence suggests that the Pacific Northwest was one of the first populated areas in North America. Animal and human bones 13,000 years old have been found across Washington and evidence of human habitation in the Olympic Peninsula dates back to approximately 9,000 BCE, 3,000 to 5,000 years after massive flooding of the Columbia River carved the Columbia Gorge.^[1] The Olympic Peninsula is the large arm of land in western Washington state that lies across Puget Sound from Seattle. ... The Columbia River (French: fleuve Columbia) is a river in the Pacific Northwest region of North America. ... The Columbia River Gorge is a spectacular canyon of the Columbia River in the Pacific Northwest of the United States. ...

It is estimated that there were 125 distinct Northwest tribes and 50 dialects in existence before the arrival of Euro-Americans in this region. Throughout the Puget Sound region, coastal tribes made use of the region’s abundant natural resources, subsisting primarily on salmon, halibut, shellfish, and whale. Cedar was an important building material and was used by tribes to build both longhouses and large canoes. Clothing was also made from the bark of cedar trees. The Columbia River tribes became the richest of the Washington tribes through their control of Washington Falls, historically the richest salmon fishing location in the Northwest. These falls on the Columbia River, east of present-day the Dalles, Oregon, were part of the path millions of salmon took to spawn. The presence of private wealth among the more aggressive coastal tribes encouraged gender divisions as women took on prominent roles as traders and men participated in warring and captive-taking with other tribes. The eastern tribes, called the Plateau tribes, survived through seasonal hunting, fishing, and gathering. Tribal work among the Plateau Indians was also gender-divided with both men and women responsible for equal parts of the food supply.^[2] Puget Sound For the university in this region, see University of Puget Sound. ... Location in Oregon Coordinates: County Wasco County Incorporated 1857 Government  - Mayor Robb Van Cleave Area  - City 14. ...

The principal tribes of the coastal areas include the Chinook, Lummi, Quinault, Makah, Quileute, and Snohomish. The Plateau tribes include the Cayuse, Nez Percé, Okanogan, Palouse, Spokane, Wenatchee, and Yakima. Today, Washington contains more than 20 Indian reservations, the largest of which is for the Yakima.^[3] Chinook has several meanings: The Chinookan nation of Native Americans, and their language. ... The Lummi Nation is a Native American tribe in western Washington state in the United States. ... Quinault is the name of a group of Native American peoples in the Pacific Northwest. ... For the Arabian city sometimes called Makkah, see Mecca. ... Quileute is a group of Native American peoples from western Washington state in the United States. ... Snohomish can refer to: The Snohomish, a tribe of Native Americans The city of Snohomish, Washington The county of Snohomish County, Washington The Snohomish River in Washington This is a disambiguation page — a navigational aid which lists other pages that might otherwise share the same title. ... For other uses, see Cayuse (disambiguation). ... Nez Percé warrior on horse, 1910 The Nez Percé or Nez Perce (pronounced as in French, or ) are a tribe of Native Americans who inhabited the Pacific Northwest region of the United States at the time of the Lewis and Clark Expedition. ... Map of the regional districts that the Okanagan covers The Okanagan is a region located in the Canadian province of British Columbia. ... The Palouse is a region of hi peopleEastern Washington, North Central Idaho, and, in some definitions, extending south into northeast Oregon. ... For the city, see Spokane, Washington For the county, see Spokane County, Washington For the Native American tribe, see Spokane (people) or Spokane Indian Reservation For the movie, see Spokane (2004) This is a disambiguation page — a navigational aid which lists other pages that might otherwise share the same title. ... The Sellar Bridge spans the Columbia connecting Wenatchee and East Wenatchee. ... Yakima is a the county seat of Yakima County located in central Washington. ...

At Ozette, in the northwest corner of the state, an ancient village was covered by a mudflow, perhaps triggered by an earthquake about 500 years ago. More than 50,000 well-preserved artifacts have been found and cataloged, many of which are now on display at the Makah Cultural and Research Center in Neah Bay. Other sites have also revealed how long people have been there. Thumbnail-sized quartz knife blades found at the Hoko River site near Clallam Bay are believed to be 2,500 years old. For the Arabian city sometimes called Makkah, see Mecca. ... For the Arabian city sometimes called Makkah, see Mecca. ... Neah Bay is a town on the Makah Indian reservation, in Clallam County, Washington, United States. ...

Colonization

Early European and American exploration

The first European record of a landing on the Washington coast was in 1774 by Spaniard Juan Pérez. One year later, Spanish Captain Don Bruno de Heceta on board the Santiago, part of a two-ship flotilla with the Sonora, landed near the mouth of the Quinault River and claimed the coastal lands up to the Russian possessions in the north. Juan Pérez (3 September 1978– ) is a baseball player currently in the New York Mets farm system. ... Bruno de Heceta (Hezeta) y Dudagoitia (1744-1807) was a Spanish explorer of the Pacific Northwest. ... The Quinault River is is located on the Olympic Peninsula in Washington, U.S.A. The river is the outlet for Lake Quinault. ...

In 1778, British explorer Captain James Cook sighted Cape Flattery, at the entrance to the Strait of Juan de Fuca, but the straits would not be explored until 1789 by Captain Charles W. Barkley. The Spanish Nootka Convention of 1790 opened the Northwest Territory to explorers and trappers from other nations, most notably Britain and then the United States. Further explorations of the straits were performed by Spanish explorers Manuel Quimper in 1790 and Francisco de Eliza in 1791 and then by British Captain George Vancouver in 1792. Vancouver and his expedition mapped the coast of Washington from 1792 to 1794.^[4] This article is about the British explorer. ... Cape Flattery is the furthest northwest point of the contiguous United States. ... The Nootka Convention was a treaty between Spain and Great Britain in 1790 that averted a war between the two countries over overlapping claims to portions of the northwestern coast of North America. ... Manuel Quimper del Pino was a Spanish explorer of French paternity who participated in exploration and settlement expeditions for Spain along the Pacific Coast of North America. ... Francisco de Eliza was a Spanish navigator and explorer. ... Captain George Vancouver RN (June 22, 1757 – May 12, 1798) was an officer of the British Royal Navy, best known for his exploration of North America, including the Pacific coast along the modern day Canadian province of British Columbia and the American states of Alaska, Washington and Oregon. ...

