- washington state ferries



washington state

This Day in History

Today's Birthday

Quotation of the Day

State of Washington
Flag of Washington Seal of Washington
Nickname(s): The Evergreen State
Motto(s): Alki
Official language(s) None
Capital Olympia
Largest city Seattle
Area  Ranked 18th
 - Total 71,342 sq mi
(184,824 km²)
 - Width 240 miles (385 km)
 - Length 360 miles (580 km)
 - % water 6.6
 - Latitude 45°32' N to 49°00' N
 - Longitude 116°57' W to 124°48' W
Population  Ranked 14th
 - Total (2000) 5,894,121
 - Density 88.6/sq mi 
34.20/km² (25th)
 - Median income  $48,688 (14th)
Elevation  
 - Highest point Mount Rainier
14,410 ft  (4,395 m)
 - Mean 1,700 ft  (520 m)
 - Lowest point Centralia Coal Mine ft  (-250 m)
Admission to Union  November 11, 1889 (42nd)
Governor Christine Gregoire (D)
U.S. Senators Patty Murray (D)
Maria Cantwell (D)
Time zone Pacific: UTC-8/-7
Abbreviations WA US-WA
Web site www.access.wa.gov

Washington is a state in the Pacific Northwest of the United States. The state is named after George Washington, the first President of the United States. As of the 2000 census, the state population was approximately 5.9 million and the state work force numbered about 3.1 million. Residents are called "Washingtonians" (emphasis on the third syllable, pronounced as tone). It is sometimes called Washington State when there is need to distinguish it from Washington, D.C., the nation's capital.

Contents

  • 1 Geography
    • 1.1 Geographical features
  • 2 History
  • 3 Demographics
    • 3.1 Religion
  • 4 Economy
    • 4.1 Agriculture
  • 5 Transportation
  • 6 Law and government
    • 6.1 The U.S. Congress
    • 6.2 State elected officials
      • 6.2.1 Executive
      • 6.2.2 Legislature
      • 6.2.3 Judicial
    • 6.3 Politics
  • 7 Important cities and towns
  • 8 Education
    • 8.1 Colleges and universities
    • 8.2 Community colleges
  • 9 Professional sports teams
  • 10 Miscellaneous topics
    • 10.1 State symbols
  • 11 See also
    • 11.1 Political activism
  • 12 References
  • 13 External links

Geography

Map of Washington - PDF

Washington is bounded by the Pacific Ocean to the west; Oregon to the south (the Columbia River forming most of this border); Idaho to the east and British Columbia, Canada to the north. It is famous for scenery of breathtaking beauty and sharp contrasts. High mountains rise above sparkling coastal waters and above both barren semi-desert and lush evergreen forests. Its coastal location and Puget Sound harbors give it a leading role in trade with Alaska, Canada, and the Pacific Rim. Puget Sound's many islands are served by the largest ferry fleet in the United States. Washington is a land of contrasts. The deep forests of the Olympic Peninsula are among the rainiest places in the world and the only rainforests (such as the Hoh Rain Forest) in the continental United States, but the flat semi-desert that lies east of the Cascade Range stretches for long distances without a single tree. Snow-covered peaks tower above the foothills and lowlands around them. Mount Rainier, the highest mountain in the state, appears to "float" on the horizon southeast of Seattle and Tacoma on clear days. The eastern side of the state can be divided into two regions: the Okanogan Highlands and the Columbia River Basin.

Map of Washington counties

Areas under the management of the National Park Service include:

  • Ebey's Landing National Historical Reserve near Coupeville
  • Fort Vancouver National Historic Site at Vancouver
  • Klondike Gold Rush Seattle Unit National Historical Park in Seattle
  • Lake Chelan National Recreation Area near Stehekin
  • Lake Roosevelt National Recreation Area along the Columbia River
  • Lewis and Clark National Historic Trail
  • Mount Rainier National Park
  • Nez Perce National Historical Park
  • North Cascades National Park near Marblemount
  • Olympic National Park at Port Angeles
  • Ross Lake National Recreation Area at Newhalem
  • San Juan Island National Historical Park in Friday Harbor
  • Whitman Mission National Historic Site at Walla Walla
Olympic Coast National Marine Sanctuary
See also: Central Washington, Columbia River Plateau, Eastern Washington, Inland Empire (Pacific Northwest), Kitsap Peninsula, Palouse, and Western Washington

Geographical features

The Dalles Dam on the Columbia River
Mount Rainier with Tacoma in foreground
  • Puget Sound
    • Bainbridge Island
    • Camano Island
    • Whidbey Island
    • Vashon Island
  • San Juan Islands
  • Columbia River
  • Snake River
  • Yakima River
  • Cascade Range
    • Mount Adams
    • Mount Baker
    • Glacier Peak
    • Mount Rainier
    • Mount St. Helens
    • Mount Stuart
  • Olympic Mountains
    • Mount Olympus
Mt. Rainier reflected in Reflection lake.
See also: List of Washington rivers

History

For more details on this topic, see History of Washington.

Prior to the arrival of explorers from Europe, this region of the Pacific Coast had many established tribes of Native Americans, each with its own unique culture. Today, they are most notable for their totem poles and their ornately carved canoes and masks. Prominent among their industries were salmon fishing and whale hunting. In the east, nomadic tribes traveled the land and missionaries such as the Whitmans settled there.

The first European record of a landing on the Washington coast was by Spanish Captain Don Bruno de Heceta in 1775, on board the Santiago, part of a two-ship flotilla with the Sonora. They claimed all the coastal lands up to the Russian possessions in the north for Spain.

