The US GenWeb Archives provide genealogical and historical data to the general public without fee or charge of any kind. It is intended that this material not be used in a commercial manner. Submitted by Cherie Kuranko July 8, 1997. Both above notices must remain when copied or downloaded. woodhopper@earthlink.net Chronology of Washington History to 1941 1579 Francis Drake sails to the Pacific Northwest coast, naming the region New Albion (New England). 1592 Apostolos Valerianos (Juan de Fuca) is alleged to have found a strait. 1774 Juan Perez sails along the coast; he sights a mountain (Olympus), which he names Sierra de Santa Rosalia. 1775 Bruno Heceta and Juan de Bodega y Quadra land on Washington coast (near the present Point Grenville) and take posses- sion for Spain. 1778 Captain James Cook, on his last voyage, names Cape Flattery, misses discovery of the Strait near by, and makes survey from forty-fourth to seventieth parallel. 1787 Captain Charles W. Barkley finds strait northeast of Cape Flattery and "re-names" it Juan de Fuca, after its legendary discoverer. 1788 Captain John Meares explores Juan de Fuca Strait, re-names Mount Olympus, and, missing the River of the West, names Cape Disappointment. 1789 Estevan Martinez, Spaniard, confiscates British ships at Nootka Sound. 1790 Manuel Quimper, Spanish seaman, explores as far as San Juan Islands, and takes formal possession at Neah Bay. 1791 Francisco de Eliza, from a temporary base at Discovery Bay, sends small boats as far as Bellingham Bay. 1792 Captain Robert Gray discovers and names Bulfinch (Gray's) Har- bor; he discovers and names the Columbia River, anchoring on the north side, trading for furs. Captain George Vancouver, here to negotiate with Bodega y Quad- ra a settlement between England and Spain, explores Admiralty Inlet and Puget Sound; and, at a point near Everett, takes possesion for George III of England, re-naming New Albion New George, Lieutenant Broughton, under Vancouver's orders, ascends the Columbia River to Point Vancouver. 1794 Spain makes restitution for property seized by Martinez at Nootka Sound. 1803 United States purchases Louisiana Territory, increasing interest in the Oregon country. 1805 Lewis and Clark reach mouth of the Columbia River and return - to St. Louis. This exploration gives the United States 1806 further claim to the Oregon country. 1810 North West Fur Company establishes Spokane House (nine miles northwest of Spokane), the first white settlement within limits of the present State. 1811 Astoria, in present Oregon, is founded by John Jacob Astor's Pacific Fur Company. David Thompson reaches mouth of Columbia River, after explor- ing from Kettle Falls to the mouth of the Snake River, and claims all land north of the Snake River for England. Fort Okanogan is established by agents of the Pacific Fur Company. 1812 Fort Spokane is established by the Pacific Fur Company, near Spokane House, to compete with the North West Company. 1813 The North West Company, taking advantage of the War of 1812, purchases all of the property of the Pacific Fur Company in the valley of the Columbia. 1818 Fort Nez Perce (Fort Walla Walla) is built by the North West Company. Joint occupancy of Oregon country by Americans and British is established by a convention to cover ten years. 1819 The Florida treaty with Spain gives the United States any and all rights claimed by Spain to the Oregon country. 1821 The North West Company and the Hudson's Bay Company amalgamate under the name of the latter. 1825 Hudson's Bay Company establishes Fort Vancouver on north bank of Columbia. 1826 Fort Colvile is built by Hudson's Bay Company; Spokane House is abandoned. 1827 A renewal of the convention with Great Britain continues joint occupancy indefinitely; one year's notice is required to modify the pact. 1832 Captain Bonneville arrives overland at Fort Vancouver, but is unable to purchase goods to compete with Hudson's Bay Comp- any. Nathaniel Wyeth arrives at Fort Vancouver, but his busi- ness enterprises are temporarily halted by Dr. John McLoughlin of Hudson's Bay Company. First school at Fort Vancouver is taught by John Ball. 1833 Fort Nesqually, first trading post on Puget Sound, is estab- lished by Archibald McDonald. 1835 Lieutenant William Slacum of the United States Army arrives on the Columbia, to report on conditions of trade and population. 1836 Marcus Whitman and H.H. Spalding, missionaries, arrive with their wives, first American women in Oregon country. Whit- man establishes a mission at Waiilatpu near Fort Walla Walla. 