Secretary Wyman helps launch our office’s new exhibit on 1889 Washington. Seated from left are former Sen. Stuart Halsan, Shanna Stevenson and Russell Holter.  

If you missed attending the recent grand opening of our office’s latest historical exhibit, no worries. TVW has the event available for viewing on its website.

The new exhibit is called Washington 1889: Blazes, Rails and the Year of Statehood. It’s on display in our office’s front lobby until next August.

You can watch the TVW’s coverage of the exhibit opening here. The launch event was emceed by Secretary of State Wyman and featured Russell Holter of the state Department of Archaeology and Historic Preservation, historian Shanna Stevenson and former state Sen. Stuart Halsan, who loaned a rare 42-star U.S. flag (shown below) to the exhibit.

The privately funded exhibit, which is presented by the Office of Secretary of State and its Legacy Washington program, highlights the major stories of Washington’s seminal year and explores the key events leading to Washington becoming the 42nd state:
• Completion of a second transcontinental railroad once it reached Tacoma in 1883.
• The influx of settlers in the decade leading up to 1889 and statehood.
• Creation and ratification of a state constitution.
• Intense competition between several cities to become capital of the state of Washington.
• Devastating fires in Seattle, Ellensburg and Spokane in 1889 and the successful rebuilding efforts in each city after the blazes.