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What are some interesting facts about Washington State?
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Why is Washington State called Washington State?
- Natural calamity can strike anywhere, and there have been places where natural disasters are one too many. Luckily, Washington is one of those places that never had any major natural disasters.
- Washington is one of those rare places where people love to have a drink. But interestingly, no other location in the US can match the beer-drinking vigor of people in this state.
- It may come as a surprise while moving inside Washington; there is a place where you have to cross another country to get an entry into a particular site.
- Washington is home to some of the big corporations that have set a world record in building enterprises. You’ll find some of the biggest names in business, that came triumph from the state.
- Washington Fun Facts
- Funny Facts About Washington State
- Interesting Facts About Washington State
- Washington State History Facts
- Scary Facts About Washington State
- Cool Facts About Washington State
- In Summary
The Evergreen State is Washington's nickname
It only takes one look at the sprawling forests stretching across Washington to understand why it's called the Evergreen State. In 1889, Charles Tallmadge Conover, an early Washington settler who made his fortune in the newspaper and real estate industries, coined the Evergreen State phrase for a pamphlet promoting the region.
Washington's state bird is the American goldfinch
The American goldfinch was designated the state bird of Washington Statein 1951. Easily spotted by its vibrant yellow color and high-pitched song, the American goldfinch can be found in yards and fields across the region. One of many interesting facts about the state of Washington is that legislators allowed schoolchildren to vote on the state's bird. They chose the goldfinch over the popular meadowlark.
The coast rhododendron is Washington's state flower
The the state flower of Washington stateis the coast rhododendron, also commonly called the Pacific rhododendron. It was selected by the legislature as the official state flower in 1959. The coast rhododendron's connection with Washingtonians goes back even further. It was initially chosen as the flower representing Washington State for the 1893 World's Fair in Chicago.
Square Dance is the official state dance of Washington
One of the funniest facts on Washington State is that the square dance was voted the official state danceback in 1979. That's because the earliest settlers in Washington, then called the Oregon Territory, brought the dance with them when they headed west. The square dance originated from the French quadrille and evolved among the pioneers on the American frontier.
Spokane, Washington, was the smallest city to host the World's Fair
The 1974 World's Fair was held in Spokane, Washington. At the time, Spokane was the smallest city to host the world's fair. The 1982 World's Fair handed that title to Knoxville, Tennessee, but many Washington residents still consider Spokane the rightful champion, adamantly declaring Spokane's overall metropolitan area to be smaller than Knoxville's.
The first Washington State Patrol officers were motorcycle cops
The Washington State Patrol started in 1921 with an initial force of six officers. They didn't patrol the road by car, however. Their first vehicles were a fleet of Indian Motorcycles. Today, the agency has more than 1,000 state troopers. They haven't forgotten their roots, though, as you can still find more than 40 motorcycle officers stationed across the state.
Mount Rainier is a dangerous active volcano
Perhaps the most frightening information on the state of Washington concerns Mount Rainier, its tallest mountain. Easily one of the most famous landmarks in the world, the United States Geological Survey says Mount Rainier may potentially be the most dangerous volcanoin the Cascade Range, which spans 700 miles from Canada to California.
Bill Gates didn't found Microsoft in Washington State
Microsoft founder and billionaire philanthropist Bill Gates was born and raised in Seattle, Washington. Microsoft was initially located in Albuquerque, New Mexico in 1975, but he and co-founder Paul Allen relocated the company to Bellevue, Washington, in 1979. Microsoft then moved from Bellevue to its current campus in Redmond in 1986. Gates still resides in the nearby community of Medina.
Evergreen Point Floating Bridge is the longest in the world
Did you know that Washington State is home to the longest floating bridge in the world? The Evergreen Point Floating Bridge connects Seattle and Bellevue, spanning 7,708 feet across Lake Washington. Construction on the floating bridge was completed in 2016 at a cost of $4.5 billion. Nearly 75,000 vehicles travel across the Evergreen Point Floating Bridge daily.
Native American history in Washington dates back more than 10,000 years
Washington facts and history often go hand in hand, like how researchers have found evidence of Native Americans living in the state for over 10,000 years. First arriving following the end of the last Ice Age, the Lushootseed people found plentiful resources in present-day Washington State's fields, forests, and waterways. By contrast, the first Europeans set foot in Washington in 1775.
Washington's Kennewick Man is over 9,000 years old
The Kennewick Man, often called the Ancient One, comprises the remains of a prehistoric Native American man found in 1996 along the Columbia River in Columbia Park, in the city of Kennewick. The remains, some of the oldest and most complete found in North America, have been carbon-dated to be more than 9,000 years oldand are held in the Burke Museum.
Washingtonian Sonora Smart Dodd was the mother of Father's Day
Father's Day owes its start to Spokane, Washington resident Sonora Smart Dodd. Dodd, born in 1882, was inspired by her father, who, after their mother passed away in 1898, raised her and her younger siblings on his own. She began advocating for the commemorative holiday in 1909and was successful in seeing the first Father's Day celebration in the city of Spokane in 1910.
