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State Government

A FOND FAREWELL: THE ORIGINAL NEWHOUSE BUILDING, 1934-2023

A FOND FAREWELL: THE ORIGINAL NEWHOUSE BUILDING, 1934-2023

On May 15, 2023, the last remnants of the original Irving R. Newhouse Building were demolished. The Irving R. Newhouse Building was built in 1934 as part of a Civil Works Administration program to spur job growth during the Great Depression. Since then, it has served the state of Washington in various capacities and housed several different tenants for nearly 90 years. Though it is no longer standing, it remains a vital piece of Capitol Campus history. Designed by prominent…

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WASHINGTON STATE ARCHIVES: PROCESSING AND RESTORING LEGISLATIVE AUDIO RECORDINGS

WASHINGTON STATE ARCHIVES: PROCESSING AND RESTORING LEGISLATIVE AUDIO RECORDINGS

Washington State Archives’ Legislative Audio Project team digitizes, converts, edits, and indexes audio from House Floor sessions, Senate Committee meetings, and other recordings associated with the state’s legislative history. This recorded media document events spanning over half a century and are available online at Washington State Archives – Digital Archives. Consequently, recording technologies, as well as the quality of these recordings, vary greatly from year to year. For example, the majority of House Floor sessions from 1969 through 1996 were…

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WASHINGTON STATE’S CONGRESSIONAL DELEGATION: A HISTORY AND LEGACY IN 28 PAGES

WASHINGTON STATE’S CONGRESSIONAL DELEGATION: A HISTORY AND LEGACY IN 28 PAGES

Do you ever wonder how many U.S. representatives and senators Washington (as a state and territory) has had in its 170-year history? How many of them were Republicans? How many were Democrats, or Progressives? If you’re doing a little in-depth research, how many years did Julia Butler Hansen serve in the House of Representatives? Why did James W. Bryant’s term end? Or, if you’re simply curious, what in the name of Orange Jacobs is a “Silver Republican”? We’ll get to…

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Collage of photos of Frank Porter Hungate and Washington Secretary of State Steve Hobbs with the original Washington State Constitution.
THE WASHINGTON STATE CONSTITUTION: A FAMILY’S LEGACY

THE WASHINGTON STATE CONSTITUTION: A FAMILY’S LEGACY

On March 2, 2022, Frank Porter Hungate, the 103-year-old grandson of 1889 Constitutional Convention delegate James Allen Hungate, visited Washington State Archives’ headquarters in Olympia to view the original 1889 Washington State Constitution. The original State Constitution is kept in a secure vault and — save for exclusive viewings and ceremonies (such as an anniversary of statehood or Constitution Days) — is not available for public viewing. Yet the opportunity for Frank to see his grandfather’s signature and further his…

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Collage of library staff answering questions through the Ask a Librarian service along with the program logo.
Ask a Librarian: your friendly neighborhood state-government resource

Ask a Librarian: your friendly neighborhood state-government resource

How often have you heard someone tell you the information you are looking for is “on our website,” only to give up looking because you could not find it? More than likely quite often. Unfortunately, however, and despite the best of intentions, government agencies are not always immune to this issue. Over 190 agencies comprise Washington state government. Thousands of Washingtonians visit their websites every day, often for urgent reasons — whether to make an appointment, pay a fee, or…

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Secretary of State Vic Meyers inspects the safe
55 years and still unsolved: Washington’s Great Petition Robbery

55 years and still unsolved: Washington’s Great Petition Robbery

In the lower level of the Legislative Building 55 years ago this week, a theft was discovered that made front-page newspaper headlines, resulted in no arrests, and shocked political leaders. The Great Petition Robbery, a heist of thousands of signature sheets bearing petition signatures for an anti-gambling ballot initiative, didn’t stop the initiative but did hasten the end of the long political career of Secretary of State Vic Meyers, a bandleader and former five-term lieutenant governor. The story unfolded over…

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After the session: The OSOS report on the 2018 Legislature

After the session: The OSOS report on the 2018 Legislature

Going into the 2018 session of the Washington State Legislature, Secretary of State Kim Wyman presented a list of proposed changes to state law to improve our state’s elections process. Now that the state House of Representatives and Senate have adjourned sine die, here’s a look at how proposals supported by Secretary Wyman fared. Presidential primary date change: Washington’s quadrennial (every four years) presidential primary would have moved from May to March under Senate bill 5333 and House bill 1469, which were…

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Korea 65 Setup
Lights, camera, action: Video shows how Korea 65 exhibit was installed

Lights, camera, action: Video shows how Korea 65 exhibit was installed

For several years, Capitol visitors have been treated to some amazing exhibits in our front lobby, courtesy of our talented and creative Legacy Washington team. The latest is “Korea 65: The Forgotten War Remembered.” The exhibit, along with a series of online profiles, focuses on Washingtonians who experienced the Korean War in different ways, from U.S. soldiers who fought in the war to Korean-Americans who grew up in Korea during or after the war. Ever wonder how an exhibit actually…

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Cindy Ryu and Joan Kim.
Korea 65 launch countdown: Cindy Ryu and Joan Kim

Korea 65 launch countdown: Cindy Ryu and Joan Kim

Our Legacy Washington program is getting ready for the Sept. 14 launch of its new exhibit in our front lobby, “Korea 65: The Forgotten War Remembered.” The exhibit tells the stories of 13 Washingtonians who experienced the Korean War in different ways, from U.S. soldiers who fought in the war, to a nurse who worked in a MASH unit, to Korean Americans who grew up in Korea during or after the war. The public is welcome to attend the Korea…

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Toledo Elementary School student's letter after visit to Washington State Capitol.
Second-grader gives WA Capitol thumbs-up in letter

Second-grader gives WA Capitol thumbs-up in letter

Washington’s Capitol Campus receives thousands of visitors each year, including many tourists from other states or other nations. But a large number are elementary school students from right here in Washington. Usually, an entire grade of students from a school will make the bus trip to Olympia to see the campus. For most of these students, it’s their first time to the Capitol. So you can imagine their reaction when they look up at the top of the domed Legislative…

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