In 1778, British explorer Captain James Cook sighted Cape Flattery, at the entrance to the Strait of Juan de Fuca, but the straits would not be explored until 1789, by Captain Charles W. Barkley. Further explorations of the straits were performed by Spanish explorers Manuel Quimper in 1790 and Francisco de Eliza in 1791, then by British Captain George Vancouver in 1792.

The Spanish Nootka Convention of 1790 opened the northwest territory to explorers and trappers from other nations, most notably Britain and then the United States. Captain Robert Gray (for whom Grays Harbor county is named) then discovered the mouth of the Columbia River. He named the river after his ship, the Columbia. Beginning in 1792, Gray established trade in sea otter pelts. The Lewis and Clark expedition entered the state on October 10, 1805.

In 1819, Spain ceded their original claims to this territory to the United States. This began a period of disputed joint-occupancy by Britain and the U.S. that lasted until June 15, 1846, when Britain ceded their claims to this land with the Treaty of Oregon.

What was to become Washington State's first family was that of Washington's founder, the Black pioneer George Washington Bush and his White wife, Isabella James Bush, from Missouri and Tennessee, respectively. They led four White families into the territory and settled what is now Tumwater, Washington. They settled in Washington to avoid Oregon's racist settlement laws. [2]

Because of the overland migration along the Oregon Trail, many settlers wandered north to what is now Washington and settled the Puget Sound area. The first settlement was New Market (now known as Tumwater) in 1846. In 1853, Washington Territory was formed from part of Oregon Territory.

Washington became the 42nd state in the United States on November 11, 1889.

Early prominent industries in the state included agriculture and lumber. In eastern Washington, the Yakima Valley became known for its apple orchards, while the growth of wheat using dry-farming techniques became particularly productive. The heavy rainfall to the west of the Cascade Range produced dense forests, and the ports along Puget Sound prospered from the manufacturing and shipping of lumber products, particularly the Douglas fir. Other industries that developed in the state include fishing, salmon canning and mining.

By the turn of the 20th century, Washington was of dangerous repute in the minds of many Americans. Indisputably as "wild" as the rest of the American Old West, the public image of Washington merely replaced cowboys with lumberjacks, and desert with forestland. One city in particular, Aberdeen, had the distinction of being "the roughest town west of the Mississippi" because of excessive gambling, violence, extreme drug use and prostitution (the city itself changed very little over the years and remained off-limits to military personnel well into the early 1980s).

For a long period, Tacoma was noted for its large smelters where gold, silver, copper and lead ores were treated. Seattle was the primary port for trade with Alaska and the rest of the country, and for a time it possessed a large ship-building industry. The region around eastern Puget Sound developed heavy industry during the period including World War I and World War II, and the Boeing company became an established icon in the area.

During the Great Depression, a series of hydroelectric dams were constructed along the Columbia river as part of a project to increase the production of electricity. This culminated in 1941 with the completion of the Grand Coulee Dam, the largest dam in the United States.

During World War II, the Puget Sound area became a focus for war industries, with the Boeing Company producing many of the nation's heavy bombers and ports in Seattle, Bremerton, and Tacoma were available for the manufacture of warships. Seattle was the point of departure for many soldiers in the Pacific, a number of which were quartered at Golden Gardens Park. In eastern Washington, the Hanford Works atomic energy plant was opened in 1943 and played a major role in the construction of the nation's atomic bombs.

On May 18, 1980, following a period of heavy tremors and eruptions, the northeast face of Mount St. Helens exploded outward, destroying a large part of the top of the volcano. This eruption flattened the forests, killed 57 people, flooded the Columbia River and its tributaries with ash and mud, and blanketed large parts of Washington in ash, making day look like night.

Demographics

Historical populations
Census
year
Population

1850 1,201
1860 11,594
1870 23,955
1880 75,116
1890 357,232
1900 518,103
1910 1,141,990
1920 1,356,621
1930 1,563,396
1940 1,736,191
1950 2,378,963
1960 2,853,214
1970 3,409,169
1980 4,132,156
1990 4,866,692
2000 5,894,121
2005 (estimated) 6,287,759
Washington Population Density Map

According to the U.S. Census as of 2005, Washington has an estimated population of 6,287,759, which is an increase of 80,713, or 1.3%, from the prior year and an increase of 393,619, or 6.7%, since the year 2000. This includes a natural increase since the last census of 180,160 people (that is 418,055 births minus 237,895 deaths) and an increase from net migration of 215,216 people into the state. Immigration from outside the United States resulted in a net increase of 134,242 people, and migration within the country produced a net increase of 80,974 people.

As of 2004, Washington's population included 631,500 foreign-born (10.3% of the state population), and an estimated 100,000 illegal aliens (1.6% of state population).citation needed]

Washington is currently the 12th fastest growing state.citation needed]

Demographics of Washington (csv)
By race White Black AIAN Asian NHPI
AIAN is American Indian or Alaskan Native   -   NHPI is Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander
2000 (total population) 88.64% 4.12% 2.73% 6.75% 0.74%
2000 (hispanic only) 7.00% 0.23% 0.28% 0.15% 0.06%
2005 (total population) 87.65% 4.45% 2.65% 7.69% 0.78%
2005 (hispanic only) 8.16% 0.33% 0.30% 0.20% 0.07%
Growth 2000-2005 (total population) 5.49% 15.37% 3.54% 21.57% 12.25%
Growth 2000-2005 (non-hispanic only) 3.88% 13.41% 2.18% 21.11% 11.20%
Growth 2000-2005 (hispanic only) 24.32% 47.88% 15.40% 41.33% 24.11%

The six largest reported ancestries in Washington are: German (18.7%), English (12%), Irish (11.4%), Norwegian (6.2%), Mexican (5.6%) and Filipino (3.7%).