Captain Robert Gray (for whom Grays Harbor County is named) discovered the mouth of the Columbia River in 1792, naming the river after his ship “Columbia” and later establishing a trade in sea otter pelts. The Lewis and Clark expedition, under direction from President Thomas Jefferson, entered the state from the east on October 10, 1805. Meriwether Lewis and William Clark were surprised by the differences in Indian tribes in the Pacific Northwest from those they had encountered earlier in the expedition, noting in particular the increased status of women among both coastal and plateau tribes. Lewis hypothesized that the equality of women and the elderly with men was linked to more evenly distributed economic roles, but neither Lewis nor Clark had any significant contact with Native women, an omission that is reflected in their travel journals.^[5] Five years after the Lewis and Clark expedition, Canadian explorer David Thompson established a trading post in eastern Washington and the first American settlement was set up at Okanogan by David Stuart in 1811 on behalf of the Pacific Fur Company. A population of Métis (mixed race) people grew as a result of centuries of sexual encounters between early European fur-traders and Indian women. Until settlement was allowed in 1830 and white women moved into the territory, Metis women were sought after as wives for the traders.^[6] Captain Robert Gray (His one missing eye not shown. ... Lewis and Clark redirects here. ... Thomas Jefferson (13 April 1743 N.S.–4 July 1826) was the third President of the United States (1801–09), the principal author of the Declaration of Independence (1776), and one of the most influential Founding Fathers for his promotion of the ideals of Republicanism in the United States. ... Meriwether Lewis (August 18, 1774–October 11, 1809) was an American explorer, soldier, and public administrator, best known for his role as the leader of the Lewis and Clark Expedition also known as the Corps of Discovery, with William Clark, whose mission was to explore the territory of the Louisiana... William Clark William Clark (August 1, 1770 - September 1, 1838) was an American explorer who accompanied Meriwether Lewis on the Lewis and Clark Expedition. ... The Pacific Fur Company was founded June 23, 1810, in New York City. ... It has been suggested that this article or section be merged with Mestizo. ...

American-British occupation disputes

In the 1819 Adams-Onís Treaty, Spain ceded their original claims to the territory to the United States. Russia signed an agreement in 1824 delineating the boundary between Russian- and U.S.-controlled lands. Great Britain and the United States had already agreed to joint control and occupancy in the Treaty of 1818, renewed in 1827. This period of disputed joint-occupancy by Britain and the U.S., called the Oregon boundary dispute, lasted until June 15, 1846 when Britain ceded its claims to the land in the Oregon Treaty. Map showing results of the Adams-Onís Treaty. ... The Convention respecting fisheries, boundary, and the restoration of slaves between the United States and the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, also known as the London Convention, Anglo-American Convention of 1818, Convention of 1818, or simply the Treaty of 1818, was a treaty signed in 1818 between... The Oregon Country/Columbia District Disputed Area is the main area of dispute, although the whole region was disputed The Oregon boundary dispute (often called the Oregon question) arose as a result of competing British and American claims to the Oregon Country, a region of northwestern North America known also... Map of the lands in dispute The Oregon Treaty, officially known as the Treaty with Great Britain, in Regard to Limits Westward of the Rocky Mountains, and also known as the Treaty of Washington, is a bilateral treaty between the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland and the United...

In 1848, the Oregon Territory, composed of present-day Washington, Oregon, and Idaho as well as parts of Montana and Wyoming, was established. Washington Territory, which included Washington and pieces of Idaho and Montana, was formed from this territory in 1853. Seal of the Oregon Territory. ... Categories: Historical stubs | Washington history | U.S. historical regions and territories ...

Early American Settlements

Eastern Washington

Settlements in the eastern part of the state were largely agricultural and focused around missionary establishments in the Walla Walla Valley. Missionaries attempted to ‘civilize’ the Indians, often in ways that disregarded or misunderstood native practices. When missionaries Dr. Marcus Whitman and Narcissa Whitman refused to leave their mission as racial tensions mounted in 1847, 14 American missionaries were killed by Cayuse and Umatilla Indians. Explanations of the 1847 Whitman massacre in Walla Walla include outbreaks of disease, resentment over harsh attempts at conversion of both religion and way of life, and contempt of the native Indians shown by the missionaries, particularly by Narcissa Whitman, the first white American woman in the Oregon Territory. Like many whites and especially evangelical women, Narcissa Whitman was unprepared for the harsh realities of missionary life. Marcus Whitman (September 4, 1802–November 29, 1847) was an American physician and missionary in the Oregon Country. ... Narcissa Whitman (March 14, 1808 – November 29, 1847), born Narcissa Prentiss in Prattsburgh, New York in the Genesee Valley. ... For other uses, see Cayuse (disambiguation). ... Umatilla is a city located in Umatilla County, Oregon. ... Marcus Whitman The Whitman massacre (also known as the Walla Walla massacre and the Whitman Incident) was the murder in the Oregon Country on November 29, 1847 of U.S. missionaries Dr. Marcus Whitman and his wife Narcissa Whitman, along with twelve others, by Cayuse and Umatilla Indians. ...

