Explore a destination located in Washington, United States
The state of Washington has a population of about 7.6 million people and is generally known as a rainy state. The state capital is called Olympia, being made capital of what was the Washington territory at the time in the year 1853. Washington state is home to the famous city of Seattle, often called "The Emerald City" by the local people there because of the greenery that surrounds it. The Space Needle is one of the most popular attractions in Seattle, along with Pike Place, which has many shops and outdoor vendors for those who are looking for a variety of memorabilia. Besides those who visit Washington specifically for the city of Seattle, many people often go for one of the many national parks or mountains that have popular hikes and views. Mount Rainier National Park and the North Cascades National Park are common destinations, as well as Mount Rainier itself and Mount Baker. Other places that people visit in Washington include some of the islands, accessible by ferry, or some of the various city celebrations, such as the Tulip Festival and the Fremont Solstice Parade.[1]
The state of Washington is one of the fifty states in the United States of America and is located in the upper northwest of the country. Washington was officially declared as a state on November 11, 1889, making it the 42nd state in America.[2] The capital of the state is called Olympia, which was the capital of the Washington territory before it became a state. Olympia was originally named after those who found it, the Smithfields, but the name was soon changed when someone recommended naming it after the nearby Olympic Mountains in the north, which people in the territory found to be majestic. Interestingly, the city of Seattle and a few others were founded soon after Olympia was, but before it was named the capital. After some debate, Olympia kept the title as the capital. [1]
Of the 7.6 million people who live in the state of Washington, 4.02 of them live in the metropolitan area of Seattle, which places the region in the top 15 largest cities in the United States.[3] Seattle got its name from a Duwamish Indian leader named Sealth, who was originally in the area. The city of Seattle is also known as the Emerald city by many of the locals in the area. Starting as a logging industry, Seattle has evolved in many ways. It was once a hub for shipbuilding, but slowly it became a place for building aircraft. Today it is more of a technological area, being the home of Microsoft and Amazon. Many of the original roots of production and growth in the city still exist inside or near the region. Seattle is home to the Space Needle and Pike Place, two of the largest tourist attractions in Washington. The Seattle Seahawks and the Seattle Mariners are two of the most popular sports teams for the state. The Seahawks are consistently ranked highly in the sport of football, having a power rating of 6th in the year 2021.[4] The Seattle Mariners have also been ranked highly in the past, coming in the second rank in 2021 for the American League.[5]
Besides the "Emerald City," there are many reasons why people visit the state of Washington. Many of these reasons include a majority of outdoor recreation, mainly hiking, fishing, and sightseeing. There are three national parks in the state, those being Mount Rainier National Park, North Cascades National Park, and Olympic National Park.[6] Mount Rainier is the largest mountain in Washington state and is in the top twenty for the tallest mountains in America.[7] It is also an active volcano, setting it apart as a unique destination for adventurers. People from all around the country and the world have come to hike the mountain, braving the cold climate and the uncertainty of the volcano. The North Cascades National Park has many hikes as well, inviting more explorers to its trails. Some popular lakes can be found in this national park, including Lake Chelan, Diablo Lake, Gorge Lake, and Ross Lake.[8] These lakes are known for their color and the greenery surrounding them. Many people enjoy kayaking and fishing in these lakes, visiting them yearly and even seasonally. Olympic National Park covers nearly one million acres of land and protects much of the wilderness and history contained within. Due to the frequent rain throughout the year, the summertime is the recommended time to visit these national parks for their full enjoyment.[9]
Washington is a very diverse state, having about 27% of the people living there being from outside of the country. Because of this, there are many people in the state that don’t speak English as their main language. The most common languages spoken in Washington besides English are Spanish, Mandarin Chinese, Vietnamese, and Tagalog. There are also large Russian, Indian, and other Asian groups in the area. Interestingly, the largest industries in the state do not fall under technology or shipping, but rather they fall under construction, restaurants and food services, and elementary and secondary schools. Though they aren’t in the main industries of the economy of Washington, there are a high number of aerospace engineers, fishing and hunting workers, and enlisted military supervisors.[10]
Washington is part of the pacific northwest of the United States of America. Its neighboring states are Oregon and Idaho. The state of Washington also borders the country of Canada, specifically British Columbia. The land in the area is typically covered in trees, which can create a mountainous feeling, even when close to sea level. Towards the southeastern side of the state, there is also a lot of farmland that is frequently used.
The Cascade Mountain Range cuts somewhere towards the middle of the state, separating it into a very wet side on the west and a very dry side on the east. Summers on the western side are relatively dry and fresh, while they are usually warmer on the eastern side. Winters are generally wet and cloudy. The rain that comes on the western side tends to be long-lasting light rain. The average low temperatures have been recorded at 23°F (-5°C) in January, then dropping during the night to between -10°F (-23.3°C) to -20°F (-28.9°C). Wind speeds can reach up to 40 or 50 miles per hour during the winter months of the year. The average precipitation is about 42 inches per year, further emphasizing the point that there is an abundance of rainfall.[12] With there being as much rain as there is, tourists tend to visit the state much more often during the summer months when it is sunnier and warmer.
As mentioned above, much of the state of Washington is covered in greenery. The majority of that greenery is the abundance of trees. The most common trees that people see while driving through the western part of the state are the western hemlock and Douglas-fir trees. Mainly, they are large trees covered in pine needles and pine cones. The Western Hemlock is the Washington state tree and is found mostly around coastal, lowland, and mountainous areas. The Douglas-fir can be found all around the state but is also most common around coastal and lowland areas.[17]
Many Native American tribes inhabited the region where Washington state is now located before it was made a part of the U.S.A. Some of these tribes are the Suquamish, Duwamish, Makah, Quinault, and Chinook tribes. Hints of these tribes still exist today through Indian reservations and in the names of various cities and landmarks, such as the area of Snohomish or the waterfall called Snoqualmie Falls.[13] The Indians of Puget Sound lived in relatively small villages, being affiliated with other tribes through intermarriage, trade, language, and other means. The natural resources that were available to be harvested and innovations of the Indians helped them to develop and grow for years. The Indians had lived there for thousands of years before explorers from around the world claimed the region. [14]
Many people would sail near the Puget Sound until Great Britain chose to explore more of the region itself. George Vancouver was one of the main people to explore the area, and he was the one who coined the name “Puget Sound,” naming the area after his second in command, Peter Puget. Eventually, American explorers, traders, and trappers took over the area. At about the year 1851, more people came into the area, establishing a small community, which eventually became Seattle, being named after a Duwamish Indian leader named Sealth. Instead of being chosen as the state’s capital, this city was picked to be the home of the state’s university, the University of Washington, which was established in the year 1861.[14]
Washington was eventually given statehood in the year 1889, becoming the 42nd state in the United States. The industry in the state was first mainly logging, but, as mentioned above, it evolved through many different industries, each helping the city grow larger and more populated. By the 1960’s the population of Seattle was over 500,000, with the state of Washington having a population of about 2.85 million.[3] Today it is still in the lumber industry, being one of the leading lumber producers in the country, but it is also in the technology and manufacturing industries. Some of the most well-known companies that can be found in the state, and that started in the state, are Amazon, Microsoft, Boeing, Nordstrum, Costco, and Starbucks.[15]
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