Washington

Mount Rainier

Washington rises from sea level to 14,411' atop Mount Rainier.

Early people established a permanent settlement at Moses Lake that dates back at least to 8000 BC.

The 1815 Treaty of Ghent, that ended the War of 1812, gave both England and the US the right to land south of 54°  40' for 10 years.  This was renewed twice.  In 1844, James Polk was elected President using the slogan "54°  40' or Fight."  Despite this goal, in 1846 the US and Canada agreed on a boundary of 49° .  This agreement didn't include the San Juan Islands, which were claimed by both countries until at least the 1860s.  Oddly, a tiny tip of the peninsula Vancouver, BC, occupies is below 49°  and belongs to the US.  It can be reached by road only through Canada.

Because the US Supreme Court declared Long Island, NY, a peninsula, Washington's Whidbey Island (between Seattle and the San Juan Islands) is now the US's longest island outside Hawaii.

In the late 1800s land was so expensive, farmers bought less land than they were used to using, but used it well by planting fruit orchards.  Thus came Washington's now-well-known apple and cherry crops.

The improving economy in the early 1900s didn't trickle benefits down to the workers.  In 1919, Seattle shipyard workers went on strike to improve working conditions and asked all other workers to stop work in sympathy with them.  Many did, resulting in the first successful general strike in US history.

Mt. St. Helens post-eruption

Eastern Washington sits on the North American tectonic plate, which tends to override the much smaller Juan de Fuca plate that western Washington sits on.  The result is earthquakes and volcanic eruptions: before its 1980 eruption, Mt. St. Helens was thought to be dormant.  Mt. Rainier hasn't erupted since the 1840s but its time may be coming.

In 1999, Mt. Baker set a world record for the most snowfall in one season: 1140", about 95'.

Mount Baker

The Olympic National Forest, in western Washington, averages 160" rain per year, the most in the lower 48 states.  Parts of eastern Washington average 6" a year.

Tacoma has one of the largest Cambodian-American populations in the US.

Underneath the Aurora Bridge in Seattle is a statue of a huge troll eating a real VW.

Aurora Bridge troll

The Aquarian Tabernacle Church in Index, WA, is the US's largest Wiccan church.

Yelm, WA, is home to the Ramtha training headquarters.

Washington has an official insurance commissioner who is elected statewide.

Washington was the first state to enact laws legalizing: assisted suicide, same-sex marriage, and recreational marijuana.

Washington daffodils

Washington grows more potatoes per acre than anywhere in the world.  It is one of the world's top producers of iris and daffodil bulbs.  And it is #1 in the US in production of apples, sweet cherries, pears, Concord grapes, red raspberries, and lentils.

Native Americans has 27 recognized tribal reservations in Washington; the tribes have their own laws that supersede US law within their borders.

Evergreen Point Floating Bridge

Located in the Seattle area, the Evergreen Point Floating Bridge and the Mercer Island Floating Bridge are the longest floating bridges in the world.

Hoh Rain Forest

The Hoh Rain Forest at the Olympic National Park is the only temperate rain forest in the US, averaging 12' of rain per year.

Lincoln Logs, the toy known to millions, is made in Walla Walla and was invented by the son of Frank Lloyd Wright.

Clarkston is a seaport 450 miles inland.  It has achieved this status because container ships can and do travel up the Columbia and Snake Rivers to offload.

Emmons Glacier in Mt. Rainier National Historic Park is the US's largest glacier outside Alaska.

Washington was the birthplace of a variety of well-known people, including: Bob Barker, Fred Couples, Gary Larson, Carol Channing, and Hilary Swank.