Celebrate Washington State's Birthday

On November 11, 1889, Washington State was admitted to the Union by Presidential proclamation, concluding with:



How might you celebrate our State's birthday? You might take a virtual tour through materials describing life, law, and government in Washington Territory.

HistoryLink.org, Washington State's online history encyclopedia, is a great place to start. Milestones in Washington history is a guided tour through significant events in the State's history. Or just browse the FAQ page for a quick review.

Check out the territorial timeline provided by the Secretary of State's office. Washington's Digital Archives displays images of its Top 10 Treasures, including

• returns from the Territory's first election in 1854
• the first case heard by the territorial Supreme Court and
  
• the 1889 telegram from the U.S. Secretary of State to the territorial Governor announcing the Presidential proclamation on statehood.

For information on the legal sources produced by the territorial government, consult Washington Territorial Legal Materials, in 2 Prestatehood Legal Materials: A Fifty-State Research Guide 1323 (2005). KF240.P688 2005 at Reference Office.

Or, perhaps like the co-author of that chapter and writer of this blog post, you will enjoy having the day off because coincidentally, Nov. 11 is your birthday!

As a child I was impressed by the parades that took place in my honor. It was only later that I understood that I shared my special day with a national holiday. I loved watching the men in uniforms ride big, beautiful horses--finally the phrase "veterinarians' day" made sense!

Still later, I got my facts straight--veterans were being honored for their military service. My accomplishments and those of the thousands of animal doctors around the county pale in comparison.

So celebrate Nov. 11 for any and/or all of these occasions!