There are many migrant Mexican farm workers living in the southeast-central part of the state, though are also increasing as laborers in Western Washington. Wahkiakum County, as well as most counties in the state, has many residents of Scandinavian origin.

Washington has the fifth largest Asian population of any state, with the Filipino community being the largest. Although the object of violence and discrimination in late 1800s, Gary Locke was elected as the first Asian American governor at the end of the 20th century.

African Americans are less numerous than Asians or Hispanics in many communities, but have been elected as mayor and King County Executive. In Seattle, they are moving out into the southern part of the city and many suburban areas such as South King County.

Washington is the location of many Indian reservations, with some placing prominent casinos next to major interstate highways, and residents have adopted many of the artwork themes of the northwest coast indians who were noted for totem poles, longhouses, dugout canoes and pictures of animals such as the design used for the Seattle Seahawks. Many cities have unusual names created by Native Americans such as Seattle, Puyallup and Walla Walla.

6.7% of Washington's population was reported as under 5, 25.7% under 18, and 11.2% were 65 or older. Females made up approximately 50.2% of the population.

Religion

The religious affiliations of Washington's population are:

  • Christian – 71%
    • Protestant – 45%
      • Episcopal – 7%
      • Lutheran – 7%
      • Methodist – 4%
      • Presbyterian – 3%
      • Other Protestant or general Protestant – 24%
    • Roman Catholic – 22%
    • LDS – 5%
    • Other Christian – 1%
  • Other Religions – 2%
  • Non-Religious – 27%

As with many other Western states, the percentage of Washington's population identifying themselves as "non-religious" is higher than the national average. The percentage of non-religious people in Washington is the highest of any state.

Economy

The 2004 total gross state product for Washington was $262 billion, placing it 14th in the nation[3]. The per capita income was $33,332. Significant business within the state include the design and manufacture of jet aircraft (Boeing), computer software development (Microsoft, Amazon.com, Nintendo of America), electronics, biotechnology, aluminum production, lumber and wood products, mining, and tourism. The state has significant amounts of hydroelectric power generation. Significant amounts of trade with Asia pass through the ports of the Puget Sound. See list of United States companies by state.

The state of Washington is one of only seven states that does not levy a personal income tax. Neither does the state collect a corporate income tax. However, Washington businesses are responsible for various other state levies. Washington's state sales tax is 6.5 percent, and it applies to services as well as products.[1] Most foods are exempt from sales tax; however, prepared foods, dietary supplements and soft drinks remain taxable. The combined state and local retail sales tax rates increase the taxes paid by consumers, depending on the variable local sales tax rates, generally between 8 and 9 percent[2]. An excise tax applies to certain select products such as gasoline, cigarettes, and alcoholic beverages. Property tax was the first tax levied in the state of Washington and its collection accounts for about 30 percent of Washington's total state and local revenue. It continues to be the most important revenue source for public schools, fire protection, library, park and recreation, and other special purpose districts.

All real and personal property is subject to tax unless specifically exempted by law. Personal property also is taxed, although most personal property owned by individuals is exempt. Personal property tax applies to personal property used when conducting business or to other personal property not exempt by law. All property taxes are paid to the county treasurer's office where the property is located. Washington does not impose a tax on intangible assets such as bank accounts, stocks or bonds. Neither does the state assess any tax on retirement income earned and received from another state. Washington does not collect inheritance taxes; however, the estate tax is decoupled from the federal estate tax laws, and therefore the state imposes its own estate tax.

Washington is one of eighteen states which has a government monopoly on sales of alcoholic beverages, although beer and wine with less than 20 percent alcohol by volume can be purchased in convenience stores and supermarkets. Liqueurs (even if under 20 percent alcohol by volume) and spirits can only be purchased in state-run or privately-owned-state-contracted liquor stores.


Bill Gates (worth $53 billion) is the best known billionaire from the state, and wealthiest man in the world. Other Washington state billionaires Paul Allen, (Microsoft), Steve Ballmer (Microsoft), Jeffrey Bezos (Amazon), Craig McCaw (McCaw Cellular), James Jannard (Oakley), John Edson (leisure craft), Howard Schultz (Starbucks) and Charles Simonyi (Microsoft)[3]


Agriculture

A Whitman County farm

Washington is a leading agricultural state. (The following figures are from the Washington State Office of Financial Management and the Washington Agricultural Statistics Service.)

For 2003, the total value of Washington's agricultural products was $5.79 billion, the 11th highest in the country. The total value of its crops was $3.8 billion, the 7th highest. The total value of its livestock and specialty products was $1.5 billion, the 26th highest.

In 2004, Washington ranked first in the nation in production of red raspberries (90.0% of total U.S. production), wrinkled seed peas (80.6%), hops (75.0%), spearmint oil (73.6%), apples (58.1%), sweet cherries (47.3%), pears (42.6%), peppermint oil (40.3%), Concord grapes (39.3%), carrots for processing (36.8%), and Niagara grapes (31.6%). Washington also ranked second in the nation in production of lentils, fall potatoes, dry edible peas, apricots, grapes (all varieties taken together), asparagus (over a third of the nation's production), sweet corn for processing, and green peas for processing; third in tart cherries, prunes and plums, and dry summer onions; fourth in barley and trout; and fifth in wheat, cranberries, and strawberries.

Transportation

Washington has an extensive system of state highways, called State Routes, as well as the third-largest ferry system in the world. There are 140 public airfields in Washington, including 16 state airports owned by the Washington State Department of Transportation. Boeing Field in Seattle is the busiest airport by numbers of planes in the world. The unique geography of Washington presents exceptional transportation needs.

