Asian Pacific American heritage photo challenge This is a photo of a Japanese drill team during a performance at Expo ’70, the Osaka World’s Fair. Tell us the connection between the fair and Washington state. The more information you can give, the better.

Health care workers challenge results Our little tribute to health care workers is a 1930s picture of Valley View Hospital in Colville. The building was repurposed a number of times to facilitate a variety of health care services between the 1960s and ’80s until it was eventually demolished.

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See last month’s challenge

Hudson’s Bay Company sent Hawaiians to work in Washington Territory

by Dr. Jewell Lorenz-Dunn, Olympia Branch Researcher The Hudson’s Bay Company (HBC) posts in Oregon Territory, Washington Territory, Alaska, and Canada provided animal furs, salmon, and lumber to go east for trade. Fort Steilacoom was established in the Puget Sound area as a military post on the company’s property in August of 1849. Fort Vancouver was originally a Hudson’s Bay post, established early, in 1824 or 1825, and operated under several other titles. Fort Vancouver was transitioned to military barracks around 1849, and the company transferred out of the fort around 1860. The Hudson’s Bay Company was predominately made up of French employees with Native American wives until 1829, when the Hudson’s Bay Company added a port stop in Hawaii (called the Sandwich Islands by Americans at the time). This created HBC jobs for many Hawaiians that enabled them to find their way to the Pacific Northwest. It’s estimated there were anywhere from 50 to 400 Hawaiians employed by Hudson’s Bay Company between 1829 and 1861, but no exact numbers can be verified. Many of the Hawaiian employees… keep reading 

Archives provided research materials for Mount St. Helens book

State Archives gives out special awards to History Day students

National History Day is a program that encourages students in grades 6-12 to learn how to be an historian. In Washington, the program is headed up by the Washington Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction, in partnership with the Washington State Historical Society and the State Archives, as well as other supporting organizations. Virtual judging took place from April 16 to May 1. Every year the Archives gives out the Washington State Archives History Awards. The special awards are for History Day projects that demonstrated exceptional use of archival research. The 2020 recipients of the Washington State Archives History Awards are:

JUNIOR DIVISION Kaitlin Medina and Andrew Hegewald “Seattle’s Hooverville: Where Nothing Created Something” Teacher: John Zingale, Vancouver iTech Preparatory SENIOR DIVISION Haley Van Meurs, Liana Moldavanu, and Isabelle Garrard “The Fight Against Segregated Seattle: How the Seattle Open Housing Campaign Broke Barriers of Inequality” Teachers: Alan Plummer and Corey Martin, Inglemoor High School

Ruralite Magazine

OSOS remains closed to public

Who said that?

State Archives Central Regional Branch Intern Jordan Hughes gives a glimpse into the past with a look at the Kittitas edition of Ruralite Magazine. The publication was regionally distributed to rural areas all over the Western United States. It started in 1954 with “a spirit of public service and forward-looking sensibility.” Read Hughes’ full article here.

With consideration for the safety of the public and our staff, all branches and facilities of the Office of the Secretary of State remain closed to the public until at least May 31, in an effort to help prevent the spread of COVID-19. During the closure, the State Archives still allows state and local government agency staff to research records on an emergency basis only. Go here for more information.

“Success is empty if you arrive at the finish line alone. The best reward is to get there surrounded by winners.” Who said that? Hint: The man in the photo above has nothing to do with this quote. Last month’s quote is from Governor Arthur Langlie.

Out of the Archives, May 2020 banner photo: Model of the Washington State Pavilion. General Subjects Photograph Collection, 1845-2010, c. 1968.

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