Mount St. Helens was the site of a deadly volcano eruption in 1980
Here's some scary Washington State trivia: Mount St. Helens' eruption in 1980 was the most destructive volcano eruption in US history. Fifty-seven deaths were attributed to this natural disaster, with the massive blast sending ash flying across eleven states and throughout Canada. The eruption of Mt. Saint Helens caused an estimated $1 billion in damages.
Aberdeen, Washington, used to be one of the most dangerous towns in the United States
Originally a logging town at the end of the Northern Pacific Railroad, Aberdeen, Washington, had developed a reputation as one of the most dangerous towns in the United Statesby the turn of the 20th century. Aberdeen has since shed its moniker as the "Hellhole of the Pacific," and today, the area is home to the largest coastal shipping port in Washington State.
The historic Pike Place Market was nearly torn down in 1969
Pike Place Market originated in 1907 as a hub for local farmers and has since become an iconic piece of the Seattle waterfront. But scarily, its history nearly ended in 1969 when the city council discussed plans to replace the marketwith hotels and office buildings. Thankfully, local citizens banded together and voted to make Pike Place Market a protected historic district.
Legendary rocker Jimi Hendrix grew up in Seattle, Washington
One of the grooviest facts about the State of Washington is that legendary rocker and Woodstock alum Jimi Hendrix was born in Seattleat King County Hospital. Hendrix played with several bands around the Seattle area before joining the army in 1961. He moved to New York City after receiving a medical discharge from the military, gaining widespread fame following the 1967 Monterey International Pop Music Festival in Monterey, California.
Washington State doesn't charge most residents income tax
If you live in Washington State, you probably don't need to worry about paying state income tax. How cool is that? That's because Washington is one of nine states with either no or minimal taxation. The only people paying income tax in Washington are those earning more than $250,000 per year from investments, not their labor, with capital gains taxed at 7% after the first quarter million dollars.
The San Juan Islands don't have any traffic signals
Sitting in the idyllic Puget Sound, the San Juan Islands are such a laid-back place that they don't even have any traffic signalson their roads. the streets are so peaceful that many people enjoy getting out their bicycles and cycling rather than driving. Plus, that makes stopping and checking out San Juan County's more than 400 miles of marine shoreline easier.
If you've made it this far, you've likely discovered many new facts about Washington, the state, like how the northwestern state is known for its sprawling natural spaces, such as its three national parks. Armed with facts like Washington being home to the world's longest floating bridge or that the iconic Space Needle is designed after a flying sa...
- Agriculture. The state is the largest producer of apples, red raspberries, pears, sweet cherries, hops, blueberries, and spearmint oil in the U.S., and also is high in asparagus, Concord grapes, apricots, carrots, sweet corn, nectarines, onions, dry peas, lentils, potatoes, and peppermint oil.
- Manufacturing. Industries include missiles, shipbuilding, aircraft and other transportation equipment, metals and metal products, food processing, chemicals and machinery.
- Puget Sound. An inlet of the Pacific Ocean, has deep fjords, a large number of islands, and bays that were carved by glaciers. The rest of the state has mountain ranges, deep rainforests in the west, and an intensive agriculture due to a semi-arid basin region.
- Mount Saint Helens. In 1980, the most economically destructive volcanic event in U.S. history occurred when the north face slid off in the largest landslide in recorded history after a period of heavy tremors and small eruptions, and destroyed a large part of the top of the volcano while flattening about 12 ½ miles of forest.
Mar 26, 2024 · 21 Interesting Washington State Facts. By Karin Lehnardt, Senior Writer. Published March 26, 2024. 10 Wonderful Washington Facts. Washington produces more apples than any other state in America. [7] Washington state is the only state named after a U.S. president. It also has the only state flag with a picture of a president. [7]
- Washington’s nickname is “The Evergreen State.” This is because coniferous trees cover over half the state! Here, you can commonly find Sitka spruce, Douglas Fir, Western Hemlock, and Alpine larches.
- Washington’s state bird is the American Goldfinch. If you ever catch sight of a bright flash of yellow, you might have spotted this beautiful golden bird that loves bird feeders, dandelions, and thistles.
- Washington’s state flower is the Coast Rhododendron. The Coast Rhododendron is primarily found along the Pacific coast, but it extends to the Cascade Mountains.
- Washington’s state insect is the Green Darner dragonfly. While this bug’s life lasts just one summer, the Green Darner spends one to five years as an underwater larva or nymph.
Apr 17, 2024 · Washington Has the Highest Number of Glaciers in the Contiguous USA. 5. Seattle Isn’t the Capitol of Washington. 6. Pickleball Was Invented in Washington. 7. Petrified Wood is Washington’s State Gem. 8. Washington Has the Longest Floating Bridge in the World. 9. Washington Has Three National Parks. 10.
Aug 12, 2022 · One of the more interesting facts about Washington State is that, according to Britannica Encyclopedia, Washington State is the only state named after a U.S. president. And that president? None other than the US’ very first – George Washington. 2. Boeing camouflaged a secret bomber-maker during World War II by building a fake neighborhood.