There are extensive waterways in the midst of Washington's largest cites, including Seattle, Bellevue, Tacoma and Olympia. The state highways incorporate an extensive network of bridges and the largest ferry system in the United States to serve transportation needs in the Puget Sound area. Washington's marine highway constitutes a fleet of twenty-eight ferries that navigate Puget Sound and its inland waterways to 20 different ports of call. Washington is home for the five longest floating bridges in the world: the Evergreen Point Floating Bridge, Lacey V. Murrow Memorial Bridge and Homer M. Hadley Bridge over Lake Washington, and the Hood Canal Bridge connecting the Olympic and Kitsap Peninsulas.

The Cascade Mountain Range also provides unique transportation challenges. Washington operates and maintains 7 major mountain passes and 8 minor passes. During winter months these passes are plowed, sanded, and kept safe with avalanche control. Not all are able to stay open through the winter. The North Cascades Highway on State Route 20 closes every year. Because of the extraordinary amount of snowfall and frequency of avalanches the highway is not safe in the winter months.

Law and government

The bicameral Washington State Legislature is the state's legislative branch. The state legislature is composed of a lower House of Representatives and an upper State Senate, with 49 legislative districts apiece. Districts for the House are multimember constituences, electing two members per district, while a single member represents the district in the Senate. Currently for both houses of the legislature, the Democratic Party holds a majority in government. Both State Senators and House Representatives are elected for four year and two year terms, respectively. There are no term limits.

Washington's executive branch is headed by a governor elected for a four-year term. The current governor of Washington is Christine Gregoire, a Democrat. She has been governor since 2005.

The Washington Supreme Court is the highest court in the judiciary of the state of Washington. Nine justices serve on the bench, and are elected at large.

The U.S. Congress

The two U.S. Senators from Washington are Senator Patty Murray (D) and Senator Maria Cantwell (D).

Washington representatives in the United States House of Representatives are Jay Inslee (D-1), Richard Ray (Rick) Larsen (D-2), Brian Baird (D-3), Richard Norman "Doc" Hastings (R-4), Cathy McMorris (R-5), Norm Dicks (D-6), Jim McDermott (D-7), David Reichert (R-8), and Adam Smith (D-9).

State elected officials

Executive

  • Christine Gregoire, Governor (D)
  • Brad Owen, Lieutenant Governor (D)
  • Sam Reed, Secretary of State (R)
  • Rob McKenna, Attorney General (R)
  • Mike Murphy, Treasurer (D)
  • Brian Sonntag, Auditor (D)
  • Terry Bergeson, Superintendent of Public Instruction (non partisan office)
  • Doug Sutherland, Commissioner of Public Lands (R)
  • Mike Kreidler, Insurance Commissioner (D)

Legislature

  • Washington State Legislature
    • Washington House of Representatives
    • Washington State Senate

Judicial

  • Washington Supreme Court

Politics

The state has been thought of as politically divided by the Cascade Mountains, with Western Washington being liberal (particularly greater Seattle) and Eastern Washington being conservative. Since the population is larger in the west, the Democrats usually fare better statewide. Washington has voted for the Democratic candidate in presidential elections recently in 1988, 1992, 1996, 2000 and 2004. It was considered a key swing state in 1968 and 2000. In 1968, it was the only Western state to give its electoral votes to Hubert Humphrey.

While the Democratic Party has long dominated Washington, the 2004 Washington gubernatorial election was among the closest races in United States election history. The initial count gave Republican candidate Dino Rossi a lead of 261 votes out of a total vote count of 2,805,913, or 0.0093%.[4] Washington law calls for a mandatory machine recount if the difference between the candidates is less than 0.5% and 200 votes [5]. The mandatory recount again had Rossi in the lead, but it was now by 42 votes, or 0.0015% of the total 2,808,341 votes included in the first recount.[6] A second recount was done by hand, at the request of the Democratic party as allowed by law. This final recount overturned the initial results and resulted in a lead for Christine Gregoire, the Democratic candidate, of 129 votes, or 0.0045% of the 2,810,058 votes cast.[7] As this second recount was the last allowed for by Washington election law, Gregoire was inaugurated on 12 January 2005. The subsequent court battles raged for months after the election, but ultimately ended with Gregoire retaining her office. The final official count left Gregoire ahead by 133 votes.

Washington has the distinction for being the first and so far only state to elect women to all three major statewide offices (state governor and two U.S. Senate seats) at the same time.

On January 30, 2006 Governor Christine Gregoire signed into law legislation making Washington the 17th state in the nation to protect gay and lesbian people from discrimination in housing, lending, and employment, and the 7th state in the nation to offer these protections to transgendered people. Initiative activist Tim Eyman filed a referendum that same day, seeking to put the issue before the state's voters. Despite a push from conservative churches across the state to gather signatures on what were dubbed "Referendum Sundays," Eyman was only able to gather 105,103 signatures, more than 7,000 signatures short of the minimum. As a result, the law went into effect on June 7, 2006.

See also List of Washington Governors

Important cities and towns

The Space Needle and the Downtown Seattle skyline
Downtown Tacoma, WA, the third-largest city in Washington.
  • Seattle
  • Spokane
  • Tacoma
  • Tri-Cities
  • Vancouver
  • Bellevue
  • Everett
  • Bremerton
  • Bellingham
  • Yakima
  • Olympia
  • Port Angeles
See also: List of cities in Washington, List of towns in Washington, Washington locations by per capita income, and City government in the state of Washington

Education

Colleges and universities

The Whitman Memorial Building at Whitman College, Walla Walla.