This event triggered the Cayuse War against the Indians, followed by the Yakima War, together continuing until 1858. The Provisional Legislature of Oregon in 1847 immediately raised companies of volunteers to go to war, if necessary, against the Cayuse, and, to the disconsent of some of the militia leaders, also sent a peace commission. The United States Army later came to support the militia forces. These militia forces, eager for action, provoked both friendly and hostile Indians. In 1850, five Cayuse were convicted for murdering the Whitmans in 1847, and hanged. Sporadic bloodshed continued until 1855, when the Cayuse were decimated, defeated, bereft of their tribal lands, and placed on the Umatilla Indian Reservation in northeastern Oregon. The Cayuse War was an armed conflict that took place in the northwestern United States between 1848 and 1855 between the Cayuse people of the region and the United States Government and local white settlers. ... The mid-nineteenth century found the Yakama Indians living along the Columbia and Yakima Rivers on the plateau in central Washington Territory, on land in the path of white settlement. ... The Provisional Legislature of Oregon was the single-chamber legislative body of the Provisional Government of Oregon. ... The United States Army is the largest, and by some standards oldest, established branch of the armed forces of the United States and is one of seven uniformed services. ... The Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Indian Reservation (often called the Umatilla Indian Reservation) is an Indian reservation in eastern Oregon in the United States. ...

The conflicts over the possession of land between the Indians and the ‘American’ settlers led the Americans in 1855, by the 'treaties' at the Walla Walla Council, to coerce not only the Cayuse, but also the Walla Walla and the Umatilla tribes, to the Umatilla Indian Reservation in northeastern Oregon; fourteen other tribal groups to the Yakama Indian Reservation in southern Washington State; and the Nez Perce to a reservation in the border region of Washington, Oregon and Idaho. That same year, gold was discovered in the newly established Yakama reservation and white miners encroached upon these lands. The tribes - first the Yakama, eventually joined by the Walla Walla and the Cayuse - united together to fight the Americans in what is called the Yakima War. The U.S Army sent troops and a number of raids and battles took place. In 1858, the Americans, at the Battle of Four Lakes, defeated the Indians decisively. In a newly imposed ‘treaty,’ tribes were, again, confined to reservations. The Wall Walla Council (1855) was a meeting in the Pacific Northwest between the United States and sovereign tribal bodies of the Cayuse, Nez Perce, Umatilla, Walla Walla, and Yakama. ... Walla-walla (Traditional Chinese: 嘩啦嘩啦), is an kind of motorboat serving in the Victoria Harbour of Hong Kong. ... Umatilla is a city located in Umatilla County, Oregon. ... The Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Indian Reservation (often called the Umatilla Indian Reservation) is an Indian reservation in eastern Oregon in the United States. ... The Yakama Indian Reservation is a United States Indian reservation located on the east side of the Cascade Mountains of the state of Washington. ... The Nez Perce (IPA: ) are a tribe of Native Americans who live in the Pacific Northwest region (Columbia River Plateau) of the United States. ... The mid-nineteenth century found the Yakama Indians living along the Columbia and Yakima Rivers on the plateau in central Washington Territory, on land in the path of white settlement. ... The Battle of Four Lakes was a punitive expedition against a confederation of Indian tribes in Washington and Idaho. ...

Puget Sound

As American settlers moved west along the Oregon Trail, some traveled through the northern part of the Oregon Territory and settled in the Puget Sound area. The first settlement in the Puget Sound area in the west of what is now Washington State, was that of Washington's founder, the black pioneer George Washington Bush and his caucasian wife, Isabella James Bush, from Missouri and Tennessee, respectively. They led four white families into the territory and settled New Market, now known as Tumwater, in 1846. They settled in Washington to avoid Oregon's racist settlement laws.^[7] After them, many more settlers, migrating overland along the Oregon trail, wandered north to settle in the Puget Sound area. Contrasted with other American occupations of the West, there was comparatively little violence between Euro-Americans and Indians, though several exceptions, such as Territorial Governor Isaac Ingalls Stevens’ extensive campaigns in 1853 to force Indians into ceding lands and rights, are notable..^[8] Despite this relative peace, Euro-American traders and settlers spread disease and permanently disrupted traditional lifestyles. Puget Sound For the university in this region, see University of Puget Sound. ... For other persons of the same name, see George Bush. ... This article is about the U.S. state. ... This article is about the U.S. state of Tennessee. ... New Market is the name of some places in the United States: New Market, Alabama New Market, Maryland New Market, Tennessee New Market, Virginia There are also a number of places named Newmarket: Newmarket, Suffolk (in the United Kingdom) Newmarket, Derbyshire New Market,Calcutta Newmarket, Gloucestershire Newmarket, Western Isles Newmarket... Tumwater Falls of the Deschutes River, Tumwater, Washington. ... For other uses, see Oregon Trail (disambiguation). ... Puget Sound For the university in this region, see University of Puget Sound. ... Isaac Ingalls Stevens (March 25, 1818 - September 1, 1862) was the first governor of Washington Territory, and served as a brigadier general in the Union Army during the Civil War until his death at the Battle of Chantilly. ...

The fur trade and lumber industries drew settlers to the territory. Coastal cities, like Seattle (founded in 1853 and originally called “Duwamps”), were established. Unlike the wagon trains that had carried entire families to the Oregon Territory, these early trading settlements were populated primarily with single young men. Liquor, gambling, and prostitution were ubiquitous, supported in Seattle by one of the city’s founders, David Swinson “Doc” Maynard, who believed that well-run prostitution could be a functional part of the economy. This is the main article of a series that covers the History of Seattle, Washington, a city in the Pacific Northwest region of the United States of America. ... Pioneer and doctor David Swinson Doc Maynard (1808 - March 13, 1873) settled in Seattle when it was still a small village called Duwamps. ...

