Washington
Washington is bounded by the
Pacific Ocean to the west;
Oregon to the south (the
Columbia River forming most of this border);
Idaho to the east and
British Columbia,
Canada to the north. It is famous for scenery of breathtaking beauty and sharp contrasts. High
mountains rise above
evergreen forests and sparkling coastal waters. Its coastal location and
Puget Sound harbors give it a leading role in trade with
Alaska, Canada, and the
Pacific Rim. Puget Sound's many islands are served by the largest
ferry fleet in the United States.
Washington is a land of contrasts. The deep forests of the
Olympic Peninsula are among the
rainiest places in the world and the only rainforests (such as the
Hoh Rain Forest) in the continental
United States, but the flat semi-
desert that lies east of the
Cascade Range stretches for long distances without a single
tree.
Snow-covered peaks tower above the foothills and lowlands around them.
Mount Rainier, the highest mountain in the state, appears to "float" on the horizon southeast of
Seattle and
Tacoma on clear days. The eastern side of the state can be divided into two regions: the
Okanogan Highlands and the
Columbia River Basin.
Areas under the management of the
National Park Service include:
*
Ebey's Landing National Historical Reserve near
Coupeville*
Fort Vancouver National Historic Site at
Vancouver*
Klondike Gold Rush Seattle Unit National Historical Park in Seattle
*
Lake Chelan National Recreation Area near
Stehekin*
Lake Roosevelt National Recreation Area along the Columbia River
*
Lewis and Clark National Historic Trail*
Mount Rainier National Park*
Nez Perce National Historical Park*
North Cascades National Park near
Marblemount*
Olympic National Park at
Port Angeles*
Ross Lake National Recreation Area at
Newhalem*
San Juan Island National Historical Park in Friday Harbor
*
Whitman Mission National Historic Site at
Walla WallaGeographical features
*
Puget Sound**
Bainbridge Island**
Camano Island**
Whidbey Island**
Vashon Island*
San Juan Islands*
Columbia River*
Snake River*
Yakima River*
Cascade Range**
Mount Adams**
Mount Baker**
Glacier Peak**
Mount Rainier**
Mount St. Helens**
Mount Stuart*
Olympic Mountains**
Mount OlympusPrior to the arrival of explorers from
Europe, this region of the Pacific Coast had many established tribes of
Native Americans, each with its own unique culture. Today, they are most notable for their
totem poles and their ornately carved canoes and masks. Prominent among their industries were
salmon fishing and
whale hunting. In the east, nomadic tribes traveled the land and missionaries such as the
Whitmans settled there.
The first
European record of a landing on the Washington coast was by
Spanish Captain
Don Bruno de Heceta in 1775, on board the
Santiago, part of a two-ship
flotilla with the
Sonora. They claimed all the coastal lands up to the
Russian possessions in the north for
Spain.
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. Further explorations of the straits were performed by Spanish explorers
Manuel Quimper in 1790 and
Francisco de Eliza in 1791, then by British Captain
George Vancouver in 1792.
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. Captain
Robert Gray (for whom
Grays Harbor county is named) then discovered the mouth of the
Columbia River. He named the river after his ship, the
Columbia. Beginning in 1792, Gray established trade in
sea otter pelts. The
Lewis and Clark expedition entered the state on
October 10,
1805.
In 1819, Spain ceded their original claims to this territory to the United States. This began a period of
disputed joint-occupancy by Britain and the U.S. that lasted until
June 15,
1846, when Britain ceded their claims to this land with the
Treaty of Oregon.
Because of the overland migration along the
Oregon Trail, many settlers wandered north to what is now Washington and settled the
Puget Sound area. The first settlement was New Market (now known as
Tumwater) in 1846. In 1853,
Washington Territory was formed from part of
Oregon Territory.
Washington became the
42nd state in the United States on
November 11,
1889.
Early prominent industries in the state included agriculture and lumber. In eastern Washington, the
Yakima Valley became known for its
apple orchards, while the growth of wheat using dry-farming techniques became particularly productive. 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. Other industries that developed in the state include fishing, salmon canning and mining.
