How Washington Territory Got Its Name Is A Fascinating Story

One year after the 13 colonies declared independence from the British Empire, the Spanish explored the Pacific Northwest by sea in 1777. Soon after, Spanish, British, and American explorers arrived in what would eventually be known as the “Oregon Territory." Both the UK and the Americans laid claim to the area.

In 1818, the British and Americans agreed to occupy the vast region of Oregon Country jointly.

1848 - Oregon Territory officially became a reality

Simply put, this was a vast area.

The Oregon Territory bordered California to the south and ran north into modern-day British Columbia up to the 54th parallel. Settlers living north of the Columbia River felt that postal and transportation services were lacking and wanted to separate and form their own territory. 

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The Settler’s desire to break away was voiced in 1851 & 1852.

The primary reason for establishing the new territory was that the distance to the capital of Oregon Territory (Oregon City) was too far away to represent the citizens in what is now Washington. On August 29, 1851, the settlers met at Cowlitz Landing to discuss drafting a constitution. -WA State Archives

 

Names for the Proposed New Territory

Delegates at the 1851 convention initially came up with the Columbia Territory.

Oregon Territory’s Governor liked the idea. Congress disagreed.

In 1852, the Oregon Territory’s first Governor approved a new territory north of the Columbia River. The discussion in Congress wasn’t so warm on the name. It was mentioned that the Territory of Columbia could be confused with the District of Columbia. 

Who settled on the Name Washington?

Congress approved the new territory in March 1853, and President Fillmore named it Washington in honor of our first president. 

There’s some funny irony in not getting the new territory of Washington confused with the District of Columbia. DC’s boundaries of Georgetown merged with the city of Washington. 

Confusion still happened

In 1871, Washington became the namesake of the District of Columbia, known as Washington, D.C.

There has been confusion with our state and Washington, D.C., ever since. 

Another Name for the state of Washington was considered

There was a movement in the mid-1880s to name places in the Pacific Northwest after Native tribes. When Washington moved towards statehood in 1889, the name Tacoma, as in “the State of Tacoma,” was proposed.

Washington was officially admitted as the 42nd State of the Union in November 1889.