State universities

  • Central Washington University
  • Eastern Washington University
  • The Evergreen State College
  • University of Washington
  • Washington State University
  • Western Washington University

Private universities

  • Antioch University Seattle
  • Argosy University/Seattle
  • Art Institute of Seattle
  • Bastyr University
  • City University
  • Cornish College of the Arts
  • DeVry University
  • DigiPen Institute of Technology
  • Gonzaga University
  • Henry Cogswell College
  • Heritage College
  • Northwest University
  • Pacific Lutheran University
  • St. Martin's University
  • School of Visual Concepts
  • Seattle Bible College
  • Seattle Pacific University
  • Seattle University
  • Trinity Lutheran College
  • University of Puget Sound
  • Walla Walla College
  • Whitman College
  • Whitworth College

Community colleges

  • Bates Technical College
  • Bellevue Community College
  • Bellingham Technical College
  • Big Bend Community College
  • Cascadia Community College
  • Centralia College
  • Clark College
  • Clover Park Technical College
  • Columbia Basin College
  • Edmonds Community College
  • Everett Community College
  • Grays Harbor College
  • Green River Community College
  • Highline Community College
  • Lake Washington Technical College
  • Lower Columbia College
  • Olympic College
  • Peninsula College
  • Pierce College
  • Renton Technical College
  • Seattle Community College District
  • Shoreline Community College
  • Skagit Valley College
  • South Puget Sound Community College
  • Spokane Community College
  • Spokane Falls Community College
  • Tacoma Community College
  • Walla Walla Community College
  • Wenatchee Valley College
  • Whatcom Community College
  • Yakima Valley Community College

Professional sports teams

Club Sport League City & Stadium
Seattle Seahawks Football National Football League; NFC Seattle, Qwest Field
Seattle Mariners Baseball Major League Baseball; AL Seattle, Safeco Field
Seattle SuperSonics Basketball National Basketball Association Seattle, KeyArena
Seattle Thunderbirds Ice Hockey Western Hockey League Seattle, KeyArena
Seattle Storm Basketball Women's National Basketball Association Seattle, KeyArena
Seattle Sounders Soccer USL First Division (men's)
W-League (women's)
Seattle, Qwest Field
Bellingham Slam Basketball American Basketball Association Bellingham, Whatcom Community College
Bellevue Blackhawks Basketball American Basketball Association Bellevue, Meydenbauer Center
Everett Silvertips Ice Hockey Western Hockey League Everett, Everett Events Center
Spokane Chiefs Ice Hockey Western Hockey League Spokane, Spokane Arena
Tri-City Americans Ice Hockey Western Hockey League Kennewick, Toyota Center
Tri-City Fever Indoor Football National Indoor Football League Kennewick, Toyota Center
Tri-City Dust Devils Baseball Northwest League; A Pasco, Tri-City Stadium
Tacoma Rainiers Baseball Pacific Coast League; AAA Tacoma, Cheney Stadium
Spokane Indians Baseball Northwest League; A Spokane, Avista Stadium
Everett AquaSox Baseball Northwest League; A Everett, Everett Memorial Stadium
Yakima Bears Baseball Northwest League; A Yakima, Yakima County Stadium
Everett Hawks Arena Football AF2 Everett, Everett Events Center
Spokane Shock Arena Football AF2 Spokane, Spokane Arena

Miscellaneous topics

Three ships of the United States Navy, including two battleships, have been named USS Washington in honor of the state. Previous ships had held that name in honor of George Washington.

State symbols

For more details on this topic, see List of Washington state symbols.

The State song is "Washington, My Home", the State bird is the American Goldfinch and the State fruit is the Apple. The state dance, adopted in 1979, is the Square Dance.

See also

  • Washington state congressional delegates
  • Capital punishment in Washington
  • List of hospitals in Washington
  • List of Washington state prisons
  • List of Washington state forests
  • List of radio stations in Washington
  • List of television stations in Washington
  • List of Washington county name etymologies
  • List of colleges and universities in Washington
  • List of school districts in Washington
  • List of ZIP Codes in Washington
  • List of high schools in Washington
  • List of U.S. Wilderness Areas in Washington
  • The Washington Medal of Merit
  • Scouting in Washington
Digitally colored elevation map of Washington.
  • Washington State Park System
  • Music of Washington
  • List of people from Washington
  • List of United States companies by state

Political activism

  • List of Washington initiatives

References

  1. ^ Retail Sales Tax. Washington State Department of Revenue. Retrieved on 2006-09-26.
  2. ^ http://dor.wa.gov/content/home/TaxTopics/FederalDeductionLSTaxTable.aspx
  3. ^ [1] Seattle Times September 22, 2006 "No news here ... Gates still richest"
  4. ^ 2004 Washington State Initial Gubernatorial Election results
  5. ^ November 5, 2004 Rules for Mandatory Recount
  6. ^ 2004 Washington State Gubernatorial Election 1st Recount Results
  7. ^ 2004 Washington State Gubernatorial Election 2nd Recount Results

External links

Find more information on Washington by searching Wikipedia's sister projects:

Dictionary definitions from Wiktionary
Textbooks from Wikibooks
Quotations from Wikiquote
Source texts from Wikisource
Images and media from Commons
News stories from Wikinews

  • State of Washington website
  • Constitution of the State of Washington
  • Revised Code of Washington (State Law)
  • Washington Administrative Code (State Administrative Rules)
  • State Code Search Tool
  • U.S. Census Bureau
  • Washington State Arts Commission
  • Photos of Washington - Terra Galleria
  • Mountain & River Webcams from Around Washington
  • Pacific Northwest CommunityA wiki on the Pacific Northwest
  • County Maps of Washington Full color maps. List of cities, towns and county seats
  • A Review of the Resources and Industries of the State of Washington, 1909, by Ithamar Howell, from Project Gutenberg
  • Washington state article on h2g2.
  • Washington hiking trails
  • Washington State Facts
  • Online Encyclopedia of Washington State History
  • Official Website of the City of Tumwater, WA Research on the Bush family and early Washington State history
  • Washington College of Law


