Washington - School-Age
Washington
42nd State (November 11, 1889), the northwest U.S.
State Abbreviation: WA
Capital: Olympia
Origin of name: Named in honor of George Washington, the 1st President of the U.S.A. The only state to be named after a President.
Motto: Al-ki or Alki, a Chinook Indian word meaning "bye and bye" or "hope for the future."
Nickname: The Evergreen State, The Chinook State
Washington State Symbols
Washington: State Seal
Bird: American Goldfinch
Dance: Square Dance
Endemic Mammal: Olympic Marmot
Fish: Steelhead TroutFlower: Coast Rhododendron
Fossil: Columbian Mammoth
Fruit: Apple
Gem: Petrified Wood
Grass: Bluebunch Wheatgrass
Insect: Green Darner Dragonfly
Marine Mammal: Orca
Ship: Lady Washington
Song: "Washington My Home"
Folk Song: "Roll On, Columbia, Roll On"
Tree: Western Hemlock
Vegetable: Walla Walla sweet onion
Flag of the State of Washington
The Washington state flag is the only state flag on a field of green and the only state flag with an image of an actual person.
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Things to Know
United States Senators from Washington.
In 1805 the Corps of Discovery expedition (Lewis and Clark) paddled down the Snake and Columbia rivers entering what is today the state of Washington
In 1853, the Washington Territory was formed from part of the Oregon Territory.
Washington is home to Boeing, the world's largest aircraft maker
Washington is home to many internet companies, Amazon's headquarters is in Seattle. The coffee chain Starbucks was founded in Seattle.
Microsoft Corporation is located in Redmond, Washington.
Washington ranks first in the nation in production of red raspberries, hops, apples, sweet cherries, and pears.
A Look at Washington Agriculture
Bodies of Water: Pacific Ocean, Puget Sound
Cascade Range
The Cascade Range is a major mountain range of western North America running from Canada‘s British Columbia through the U.S.A. states of Washington and Oregon to Northern California. The Cascade Range isknown for its volcanoes and evergreen forests.
Map of the Cascade Range showing major volcanic peaks
The highest point in Washington is Mount Rainier at 14,410 feet (4,392 m), it is highest peak in the Cascade Range. It is a volcano covered in glacial ice (an extended mass of ice formed from snow falling and accumulating over the years). Mount Rainier is an active volcano currently at rest between eruptions and it is considered one of the most dangerous volcanoes in the U.S.A.
Mount St. Helens in Washington is the most active volcano in the Cascade Range. Its most recent series of eruptions began in 1980.
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Space Needle
The Space Needle is an observation tower in Seattle, Washington. It is a symbol of Seattle, a major symbol of the Pacific Northwest, and a recognizable structure worldwide. It is 605 feet (184 m) high. The Space Needle was built for the 1962 World's Fair. Explore the Space Needle online.
Famous Washingtonians
William Boeing, aircraft manufacturer (founded the Boeing Aircraft company).
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