133 years ago on Nov. 18, 1889, hundreds gathered at the portico of the Capitol in Olympia to celebrate Washington’s newly acquired statehood and to view the inauguration of the state’s first governor, Elisha P. Ferry.
More than 3,000 Washingtonians celebrated their new statehood that day, marching in parades and celebrating by “shooting off Roman candles” in the capital city.
One week earlier, President Benjamin Harrison signed the bill admitting Washington to the United States.
Photo and Article courtesy of the Washington State Archives Newsletter Out of the Archives.
The fourth annual Halloween haunted tour will take you on a spooky trek through the dark stacks in the underbelly of the Archives Building. We’ve brought some infamous Washingtonians back from the dead to tell their stories, and you don’t want to miss it!
This is a photo of a Japanese drill team during a performance at Expo ’70, the Osaka World’s Fair.
Our little tribute to health care workers is a 1930s picture of 
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.”
With consideration for the safety of the public and our staff, all branches and facilities of the 
“Success is empty if you arrive at the finish line alone. The best reward is to get there surrounded by winners.”