Statehood

The Grand Coulee Dam was the largest dam in the world at the time of its construction

Washington became the 42^nd state in the United States on November 11, 1889. The proposed state constitution, passed by a four-to-one ratio, originally included women’s suffrage and prohibition, but both of these issues were defeated and removed from the accepted constitution. Women had previously been given the vote in 1883 by the Washington Territorial Legislature, but the right was rescinded in 1887 by the Washington Territorial Supreme Court as a response to female support of prohibition. Despite these initial defeats, women in the Pacific Northwest were given the right to vote earlier than the rest of the country with Washington passing a suffrage amendment in 1910.^[9] Download high resolution version (1024x825, 149 KB) Wikipedia does not have an article with this exact name. ... Download high resolution version (1024x825, 149 KB) Wikipedia does not have an article with this exact name. ... For the town, see Coulee Dam, Washington. ... The order which the original 13 states ratified the constitution, then the order that the others were admitted to the union This is a list of U.S. states by date of statehood, that is, the date when each U.S. state joined the Union. ... is the 315th day of the year (316th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1889 (MDCCCLXXXIX) was a common year starting on Tuesday (link will display the full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar (or a common year starting on Sunday of the 12-day slower Julian calendar). ... The international movement for womens suffrage, led by suffragists (commonly called suffragettes), was a social, economic and political reform movement aimed at extending the suffrage (that is, the right to vote) to women, advocating equal suffrage (abolition of graded votes) rather than universal suffrage (abolition of discrimination due to... The term Prohibition, also known as A Dry Law, refers to a law in a certain country by which the manufacture, transportation, import, export, and sale of alcoholic beverages is restricted or illegal. ...

Early prominent industries in the state included agriculture and lumber. In eastern Washington, the Yakima Valley was known for its apple orchards and wheat, the farming of which was particular productive due to dry-farming techniques. The heavy rainfall to the west of the Cascade Range produced dense forests and the ports along Puget Sound prospered from the manufacturing and shipping of lumber products, particularly the Douglas fir. Seattle was the primary port for trade with Alaska and for a time possessed a large shipbuilding industry. Other industries that developed in Washington include fishing, salmon canning and mining. For an extended period of time, Tacoma was known for its large smelters where gold, silver, copper and lead ores were treated. The region around eastern Puget Sound developed heavy industry during the period including World War I and World War II and the Boeing Company became an established icon in the area. This irrigation ditch receives its water from the Yakima River. ... “Cascades” redirects here. ... Seattle redirects here. ... For other uses, see Alaska (disambiguation). ... Nickname: Location of Tacoma in Pierce County and Washington State Coordinates: , Country State County Pierce Government  - Mayor Bill Baarsma (D) Area  - City  62. ... The Boeing Company (NYSE: BA) is a leading American aircraft and aerospace manufacturer, headquartered in Chicago, Illinois, with its largest production facilities near Seattle, Washington. ...

By the turn of the 20th century, the state of Washington was one of dangerous repute in the minds of many Americans. Indisputably as "wild" as the rest of the wild west, the public image of Washington merely replaced cowboys with lumberjacks, and desert with forestland. Sentiments of socialism were so strong that Franklin D. Roosevelt's postmaster general James Farley quipped in 1936, "There are forty-seven states in the Union, and the soviet of Washington." The progressive force of the early 20th century in Washington stemmed partially from the women’s club movement which offered opportunities for leadership and political power to tens of thousands of women in the Pacific Northwest. Bertha Knight Landes was elected mayor of Seattle in 1926, the first woman mayor of a major city in the United States.^[10] Great Basin region, typical American West The Western United States has played a significant role in history and fiction. ... Socialism refers to the goal of a socio-economic system in which property and the distribution of wealth are subject to control by the community. ... FDR redirects here. ... House Resolution 368, 97th Congress, 2nd Session, March 2 1982 Robert Caro, The Path to Power James (Jim) Aloysius Farley (May 30, 1888–June 9, 1976) was an American politician who served as head of the Democratic National Committee and Postmaster General. ... Soviet redirects here. ... Bertha Knight Landes (October 19, 1868 - November 29, 1943) was the first female mayor of a major American city. ...

During the depression era, a series of hydroelectric dams were constructed along the Columbia river as part of a project to increase the production of electricity. This culminated in 1941 with the completion of the Grand Coulee Dam, the largest in the United States. Hydroelectric dam diagram The waters of Llyn Stwlan, the upper reservoir of the Ffestiniog Pumped-Storage Scheme in north Wales, can just be glimpsed on the right. ... Electricity (from New Latin Ä“lectricus, amberlike) is a general term for a variety of phenomena resulting from the presence and flow of electric charge. ... For the town, see Coulee Dam, Washington. ...

World War II

During World War II, the Puget Sound area became a focus for war industries with the Boeing Company producing many of the nation's heavy bombers and ports in Seattle, Bremerton, Vancouver, and Tacoma available for the manufacturing of ships for the war effort. As demand for labor and the number of young men draft increased simultaneously, women entered the workforce in great numbers, recruited by local media. One-fourth of the laborers in shipyards were women, resulting in the installation of one of the first government-funded child-care centers in the workplace.^[11] The B-52 Stratofortress, a heavy bomber. ... Seattle redirects here. ... Sinclair Inlet and Puget Sound Naval Shipyard (left), Dyes Inlet (middle distance) and Manette and Warren Avenue Bridges (left to right) across Port Washington Narrows Bremerton is a city in Kitsap County, Washington, USA. The population was 37,259 at the 2000 census. ... For other uses, see Vancouver (disambiguation). ... Nickname: Location of Tacoma in Pierce County and Washington State Coordinates: , Country State County Pierce Government  - Mayor Bill Baarsma (D) Area  - City  62. ...

In eastern Washington, the Hanford Works atomic energy plant was opened in 1943 and played a major role in the construction of the nation's atomic bombs. The atomic bombs were fueled by Hanford plutonium and were transported in Boeing B-29s. Hanford Site plutonium production reactors along the Columbia River during the Manhattan Project. ... Atomic energy is an outdated phrase which can mean a number of things related to energy produced by atoms: In the late- 19th century through the early- 20th century, it was often used to describe the particles ejected by radioactive elements (especially radium). ... The mushroom cloud of the atomic bombing of Nagasaki, Japan, 1945, rose some 18 km (11 mi) above the epicenter. ...

