The state that is named for our first President was explored by by Spanish, American, and British explorers - Bruno Heceta for Spain in 1775, the American Captain Robert Gray in 1792, and Captain George Vancouver for Britain in 1792–1794. Lewis and Clark completed their westward journey through the Columbia River region and coastal areas. Rival American and British settlers and conflicting territorial claims threatened war in the early 1840s. However, in 1846 the Oregon Treaty set the boundary at the 49th parallel and war was averted.
Washington has over 1,000 dams, including the Grand Coulee, built for a variety of purposes including irrigation, power, flood control, and water storage. The state is also home to Mount St. Helens, a peak in the Cascade Range, which erupted in May 1980. The state has the largest ferry system in the United States and it also ranks third in the world.
The current Governor of Washington is Democrat Christine Gregoire. Both Senators for Washington are Democratic women, Maria Cantwell and Patty Murray. The Congressional delegation has eight members currently, with one vacancy in the first district, leaving it equally split ideologically, 4 Democrats and 4 Republicans - Jay Inslee, who resigned from the 1st District is a Democrat. He resigned his seat to focus on his run for Governor.
- 1st District - vacant
- 2nd District - Rick Larsen (D)
- 3rd District - Jaime Herrera Beutler (R)
- 4th District - Doc Hastings (R)
- 5th District - Cathy McMorris Rodgers (R)
- 6th District - Norm Dicks (D)
- 7th District - Jim McDermott (D)
- 8th District - Dave Reichert (R)
- 9th District - Adam Smith (D)
- State Capital - Olympia
- Largest city - Seattle
- Date of Admission - November 11, 1889
- Area - 71,300 sq mi (18th)
- Population (2011 est.) - 6,830,038 (13th)
- State Motto - "Alki" "By and By"
- State Nickname - The Evergreen State
- State bird - willow goldfinch
- State fish - steelhead trout
- State flower - pink rhododendron
- State fruit - apple
- State vegetable - Walla Walla sweet onion
- State gem - petrified wood (really.)
- State tree - western hemlock
- State University - The University of Washington
- Washington State Archives
- The Washington State Historical Society
- access.wa.gov - the Official Website of the State of Washington
- The Washington Tourism site - Experience WA
- Wikipedia
- 50states.com entry for Washington
- InfoPlease entry for Washington
- Online Encyclopedia of Washington State History
- Washington History site from the Secretary of State
- Archaeologist Douglas Dorland Anderson
- Professional bowler Earl Anthony
- Bob Barker
- William Boeing (born in Detroit - but Seattle is where he made his mark)
- Actress Dyan Cannon
- Xerox technology inventor Chester F. Carlson
- Carol Channing
- Kurt Cobain, grunge rock icon
- Singer Judy Collins
- Professional Golfer Fred "boom-boom" Couples
- Bing Crosby
- Choreographer Merce Cunningham
- Actor Howard Duff (go look at the picture - he's one of "those guys")
- Actress Frances Farmer
- Kenny G
- That Microsoft company start-up guy
- Jimi Hendrix
- Choreographer Robert Joffrey
- Cartoonist Chuck Jones (if you have to ask what he drew - you could be dead to me)
- Gypsy Rose Lee
- Singer Kenny Loggins
- Dennis the Menace cartoonist Hank Ketcham
- Gary Larson
- Author and feminist Mary McCarthy
- Skier Phil Mahre
- Artist Robert Motherwell
- Soprano Patrice Munsel
- Actor Craig T. Nelson
- Challenger Astronaut Francis "Dick" Scobee
- The Original (TV) Batman Adam West
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