Washington Geography – Legends of America

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Washington Geography – Legends of America

Washington Geography – Legends of America

Washington, nestled in the extreme northwestern corner of the United States, proudly carries the name of George Washington, the nation’s first President. This state, a tapestry of diverse landscapes and rich history, offers a compelling study in geography. Formed from a portion of the Oregon Territory in 1853, Washington officially joined the Union as the 42nd state in 1889, marking a significant chapter in the nation’s westward expansion.

Location and Size

Strategically positioned, Washington is bordered by the vast expanse of the Pacific Ocean to the west, the state of Oregon to the south, Idaho to the east, and the province of British Columbia, Canada, to the north. With a total area of 71,362 square miles, Washington ranks as the 18th largest state in the United States. To put it in perspective, its size exceeds the combined areas of New York and West Virginia, showcasing its considerable geographic footprint.

As the 13th most populous state, Washington is home to over 7.6 million people. The state’s demographic landscape is largely concentrated in its significant metropolitan areas, most notably the Seattle-Everett metropolitan area and the city of Tacoma. These urban centers serve as economic and cultural hubs, drawing people from across the nation and the globe.

Mountainous Terrain

The state’s topography is defined by two prominent mountain ranges: the Olympic Mountains and the Cascade Range. The Olympic Mountains, characterized by their rugged peaks reaching up to 7,000 feet, are cradled by a temperate rainforest on the peninsula west of Puget Sound. This unique ecosystem thrives in the region’s moist climate, creating a verdant landscape that is both captivating and ecologically significant.

To the east, the Cascade Range commands attention with its majestic peaks, most notably the towering Mount Rainier, which soars to an impressive 14,410 feet. This volcanic range is not only a visual spectacle but also a reminder of the region’s dynamic geological history. Mount St. Helens, another volcanic peak in the Cascade Range, experienced two notable eruptions in the 1980s, reshaping the surrounding landscape and offering scientists valuable insights into volcanic activity.

Olympia: The State Capital

Nestled at the southern end of Puget Sound, Olympia is the state capital of Washington and the county seat and largest city of Thurston County. This vibrant city, with a population exceeding 52,000, boasts a rich history and a thriving economy. The first recorded European presence in the Olympia area dates back to 1792, marking the beginning of a new chapter in the region’s history.

In 1846, European settlers formally claimed the area, solidifying their presence through the Treaty of Medicine Creek in 1854. Edmund Sylvester platted the town in 1850, laying the foundation for its development into a bustling urban center. Olympia was designated as Washington’s first territorial capital in 1855 and retained its status upon statehood, cementing its role as the political heart of the state.

Today, Olympia thrives as a hub of government activity, tourism, and small business innovation. The city’s location on Puget Sound provides breathtaking views, opportunities for boating and water recreation, and access to fresh seafood.

Geographic Landmarks

Washington is home to several notable geographic landmarks, each contributing to the state’s unique identity:

  • The Columbia Plateau: Also known as the Columbia Basin, this vast plateau is the site of one of the largest lava outpourings in the world. Between 15 and 6 million years ago, basaltic lava flooded approximately 63,000 square miles, covering large parts of Washington, Oregon, and Idaho. The thickness of the lava flows reached 6000 feet, burying almost all the older rock in the area. Within this area are also the Great Plains of the Columbia east of the Cascade Mountains. These plains constitute an immense grazing ground, about 150 miles in width, covered with the finest grass in the world, and are well watered. The soil is exceedingly fertile, and grain and fruits of all kinds are grown here in abundance.

  • The Columbia River: As the great waterway of the Pacific Northwest, the Columbia River originates in the Rocky Mountains of British Columbia, Canada, before flowing south into Washington. It then turns west, forming most of the border between Washington and Oregon before emptying into the Pacific Ocean. The 1,243-mile-long river has long served as a principal means of transportation for products and is also renowned for its excellent salmon. The Snake and Willamette Rivers are its major tributaries.

  • Pacific Slope: This geographic region west of the Rocky Mountains slopes down to the Pacific Ocean and forms the principal part of the boundary between Washington and Oregon. During the era of westward expansion, the term was often used to describe the northwest region, including the territories and the states that emerged from them, including California, Oregon, Washington, Nevada, Idaho, and Utah.

  • Puget Sound: An inlet of the Pacific Ocean and part of the Salish Sea, Puget Sound is located along the northwestern coast of Washington. The term "Puget Sound" is used not just for the body of water but also for the Puget Sound region, which includes several major cities, including Seattle, Tacoma, Olympia, and Everett. Considered one of the loveliest bodies of water in the Western Hemisphere, hundreds of islands dot its shining surface. It is a complication of arms, straits, and inlets and has 1,400 miles of navigation, affording Washington more harbors than are formed by any other region of equal area in the world.

National Historic Sites & Parks

Washington State is rich in National Historic Sites & Parks, including:

  • Ebey’s Landing: Located in Coupeville, Washington, this stunning landscape at the gateway to Puget Sound, with its rich farmland and promising seaport, lured the earliest American pioneers north of the Columbia River to this part of the state. Today Ebey’s Landing National Historical Reserve preserves the historical, agricultural, and cultural traditions of both Native and Euro-Americans while also offering spectacular recreation opportunities.