By the turn of the 20th century, Washington was of dangerous repute in the minds of many Americans. Indisputably as "wild" as the rest of the
American Old West, the public image of Washington merely replaced cowboys with lumberjacks, and desert with forestland. One city in particular,
Aberdeen, had the distinction of being "the roughest town west of the Mississippi" because of excessive
gambling,
violence, extreme
drug use and
prostitution (the city itself changed very little over the years and remained off-limits to military personnel well into the early 1980s).
For a long period,
Tacoma was noted for its large smelters where gold, silver, copper and lead ores were treated.
Seattle was the primary port for trade with
Alaska and the rest of the country, and for a time it possessed a large ship-building industry. 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.
During the
Great Depression, 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 dam in the United States.
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, and
Tacoma were available for the manufacture of warships.
Seattle was the point of departure for many soldiers in the Pacific, a number of which were quartered at
Golden Gardens Park. 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.
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, 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.
| Historical populations |
|---|
Census
year | Population |
|---|
|
| 1850 | 1,201 |
| 1860 | 11,594 |
| 1870 | 23,955 |
| 1880 | 75,116 |
| 1890 | 357,232 |
| 1900 | 518,103 |
| 1910 | 1,141,990 |
| 1920 | 1,356,621 |
| 1930 | 1,563,396 |
| 1940 | 1,736,191 |
| 1950 | 2,378,963 |
| 1960 | 2,853,214 |
| 1970 | 3,409,169 |
| 1980 | 4,132,156 |
| 1990 | 4,866,692 |
| 2000 | 5,894,121 |
| Washington Population Density Map |
According to the U.S. Census as of 2005, Washington has an estimated population of 6,287,759, which is an increase of 80,713, or 1.3%, from the prior year and an increase of 393,619, or 6.7%, since the year 2000. This includes a natural increase since the last census of 180,160 people (that is 418,055 births minus 237,895 deaths) and an increase from net migration of 215,216 people into the state. Immigration from outside the United States resulted in a net increase of 134,242 people, and migration within the country produced a net increase of 80,974 people.
As of 2004, Washington's population included 631,500 foreign-born (10.3% of the state population), and an estimated 100,000 illegal aliens (1.6% of state population). |
Race and ancestry
The racial/ethnic makeup of the state:
*77.0%
White, not of Hispanic ancestry
*8.0%
Hispanic of any race
*6.3%
Asian*4.0%
Two or more races*3.0%
Black*1.6%
Native AmericanThe six largest reported ancestries in Washington are:
German (18.7%),
English (12%),
Irish (11.4%),
Norwegian (6.2%),
Mexican (5.6%) and
Filipino (3.7%).
There are many migrant Mexican farm workers living in the southeast-central part of the state.
Wahkiakum County, as well as most counties in the state, has many residents of
Scandinavian origin. Washington has the fifth largest
Asian population of any state, with Chinese and Fillipino being the largest groups.
6.7% of Washington's population was reported as under 5, 25.7% under 18, and 11.2% were 65 or older. Females made up approximately 50.2% of the population.
Religion
The religious affiliations of Washington's population are:
*
Christian – 66%
**
Protestant – 45%
***
Episcopal – 7%
***
Lutheran – 7%
***
Methodist – 4%
***
Presbyterian – 3%
***Other Protestant or general Protestant – 24%
**
Roman Catholic – 22%
**Other Christian – 1%
**
LDS – 5%
*Other Religions – 2%
*Non-Religious – 27%
As with many other
Western states, the percentage of Washington's population identifying themselves as "
non-religious" is higher than the national average. The percentage of non-religious people in Washington is the highest of any state.
The 2004 total gross state product for Washington was $262 billion, placing it 14th in the nation[
1]. The per capita income was $33,332. Significant business within the state include the design and manufacture of jet
aircraft (
Boeing), computer
software development (
Microsoft,
Amazon.com,
Nintendo of America),
electronics,
biotechnology,
aluminum production, lumber and wood products, mining, and tourism. The state has significant amounts of hydroelectric power generation. Significant amounts of trade with
Asia pass through the ports of the Puget Sound. See
list of United States companies by state.
