It’s always fun learning about the history of our nation, especially when it comes to funny facts about the state of Washington that are on the fun and weird side.
Though everyone knows that the Declaration of Independence was signed in Independence Hall in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, few know facts based off of the one state named after a president.
No, we aren’t talking about Washington D.C.! Washington state is found in the top west corner of the American map, bordering Canada. If you’re a history buff and want to learn more about Washington, you’ve come to the right place.
Below we have 12 funny facts about the state of Washington. Continue reading to expand your state knowledge!
1. Sweet Stuff
Despite New York coining the nickname “The Big Apple”, Washington is the state which produces the most apples out of all 50! They also produce the most pears, red raspberries, sweet cherries, and spearmint oil.
You can get this fresh produce from any boring grocery market but why would you when there’s plenty of fresh fruit stands and markets to choose from? Depending on where you visit in Washington will determine the food market you should look for.
2. Camouflaged Town
During the period of World War II, there was a secret bomber-making factory south of Seattle, Washington. To hide the factory, Boeing camouflaged it by entirely covering it with a fake neighborhood created by a Hollywood set designer!
The fake neighborhood included fake houses, trees, and artificial sidewalks. The intention was to hide the presence of an airplane production facility down below from other potential bombers.
3. Washington Rain
It’s no surprise Washington gets their fair share of rain. Though it isn’t the rainiest state in America, it does get an average of 38.15 inches of rainfall a year. Seattle actually ranks 32 among US cities for annual rainfall. Although it does rank in the top 10 for days that are rainy or snowy.
But, Mt. Mitchell takes the trophy for the most rain a place in Washington ever got in a single day in 1986 with 14.26 inches!
4. Run Free
Wild horses are beautiful animals often found on the West side of the United States. Though they are depicted running freely in deserts or farm-like areas, they are most often found in Indian Reservations.
If you’re looking for wild horses in Washington, you’ll find up to 12,000 of them roaming the Yakima Indian Reservation.
5. A Bike and a Tree
Trees are stubborn, beautiful plants which always find a way to continue growing – until we cut them down, anyway. An example of such great stubbornness is found off Vashon Highway on Vashon Island in Washington state. Here is where you’ll find a bike that is completely grown into a tree.
Such a unique and strange occurrence is bound to have a legend associated with it. The story goes a young boy chained his bike to the tree before he had to leave for the war in 1914.
In the boy’s absence, the tree continued to grow, enveloping the bike as it did so. The bike now sits over seven feet off the ground!
6. Ring of Fire
There are plenty of states across America which are home to volcanoes – active or otherwise – Washington included. The Ring of Fire refers to 10 volcanoes that line the state.
Out of those 10, 5 of them are major volcanoes that a part of the Cascade Range: Mount Baker, Mount Rainer, Glacier Peak, Mount Adams, and Mount St. Helens. Mt. Rainer is also the highest place in Washington, reaching 14,410 feet above the sea level!
7. Glaciers
Earth has seen at least 5 significant ice ages since its birth. If you don’t know what an ice age is, it’s a period of time when global temperatures turn cold with recurring glacial features expanding across the Earth’s surface.
The most commonly known glaciation period is known as “Ice Age” which peaked about 18,000 years ago. Some scientists believe we are currently in another ice age due to the Greenland and Antarctic ice sheets staying intact despite warmer temperatures.
With that being said, Washington is the most glaciated state in America with more than 3,000 glaciers.
8. Bald Eagles
What better place for the highest concentration for both our national bird and national animal than the only state named after a president? Travel to the San Juan Islands in Washington to find over 125 nesting pairs of the bald eagle.
Here, you’ll find the most amount of bald eagles out of anywhere else in the United States. While some of them are migratory, others live permanently due to the abundance of fresh food readily available.
9. Olympia, Washington
Although Washington state has many well-known cities throughout the state, Seattle is perhaps the most well-known of them all, it isn’t our state capitol. Instead, it’s Olympia, Washington. Native Americans who once inhabited the area called it “The Black Bear Place”.
10. Great Lengths
You may not think of Washington as a beachy state due to its rainy weather and cold winters. However, it beats California and Florida for having the longest continuous beach in the United States in Long Beach Peninsula.
11. The Pig War
America has gone to war with quite a few countries and even itself once over the last few hundred years. One of the countries we kept peace with over the years was Canada, though that almost didn’t happen.
There was a confrontation between the British Empire and the United States over country boundaries. It was then that we almost went to war over a pig. The confrontation was over the San Juan Islands; the dispute began when a pig who was eating trespassing and eating potato crops was shot. Thus began The Pig War.
12. The State Fossil
Every state has a state bird, state flag, state tree… you get the idea. Washington has a state fossil which is the Columbian Mammoth.
The best part about this state fact? A group of fourth-graders from Windsor Elementary worked with the state Legislator to make it happen!
12 Funny Facts About The Sate of Washington
There are so many funny and cool facts about Washington state and each one is unique with its own part of history.
If you are considering moving to the Greater Seattle area learn the top 9 reasons people are moving to Seattle.
To learn more about Washington or if you’re interested in moving here, check out our home buyers guide or
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25 Comments on “Top 12 Funny Facts About the State of Washington”
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The State of Washington NFL Football team could be called the:
“Washington Mammoth”
I think we are good with our name… it is the other Washington that needs help.
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