Contemporary Washington

Eruption of Mount St Helens

Mount St. Helen's 1980 eruption

On May 18, 1980, following a period of heavy tremors and eruptions, the northeast face of Mount St. Helens exploded outward, destroying a large part of the top of the volcano. This eruption flattened the forests for many kilometers, killed 57 people, flooded the Columbia River and its tributaries with ash and mud and blanketed large parts of Washington in ash, making day look like night. The 1980 eruption of Mount St. ... For the mountain in California, see Mount Saint Helena. ...

Economy

Washington is well-known for several prominent companies, the most notable of which are Microsoft, Boeing, and Starbucks. Monopolies have a long history in the state as Bill Boeing’s namesake company grew from a small airplane company in 1916 to a national aircraft and airline conglomerate of Boeing and United Airlines and was subsequently broken up by anti-trust regulators in 1934. Bill Gates’ Microsoft faced similar charges in April of 2000, leading to a forced split of the company. Microsoft Corporation, (NASDAQ: MSFT, HKSE: 4338) is a multinational computer technology corporation with global annual revenue of US$44. ... For other uses of Starbuck, see Starbuck. ... For other persons named Bill Gates, see Bill Gates (disambiguation). ...

Politics

Politics in Washington have been generally Democratic since the 1950s and 60s and President John F. Kennedy’s election. The state’s system of blanket primaries, in which voters may vote for any candidate on the ballot and are not required to be affiliated with a particular political party, was ruled unconstitutional in 2003. The party-line primary system was instituted for the 2004 presidential and gubernatorial elections. In 2004, voters elected Governor Christine Gregoire into office, making Washington the first state to have a female governor and two female senators, Patty Murray and Maria Cantwell. John Kennedy and JFK redirect here. ... In United States politics, the blanket primary was a system used for selecting party candidates in a primary election. ... Christine OGrady Chris Gregoire (born March 24, 1947) is the Democratic governor of the U.S. state of Washington. ... Patricia Lynn Murray (born October 11, 1950) is the senior United States Senator from Washington. ... Maria E. Cantwell (born October 13, 1958) is the junior United States Senator from Washington state and is a member of the Democratic Party. ...

Protests against the World Trade Organization (WTO) in Seattle, sometimes referred to as the “Battle of Seattle,” took place in 1999 when the WTO convened to discuss trade negotiations. Massive protests of at least 40,000 people included organizations such as NGOs involved in environment issues, labor unions, student groups, religious groups, and anarchists. WTO redirects here. ...

On January 30, 2006, Governor Christine Gregoire signed into law legislation making Washington the 17th state in the nation to protect gay and lesbian people from discrimination in housing, lending, and employment, and the 7th state in the nation to offer these protections to transgender people. Initiative activist Tim Eyman filed a referendum that same day, seeking to put the issue before the state's voters. In order to qualify for the November election the measure required a minimum of 112,440 voter signatures by 5:00 p.m. June 6, 2006. Despite a push from conservative churches across the state to gather signatures on what were dubbed "Referendum Sundays," Eyman was only able to gather 105,103 signatures, more than 7,000 signatures short of the minimum. As a result, the law went into effect on June 7, 2006. The Washington legislature introduced more advanced converge of domestic partnerships in 2008.^[12] Tim Eyman (b. ...

See also

Washington For the capital city of the United States, see Washington, D.C.. For other uses, see Washington (disambiguation). ...

Washington Territory Categories: Historical stubs | Washington history | U.S. historical regions and territories ...

Oregon Country Landscape in Oregon Country, by Charles Marion Russell Map of Oregon Country Oregon Country was a region of western North America that originally consisted of the land north of 42°N latitude, south of 54°40N latitude, and west of the Rocky Mountains to the Pacific Ocean. ...

Columbia District Columbia District was a regional department of the Hudsons Bay Company, and included all of the Columbia River basin, extending as far north as the Thompson River. ...

Historic regions of the United States These are historic regions of the United States, meaning regions that were legal entities in the past, or which the average modern American would no longer immediately recognize as a regional description. ...

History of the west coast of North America The west coast of North America consists of the modern American states of California, Oregon, Washington, British Columbia, and arguably Alaska and parts of the Yukon. ...

History of Oregon Official language(s) None Capital Salem Largest city Portland Area  Ranked 9th  - Total 98,466 sq mi (255,026 km²)  - Width 260 miles (420 km)  - Length 360 miles (580 km)  - % water 2. ...

History of Idaho The History of Idaho is an examination of the human history and social activity within the state of Idaho, a geographical area in the Pacific Northwest (PNW, or PacNW) area on or near the west coast of United States and Canada. ...

History of British Columbia British Columbia is the down western corner province in Canada. ...

References

2008 (MMVIII) is the current year, a leap year that started on Tuesday of the Anno Domini (or common era), in accordance with the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 100th day of the year (101st in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2007 (MMVII) was a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. ... is the 166th day of the year (167th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ...

External links

• University of Washington Libraries: Digital Collections:
  • Albert Henry Barnes Photographs 302 images from the turn of the 20th century documenting the landscape, people, and cities and towns of Western Washington.
  • Pacific Northwest Olympic Peninsula Community Museum A web-based museum showcasing aspects of the rich history and culture of Washington State's Olympic Peninsula communities. Features cultural exhibits, curriculum packets and a searchable archive of over 12,000 items that includes historical photographs, audio recordings, videos, maps, diaries, reports and other documents.
  • Prosch Washington Views Album 101 images (ca. 1858-1903) collected and annotated by Thomas Prosch, one of Seattle's earliest pioneers. Images document scenes in Eastern Washington especially Chelan and vicinity, and Seattle's early history including the Seattle Fire of 1889.
  • Washington State Localities Photographs Images (ca. 1880-1940) of Washington State, including forts and military installations, homesteads and residences, national parks and mountaineering, and industries and occupations, such as logging, mining and fishing.
  • Washington State Pioneer Life Database A collection of writings, diaries, letters, and reminiscences that recount the early settlement of Washington, the establishment of homesteads and towns and the hardships faced by many of the early pioneers.

