Overview
On November 11, 1889, Washington became the 42nd state of the United States. The state capital is Olympia and the current state governor is Jay Robert Inslee. There are approximately seven million people living in Washington. According to several sources, it is the 13th most populated state. The three largest cities are Seattle, Spokane and Tacoma. Washington was named in honor of George Washington and is the only U.S. state named after a president.
Historical Background
Native Americans were the first to live in Washington. People have lived in Washington for at least 12,000 years. Both the United States and Great Britain claimed Washington belonged to them. As part of the Oregon Country, the Washington territory was visited …show more content…
Washington borders Canada to the north, Oregon to the south, Idaho to the east and the Pacific Ocean to the west. Washington is known as the "Evergreen State" because its forests of firs, hemlocks, pines and other evergreen trees are always green.
Washington has a diverse landscape that includes forests and large mountain ranges. Most of the mountains are capped in snow. There are five major volcanoes as part of the Cascade Range - Mount Baker, Glacier Peak, Mount Rainier, Mount Adams and Mount St. Helens. Mount Rainier is Washington's highest mountain at 14,410 feet above sea level. The longest river in Washington is the Columbia River and it empties into the Pacific Ocean. The largest natural lake in Washington is Lake Chelan.
The Cascade Range divides the state into two main areas. The western section has a mild climate and plentiful rainfall. This makes for a good farming region. The eastern section is drier, but irrigation makes this region good for agriculture, such as wheat, vegetables, and …show more content…
Many of them are descendants of Washington’s first white settlers. Asians began moving into Washington in the 1800s and make up about eight percent of the current population. Washington’s Native American population is the sixth largest in the country and make up two percent of the current population. The Yakima, Lummi, and Quinault are the largest tribes. Most make their homes on one of twenty-seven reservations in Washington.
Famous Washingtonians include musician Jimi Hendrix, entertainer Bing Crosby and computer pioneer Bill Gates. Bertha Knight Landes was elected mayor of Seattle in 1926, the first woman mayor of a major city in the United States.
Points of Interest
Among the major points of interest include Mount Olympic and the North Cascades National Parks. Mount St. Helens, a peak in the Cascade Range, erupted in May 1980, the deadliest and most economically destructive volcanic event in U.S. history. Also of interest are Whitman Mission and Fort Vancouver National Historic Sites, the Boeing factory which is located north of Seattle and the Seattle Center. The Seattle Space Needle and monorail was built in 1962 for the World’s Fair. The Space Needle is 605 feet tall and offers a 360-degree panoramic view of
On November 11, 1889, Washington became the 42nd state of the United States. The state capital is Olympia and the current state governor is Jay Robert Inslee. There are approximately seven million people living in Washington. According to several sources, it is the 13th most populated state. The three largest cities are Seattle, Spokane and Tacoma. Washington was named in honor of George Washington and is the only U.S. state named after a president.
Historical Background
Native Americans were the first to live in Washington. People have lived in Washington for at least 12,000 years. Both the United States and Great Britain claimed Washington belonged to them. As part of the Oregon Country, the Washington territory was visited …show more content…
Washington borders Canada to the north, Oregon to the south, Idaho to the east and the Pacific Ocean to the west. Washington is known as the "Evergreen State" because its forests of firs, hemlocks, pines and other evergreen trees are always green.
Washington has a diverse landscape that includes forests and large mountain ranges. Most of the mountains are capped in snow. There are five major volcanoes as part of the Cascade Range - Mount Baker, Glacier Peak, Mount Rainier, Mount Adams and Mount St. Helens. Mount Rainier is Washington's highest mountain at 14,410 feet above sea level. The longest river in Washington is the Columbia River and it empties into the Pacific Ocean. The largest natural lake in Washington is Lake Chelan.
The Cascade Range divides the state into two main areas. The western section has a mild climate and plentiful rainfall. This makes for a good farming region. The eastern section is drier, but irrigation makes this region good for agriculture, such as wheat, vegetables, and …show more content…
Many of them are descendants of Washington’s first white settlers. Asians began moving into Washington in the 1800s and make up about eight percent of the current population. Washington’s Native American population is the sixth largest in the country and make up two percent of the current population. The Yakima, Lummi, and Quinault are the largest tribes. Most make their homes on one of twenty-seven reservations in Washington.
Famous Washingtonians include musician Jimi Hendrix, entertainer Bing Crosby and computer pioneer Bill Gates. Bertha Knight Landes was elected mayor of Seattle in 1926, the first woman mayor of a major city in the United States.
Points of Interest
Among the major points of interest include Mount Olympic and the North Cascades National Parks. Mount St. Helens, a peak in the Cascade Range, erupted in May 1980, the deadliest and most economically destructive volcanic event in U.S. history. Also of interest are Whitman Mission and Fort Vancouver National Historic Sites, the Boeing factory which is located north of Seattle and the Seattle Center. The Seattle Space Needle and monorail was built in 1962 for the World’s Fair. The Space Needle is 605 feet tall and offers a 360-degree panoramic view of