Washington Territory

{{See also|History of Washington (state)}}

{{Historical populations

|type= USA

|1860|11594

|1870|23955

|1880|75116

|footnote=Source: 1860–1880;{{cite report|editor-last=Forstall|editor-first=Richard L.|title=Population of the States and Counties of the United States: 1790–1990|page=3|publisher=United States Census Bureau|url=https://www.census.gov/population/www/censusdata/PopulationofStatesandCountiesoftheUnitedStates1790-1990.pdf|access-date=May 18, 2020}}

}}

Agitation in favor of self-government developed in the regions of the Oregon Territory north of the Columbia River in 1851–1852.{{cite journal |last=Weber |first=Dennis P. |title=The Creation of Washington: Securing Democracy North of the Columbia |journal=Columbia Magazine |date=Fall 2003 |volume=17 |issue=3 |pages=23–34 |url=http://columbia.washingtonhistory.org/magazine/articles/2003/0303/0303-a4.aspx |access-date=February 11, 2012 |archive-date=July 25, 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110725172932/http://columbia.washingtonhistory.org/magazine/articles/2003/0303/0303-a4.aspx |url-status=dead }} A group of prominent settlers from the Cowlitz and Puget Sound regions met on November 25, 1852, at the "Monticello Convention" in present-day Longview, to draft a petition to the United States Congress calling for a separate territory north of the Columbia River. After gaining approval from the Oregon territorial government, the proposal was sent to the federal government.{{Cite web | title = Settlers met at Monticello to sign a petition asking Congress to create a separate territory north of the Columbia River | work = Washington History | publisher = Washington Secretary of State | url = http://www.sos.wa.gov/history/Timeline/detail.aspx?id=214 | access-date =July 19, 2011}}

File:Map_of_a_part_of_the_Territory_of_Washington_to_accompany_report_of_surveyor_general_-_NARA_-_139309200.jpg

The bill to establish the territory, H.R. 348, was reported in the U.S. House of Representatives by Representative Charles E. Stuart on January 25, 1853.[http://memory.loc.gov/ammem/amlaw/lwhj.html Journal of the House of Representatives of the United States], Volume 48, p. 185, January 25., 1853 Representative Richard H. Stanton argued that the proposed name—the Territory of Columbia—might be confused for the country's capital's Territory of Columbia (now District of Columbia), and suggested a name honoring George Washington instead.{{cite journal |last=McClelland |first=John M. Jr. |title=Almost Columbia, Triumphantly Washington |journal=Columbia Magazine |date=Summer 1988 |volume=2 |issue=2 |pages=3–11 |url=http://columbia.washingtonhistory.org/magazine/articles/1988/0288/0288-a1.aspx |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120426055846/http://columbia.washingtonhistory.org/magazine/articles/1988/0288/0288-a1.aspx |archive-date=April 26, 2012 |access-date=December 17, 2011}} The bill was thus amended with the name Washington, though not without some debate,The Congressional Globe, 32nd Congress, 2nd Session, p. 555. Rep. Alexander Evans argued that the name "Washington" was as confusing as "Columbia". In a later [http://memory.loc.gov/cgi-bin/ampage?collId=llhb&fileName=032/llhb032.db&recNum=1332 amendment to H.R. 348], a senator offered the name "Washingtonia". and passed in the House on February 10, passed in the Senate on March 2, and signed by President Millard Fillmore on the same day.Journal of the House of Representatives of the United States, Volume 48, p. 397, March 3, 1853. The argument against naming the territory Washington came from Representative Alexander Evans of Maryland, who countered that there were no states named Washington, but multiple counties, cities, and towns were named such and so could be the source of confusion itself. Evans felt that the proposed new territory's name should reflect local native terminology. He stated it would be more appropriate to give the territory "some beautiful Indian name."Brier J, Warren. "How the Washington Territory Got Its Name." The Pacific Northwest Quarterly 51(1960): 13-15. {{JSTOR|40487423}} The decision was contrary to the wishes of residents, and local papers reported mixed feeling from citizens,McClellan, John. "Almost Columbia, Triumphantly Washington". Columbia The Magazine of Northwest History 2(1988). though the general reception of the renaming was positive.

Isaac Stevens, who was appointed the territory's first governor, declared Olympia to be the territorial capital. Stevens was also integral in the drafting and negotiation of treaties with native bands in the Washington Territory.Kluger, Richard. The Bitter Waters of Medicine Creek. New York: Random House Inc, 2011 A territorial legislature was elected and first met in February 1854,{{cite web |last=Oldham |first=Kit |url=http://www.historylink.org/index.cfm?DisplayPage=output.cfm&file_id=5054 |title=Governor Isaac Stevens selects Olympia as capital of Washington Territory on November 28, 1853 |publisher=HistoryLink |date=January 15, 2003}} and the territorial supreme court issued its first decision later in the year.{{cite web |last=Fuller |first=Tim |title="The Most Accurate and Useful Law Books Possible": Milestones of Official Case Reporting in Washington |url=http://www.courts.wa.gov/appellate_trial_courts/supreme/?fa=atc_supreme.milestones |publisher=Washington State Courts}} Columbia Lancaster was elected as the first delegate to U.S. Congress.

