In 1892, there was a hotly contested election in Washington State…for a flower. The 1893 World’s Fair was fast approaching, and the state flower would be part of the exhibit for Washington State. It came down to Clover vs. Rhododendron, and it was decided that the women of the state would vote…and only the women. They didn’t have the right to vote in any other election until 1910, but this time it was the men who were not allowed to…
In 1947, if you had never seen one before, who could help you learn how to choose and use a washing machine? In 1950, before HGTV and Martha Stewart, where could you go to learn how to tackle DIY projects like reupholstering a chair? Luckily, Washington state citizens did not have to look far for help, because for over 100 years the Extension Service at the State College of Washington (now Washington State University) has offered demonstrations, and printed bulletins on…
Ever since the advent of Web 2.0 people are finding creative ways to harness the power of the web to learn about and share their passions. Resources are shared and discovered; connections are made between people. Here at the Washington State Library we have a mission to collect, preserve and make accessible materials about the history and culture of Washington State. This task is accomplished in a variety of ways, from scanning newspapers, or entire books, to helping communities scan,…
From the desk of Kathryn Devine Every year, the Thursday of National Library Week, April 17th this year, is set aside as Teen Literature Day. Check out these teen books at the Washington State Library. Meet Hannah West—smart, resilient, slightly sarcastic, and sometimes too nosy for her own good. She’s a young Seattleite whose favorite pastimes include watching the Crime Network, Law & Order, Monk, Columbo, or any mystery show really. All of which provide a solid education when she…
If you haven’t read poetry in a while, now is the perfect time to start again – April is National Poetry Month. In his National Poetry Month proclamation, Governor Inslee called on “…all the people of Washington to observe National Poetry Month in a more meaningful, personal way…as a means to offer comfort and solace to those who are suffering as a result of the Oso mudslide.” One way to do so is to submit a poem yourself to the Art…
Do you know what you can find in a city directory? If you want to research your home, your family history, or local history you’ll want to use city directories. They are similar to telephone books in that they were published every year, and they list the people living in a city….but city directories have so much more information. You can find out the name of a spouse, both living and deceased. You can find out someone’s profession. …
Double Trouble in Walla Walla. The Adventure on Klickitat Island What do these titles have in common? Well, they contain two of Washington State’s very unique place names. Walla Walla and Klickitat are just fun to say. They are also part of our collection of children’s books here at the Washington State Library. We don’t just have history books and microfilm here at the State Library. We collect any book written about, or set in, Washington State. That includes picture…
From the desk of Brian Frisina Washingtonians know the importance of preserving the history and culture of our great state. One way to preserve our history is by supporting the Washington State Library. Established as a territorial library, the Washington Territorial Library was created by the Organic Act of 1853, which also created the Washington Territory. The Washington State Library is the oldest cultural institution in Washington State and its original collections were chosen by Governor Isaac Stevens, the first…
From the desk of Kim Smeenk There is a bestselling fantasy series about werewolves and vampires in Washington State, and it isn’t the one you’re thinking of. Instead of the rain, mountains and misty forests that most people think of when they picture Washington State, Patricia Briggs has set her Mercy Thompson series where she herself lives. The dry and sunny Tri Cities region in Eastern Washington. More desert than forest, more farmland than mountains. Mercy Thompson is…
From the desk of Shawn Shollmeyer Today, March 19, 2014, marks the 101st Anniversary of the Washington State Park System. You can read a little about the history of one of our state parks and follow links to historic newspaper articles. Dr. J Hilton of Seattle owned 80 acres of land that included Mt. Constitution on Orcas Island. A prime piece of real estate that provides views across the Puget Sound to British Columbia. The February 5th, 1909 San Juan…