1838 The Walker-Eells Protestant mission to the Spokane is begun. Fathers Blanchet and Demers arrive at Fort Vancouver by way of the Columbia from Canada. 1839 A Roman Catholic mission is established at Cowlitz Landing. A Methodist mission is established at Fort Nesqually. 1840 A Catholic mission is established on Whidbey Island. 1841 The Wilkes Expedition arrives at Fort Nesqually. The main field of exploration is Puget Sound, but small parties go to Fort vancouver, Gray's Harbor, and Shoalwater Bay (Willapa Harbor). 1843 Influx of immigrants assumes large proportions. Oregon Provisional Government forms at Champoeg. 1844 Boundary slogan, "Fifty-four-forty or fight," is prominent in the Presidential campaign. 1845 Lieutenants Warre and Vavasour of the British Army arrive incognito on the Columbia, to survey the territory, in view of a possible war with the United States. 1845 Michael T. Simmons and his party, first American settlers in the Puget Sound region, reach Tumwater. 1846 United States-Canadian boundary is fixed at 49 N.; Hudson's Bay Company plans to move headquarters to site of Victoria on Vancouver Island. Settlement begins at site of Olympia. 1847 A band of Cayuse Indians at Waiilatpu kill Dr. and Mrs. Whit- man and eleven others at the mission. First American sawmill erected at Tumwater by Michael Simmons. 1848 Oregon Territory, including all of present Washington, is created. 1849 Fort Steilacoom is established by the United States Army, because Snoqualmie Indians have attacked Squally Indians at Fort Nesqually. 1850 The Donation Land Claim Law is passed by Congress. Population: 1,201 1851 Schooner "Exact" brings members of Denny pioneer party to Alki Point (now Seattle). The Cowlitz Convention memorializes Congress to create the region north of the Columbia a separate Territory to be named Columbia. 1852 Cowlitz convention meets and again petitions Congress for the Territory of Columbia. First settlers come to Bellingham Bay. Nicholas DeLin set- tles on Commencement Bay, at site of Tacoma. Claims are staked on Seattle metropolitan site by Denny, Boren, and Bell. First Washington newspaper, the "Columbian" is printed in Olympia; it strongly advocates the new Territory. 1853 Washington Territory is created. First northern-route trans- continental-railroad survey is begun, under Isaac I. Stevens. Population: 3,965 1854 First Federal Court session in Washington Territory convenes; first legislature meets and provids for University; Congress makes grant of two townships. December 26, Medicine Creek Treaty is concluded, first with Indians of Puget Sound Basin. Treaties are negotiated with Puget Sound and Juan de Fuca Strait tribes. 1855 Indian war is waged both east and west of the Cascades; Kilickitat Indians fail in an attack upon Seattle and later are severely defeated at Connell's Prairie. Eastern Wash- ington is closed to settlers and miners. 1857 Governor Stevens is elected to represent the Territory in Congress. Territorial charter is granted Northern Pacific Railroad. 1858 Lieutenant Colonel Steptoe is defeated near Rosalia. Colo- nel Wright defeats Indians at Spokane Plains and Four Lakes. Eastern Washington is opened to settlement. 1859 The Fraser River gold rush begins. San Juan Islands bound- ary controversy between England and United States becomes acute. The gold rush to eastern Washington Territory (especially the part now Idaho) begins. Indian treaties negotiated by Governor Stevens are ratified by Congress. 1860 Population: 11,594 Walla Walla becomes outfitting point for gold rush. 1861 The Territorial University is opened at Seattle, with Asa S. Mercer as teacher and president, and one student, Clarence Bagley, in the college department. 1863 Territory of Idaho is created from Washington Territory, establishing the present eastern boundary of the State. 1864 "Mercer Girls"--Civil War orphans and widows are brought to Seattle by Asa Mercer. They find husbands waiting. Completion of first transcontinental telegraph lines. 1866 Some 95 more "Mercer Girls" arrive. 1867 The legislature memorializes Congress to admit Washington to statehood. Alaska, "the Great Country," is purchased from Russia. 1869 United States settles the Hudson's Bay Company's claim for property in the Territory. 1870 The first bank in the Territory is established at Walla Walla by Dorsey S. Baker. Work is begun on the Northern Pacific Railroad, from Kalama on the Columbia northward to Puget Sound. Population: 23,355. 1871 The San Juan Islands boundary dispute with Great Britain is submitted to arbitration. 