Well, Independence Day is here. Don’t miss Kingston’s grand July 4th parade and festivities. Everyone will be there.
The reason behind our festivities is, of course, related to America winning the Revolution against Britain. Sometimes, this part of history can seem far away from us in Washington state.
So what was going on in this area while the Revolution was happening, from 1775 to 1783?
First, Native Americans were here long, long before Europeans or Americans began claiming territories, we all know that. And it deserves its own column(s).
1774 brought our first documented Euro-American history with the Spanish expedition of Juan Perez along our coast. Four years later, we were brought to the attention of Great Britain by its explorer, Capt. James Cook, who opened up the first maritime fur trade in our area.
In 1792, British explorer George Vancouver mapped out Puget Sound (named for his second lieutenant Peter Puget) the same year American fur trader Robert Gray established American claims to the Columbia River (named for Gray’s ship).
The Pacific Northwest started out as “Oregon Country,” named by the Americans. Oregon’s name is thought to have been originated from the French term for hurricane, “ouragan,” for their description of the Columbia Gorge.
Other early American claims include the 1805 Lewis and Clark expedition down the Columbia to the Pacific, commissioned by President Thomas Jefferson; and the 1811 establishment of John Jacob Astor’s “Astoria,” founded by his American Fur Company.
From 1818 to 1846, a joint occupancy treaty was granted for the U.S. and Britain along the Columbia River. In 1824, Fort Vancouver was established by the British Hudson’s Bay Company, which became a significant power in the area through the 1830s, their intent being to maintain the territory north of the Columbia for Britain.
After 1840, large wagon trains began successfully bringing settlers via the Oregon Trail to the Oregon Country.
In 1844, “Fifty-four forty or fight” was used as a campaign slogan by James Polk, expansionist Democratic presidential candidate, to show he was behind getting the British out of the Oregon Country. The “Manifest Destiny” catchphrase was also used asserting the U.S. claim to all of the Oregon Country, from the 49th parallel up to Russian America’s southern border (later to become Alaska), parallel 54°40’ north.
After the Oregon Treaty of 1846 and President Polk’s 1848 signing of the act, the Oregon Territory was created, fixing the northern border at the 49th parallel, our present boundary. Included in the newly formed Oregon Territory were Oregon, Washington, Idaho and parts of Montana and Wyoming west of the continental divide.
Washington Territory was established in 1853 following President Millard Fillmore’s signing of the bill. It was formed after the Oregon Territory was divided and included at that time present-day Washington, northern Idaho and a bit of Montana. It later expanded to include all of Idaho and a western bit of Wyoming when Oregon became a state.
Washington Territory’s proposed name upon requesting to become a territory was “Territory of Columbia.” However that bill was amended in the House because of its similarity to the pre-existing “District of Columbia” (the formal name for the nation’s capital established in 1790) and the confusion it would bring. “Washington” was instead used to honor George Washington. First territorial governor Isaac Stevens designated Olympia as its capital.
Oregon was admitted to the Union in 1859 as the 33rd state.
Gold was discovered in present-day northern Idaho, bringing more settlers into that area. Since Olympia was too far from the action, Idaho Territory was formed in 1863, establishing Washington’s new eastern border.
Washington became the 42nd state of the United States in 1889, the only state to be named after a president.
— Marylin Olds is an opinion columnist. Comments are welcome at marylin.olds@gmail.com.