The state of Washington is one of only seven states that does not levy a personal
income tax. Neither does the state collect a corporate income tax. However, Washington businesses are responsible for various other state levies. Washington's state
sales tax is 7.9 percent, and it applies to services as well as products. Most foods are exempt from sales tax; however, prepared foods, dietary supplements and soft drinks remain taxable. The combined state and local retail sales tax rates increase the taxes paid by consumers, depending on the variable local sales tax rates, generally between 8 and 9 percent
[http://dor.wa.gov/content/home/TaxTopics/FederalDeductionLSTaxTable.aspx]. An
excise tax applies to certain select products such as gasoline, cigarettes, and alcoholic beverages.
Property tax was the first tax levied in the state of Washington and its collection accounts for about 30 percent of Washington's total state and local revenue. It continues to be the most important revenue source for public schools, fire protection, library, park and recreation, and other special purpose districts.
All real and personal property is subject to tax unless specifically exempted by law. Personal property also is taxed, although most personal property owned by individuals is exempt.
Personal property tax applies to personal property used when conducting business or to other personal property not exempt by law. All property taxes are paid to the county treasurer's office where the property is located. Washington does not impose a tax on intangible assets such as bank accounts, stocks or bonds. Neither does the state assess any tax on retirement income earned and received from another state. Washington does not collect
inheritance taxes; however, the
estate tax is decoupled from the federal estate tax laws, and therefore the state imposes its own estate tax.
Agriculture
Washington is a leading
agricultural state. (The following figures are from the
Washington State Office of Financial Management and the
Washington Agricultural Statistics Service.)
For 2003, the total value of Washington's agricultural products was $5.79 billion, the 11th highest in the country. The total value of its crops was $3.8 billion, the 7th highest. The total value of its livestock and specialty products was $1.5 billion, the 26th highest.
In 2004, Washington ranked first in the nation in production of red
raspberries (90.0% of total
U.S. production), wrinkled seed
peas (80.6%),
hops (75.0%),
spearmint oil (73.6%),
apples (58.1%), sweet
cherries (47.3%),
pears (42.6%),
peppermint oil (40.3%),
Concord grapes (39.3%),
carrots for processing (36.8%), and
Niagara grapes (31.6%). Washington also ranked second in the nation in production of
lentils, fall
potatoes, dry edible peas,
apricots,
grapes (all varieties taken together),
asparagus (over a third of the nation's production),
sweet corn for processing, and green peas for processing; third in tart cherries,
prunes and
plums, and dry summer
onions; fourth in
barley and
trout; and fifth in
wheat,
cranberries, and
strawberries.
Washington has an extensive system of
state highways, called
State Routes, as well as the third-largest
ferry system in the world. There are 140
public airfields in Washington, including 16
state airports owned by the
Washington State Department of Transportation.
Boeing Field in Seattle is the busiest airport by numbers of planes in the world. The unique geography of Washington presents exceptional transportation needs.
There are extensive waterways in the midst of Washington's largest cites, including Seattle, Bellevue, Tacoma and Olympia. The state highways incorporate an extensive network of bridges and the largest ferry system in the United States to serve transpiration needs in the Puget Sound area. Washington's marine highway constitutes a fleet of twenty-eight ferries that navigate Puget Sound and its inland waterways to 20 different ports of call. Washington is home for the five longest
floating bridges in the world: the
Evergreen Point Floating Bridge,
Lacey V. Murrow Memorial Bridge and
Homer M. Hadley Bridge over
Lake Washington, and the
Hood Canal Bridge connecting the
Olympic and
Kitsap Peninsulas.