1872 Settlement of Spokane Falls is begun. The San Juan dispute is settled; the award, by Emperor Wil- helm I of Germany, is in accord with the United States con- tention. Dr. Dorsey S. Baker begins to build his railroad from Walla Walla to Wallula, on the Columbia. 1873 Northern Pacific Railroad from Kalama reaches Tacoma, which has won the coveted terminal. 1875 The railroad from Walla Walla to Wallula is completed. 1876 The Territory votes to hold a constitutional convention and again apply for admission as a State. The proposed State con- stitution is adopted, but Congress fails to respond. 1880 Population: 75,116. 1881 The transcontinental line of the Northern Pacific is completed to Spokane Falls. 1883 Railroad connections between Puget Sound and the East are established via the Columbia River route. 1885 Anti-Chinese riots occur in Issaquah, Coal Crek, Black Dia- mond, and Tacoma. 1886 Anti-Chinese riots occur in Seattle. 1887 The Northern Pacific reaches Tacoma, via switchbacks at the summit of the Cascades. 1888 The Stampede Tunnel is opened, thus eliminating the switch- backs. 1889 The enabling act passes Congress and is signed on February 22. The Constitutional Convention assembles at Olympia on July 4. The constitution is adopted October 1. November 11, Washing- ton is proclaimed a state by President Harrison. 1890 Population: 337,232. 1891 Puget Sound Navy Yard is voted by Congress and located at Bremerton. Washington Agricultural College, Experiment Station, and School of Science (later The State College of Washington, now Washing- ton State University) is opened at Pullman. 1893 Great Northern Railroad reaches Seattle, having passed up the new city of Everett as terminus. 1895 The University of Washington is moved to its present location. The Barefoot Schoolboy Law is enacted, laying the basis for Washington's common-school system. 1896 Trans-Pacific steamship service is inaugurated by Nipon Yusen Kaisya. 1897 Gold rush to the Klondike begins. 1898 Washington contributes 1,332 men for the Spanish-American War. 1899 March 2. Mount Rainier National Park is created. 1900 Population: 518,103. 1901 State Bureau of Labor is created. 1902 Federal Reclamation Act is passed by Congress; projects are begun in Okanogan and Yakima Counties. 1905 The State Railroad Commission, and the State Tax Commission are created. 1907 Direct primary law is passed. 1908 The North Bank railroad is built. 1909 Alaska-Yukon-Pacific Exposition opens in Seattle. Chicago, Milwaukee, St. Paul Railroad reaches western terminus at Tacoma. 1910 Woman suffrage is voted for the State. Population: 1,141,990. 1911 Workman's Compensation Act is passed. 1912 Initiative, referendum, and recall measures are enacted. 1914 State-wide prohibition law is approved by referendum vote, with one year to elapse before it becomes effective. 1916 First transcontinental telephone service is extended to Seattle. The opening of the Panama Canal helps trade with East Coast. 1917 Washington sets many records in shipbuilding. Pierce County donates land for Camp (Fort) Lewis. Lake Washington Ship Canal is opened. 1918 Armistice. Washington has 67,694 men and 632 women in war service. 1919 Columbia Basin Survey Comission is appointed. First State American Legion Post is established. November 11, an armed clash, fatal to several, occurs at Centralia, between marchers in Armistice Day parade and I.W.W. members. 1920 Sand Point Naval Air Base is dedicated. Foreign air-mail service begins between Seattle and Victoria. Population: 1,356,621. 1921 First airplane passenger service operates between Seattle and Vancouver, British Columbia. The Anti-alien Land Ownership Law is passed. 1922 The Columbia Basin Irrigation League is organized at Pasco. 1924 United States Army's "round-the-world" flight begins at Sand Point Naval Air Base; the journey of six months ends at Sand Point in September. 1928 Capitol Building at Olympia is completed. 1930 August. Olympic Loop highway is completed. Population: 1,563,396. 1933 Work starts at Bonneville Dam. Contracts are let on Grand Coulee Dam. 1934 State Liquor Law is passed, and control board is established. General maritime strike centers in Seattle. 1936 Seattle Post-Intelligencer suspends publication because of Newspaper Guild strike. November 30. Guild strike ends, and Post-Intelligencer re- sumes publication. 1937 State Department of Social Security is established. 1938 January 29, President Roosevelt signs bill to create Olympic National Park. May 31, Boeing Pan-American Airways launches its 74-pass- enger clipper. 1939 The State celebrates Golden Jubilee, its fiftieth year of statehood. 1940 Population: 1,736,191. 1941 Grand Coulee Dam, on the Columbia River, is completed.