Washington Territory

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The Washington Territory was a historic organized territory of the United States that was formed in February 8, 1853 from the portion of the Oregon Territory north of the lower Columbia River and north of the 46th parallel east of the Columbia. A first draft of the bill named the area "Columbia Territory," but the name honoring George Washington was proposed by Congressman Richard H. Stanton of Kentucky.

The territorial capital was Olympia, and the territory's first governor was Isaac Stevens.

The original boundaries of the territory included all of the present day State of Washington, as well as northern Idaho and Montana west of the continental divide. Upon the admission of the State of Oregon to the union in 1859, the eastern portions of the Oregon Territory, including southern Idaho, portions of Wyoming west of the continental divide (then Nebraska Territory), and a small portion of present-day Ravalli County, Montana were annexed to the Washington Territory.

In 1863, the area of Washington Territory east of the Snake River and the 117th meridian was reorganized as part of the newly created Idaho Territory, leaving the territory within the current boundaries of the State of Washington, which was admitted to the Union on November 11, 1889 as the 42nd U.S. state.

ee also

* Historic regions of the United States
* List of Governors of Washington - "includes a list of Governors for the Territory as well"

External links

* [http://www.wsulibs.wsu.edu/holland/masc/PNWTimeline.htm WSU Timeline] of events leading to formation of State of Washington
* [http://www.washingtonhistory.org/wshs/columbia/articles/0388-a1.htm "COLUMBIA": Fall 1988; Vol. 2, No. 3, The Long Wait for Statehood, Why it took Washington 36 years and Idaho 26 years to achieve their goals.]