Our Young State of Washington, Part Two

Seattle Skyline, August 2012.

Map of Puget Sound in Washington State, August, 2012.

Let's recall where we've been in the State of Washington, U.S.A., from the February, 1933, National Geographic Magazine article, Washington, the Evergreen State: The Amazing Commonwealth of the Pacific Northwest Which Has Emerged From the Wilderness in a Span of Fifty Years by author Leo A. Borah.  First we ventured through some of the 172 islands in the bay of Puget Sound north to San Juan Island.  Then we traveled south on the road through fir and cedar forests to the city of Seattle, on Puget Sound. We also visited a smoking volcano.  We were impressed by the scenery in the beautiful eight-page color photo section.

First, a correction: it is not salt water that kills the barnacles that attach themselves to ships' hulls, it is the fresh water.  Puget Sound is a large bay in Washington State full of salt water which mixes with the fresh water coming from the streams and rivers feeding into it.  FYI: the shoreline of Puget Sound is 1,332 miles!

In 1933, Boeing was already established as an airplane manufacturer in Seattle.  There was a Naval Air Base there.  This Boeing establishment has continued to flourish in our day, as has the U.S. Navy presence with a large base at Kitsap Peninsula.  This is the third-largest U.S. Naval base.  I am very proud that my son-in-law, Fielding, is a Naval officer stationed there!

Mt. Rainier, one of the five Washington State volcanoes, is 14,409 feet tall.  It is close to Seattle and visible for many miles in the area.  I found the sight beautiful and almost enchanting when I visited two years ago.  Here's something interesting about the mountain: "In ages past, the summit was much higher.  Geologists have discovered that eruption blew off 4,000 feet of the peak and scattered the soil over the Puget Sound country," (photo caption, p. 164).

Mount Rainier, still snow-covered in August, 2012.  It was extremely difficult to photograph this from a moving car on the highways (in the passenger seat, of course).

Imagine the pristine forests of Washington in 1933: "Past the Storm King Game Preserve leads the way where bears, elks, deer and snarling cougars live in sylvan isolation.  It follows for miles the Elwha River, a crystal mountain stream now turbulent over scattered rocks, now deep and still in quiet glades, now harnessed for power," (p. 169).  There is also a barren desert in central Washington, with sand dunes.

Here's a rather curious statistic: "Only one per cent of the population 10 years of age or older is unable to read (1933)," (p. 171).  Contrast that with a ten per cent 'lacking basic prose literacy skills' in 2003 in Washington (National Center for Education Statistics, www.nces.ed.gov, 7-24-14).

In this article was a bonus: a second eight-page section of color photos.  Displayed were some of the state's agricultural products: cranberries, apples and many varieties of flowers.  Washington was a large center for growing flower bulbs, especially tulips.  There was a Dutch population who accomplished this.  While agriculture was important in the state, logging and wood products were the primary industry.

Washington state took full advantage of the many waterways: "There were 71 hydroelectric power projects in operation in 1931. . .The State has more than a sixth of the total potential water power in the United States," (p. 191).

Mr. Borah concludes that "The people have accomplished prodigies of development in the last two decades, but even now they realize only in small measure the resources that lie ready to their hands.  Theirs is a young land, a good land, a land still for pioneers," (p. 197).

The Seattle Space Needle, taken from below.  Next to it was a museum in which my daughter, her family and I toured the King Tut Exhibit.  August, 2012.

We took a ferry ride from Seattle through Puget Sound back to the dock at Bremerton.  It took over two hours and was quiet and peaceful with a beautiful shoreline.

Grandson, Xavier, was very interested in the passing boats.  My daughter, Jeannie, is holding him.

A break in the clouds over Puget Sound, August, 2012.