• Secretary of State's Washington History website
  • Classics in Washington History This digital collection of full-text books brings together rare, out of print titles for easy access by students, teachers, genealogists and historians. Visit Washington's early years through the lives of the men and women who lived and worked in Washington Territory and State.
  • Washington Historical Map Collection The State Archives and the State Library hold extensive map collections dealing with the Washington State and the surrounding region. Maps for this digital collection will be drawn from state and territorial government records, historic books, federal documents and the Northwest collection.
  • Washington Historical Newspapers
  • Washington Territorial Timeline To recognize the 150th anniversary of the birth of Washington, the State Archives has created a historical timeline of the Pacific Northwest and Washington Territory. With the help of pictures and documents from the State Archives, the timeline recounts the major political and social events that evolved Washington Territory into Washington State.

v • d • e   State of Washington Olympia (capital) Topics State Government | Cities | Towns | Congressional Delegation | City Governments | Governors | History | Geography | People | Legislative Initiatives | Popular Initiatives | Legislature | Music | Parks | Highways | Symbols Image File history File links Flag_of_Washington. ... Federal courts Supreme Court Circuit Courts of Appeal District Courts Elections Presidential elections Midterm elections Political Parties Democratic Republican Third parties State & Local government Governors Legislatures (List) State Courts Local Government Other countries Atlas  US Government Portal      A U.S. state is any one of the fifty subnational entities of... For the capital city of the United States, see Washington, D.C.. For other uses, see Washington (disambiguation). ... Coordinates: , Country State County Thurston Incorporated January 28, 1859 Government  - Mayor Mark Foutch Area  - Total 18. ... Independence Hall in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, site of first U.S. capital. ... This is a list of cities in Washington, U.S.A.. See also List of towns and the category Census-designated places in Washington. ... List of towns in Washington State Note: Populated places in Washington State are either cities, towns or census-designated places. ... These are tables of congressional delegations from Washington to the United States Senate and United States House of Representatives. ... There are 281 cities in the U.S. state of Washington. ... This is a list of governors of the U.S. state of Washington. ... This is a list of all initiatives to the Washington State Legislature from 1914 to 2004 that gathered enough signatures to come under consideration, listed by number, subject, and result. ... This is a list of all initiatives to the people that have appeared before Washington voters from 1914 to 2006, listed by number, subject, and result. ... Type Bicameral Houses Senate House of Representatives President of the Senate Brad Owen, D since January 13, 1997 Speaker of the House of Representatives Frank Chopp, D since January 14, 2001 Members 147 Political groups Democratic Party Republican Party Last elections November 7, 2006 Meeting place Washington State Capitol, Olympia... The U.S. state of Washington includes several major hotbeds of musical innovation. ... This is a list of Washington state parks, in the United States of America. ... Regions Cascade Range | Central Washington | Columbia Gorge | Columbia Plateau | Columbia River | Eastern Washington | Inland Empire | Kitsap Peninsula | Long Beach Peninsula | Okanogan Country | Olympic Peninsula | Palouse | Puget Sound | San Juan Islands | Skagit Valley | Western Washington | Yakima Valley This list of regions of the United States includes official (governmental) and non-official areas within the borders of the United States, not including U.S. states, the federal district of Washington, D.C. or standard subentities such as cities or counties. ... “Cascades” redirects here. ... Central Washington is a region of the United States defined as the western half of Eastern Washington, or those counties lying east of the Cascade Mountains but west of the 119th meridian. ... The Columbia River Gorge is a spectacular canyon of the Columbia River in the Pacific Northwest of the United States. ... The Columbia River Plateau is shown in green on this map. ... The Columbia River (French: fleuve Columbia) is a river in the Pacific Northwest region of North America. ... For the university, see Eastern Washington University. ... The Inland Empire is a region in the Pacific Northwest centered around Spokane, Washington, including much of the surrounding Columbia River basin. ... The Kitsap Peninsula, at times called the Indian Peninsula or the Great Peninsula, is the arm of land in Washington state (USA) that lies west of Seattle across Puget Sound and east of the Olympic Peninsula across Hood Canal. ... The Long Beach Peninsula is an arm of land in western Washington state. ... Okanogan County (pronounced ) is a county located in the U.S. state of Washington. ... The Olympic Peninsula is the large arm of land in western Washington state that lies across Puget Sound from Seattle. ... The Palouse is a region of hi peopleEastern Washington, North Central Idaho, and, in some definitions, extending south into northeast Oregon. ... Puget Sound For the university in this region, see University of Puget Sound. ... One of the San Juan islands The San Juan Islands are a part of the San Juan Archipelago in the northwest corner of the continental United States. ... The Skagit Valley lies in the northwestern corner of the state of Washington, USA. Its defining feature is the Skagit River, which snakes through local communities which include the seat of Skagit County, Mount Vernon, as well as Sedro-Woolley, Concrete, Lyman-Hamilton, and Burlington. ... Western Washington is a region of the United States defined as that part of Washington west of the Cascade Mountains. ... Washington State Route 10 winds past the Yakima River (©2004 Mountains to Sound Greenway Trust) The Yakima River south of Union Gap The Yakima River is a tributary of the Columbia River in eastern Washington state, named for the indigenous Yakama people. ... Larger Cities & Metro Areas Seattle | Spokane | Tacoma | Tri-Cities | Vancouver | Bellevue | Everett This is