State of Washington
Topics

Cities | Towns | Municipalities | Governors | Legislature | Initiatives to the People | Initiatives to the Legislature | Congress | Symbols | Parks | Roads | Music

Capital

Olympia

Regions

Central Washington | Columbia River Plateau | Eastern Washington | Inland Empire | Kitsap Peninsula | Long Beach Peninsula | Olympic Peninsula | Okanogan Country | Palouse | Puget Sound | San Juan Islands | Western Washington | Yakima Valley

Major
cities

Bellevue | Seattle | Spokane | Tacoma | Tri-Cities | Vancouver

Smaller
cities

Aberdeen | Anacortes | Arlington | Auburn | Bainbridge Island | Bellingham | Bothell | Bremerton | Burien | Centralia | Covington | Des Moines | Edmonds | Ellensburg | Enumclaw | Everett | Federal Way | Issaquah | Kenmore | Kennewick | Kent | Kirkland | Lacey | Lake Forest Park | Lakewood | Longview | Lynnwood | Maple Valley | Marysville | Mercer Island | Mill Creek | Monroe | Moses Lake | Mount Vernon | Mountlake Terrace | Mukilteo | Oak Harbor | Pasco | Port Angeles | Port Orchard | Port Townsend | Pullman | Puyallup | Redmond | Renton | Richland | Sammamish | SeaTac | Shoreline | Spokane Valley | Tukwila | University Place | Walla Walla | Wenatchee | Woodinville | Yakima

Counties

Adams | Asotin | Benton | Chelan | Clallam | Clark | Columbia | Cowlitz | Douglas | Ferry | Franklin | Garfield | Grant | Grays Harbor | Island | Jefferson | King | Kitsap | Kittitas | Klickitat | Lewis | Lincoln | Mason | Okanogan | Pacific | Pend Oreille | Pierce | San Juan | Skagit | Skamania | Snohomish | Spokane | Stevens | Thurston | Wahkiakum | Walla Walla | Whatcom | Whitman | Yakima

Search Term: "Washington"

washington state news and washington state articles

Here's our top rated washington state links for the day:

Washington State's Bennett selected AP coach of the year 

USA Today - Mar 30 9:03 AM
Tony Bennett, who led Washington State to its best season in 60 years, was selected the Associated Press' college basketball coach of the year Friday. Bennett received 40 votes from the 72-member national media panel that selects the weekly Top 25. Thad Matta of Ohio State and Billy Gillispie of Texas A&M each received 10 votes, while Bo Ryan of Wisconsin got seven.
Save

Texas freshman Durant, Washington State's Bennett selected AP player, coach of year 
Scottsbluff Star-Herald - Mar 31 12:49 PM
ATLANTA (AP) - A couple of rookies swept the national college basketball awards. Freshman Kevin Durant of Texas and first-year coach Tony Bennett of Washington State were named player and coach of the year Friday by The Associated Press.
Save

Washington State's Bennett selected coach of the year 
Fox Sports - Mar 30 9:01 AM
Tony Bennett, who led Washington State to its best season in 60 years, was selected The Associated Press' college basketball coach of the year Friday. The 37-year-old Bennett, who succeeded his father, Dick, this season at Washington State, is the second coach to win the award after his first season as a head coach, joining Bill Hodges of Indiana State in 1979.
Save

Washington State's Bennett selected AP coach of the year 
Houston Chronicle - Mar 30 9:15 AM
Tony Bennett, who led Washington State to its best season in 60 years, was selected The Associated Press' college basketball coach of the year today.
Save

Washington State's Bennett selected coach of the year 
MSNBC - Mar 30 12:01 PM
ATLANTA (AP) -Tony Bennett, who led Washington State to its best season in 60 years, was selected The Associated Press' college basketball coach of the year Friday.
Save

Just don't boo in Washington 
Los Angeles Times - Apr 01 12:13 AM
Despite the date on the top of the page you are reading, this is no April Fool's joke: If certain bureaucrats have their way, booing at high school sporting events in the state of Washington will be forbidden.
Save

DHS and the State of Washington Team up to Advance Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative 
[Press Release] Department of Homeland Security - Mar 30 10:37 PM
The U.S. Department of Homeland Security signed a Memorandum of Agreement today with the state of Washington to launch a pilot program that will enhance the security of state drivers licenses and potentially serve as an acceptable alternative document for crossing the United States land and sea borders.
Save

Washington State's Bennett is coach of the year 
KXAN 36 Austin - Mar 30 11:09 AM
ATLANTA After leading Washington State to its best season in 60 years, Tony Bennett has been selected The Associated Press' college basketball coach of the year.
Save

Washington State's Bennett selected coach of the year 
Baltimore Sun - Mar 30 9:03 AM
Team had best season in 60 years Tony Bennett, who led Washington State to its best season in 60 years, was selected The Associated Press' college basketball coach of the year Friday.
Save

Washington State Gives Bennett Long-Term Deal 
KIRO 7 Seattle-Tacoma - Mar 30 9:59 AM
Washington State announced Wednesday it has restructured the contract of men's basketball coach Tony Bennett, with a new seven-year deal keeping him at the school through the 2013-14 season.
Save

Last Update: 2007-04-01 16:00:34

Thank you for reading the washington state page - washington state. 

1. washingtonstate
2. washinton state
3. washigton state
4. washington stae
5. washingon state
6. wasington state
7. washngton state
8. wahington state

As an extra bonus here are the top searched terms over the past month for washington state. Now you can see what everyone else is searching for in regards to washington state.