  • Fort Vancouver: Located on the north bank of the Columbia River in present-day Vancouver, Washington, Fort Vancouver was a 19th-century fur trading post that was the headquarters of the Hudson’s Bay Company’s Columbia Department. This park has a rich cultural past. History is shared at four unique sites, from a frontier fur-trading post to a powerful military legacy, the magic of flight, and the origin of the American Pacific Northwest.

  • Klondike Gold Rush – Seattle Unit: After surviving a devastating fire and an economic depression, Seattle flourished with the Klondike Gold Rush. As a key port city, merchants supplied would-be Klondike Kings and Queens on their way to Alaska. This cemented Seattle as an anchor of the Pacific Northwest. Today the park is your gateway to learn about the gold rush, explore Seattle area parks, and being involved with the local community.

  • Lake Roosevelt National Recreation Area: This National Recreation Area, under the supervision of the National Park Service, encompasses the 130-mile-long Franklin D. Roosevelt Lake between Grand Coulee Dam and Northport, Washington, in the eastern part of the state. The Grand Coulee Dam was built on the Columbia River in 1941, and the first recreational area, the Coulee Dam Recreational Area, was established in 1947. It was renamed for President Franklin D. Roosevelt in 1997. The area provides opportunities for fishing, swimming, canoeing, boating, hunting, camping, and visiting historic Fort Spokane and St. Paul’s Mission. Another significant body of water in Washington is Lake Washington.

  • North Cascades National Park: Just 100 miles northeast of Seattle, the alpine landscape of the North Cascade Mountains beckons hikers, backpackers, and mountaineers. The national park encompasses more than 500,000 acres and is bisected by the Skagit River that flows through Ross Lake National Recreation Area. Long known as the North American Alps, the park is characterized by ruggedly beautiful jagged peaks, deep valleys, cascading waterfalls, and glaciers. The most expansive glacial system in the contiguous United States, it also includes the headwaters of numerous waterways and vast forests. This rugged wilderness was established as a national park in 1968.

  • Mount Rainier National Park: Mount Rainier, also known as Tahoma or Tacoma, is a large active volcano in the Cascade mountain range located 59 miles south-southeast of Seattle in Mount Rainier National Park. With a summit elevation of 14,411 feet, it is the highest mountain in Washington and is the most topographically prominent mountain in the contiguous United States. Spawning five significant rivers, subalpine wildflower meadows ring the icy volcano while ancient forest cloaks Mount Rainier’s lower slopes. Wildlife abounds in the park’s ecosystems.

  • Olympic National Park: Located in northwestern Washington in the north-central part of the Olympic Peninsula, this wilderness park also includes a narrow 63-mile strip along the peninsula’s Pacific Coast. Encompassing nearly a million acres, the park provides a fog-shrouded coast with booming surf and waves, manicured beaches, spectacular alpine country dotted with sparkling lakes, lush meadows, glaciers, and North America’s finest temperate rain forest. It was designated as a national park in 1938.

  • San Juan Island National Historic Park: Located at Friday Harbor, Washington, San Juan Island is well known for splendid vistas, saltwater shore, quiet woodlands, orca whales and one of the last remaining native prairies in the Puget Sound/Northern Straits region. It was also here in 1859 that the United States and Great Britain nearly went to war over possession of the island – a crisis ignited by the death of a pig.

  • Lewis & Clark National Historic Trail & Park: The 4,900-mile-long Lewis & Clark Trail, extending from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, to the mouth of the Columbia River, near present-day Astoria, Oregon follows the historic outbound and inbound routes of the Lewis and Clark Expedition as well as the preparatory section from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania to Wood River, Illinois. The Lewis and Clark National Historic Park, near the mouth of the Columbia River, commemorates the Lewis and Clark Expedition at multiple sites in Oregon and Washington. Here, visitors can follow in the footsteps of the explorers and discover the rich heritage of the native people in timeless rainforests and enjoy majestic coastal vistas.

  • Oregon National Historic Trail: Making its way through several states, including Missouri, Kansas, Nebraska, Wyoming, Idaho, Washington, and Oregon, this trail was one of the key migration routes that pioneers crossed on their way to the vast west. Spanning over half the continent, the trail proceeded over 2,170 miles west through endless plains, rolling hills, and mountain passes. The trail began in Independence, Missouri, and ended at the Columbia River in Oregon. Along this historic path, trail ruts and traces can still be seen and serve as reminders of early American settlers’ sacrifices, struggles, and triumphs.

  • Whitman Mission National Historic Site: Located just west of Walla Walla, Washington, Dr. Marcus Whitman, his wife Narcissa Whitman, and 11 others were slain by Cayuse Indians on November 29, 1847. The site commemorates the Whitmans, their role in establishing the Oregon Trail, and the challenges encountered when two cultures meet. The attack on the Whitmans horrified Americans and impacted the lives of the people of the Columbia Plateau for decades afterward.

State Symbols

Washington’s identity is further reinforced by its state symbols:

  • Nickname: The Evergreen State
  • State Flag
  • State Flower: Coast Rhododendron
  • State Tree: Western Hemlock
  • State Bird: Willow Goldfinch
  • State Animal: Olympic Marmot
  • State Song: "Washington, My Home"
  • State Motto: Into the Future

Washington’s diverse geography, from its mountainous terrains and rainforests to its coastal inlets and fertile plateaus, makes it a fascinating state to explore.

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