Last updated on June 23rd, 2024
55. Washington is one of the thirty six states to legalize same-sex marriage.
56. San Juan County banned most Styrofoam food containers in 2010 to protect the environment from contaminants. In 2016, all single-use plastic bags were also banned.
57. A law was passed in 1969 in Skamania County, Washington, to make it illegal to kill Bigfoot. You could easily face jail time of a year or longer and a $1,000 fine.
58. San Juan County is the first in the US to ban Jet Skis and personal watercraft. Its use on and around the Island was banned in 1996.
59. Three dads invented pickle ball in 1965 on Bainbridge Island outside Seattle. These three guys to thank for its invention are Barney McCallum, Joel Pritchard, and Bill Bell.
60. Modern Bike Policing started in Seattle, Washington, in 1987. Paul Gaudy, a police sergeant and avid mountain biker, found it easier to patrol on a bike.
61. The first Lunar Roving Vehicle was built at the Boeing facilities in Huntsville, Washington, in 1971. The testing was done at Kent, Washington.
62. For musicians, this may also come as a surprise that Bass guitar concept and manufacturing came initially from Washington in the early 1930s. Paul Tutmarc of Seattle, Washington, developed the first electric bass guitar in its modern form.
63. Bands like Pearl Jam and Nirvana started Grunge Rock, which grew from the Seattle Punk scene in the 1980s. It is a unique rock music style.
64. Tacoma has the world’s largest totem pole. It is 105 feet high and was carved from a single cedar by Indian sculptor brought from Alaska.
65. One of the world’s largest expos, known as World’s Fair was held in Spokane, Washington State, in 1974, making it the smallest town to host it.
66. The largest ferry fleet in the US is operated by Washington State Ferries. The fleet carries more than 20 million passengers to 20 different ports.
67. A cold storage warehouse in Richmond, Washington, is the largest freezer in the world. More than 350 million pounds of frozen food can be stored in the building.
68. The aircraft factory (Boeing Everett Factory) in Everett is the largest factory in the world. The factory has an estimated surface area of 398,000 m² (98.3 acres).
69. The largest hydroelectric plant in the US is at the Grand Coulee Dam on the Columbia River. It produces about 6800 MW of electricity.
70. On the list of top ten tallest waterfalls in the US, four of them are in Washington State. Colonial Creek Falls in North Cascades National Park, Washington, is at the fourth spot.
71. Washington State has the longest floating bridge in the world.
72. The oldest blueberry farm, Bow Hill Blueberries, is where they make the best cold-pressed blueberry juice. If you are in the area again, get some pure organic blueberry juice.
73. In 1996, a 9,000-year-old skeleton was found in Kennewick. It is one of the most complete prehistoric skeletons ever found. The skeleton was found to be genetically linked to modern-day Native Americans.
74. The place sure has its fair share of UFO sightings; according to statistics, Washington is one place in the world where people report the most UFO sightings.
75. Many people reported voices coming from the Cascade Tunnel about 60 miles east of Seattle. They believe it is haunted because of the 96 people who lost their lives there.
76. Seattle, Washington State, is the city with the most educated adults in the US. According to the Census, more than 62 percent have a college degree. Students of Washington will find plenty of places to study with the many universities, colleges, and career schools. There are more than 300 independent facilities in this state.
77. The largest three-on-three outdoor basketball tournament in the world is hosted by Spokane, Washington. More than 6,000 teams participate on about 450 courts at the Spokane Hoopfest.
78. Washington State is home to no less than six major league teams. These teams are from different sports types, such as baseball, hockey, and soccer.
79. Fifty years after the Codger Bowl, a rematch was played at Colfax High, Washington State because the losers could not accept their defeat in the first game in 1938.
80. A northwest coast Indian mask inspired the Seattle SeaHawks logo. The Kwakwaka’wakw eagle mask was found in an art book by the designers.
81. The rainy town of Forks in Washington State is where The Twilight Saga from Stephany Meyer’s books happens. The town has become quite popular because of the series of books.
82. Molten Chocolate cake or molten lava cake is a dessert loved by people in Seattle, Washington State. It is a signature dessert with different toppings.
83. A favorite seafood dish in Washington State is smoked sockeye salmon. It is caught around Lummi Island during the early stages of spawning season.
About the Flag of Washington
1. Design and Symbolism
The flag of Washington honors its namesake, George Washington. He was a commander of the Continental Army during the American Revolutionary War and the first president of the United States.
The simple flag design features the state seal on a dark green background that represents the verdant fields of Western Washington. Meanwhile, the gold border represents the wheat areas of Eastern Washington.
Within the seal is a portrait of George Washington, while the border contains the text, “The Seal of the State of Washington.” The date of admission to the Union, “1889,” appears at the bottom.
2. Adoption
Washington adopted the flag on March 5, 1923, and standardized it in 1967.
3. Technical Details
The flag has a proportion of 5:8. The state seal diameter must be one-third of the flag length. Place it at the center of the green field.