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. On 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, and a small portion of present-day Ravalli County, Montana were annexed to the Washington Territory.{{cite web |url=https://sos.oregon.gov/blue-book/Pages/facts/history/congress-act.aspx |title=Act of Congress Admitting Oregon to the Union |date=February 14, 1859 |publisher=Oregon Blue Book}} The southeastern tip of the territory (in present-day Wyoming) was sent to Nebraska Territory on March 2, 1861.{{cite journal|year=1897–1898|title=The Statistician and Economist|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=1rFXAAAAYAAJ&pg=PA59|journal=The Statistician and Economist|location=San Francisco|publisher=L.P. McCarty|volume=19|page=59}}{{cite book |last=Johnson |first=Harrison |chapter-url=https://books.google.com/books?id=vPl5AAAAMAAJ&pg=PA41 |title=Johnson's History of Nebraska |page=41 |location=Omaha |publisher=Henry Gibson |year=1880 |chapter=Chapter I: Historical}}

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 Washington State, which was admitted to the Union on November 11, 1889, as the 42nd U.S. state.

Prior to statehood, multiple settlements in the territory were contending for the title of capital. Among the top contenders for the title, besides Olympia, were Steilacoom, Vancouver, Port Townsend, and Ellensburg, which was devastated in a major fire shortly before statehood. Even after Olympia had been chosen as the capital, contention truly ended only after the completion of the capitol.{{cite journal|author=Beardsley, Arthur S. |title=Later Attempts to Relocate the Capital of Washington. |journal=The Pacific Northwest Quarterly |volume=32 |issue= 4 |year=1941 |pages=401–407 |jstor=40486492.}}

Image:Wpdms oregon washington territories 1853.png|The Washington Territory (green) and the Oregon Territory (blue) in 1853

Image:Wpdms oregon washington territory 1859.png|The Washington Territory (green) and the State of Oregon in 1859

Image:Wpdms washington territory 1863 legend 3.png|Portions ceded to the Nebraska and Idaho Territories in 1861 and 1863

{{Portal|United States|History}}

• Washington Territory's at-large congressional district
• United States Attorney for the District of Washington
• Historical regions of the United States
• History of Washington
• Oregon Treaty, 1846
• Territorial evolution of the United States
• Oregon Country, 1818–1846

{{Reflist}}

{{EB9 Poster|Washington (territory)|Washington Territory}}

• [http://www.wsulibs.wsu.edu/holland/masc/PNWTimeline.htm Historical Timeline of Events Leading to the formation of Washington State] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120207162128/http://www.wsulibs.wsu.edu/holland/masc/PNWTimeline.htm |date=February 7, 2012 }}, from Washington State University
• [http://ntserver1.wsulibs.wsu.edu/masc/masctour/heritageandhistory/earlymaps.html Early Washington Maps], more than 925 maps hosted by WSU
• "[http://columbia.washingtonhistory.org/magazine/articles/1988/0388/0388-a1.aspx The Long Wait for Statehood, Why it took Washington 36 years and Idaho 26 years to achieve their goals]", Columbia: Fall 1988; Vol. 2, No. 3
• [http://www.davidrumsey.com/luna/servlet/detail/RUMSEY~8~1~2065~120063:Map-Of-Oregon,-Washington,-And-Part?sort=Pub_List_No_InitialSort%2CPub_List_No_InitialSort%2CPub_Date%2CPub_Date&qvq=w4s:/when/1860/;sort:Pub_List_No_InitialSort,Pub_List_No_InitialSort,Pub_Date,Pub_Date;lc:RUMSEY~8~1&mi=30&trs=294 Map of Oregon, Washington, and part of British Columbia, 1860], David Rumsey Collection. Oregon, Washington Territory, western Nebraska Territory, southern British Columbia, in 1860. Showing political divisions, counties and Emigrant Trail.
• [http://www.davidrumsey.com/luna/servlet/detail/RUMSEY~8~1~2124~200001:General-Map-of-the-North-Pacific-St?sort=Pub_List_No_InitialSort%2CPub_List_No_InitialSort%2CPub_Date%2CPub_Date&qvq=q:Nevada+;sort:Pub_List_No_InitialSort,Pub_List_No_InitialSort,Pub_Date,Pub_Date;lc:RUMSEY~8~1&mi=89&trs=266 General Map of the North Pacific States and Territories Belonging to the United States and of British Columbia, Extending from Lake Superior to the Pacific Ocean, 1865], David Rumsey Collection
• {{Cite AmCyc |last=Hawes |first=J. W. |wstitle=Washington (territory)|display=Washington, a territory of the United States|short=x}}

{{Territories of the United States}}

{{Washington}}

{{Authority control}}

Category:History of Washington (state)

Category:History of the American West

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Category:States and territories established in 1853

Category:States and territories disestablished in 1889

Category:1853 establishments in Washington Territory

Category:1889 disestablishments in the United States