The Cascade Mountain Range also provides unique transportation challenges. Washington operates and maintains 7 major
mountain passes and 8 minor passes. During winter months these passes are plowed, sanded, and kept safe with avalanche control. Not all are able to stay open through the winter. The
North Cascades Highway on
State Route 20 closes every year. Because of the extraordinary amount of snowfall and frequency of avalanches the highway is not safe in the winter months.
The
bicameral Washington State Legislature is the state's
legislative branch. The
state legislature is composed of a
lower House of Representatives and an
upper State Senate, with 49 legislative districts apiece. Districts for the House are multimember constituences, electing two members per district, while a single member represents the district in the Senate. Currently for both houses of the legislature, the
Democratic Party holds a majority in government. Both State Senators and House Representatives are elected for four year and two year terms, respectively. There are no
term limits.
Washington's
executive branch is headed by a governor elected for a four-year term. The current governor of Washington is
Christine Gregoire, a
Democrat. She has been governor since 2005.
The
Washington Supreme Court is the highest court in the judiciary of the state of Washington. Nine justices serve on the bench, and are elected at large.
The U.S. Congress
The two
U.S. Senators from Washington are Senator
Patty Murray (D) and Senator
Maria Cantwell (D).
Washington representatives in the United States House of Representatives are
Jay Inslee (D-1),
Richard Ray (Rick) Larsen (D-2),
Brian Baird (D-3),
Richard Norman "Doc" Hastings (R-4),
Cathy McMorris (R-5),
Norm Dicks (D-6),
Jim McDermott (D-7),
David Reichert (R-8), and
Adam Smith (D-9).
State elected officials
Executive
*
Christine Gregoire,
Governor (D)
*
Brad Owen,
Lieutenant Governor (D)
*
Sam Reed,
Secretary of State (R)
*
Rob McKenna,
Attorney General (R)
*
Mike Murphy,
Treasurer (D)
*
Brian Sonntag,
Auditor (D)
*
Terry Bergeson, Superintendent of Public Instruction (non partisan office)
*
Doug Sutherland,Commissioner of Public Lands (R)
*
Mike Kreidler,
Insurance Commissioner (D)
Legislature
*
Washington State Legislature **
Washington House of Representatives**
Washington State SenateJudicial
*
Washington Supreme CourtPolitics
The state has been thought of as politically divided by the
Cascade Mountains, with
Western Washington being liberal (particularly greater Seattle) and
Eastern Washington being conservative. Since the population is larger in the west, the Democrats usually fare better statewide. Washington has voted for the Democratic candidate in presidential elections recently in 1988, 1992, 1996, 2000 and 2004. It was considered a key swing state in 1968 and 2000. In 1968, it was the only Western state to give its electoral votes to
Hubert Humphrey.
While the
Democratic Party has long dominated Washington, the
2004 Washington gubernatorial election was among the closest races in United States election history. The initial count as well as the first recount, conducted by machine, both showed
Dino Rossi, the Republican candidate, winning the election. A second recount was done by hand, overturning the initial results when it resulted in a lead for
Christine Gregoire, the Democratic candidate, of 129 votes, or 0.0045% of those cast. As this second recount was the last allowed for by Washington election law, Gregoire was inaugurated on
12 January 2005. The subsequent court battles raged for months after the election, but ultimately ended with Gregoire retaining her office. The final official count left Gregoire ahead by 133 votes.
Washington has the distinction for being the first and so far only state to elect women to all three major statewide offices (state governor and two U.S. Senate seats) at the same time.