The colors follow the Pantone Matching System and the Standard Color Reference of America. The background is Irish Green (PMS 348), the border is Spanish Yellow (PMS 116), the letters are Black (PMS Process Black), the interior is Oriental Blue (PMS 311), and the president’s face is Eggshell (PMS 169).
4. History
In 1889, Washington adopted the state seal during a constitutional convention. The original concept was a scene from Mount Rainier, but the jeweler Charles Talcott proposed a design featuring the former president.
The state did not have an official flag for several years. Various military flags served as alternatives across the state and in engagements overseas. Some had a gold profile of George Washington on blue bunting, while others had a gold seal on a green background.
In 1913, Rep. William Hughes pushed for a state flag through a commission led by the governor, adjutant general, and secretary of state. Gov. Ernest Lister supported the idea, but patriotic groups opposed it, saying this would be detrimental to the US flag.
In 1914, the national office of the Daughters of the American Revolution (DAR) asked the Washington chapter to send them a state flag for an exhibit. They formed a design committee led by Emma Chadwick, the wife of a Washington Supreme Court Justice.
In 1915, DAR came up with a flag featuring the state seal on a green field. Manufacturing the original flag cost them $48 – roughly $1,300 when adjusted to 2021 values. The group lobbied for the flag’s adoption in the following years.
In 1923, the Senate and the House of Representatives passed the flag bill to the delight of DAR. Washington was one of the last four states to adopt a state flag. Willis Bloom, who worked under the Secretary of State, took care of the manufacturing.
5. Flag Revisions
In 1925, the state legislature changed the fringe color from green to gold to match the seal. The governor used the first flag with this design in 1927 while touring Fort Lewis.
In 1955, the Secretary of State issued standard colors for the flag. It reduced confusion and ensured uniformity across all state flags.
In 1967, the seal underwent a redesign under Dick Nelms. He used a more recognizable George Washington portrait by Gilbert Stuart. The flag reflected the change soon after.
6. Flag Facts
The flag of Washington is the only US state flag with a green background and an identifiable figure from history.
Charles Talcott made the most of what he had to design the seal. He used an ink bottle and silver dollar to draw the rings, then pasted a postage stamp in the middle for the picture of George Washington. His brothers helped him with the lettering and the cutting of the printing dye.
Washington – Quick facts and state symbols
| State Abbreviation | WA |
|---|---|
| State Capital | Olympia |
| Largest City | Seattle |
| State Size | Total (Land + Water): 71,300 sq miles; Land Only: 66,544 sq miles |
| Population | 7,812,880 (Estimate July 1, 2023 from United States Census Bureau) |
| Statehood | November 11, 1889 |
| State rank by population | 13th |
| State rank by date of formation | 42nd |
| State rank by area | 18th |
| Number of Counties | 39 |
| Demonym | Washingtonian |
| Bordering States | Idaho, Oregon |
| Official Language | None |
| Highest Point | Mount Rainier 14,411 ft (4,392 m) |
| Lowest point | Pacific Ocean Sea level |
| Length | 240 miles (400 km) |
| Width | 360 miles (580 km) |
| National Parks | Mount Rainier National Park North Cascades National Park Olympic National Park |
| Governor | Jay Inslee (D) |
| Lieutenant Governor | Denny Heck (D) |
| Electoral Votes | 12 |
| State Motto | Al-ki (By and by) |
| State Nickname | Evergreen State |
| % Water | 6.6 |
| Nobel Prize Winners | George J. Stigler (Economic Sciences, 1982) George H. Hitchings (Physiology or Medicine, 1988) Robert E. Lucas Jr. (Economic Sciences, 1995) Douglas D. Osheroff (Physics, 1996) Linda B. Buck (Physiology or Medicine, 2004) |
| Famous People | Jonathan Ogden (Pro Football Player) Ron Santo (Baseball Player) John Stockton (Basketball Player) Erika Christensen (Actress) Jennifer Warnes (Singer) |
| Dance | Square dance |
| State Song | "Washington, My Home" |
| State Flag |
|
| State seal |
|
| State Bird | American goldfinch
|
| Endemic mammal | Olympic marmot
|
| State Flower | Pacific rhododendron |
| State Oyster | Ostrea lurida |
| Gem | Petrified Wood
|
| State Ship | The Lady Washington |
| State Fossil | Columbian Mammoth |
| State Marine Mammal | Orca
|
| State Tree | Western hemlock
|
| State Fish | Steelhead Trout |
| State Insect | Green darner dragonfly
|
| State Grass | Bluebunch wheatgrass
|
| State Amphibian | Pacific chorus frog
|
| State Fruit | Apple
|
| Longitude | 116° 55′ W to 124° 46′ W |
| Latitude | 45° 33′ N to 49° N |
| Time Zone | Pacific Time Zone |
| Website | access.wa.gov |
| Area Codes | 206, 253, 360, 425, 509, 564 |
| Table last updated | June 27, 2024 |