1. washington state
2. washington state ferries
3. washington state parks
4. washington state university
5. washington state map
6. map of washington state
7. washington state lottery
8. washington state ferry
9. state of washington
10. washington state department of licensing
11. washington state real estate
12. washington state patrol
13. washington state tourism
14. washington state ferry schedule
15. washington state government
16. washington state campgrounds
17. washington state lotto
18. detail map of washington state
19. washington state dol
20. washington state department of transportation
21. washington state department of health
22. washington state unemployment
23. washington state road map
24. washington secretary of state
25. washington state jobs
26. real estate washington state
27. washington state bar association
28. washington state dot
29. washington state realestate
30. washington state bed and breakfasts
31. remax washington state
32. washington state employment
33. washington state newspapers
34. washington state counties
35. washington state lodges
36. washington state maps
37. washington state lodges wedding
38. washington state parks and recreation
39. washington state ferry system
40. washington state rental homes
41. washington state history
42. land for sale washington state
43. washington state department of fish and wildlife
44. washington state park
45. washington state cougars
46. washington state city maps
47. washington state department of motor vehicles
48. washington state camping
49. washington state attorney general
50. washington state casinos
51. washington state florists associations
52. washington state business license
53. washington state department of revenue
54. washington state fires
55. washington state football
56. washington state laws
57. beaches in washington state
58. washington state department of ecology
59. washington state employees credit union
60. washington state supreme court
61. washington state health insurance
62. washington state land for sale
63. washington state golf courses
64. what state is washington dc in
65. land for sale in washington state
66. washington state legislature
67. campsites in washington state
68. maps online washington state
69. recreational land for sale in washington state
70. washington state dshs
71. washington state public records
72. washington state secretary of state
73. central washington state fair
74. washington state dog breeders
75. washington state fair
76. lakes in washington state
77. map of washington state counties
78. spiders in washington state
79. washington state department of corrections
80. washington state flower
81. washington state lawyers
82. washington state vacation
83. washington state weather
84. washington state wineries
85. moving truck sales washington state
86. washington state lakes
87. camping in washington state
88. washington state bed and breakfast
89. washington state escorts
90. washington state sales tax
91. washington state better business bureau
92. washington state colleges
93. washington state dnr
94. washington state hay trucking
95. washington state health department
96. lithic material washington state
97. washington state dept of licensing
98. washington state personal supplemental health insurance
99. washington state board of nursing
100. washington state dui laws
101. washington state government jobs
102. washington state police
103. washington state wildfires
104. postal jobs in washington state
105. state of washington dc
106. washington state attorneys
107. washington state bar
108. washington state capital
109. washington state courts
110. washington state drivers license
111. washington state employment security
112. washington state fairs
113. washington state fishing
114. washington state flag
115. washington state syrah
116. homes for sale in washington state
117. miracle ii washington state
118. spinal cord injury lawyers washington state
119. washington state child protective services
120. washington state liquor control board
121. washington state news
122. washington state insurance commissioner
123. washington state school districts
124. family law/ washington state
125. medicare supplemental insurance washington state
126. washington state child support
127. washington state ferrys
128. washington state labor and industries
129. washington state licensing
130. washington state police patches
131. camping washington state
132. medical affordable health insurance washington state
133. things to do in washington state
134. washington state bird
135. washington state court
136. washington state court cases/grandparent visitation
137. washington state golf
138. washington state rcw
139. washington state senators
140. washington state university vancouver
141. jobs in washington state
142. secretary of state washington
143. washington state adult protective services
144. washington state death index
145. washington state forest fires
146. washington state group health insurance
147. washington state medical insurance
148. washington state trivia
149. washington state birth certificate
150. washington state fish and wildlife
151. washington state gov
152. washington state liquor stores
153. why move to washington state
154. bank of america online banking washington state
155. health care insurance plans washington state
156. health insurance washington state
157. political map of washington state
158. property for sale washington state
159. washington state cities
160. washington state department of labor and industries
161. washington state fishing report
162. washington state spiders
163. washington state travel
164. romantic getaways washington state
165. washington state dog breeders washington state dog breeders
166. washington state property
167. washington state skate parks
168. washington state tax
169. western washington state fair
170. attorney cord injury spinal state washington
171. child support washington state
172. real estate listings washington state
173. spinal cord injury attorney washington state
174. washington state activities
175. washington state bed breakfast
176. washington state community colleges
177. washington state facts
178. washington state gun laws
179. washington state job search
180. washington state personal injury attorney
181. washington state tides
182. washington state weddings
183. washington state zip codes
184. average pay construction loan processor washington state
185. bad credit washington state auto loans
186. better business bureau washington state
187. campgrounds in washington state
188. dui washington state
189. eastern washington state
190. pow wows in washington state
191. state of washington map
192. washington state convention center
193. washington state ferry schedules
194. washington state minimum wage
195. washington state mobile home and land
196. washington state resorts
197. auto accident washington state
198. elk selkirk washington state
199. fires in washington state
200. move to washington state
201. spinal cord injury attorneys washington state
202. washington state community college
203. washington state department of social and health services
204. washington state fishing license
205. washington state gambling
206. washington state home page
207. washington state law
208. washington state parks camping
209. washington state prisons
210. washington state university alpha chi omega
211. washington state university engineering management program
212. dog adoption in washington state
213. environmental education jobs in washington state
214. environmental jobs in washington state
215. information state travel washington
216. internet access washington state
217. universities in washington state
218. utility trailers washington state
219. washington state basic health insurance
220. washington state elections
221. washington state forest fire
222. washington state medical board
