Statehood 1889

Washington

The area that is now Washington was initially subject to Spanish claims via the Nootka Territory (1789–1795), followed by joint British and American occupation of Oregon Country formalized by the Treaty of 1818. The Oregon Treaty of 1846 resolved the dispute by setting the boundary at the 49th parallel, bringing the region fully under American sovereignty as part of Oregon Territory. Washington was separated from Oregon Territory as Washington Territory on March 2, 1853, and was admitted to the Union as the 42nd state on November 11, 1889.

Statehood
1889
Historic sites
1,681
Military engagements
147

Pre-contact era

Washington has thousands of years of Native American history before Europeans arrived and began to establish territorial claims. Throughout the colonial period, the Oregon Country was inhabited by numerous independent American Indian peoples, who received no recognition by the British or American governments in the eventual disposition of the territory. Indian traders played a critical role in the ongoing fur trade, and the Chinook jargon of the lower Columbia river formed the lingua franca between Indians and the small European population.

Colonial history

Spanish claim was part of the broader Oregon Country region, which was also claimed by other nations; the extent and effectiveness of Spanish control was limited.

Oregon Country was jointly occupied by Britain and the United States from 1818 to 1846. The British used the name 'Columbia District' for the region. British and French Canadian fur traders had entered Oregon Country prior to 1810. The Hudson's Bay Company's Columbia Department comprised most of the Oregon Country.

The United States jointly occupied Oregon Country with Britain from 1818 to 1846. Its coastal areas north of the Columbia River were frequented by ships from all nations, with many vessels between the 1790s and 1810s coming from Boston.

The region was part of Oregon Territory from 1848 to 1853, after which it was separated and established as Washington Territory. Washington Territory existed from March 2, 1853, until November 11, 1889.

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Explore Washington records

1,681
National Register historic sites
National Register listings ›
147
Military engagements
Military history records ›
32
Indigenous groups
Heritage records ›
8
Notable figures
Born in Washington ›
10
Colonial-era events
1492 to early statehood ›
Washington counties
Census population history ›
Sources

State history content adapted from Wikipedia under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License. Historic sites data: National Register of Historic Places, National Park Service (public domain).

About Washington

When did Washington become a state?
Washington was admitted to the Union in 1889.
What European powers colonized Washington?
The territory that became Washington passed through several colonial periods. Spanish claim was part of the broader Oregon Country region, which was also claimed by other nations; the extent and effectiveness of Spanish control was limited. Oregon Country was jointly occupied by Britain and the United States from 1818 to 1846. The British used the name 'Columbia District' for the region. British and French Canadian fur traders had entered Oregon Country prior to 1810. The H
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