0211, 2020

The Whitman Massacre

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Marcus and Narcissa Whitman were Christian missionaries who left their homes in upstate New York and traveled with another missionary couple, Henry and Eliza Spalding, to what was then called Oregon Country in 1836. Their mission? To “Christianize” Indians. In fact, Oregon wasn’t even a territory yet. The United States government didn’t have any programs in Oregon Country, which at the time consisted of the present-day states of Washington, Oregon,

0411, 2019

Say WA! Part II: How to Pronounce Washington’s City Names

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There are 281 official cities and towns in the State of Washington, according to the Washington State Association of Cities, and every one of them has a unique story to tell. Some of them have hundreds of stories…others, perhaps just one major story. All of them have their own character, vibe, ambiance, and backstory, and many of them have weird, interesting or unusual ways they got their names. Why is

1005, 2018

Firearms training at Abernathy Creek

The video game, Oregon Trail, was an educational masterpiece of activity and learning, and one of the most successful early entries into the early world of computer gaming. I remember spending hours trying (usually unsuccessfully) to reach the state just south of the one in which I grew up. And one of the key skills needed to reach the Columbia River was hunting. Love them or hate them, firearms are a

0509, 2013

Around the state in 48 hours: Part 1

Washington Our Home
September 5, 2013
Central Washington, Eastern Washington, General, History, Restaurants, State Parks, Western Washington
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Everybody thought I was joking when I said I was taking a business trip from Olympia to Vancouver to Yakima to Spokane to Wenatchee to Everett to Bellevue to Tacoma and back to Olympia in two days. The itinerary I had laid out with Google Maps said it was a cinch and I’m the guy who enjoys driving around this beautiful state we call home. Well, I proved to everyone

1902, 2012

Some insight into the life of Thomas Frost

Last week, I began planning the first full episode of the Washington, Our Home, video series and I decided the creation and exploration of the Willamette Meridian would be a good first start. To begin with, as I asked in a previous blog post, I had to learn why in the world someone in the mid-1800’s would decide that a straight line north and south from Portland, Oregon, was even necessary.