Washington Counties, oh how they have changed!
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On November 11th, 1889 Washington was declared the forty-second state by President Benjamin Harrison.
Well, it’s 124 years later and oh so much has happened in our beautiful Evergreen State! The construction of the Grand Coulee Dam, eruption of Mount Saint Helens, creation and expansion of numerous world famous companies, the legalization of marijuana and marriage equality, to name a few.
Photographs of Washington in 1889 provide clear evidence of the change our state has gone through in the past century. Maps, like this one of Washington at statehood illustrate the ways in which, geographically, our state has changed.
To begin, take a look at the upper eastern corner of the map. The counties now known as Ferry, Stevens and Pend Oreille were once one giant county known as Stevens. Wow!
What is now Benton County was a part of Yakima County and Grant was that of Douglas, Kittitas also encompassed what is now known as Chelan County.
Aside from all the shape-shifting and dividing, Clark County, named after William Clark of the duo Lewis and Clark, was spelled Clarke with an added ‘e’. And Grays Harbor, though geographically the same, was named Chehalis when Washington became a state.
The map is a great resource for geographers and Washington State enthusiasts. Take a look for yourself!
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Secretary of State
Steve Hobbs
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