Interesting Facts about Washington State: 10 Facts about The Evergreen State

Washington is one of the western states of the United States in the Pacific Northwest region. Its official name is the State of Washington and often referred to as Washington state to distinguish it from Washington DC, the capital of the United States. Washington is bordered by 2 other states, a Canadian province and the Pacific Ocean: The Canadian province of British Columbia to the north, State of Idaho to the east, State of Oregon to the south and the Pacific Ocean to the west. The Evergreen State is the nickname of Washington as its forests are full of evergreen trees and abundances of rain are able to keep the shrubbery and grasses of the state green throughout the year. Do you want to know more about interesting Washington facts? In this article we will discuss 10 interesting facts about Washington State.

1. Washington is the Only State of the United States Named after a President

The State of Washington is the only U.S. state named after a President. Before statehood, Washington was Washington Territory. It was created from the portion of the Oregon Territory. Washington Territory was named after President George Washington in 1853 by an act of the United States Congress. Washington Territory was admitted as the 42nd state of the Union on November 11, 1889.

Flag of Washington
Flag of Washington

2. Olympia is the Capital City of Washington and Seattle is the Largest

The capital city of Washington is Olympia while Seattle is the largest city in the State of Washington as well as in the Pacific Northwest region of North America. Seattle Metropolitan Area is also the largest metropolitan area in Washington and the 15th largest in the United States. More than half of the population of Washington are Seattle Metropolitan Area residents.

Washington state capitol in Olympia
Washington state capitol in Olympia

3. Washington is the Largest Apple Producing State of the United States

Over the half of apple produced in the United States comes from Washington. It makes Washington the largest producing state of apple in the United States. Apple also becomes the state fruit of Washington. Washington is also the top producing state of hops (the flowers of Humulus lupulus plants) that are primarily used for brewing. Washington also produces more blueberries than any other state in the United States.

Apple plantation
Apple plantation

4. Washington Has the Second Most Wineries in the United States

Behind California, Washington has most wineries in the United States. There are more than 1,000 wineries in Washington while there are also many vineyards and tasting rooms in this state. Washington is also the second behind California when it comes to grape production that also explains why Washington is the second in total wine production.

Wine barrel
Wine barrel

5. Washington is the Largest Hydropower Producing States in the United States

Washington produces more hydropower than any other state in the United States. The second largest producing state, Oregon, produces no more than half of the hydropower produced by Washington. There are a number of dams that are used to produce hydropower in Washington. The largest one is Grand Coulee Dam. Grand Coulee is also the largest electrical generating facilities in the United States by installed capacity.

Grand Coulee Dam
Grand Coulee Dam

6. Washington State is One of the States that Doesn’t Levy a Personal Income Tax

There are nine states that don’t levy a personal income tax and Washington is one of them. The other states are: Alaska, Florida, Nevada, New Hampshire, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, and Wyoming. Washington state also doesn’t collect a corporate income tax or franchise tax. Although there is no personal income tax in Washington, it is not actually a tax haven since the sales tax of Washington State is one of the highest in the United States.

Pike Place Market Seattle
Pike Place Market, Seattle

7. Washington State is the State with the Most Glaciers in the Contiguous United States

Without any doubt, Alaska has more glaciers than any other states in the United States. But when we talk about contiguous United States, Washington state is the state that has the most glaciers. There are more than 3000 glaciers in Washington with a total area of more than 400 km2. Emmons Glacier on the northeast flank of Mount Rainier is the largest glacier in Washington as well as in the contiguous United States.

Emmons Glacier
Emmons Glacier

8. Mount Rainier is the Highest Natural Point of Washington State

With 14,417 ft (4,394 m) elevation, Mount Rainier is the highest natural point of Washington State. Mount Rainier is also the most topographically prominent mountain in the contiguous United States. It’s a large active stratovolcano located in Mount Rainier National Park. Mount Rainier is considered as one of the most dangerous volcanoes in the world that is listed on the Decade Volcano list.

Mount Rainier
Mount Rainier

9. The Willow Goldfinch is the State Bird of Washington State

In 1951, The willow goldfinch (Spinus tristis) was designated as the official state bird of Washington State. The willow goldfinch, also called the American goldfinch, is small North American migratory bird that can be found from mid-Alberta to North Carolina during the breeding season and from south of the Canada–United States border to Mexico during the winter. The willow goldfinch is also the state bird of Iowa and New Jersey, which are called the eastern goldfinch.

Willow goldfinch
Willow goldfinch (American goldfinch)

10. The State Flower of Washington State is The Coast Rhododendron

The coast rhododendron (Rhododendron macrophyllum) was designated as the state flower of Washington state in 1959 although it was actually selected by Washington women in 1892. The coast rhododendron is a shrub species native to the Pacific Coast of North America that can grow up to 2–9 m (7–30 ft) tall. It has a 2.8–4 cm (1.1–1.6 in) long flower with pink color, although other variants exist.

Coast rhododendron
Coast rhododendron

There are many interesting facts about Washington state besides those 10 facts that we have talked about above. So, if you want to share other interesting facts with us here it’s surely welcome.

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