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Spokane Public Library
On the road again

On the road again

Over the past few months, Secretary Wyman has been traveling around Washington on a number of multi-purpose trips. As she is the Secretary OF State, we’ve been calling these community visits her Secretary IN State tour. Since August, she’s visited Kelso and Longview in Cowlitz County; Vancouver and Camas in Clark County; Aberdeen in Grays Harbor County; Pasco, Richland and Kennewick in Benton and Franklin Counties; Walla Walla in Walla Walla County; Bellingham and Fairview in Whatcom County, Mount Vernon…

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1950 highway map
Check out 1950 Washington highway map

Check out 1950 Washington highway map

Most Washingtonians probably can’t even remember life before Interstate 5, I-90 and I-405 were built in our state. But a 1950 state highway map found on our Legacy Washington webpage shows the routes drivers traveled before the arrival of our interstate freeways. You can make some interesting observations by closely examining the map, which was published by the Washington State Highway Commission: The main north-south highway in Western Washington was U.S. 99, which connected Bellingham, Everett, Seattle, Tacoma, Olympia and…

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Digital Archives map from 1909 shows Washington highways and proposed highways.
From the Digital Archives: 1909 Washington highway map

From the Digital Archives: 1909 Washington highway map

Nowadays, when we look at a highway map of Washington, we see a complex web of gold, red and black lines crisscrossing the state. But it wasn’t always this way. In the early 1900s, highways were a rarity in the Evergreen State. Probably because cars and trucks were rarities as well, considering that the automobile had just been invented. This 1909 map displays Washington’s located and proposed highways, railroads (the dominant form of transportation then) and county seats. The map…

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The Northwestern Industrial Army and the Battle at Sprague

The Northwestern Industrial Army and the Battle at Sprague

From the desk of Steve Willis, Central Library Services Program Manager of the Washington State Library: In the midst of one of the worst economic depressions of the 19th century, thousands of unemployed workers were called upon nationwide to march in protest at Washington D.C. in 1894. They gained the nickname “Coxey’s Army” after their Ohio-based leader, Jacob Coxey. The Coxeyites in the Pacific Northwest were among the most radical followers, and dubbed themselves the Northwest Industrial Army. If you consider…

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Mob Rule in Lynden

Mob Rule in Lynden

From the desk of Steve Willis, Central Library Services Program Manager of the Washington State Library: You would think that the inauguration of a local area figure to the office of Washington State Governor would be the commanding top of the fold headline. But not in the January 11, 1905 issue of The Bellingham Herald. Albert Mead’s swearing in ceremony does garner a nice spot, but above the gubernatorial news in bold caps across the top of the paper is the…

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The 1020-year old man

The 1020-year old man

  Random News from the Newspapers on Microfilm Collection: The 1020-year old man and a mathematical puzzle. Found in the Bellingham Herald, Jan. 2, 1914, page 8: FOUTS REVEALS AGE NOBODY KNOWS;   “How Old Is Fouts?” Eternal Question — Submits Mathematical Problem Showing Him to Be 47 or 1,020 — Which Is Correct? “Several millions of people, in as many aeons of time, have puzzled over that staple problem of how old is Ann. At the city comptroller’s office, however, the…

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From Your Corner of Washington: Bellingham

From Your Corner of Washington: Bellingham

Last week while Secretary Reed was in Whatcom County his staff member snapped this photo of the Bellingham marina. We invite you to e-mail your photos and stories to us as part of an ongoing feature called “From Your Corner of Washington” – we want to gather images of landscapes, homes, views, and personal narratives from all over the state. Q) How do I submit a photo or story to be used in “From Your Corner of  Washington”? A) Please send…

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“One Card, One Community”…Whatcom County libraries unite

“One Card, One Community”…Whatcom County libraries unite

Sam Reed with Whatcom County library directors. Whatcom County libraries unite under a new program called “One Card, One Community.”  Secretary Reed was asked to pose in a photograph with library directors to help promote the new program.  Essentially, libraries within Whatcom County will allow patrons to use any library card within the county to check out books.  And, when returning books, patrons can drop off at any location.  They believe this program is the first in the state.  Libraries participating include, Bellingham Public…

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From Your Corner of Washington: Bellingham

From Your Corner of Washington: Bellingham

The Whatcom County seat and home of Western Washington University is located on Bellingham Bay between Mount Baker and the San Juans. Our featured town also had lots of names before it was finally called Bellingham. What is now Bellingham Bay was called Gulf of Gaston in 1791. A year later, Joseph Whidbey, a member of George Vancouver’s expedition, surveyed the bay. It was soon given the English name of Bellingham after Sir William Bellingham, controller of the British Navy’s storekeeper…

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