a list of cities in Washington, U.S.A.. See also List of towns and the category Census-designated places in Washington. ... Seattle redirects here. ... Nickname: Location of Spokane in Spokane County and Washington Coordinates: , Country United States State Washington County Spokane Government  - Mayor Dennis P. Hession Area  - City  58. ... Nickname: Location of Tacoma in Pierce County and Washington State Coordinates: , Country State County Pierce Government  - Mayor Bill Baarsma (D) Area  - City  62. ... Central Richland as seen from the Badger Mountain Centennial Preserve. ... For other uses, see Vancouver (disambiguation). ... Location of Bellevue within King County, Washington, and King County within Washington. ... County Snohomish Government  - Mayor Ray Stephanson Area  - City 123. ... Smaller Cities Aberdeen | Anacortes | Arlington | Auburn | Bainbridge Island | Battle Ground | Bellingham | Bonney Lake | Bothell | Bremerton | Burien | Camas | Centralia | Cheney | Cle Elum | Covington | Des Moines | East Wenatchee | Edmonds | Ellensburg | Enumclaw | Federal Way | Fort Lewis | Grandview | Issaquah | Kelso | Kenmore | Kennewick | Kent | Kirkland | Lacey | Lake Forest Park | Lakewood | Longview | Lynden | Lynnwood | Maple Valley | Marysville | Mercer Island | Mill Creek | Monroe | Moses Lake | Mountlake Terrace | Mount Vernon | Mukilteo | Oak Harbor | Olympia | Pasco | Port Angeles | Port Orchard | Prosser | Pullman | Puyallup | Redmond | Renton | Richland | Sammamish | SeaTac | Sedro-Woolley | Shelton | Shoreline | Spokane Valley | Sunnyside | Tukwila | Tumwater | University Place | Walla Walla | Washougal | Wenatchee | West Richland | Woodinville | Yakima | Zillah This is a list of cities in Washington, U.S.A.. See also List of towns and the category Census-designated places in Washington. ... Tribute to Kurt Cobain in Aberdeen, installed by the Kurt Cobain Memorial Committee. ... View of the downtown and marina of Anacortes, from the east Anacortes (pronounced ) is a city in Skagit County, Washington, USA. The name Anacortes comes from Annie Curtis, the maiden name of early settler Amos Bowmans wife. ... Arlington is a city located in northern Snohomish County, Washington, USA, bordered by the city of Marysville to the south. ... Motto: More Than You Imagined Coordinates: , Country State Counties King, Pierce Founded June 13, 1891 Government  - Mayor Pete Lewis Area  - Total 23. ... Bainbridge Island is an island in Puget Sound, and is an incorporated city in Kitsap County, Washington, United States. ... Battle Ground is a city located in Clark County, Washington. ... Bellingham, Washington is the county seat of Whatcom County in the U.S. state of Washington. ... Bonney Lake is a city located in Pierce County, Washington. ... Bothell is a city located in the state of Washington. ... Sinclair Inlet and Puget Sound Naval Shipyard (left), Dyes Inlet (middle distance) and Manette and Warren Avenue Bridges (left to right) across Port Washington Narrows Bremerton is a city in Kitsap County, Washington, USA. The population was 37,259 at the 2000 census. ... Three Tree Point in Burien at sunset. ... Camas is a city in Clark County, Washington with a population of about 15,000. ... Centralia is a city in Lewis County, Washington, United States. ... Cheney (pronounced chee-nee ) is a city in Spokane County, Washington, United States. ... Cle Elum is a city located in Kittitas County, Washington. ... Covington is a city located in King County, Washington. ... Des Moines Flag Des Moines is a city located in King County, Washington, USA. As of the 2000 census, the city had a total population of 29,267. ... Nickname: Location in the state of Washington Coordinates: , Country State County Douglas County Incorporated March 11, 1935 Government  - Mayor Steven C. Lacy Area  - City  3. ... Edmonds is a city in Snohomish County, Washington, United States. ... Central Washington University, in Ellensburg, WA. Ellensburg is the county seat of Kittitas County, Washington, United StatesGR6. ... Enumclaw is a city located in King County, Washington. ... Location in Washington Coordinates: , Country State County King County Incorporated 1990 Government  - Mayor Michael Park -http://www. ... Fort Lewis is a census-designated place and U.S. Army post located in Pierce County, Washington. ... Grandview is a city in Yakima County, Washington, United States. ... Issaquah City Hall For the ferry, see MV Issaquah. ... Kelso is a city in Cowlitz County, Washington, United States. ... Nickname: Location of Kenmore in King County and Washington Coordinates: , Country United States State Washington County King County Incorporated August 31 1998 Government  - Mayor Randy Eastwood Area  - City  6. ... The view from Badger Mountain Centennial Preserve in Richland looking toward south Richland (foreground), Kennewick (upper right) and Pasco (across the Columbia River). ... Coordinates: , Country United States State Washington County King Founded May 28, 1890 Government  - Mayor Suzette Cooke Area  - City  28. ... Nickname: The Little City That Could Location of Kirkland within King County, Washington, and King County within Washington. ... Lacey is a city located in Thurston County, Washington. ... This article or section does not cite its references or sources. ... This page is about the city in Pierce County, Washington. ... Longview is a city in Cowlitz County, Washington, United States. ... Dutch Mothers restaurant on Front street in Lynden, Washington Lynden is a city in Whatcom County in the northwestern corner of the U.S. state of Washington. ... Country United States State Washington County Snohomish Government  - Mayor Don Gough Area  - City 7. ... Maple Valley is a city in King County, Washington, United States. ... Nickname: Marysville in Washington State Coordinates: , Country State County Snohomish Government  - Mayor Dennis Kendall Area  - City  9. ... Mercer Island is a city in King County, Washington, U.S.A. The population was 22,036 at the 2000 census. ... Mill Creek is a city in Snohomish County, Washington, United States. ... Monroe is a city in Snohomish County, Washington, United States. ... Moses Lake is a city in Grant County, Washington, United States. ... Mountlake Terrace is a city in Snohomish County, Washington, United States. ... The Skagit River, which flows through Mount Vernon, is prone to flooding during periods of heavy rain in the Cascades. ... Mukilteo (pronounced ) is a city located in Snohomish