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 transgendered people. Initiative activist Tim Eyman filed a referendum that same day, seeking to put the issue before the state's voters. 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.''See also
List of Washington Governors |
Downtown Tacoma, WA, the third-largest city in Washington. |
*
Seattle*
Spokane*
Spokane Valley*
Tacoma*
Tri-Cities*
Vancouver*
Bellevue*
Everett*
Bremerton*
Bellingham*
Yakima*
Olympia*
Kent*
Federal Way*
RentonColleges and universities
 |
The Whitman Memorial Building at Whitman College, Walla Walla. |
State universities*
Central Washington University*
Eastern Washington University*
The Evergreen State College*
University of Washington*
Washington State University*
Western Washington UniversityPrivate universitiesCommunity colleges
| Club | Sport | League | City & Stadium | | Seattle Seahawks | Football | National Football League; NFC | Seattle, Qwest Field |
| Seattle Mariners | Baseball | Major League Baseball; AL | Seattle, Safeco Field |
| Seattle SuperSonics | Basketball | National Basketball Association | Seattle, KeyArena |
| Seattle Thunderbirds | Ice Hockey | Western Hockey League | Seattle, KeyArena |
| Seattle Storm | Basketball | Women's National Basketball Association | Seattle, KeyArena |
| Seattle Sounders | Soccer | USL First Division (men's)
W-League (women's) | Seattle, Qwest Field |
| Bellingham Slam | Basketball | American Basketball Association | Bellingham, Whatcom Community College |
| Bellevue Blackhawks | Basketball | American Basketball Association | Bellevue, Meydenbauer Center |
| Everett Silvertips | Ice Hockey | Western Hockey League | Everett, Everett Events Center |
| Olympia Titans | Basketball | American Basketball Association | Olympia, TBA |
| Spokane Chiefs | Ice Hockey | Western Hockey League | Spokane, Spokane Arena |
| Tri-City Americans | Ice Hockey | Western Hockey League | Kennewick, Toyota Center |
| Tri-City Fever | Indoor Football | National Indoor Football League | Kennewick]], Toyota Center |
| Tri-City Dust Devils | Baseball | Northwest League; A | Pasco, Tri-City Stadium |
| Tacoma Navigators | Basketball | American Basketball Association | Tacoma, Mt. Tahoma High School |
| Tacoma Rainiers | Baseball | Pacific Coast League; AAA | Tacoma, Cheney Stadium |
| Spokane Indians | Baseball | Northwest League; A | Spokane, Avista Stadium |
| Everett AquaSox | Baseball | Northwest League; A | Everett, Everett Memorial Stadium |
| Yakima Bears | Baseball | Northwest League; A | Yakima, Yakima County Stadium |
| Everett Hawks | Arena Football | AF2 | Everett, Everett Events Center |
| Spokane Shock | Arena Football | AF2 | Spokane, Spokane Arena |
Three ships of the
United States Navy, including two battleships, have been named
USS Washington in honor of the state. Previous ships had held that name in honor of George Washington.
State symbols
The
State song is "
Washington, My Home", the
State bird is the
American Goldfinch and the State fruit is the
Apple. The state dance, adopted in 1979, is the
Square Dance.
*
Washington state congressional delegates*
Capital punishment in Washington*
List of hospitals in Washington*
List of Washington state prisons*
List of Washington state forests*
List of radio stations in Washington*
List of television stations in Washington*
List of Washington county name etymologies*
List of colleges and universities in Washington*
List of school districts in Washington*
List of ZIP Codes in Washington*
List of high schools in Washington*
List of U.S. Wilderness Areas in Washington*
The Washington Medal of Merit*
Scouting in Washington |
Digitally colored elevation map of Washington. |
*
Washington State Park System*
Music of Washington*
List of people from Washington*
List of United States companies by statePolitical activism
*
List of Washington initiatives*
State of Washington website*
Constitution of the State of Washington*
Revised Code of Washington (State Law)*
Washington Administrative Code (State Administrative Rules)*
State Code Search Tool *
U.S. Census Bureau*
Washington State Arts Commission*
Washington Employment State and County Data
*
Photos of Washington - Terra Galleria*
Photographic virtual tour of Washington*
Mountain & River Webcams from Around Washington*
Pacific Northwest CommunityA wiki on the Pacific Northwest
*
County Maps of Washington Full color maps. List of cities, towns and county seats
*
A Review of the Resources and Industries of the State of Washington, 1909, by Ithamar Howell, from
Project Gutenberg*
Washington state article on
h2g2.
*
Washington hiking trails*
Washington State Facts *
Online Encyclopedia of Washington State History
