Browsed by
Category: Washington history

A snapshot of Ferry County

A snapshot of Ferry County

 Ferry County flag (Image courtesy of Washington State Archives) Washington’s northern reaches contain some of its larger counties, such as Okanogan, Ferry and Stevens. In our 10th snapshot story, we turn the lens toward Ferry County, a sparsely populated but beautiful county in Washington’s northeastern region. Ferry County was named after Washington’s first governor, a Seattleite named Elisha Ferry, in 1899. Ferry contains 2,197 square miles and has a population of around 7,646, giving it a population density of around 3.4…

Read More Read More

August Library Jewel #1: 1784 chart of Northwest coast

August Library Jewel #1: 1784 chart of Northwest coast

(Image courtesy of Washington State Library) The State Library is a definite go-to place for historical and rare maps of Washington and the Pacific Northwest. Check out this 1784 chart showing the Northwest coast of North America and the Northeast coast of Asia after both coasts were explored in 1778 and 1779 by Captain James Cook. The chart, prepared by Lt. Henry Roberts, was the product of Cook’s third and final voyage of the Pacific. Cook did not survive this…

Read More Read More

A snapshot of Douglas County

A snapshot of Douglas County

Douglas County flag (Image courtesy of Washington State Archives) Just east of the Cascade Mountains in roughly the center of Washington lies Douglas County. Douglas, which was founded in 1883 out of land from Lincoln County, is the ninth county in our snapshot series. Douglas was named after Illinois Senator and statesman Stephen A. Douglas, who famously lost to Abraham Lincoln in the 1860 presidential election. He participated in historic debates with Lincoln regarding issues such as slavery and abolitionism….

Read More Read More

August Archives Treasure poll: Ready, set, vote!

August Archives Treasure poll: Ready, set, vote!

We’ve shown off the three Archives Treasures for August, so now it’s up to you and our other loyal blog readers to select the favorite. This month’s three choices are Gov. Dan Evans’ 1974 letters to members of Congress asking them to consider amnesty for President Nixon, 1920 photos of a Vancouver shipyard and photos of the 1971 Satsop rock festival. You can pick your favorite by accessing our online poll (below), which is open until this Friday at 5…

Read More Read More

Archives Treasure #2: 1920 Vancouver shipyard photos

Archives Treasure #2: 1920 Vancouver shipyard photos

(Images courtesy of Washington State Archives) Located by the world’s largest ocean and the Pacific Rim, Washington has a long history of shipping and shipbuilding. Washington probably has had shipbuilders since its territorial days and these cool State Archives photos show images from early in the last century. These shots feature a Vancouver shipyard around 1920. They are the second  of three Archives Treasure for August; a reader poll will appear after the third blog appears. Watch for it.

A Snapshot of Columbia County

A Snapshot of Columbia County

The Palouse region of Washington is a landscape of gentle hills, rural towns, and wheat fields in the southeastern corner of the state. Eliciting a Van Gogh painting, Palouse starkly contrasts the mountains and forests of Western Washington. Columbia County is found in this golden part of Washington, and is the seventh county in our series. Columbia County is named after the Columbia River, which winds through Washington and serves as a vein of commerce, irrigation, and recreation for the…

Read More Read More

A snapshot of Clark County

A snapshot of Clark County

Clark County flag (Image courtesy of Washington State Archives) If you were asked which county in Washington was the oldest, would you know the answer? Think way back to the pioneer era and you may get a clue. In 1805, Lewis and Clark ended their historic westward journey at the mouth of the Columbia River on the Pacific Coast. Located inland from the Pacific on the Columbia lies the answer to our question, Clark County, which was established in 1845. That…

Read More Read More

July Library Jewel #1: Our hip Hop Culture goes way back

July Library Jewel #1: Our hip Hop Culture goes way back

  In the hot month of July, nothing better than a cold beer after being out in the sun? Why not chill with a good book while you’re at it? For some beer-related reading, look no further than the State Library’s Hop Culture in the United States, by E. Meeker. It’s part of the Washington State Library collections and is featured as the first Library Jewel for the monthly reader competition. Published in 1883, six years before statehood, this book…

Read More Read More

A Snapshot of Benton County

A Snapshot of Benton County

Benton is third in a series covering Washington’s 39 counties, including how they got their names. In southcentral Washington where the Columbia, Snake, and Yakima rivers converge, sits Benton County. Benton covers 1,738 square miles, designating it as Washington’s 21st largest county. Although it’s not particularly big, it’s population is 186,486 people, giving it a density of 103 people per square mile. This is slightly higher than the state average of 101.2, and is the 9th highest among Washington’s counties….

Read More Read More

A Snapshot of Asotin County

A Snapshot of Asotin County

Asotin is second in a series covering Washington’s 39 counties, including how they got their names. Nestled in the reaches of Washington’s far southeastern corner is Asotin County (pronounced uh-SOH-tin). It is colloquially referred to as Washington’s “cornerstone.” Asotin, a word derived from the Nez Perce Indian language (originally Has-Hu-Tin), translates into English as, “eel creek.” This title refers to the eels that are ubiquitous in the waterways in and around Asotin County, including the Snake River. Before the arrival…

Read More Read More