223. washington state medical insurance supplemental medical
224. washington state tree
225. acting and modeling in washington state
226. cheap homes washington state
227. cord injury lawyer spinal state washington
228. dui in washington state
229. forest fires in washington state
230. health fitness gyms north america united states washington
231. manufactured homes washington state
232. medical training washington state
233. new homes washington state
234. washington crossing state park
235. washington federal and state jobs
236. washington state counties map
237. washington state department of education
238. washington state dui
239. washington state employees salaries
240. washington state health insurance plans
241. washington state labor laws
242. washington state license
243. washington state lottery results
244. washington state manufactured homes
245. washington state real estate for sale
246. washington state remicade class action
247. washington state traffic
248. washington state unemployment office
249. washington state vital records
250. washington state vital statistics
251. auto accident claims washington state
252. auto accident lawyers washington state
253. bad check laws washington state
254. businesses for sale in washington state
255. car accident lawyer washington state
256. check credit free state washington
257. colleges and universities in washington state
258. divorce and alimony in washington state
259. friday harbor, washington state
260. homes tacoma washington state
261. locate marci j. mcarthur washington state
262. personal injury attorney washington state
263. small business health insurance washington state
264. spinal cord injury lawyer washington state
265. state of washington employment
266. state of washington jobs
267. washington state court records
268. washington state divorce
269. washington state employee credit union
270. washington state fish and game
271. washington state fishing regulations
272. washington state fly fishing guides
273. washington state insurance
274. washington state nursing commission
275. washington state schools
276. washington state zip code map
277. attorney general state of washington
278. craigs list washington state
279. dui attorney washington state
280. education jobs washington state
281. fishing washington state
282. golden retriever breeders washington state
283. hard money lenders washington state
284. hard money loans washington state
285. hikers lost never found washington state
286. jet rental ski state washington
287. lakes found in washington state
288. low cost health insurance in washington state
289. maps of washington state
290. medical insurance washington state
291. mel's hole in washington state
292. metal fabrication schools in washington state
293. meteorites in washington state
294. palm harbor fife washington state home
295. r v parks washington state
296. spanish immersion in olympia, washington state
297. table tennis washington state
298. used bmw cars washington state
299. washington state board of education
300. washington state colleges and universities
301. washington state department of natural resources
302. washington state divorce attorneys
303. washington state electrician
304. washington state estate tax
305. washington state gambling commission
306. washington state goverment
307. washington state highway map
308. washington state hiking trails
309. washington state home based business
310. washington state homes
311. washington state insurance commisioner
312. washington state nurses salaries
313. washington state relocation
314. washington state republican party
315. washington state sales tax rates
316. washington state smoking ban
317. cities in washington state
318. department of licensing washington state
319. education jobs in washington state
320. estate real software state washington
321. gold panning in washington state
322. health care costs in the state of washington
323. map washington state
324. quality metal stamping washington state
325. regions in washington state
326. river rafting in washington state
327. rottweiler breeders in the state of washington
328. senior environmental geologist jobs in washington state
329. used cars washington state
330. washington state adoption
331. washington state apple orchards
332. washington state board of pharmacy
333. washington state custody orders
334. washington state deck building code
335. washington state dept of revenue
336. washington state divorce laws
337. washington state dwarf car racing
338. washington state health care
339. washington state health insurance pool
340. washington state notary public
341. washington state patrol job offer
342. washington the state
343. birdwatching in washington state
344. domestic abuse hot line, washington state
345. environmental education washington state
346. franklin county+ washington state
347. mobile homes for sale in washington state
348. modular homes washington state
349. paint horses for sale washington state
350. parenting plan and a child support form in washington state
351. paul long washington state
352. state of washington government
353. storage unit auctions in washington state
354. support group for military spouses washington state
355. washington state archives
356. washington state campground
357. washington state cat breeders
358. washington state credit unions
359. washington state custody order
360. washington state department of labor
361. washington state divorce law
362. washington state employment security department
363. washington state employment service
364. washington state energy efficient tax credit
365. washington state hotels
366. washington state marriage license
367. washington state medical association
368. washington state newspaper
369. washington state obituaries
370. washington state ospi
371. washington state primary election
372. washington state records
373. washington state secretary
374. washington state wac
375. 5 star rv campgrounds in washington state
376. gambling washington state
377. gas fireplace logs dealers washington state
378. gooseberry growers in washington state
379. health insurance plans washington state
380. hookers in washington state
381. in jet rental ski state washington
382. investor groups washington state
383. jet ski rental on lake in washington state
384. lincoln town car in washington state
385. low cost health insurance washington state
386. mortgage lenders washington state
387. nudists washington state
388. panelized garage washington state
389. registered nursing jobs in washington state
390. resorts in washington state
391. stain glass window repair washington state
392. state of washington teaching certification
393. used fishing boats for sale in washington state
394. washington oaks state park
395. washington state auto insurance laws
396. washington state beaches
397. washington state car shows
398. washington state death records
399. washington state dental insurance
400. washington state department of license
401. washington state dept of corrections
402. washington state dui law
403. washington state economy
404. washington state employment office
405. washington state esthetician written exam
406. washington state food handlers permit
407. washington state forest service
408. washington state governor
409. washington state historical society
410. washington state job service
411. washington state lakes map
412. washington state lemon law
413. washington state local prefixes
414. washington state medicaid
415. washington state outfitters
416. washington state parks department
417. washington state patrol accident reports
418. washington state patrol hiring procedure
419. washington state representatives
420. washington state retirement system
421. washington state rv rentals
422. washington state teacher certification
423. washington state teacher retirement
424. washington state unclaimed money
425. washington state unemployment insurance