Since March is Women’s History Month, it’s very worth mentioning Belle Reeves, the only female Secretary of State in Washington history.

She was appointed Secretary of State by Governor Clarence Martin (she is seated to the left of Governor Martin in this 1938 photo, courtesy of the State Archives) in 1938 and served until 1948, when she died while serving her second full term. Born in Ohio, she and her family moved to Washington in 1889, the year that the Evergreen State joined the union.

If you want to read short bios on all of our past Secretaries of State, click on this link .