County, Washington. ... Oak Harbor is a city located on Whidbey Island in Island County, Washington. ... Coordinates: , Country State County Thurston Incorporated January 28, 1859 Government  - Mayor Mark Foutch Area  - Total 18. ... Pasco (IPA: ) is a city located in Franklin County, in the state of Washington, USA. Pasco is the county seat of Franklin CountyGR6. ... Early morning photograph from the pier tower Port Angeles is a city in Clallam County, Washington, United States. ... Port Orchard is the county seat of Kitsap County, Washington. ... Benton County court house in Prosser. ... Pullman is located at (46. ... Puyallup, Washington (pronounced IPA: ) is a city in Pierce County, Washington about five miles east of Tacoma. ... Location of Redmond within King County, and King County within Washington. ... Location of Renton in King County and Washington Coordinates: , Country State County King Government  - Mayor Kathy Keolker Area  - Total 17. ... Richland Police Station in foreground. ... Location of Sammamish in Washington. ... SeaTac is a city and outlying suburb of Seattle, located in the southern section of King County in Washington State. ... Sedro-Woolley, Gateway to the North Cascades Sedro-Woolley is a city in Skagit County, Washington, USA. The population was 8,658 at the 2000 census. ... Shelton is a city in Mason County, Washington, United States. ... Shoreline is a city located in King County, Washington, 15 miles (24 km) north of Downtown Seattle. ... Spokane Valley, Washington is a newly incorporated city in Spokane County, Washington. ... Sunnyside is a city located in Yakima County, Washington. ... Tukwila (pronounced ) is a city located in King County, Washington, about 6 miles south of Seattle. ... Tumwater Falls of the Deschutes River, Tumwater, Washington. ... University Place is a city in Pierce County, Washington, United States. ... Walla Walla is both the county seat of Walla Walla County, Washington, and the countys largest city. ... Washougal is a city in Clark County, Washington, United States. ... Wenatchee (pronounced ) is located at the confluence of the Wenatchee and Columbia rivers near the Eastern foothills of the Cascade Mountain range in the U.S. State of Washington. ... West Richland THIS IS A CITY??????????? is a 22 square mile city in Benton County, Washington, United States, served by two elementary schools (Tapteal and William Wiley) and a middle school (Enterprise), with an annual budget of about 30 million dollars. ... Location of Woodinville in King County and Washington Coordinates: , Country State County King Incorporated March 31 1993 Government  - Mayor Cathy VonWald Area  - Total 5. ... Location of Yakima in Washington Coordinates: , Country State County Yakima Incorporated December 1, 1883 Government  - Mayor Dave Edler Area  - City 20. ... Zillah is a city located in Yakima County, Washington. ... Counties Adams | Asotin | Benton | Chelan | Clallam | Clark | Columbia | Cowlitz | Douglas | Ferry | Franklin | Garfield | Grant | Grays Harbor | Island | Jefferson | King | Kitsap | Kittitas | Klickitat | Lewis | Lincoln | Mason | Okanogan | Pacific | Pend Oreille | Pierce | San Juan | Skagit | Skamania | Snohomish | Spokane | Stevens | Thurston | Wahkiakum | Walla Walla | Whatcom | Whitman | Yakima List of Washington counties: Washington counties Adams County Asotin County Benton County Chelan County Clallam County Clark County Columbia County Cowlitz County Douglas County Ferry County Franklin County Garfield County Grant County Grays Harbor County Island County Jefferson County King County Kitsap County Kittitas County Klickitat County Lewis County Lincoln... Adams County is a county located in the State of Washington. ... Asotin County is a county located in the state of Washington. ... Benton County is a county located in the south central of the state of Washington. ... Chelan County is a county located in the state of Washington. ... Clallam County is a county in the U.S. state of Washington. ... Clark County is a county located in the southwestern part of the state of Washington, across the Columbia River from Portland, Oregon. ... Cowlitz County is a county located in the state of Washington. ... Douglas County is a county located in the state of Washington, USA. As of 2000, the population is 32,603. ... Ferry County is a county located in the state of Washington. ... Franklin County is a county located in the state of Washington. ... Garfield County is a county located in the state of Washington. ... Grant County is a county located in the state of Washington. ... Grays Harbor County is a county located in the U.S. state of Washington. ... Port Townsend from Ferry Jefferson County is a county located in the U.S. state of Washington and named after Thomas Jefferson. ... King County redirects here; you may be looking for King County, Texas. ... Kitsap County is a county located in the U.S. state of Washington, named after Chief Kitsap of the Suquamish tribe. ... Kittitas County is a county located in the state of Washington. ... Klickitat County is a county located in the state of Washington. ... Lewis County is a county located in the state of Washington. ... Lincoln County is a county located in the U.S. state of Washington. ... Mason County is a county located in the state of Washington. ... Okanogan County (pronounced ) is a county located in the U.S. state of Washington. ... Pacific County is a county located in the state of Washington. ... Pend Oreille County is a county located in the state of Washington. ... Pierce County is the second most populous county in the state of Washington. ... San Juan County is a county located in the state of Washington, comprised of the San Juan Islands. ... Skagit County is a county located in the state of Washington. ... Skamania County is a county located in the state of Washington. ... Snohomish County is a county located in the U.S. state of Washington. ... Spokane County is a county located in the state of Washington. ... Stevens County is a county located in the state of Washington. ... Thurston County is a county located in the U.S. state of Washington. ... Wahkiakum County is a county located in the U.S. state of Washington. ... Walla Walla County is a county located in the U.S. state of Washington. ... Whatcom County (IPA: ) is a county located in the U.S. state of Washington. ... Whitman County is a county located in the state of Washington. ... Yakima County is a county located in the state of Washington. ...