Question about the name of this state (Seattle, Tacoma: university, cost of)

[motownewave]

Considering George Washington had nothing to do with this state, was the name perhaps chosen to deter the British from the temptation to invade (via Canada)? I know WA wasn't a US state until long after both the American Revolution and War of 1812, but it seems to me there were unsettled tensions between the US and UK until World War I (and it seems the the current British-American friendship wasn't really cemented until World War II).

Also, perhaps the state sharing its name with the US capital was meant as a gesture that "this land is ours" (American and not British/Canadian)?

[jacqueg]

The state of Washington is indeed named for George.

Dunno why you think that is unlikely.

How All 50 States Got Their Names | Mental Floss

[sll3454]

You could pretend it was named for George Washington Bush, instead.
George Washington Bush - WA State Pioneer - Home

[CrazyDonkey]

Originally Posted by jacqueg

The state of Washington is indeed named for George.

Dunno why you think that is unlikely.

How All 50 States Got Their Names | Mental Floss

Named in honor of the first president of the United States, George Washington. In the eastern US, the state is referred to as Washington State or the state of Washington to distinguish it from the District of Columbia, which they usually just call “Washington”, "D.C." or, if they're very local, "the District." Washingtonians and other Pacific Northwesterners simply call the state “Washington” and refer to the national capital as “Washington, D.C.” or just “D.C.”

Their answer is sort of like saying who's in Grant's Tomb...

It is "Washington state" when referred to generally - it is a certain university that is called "Washington State", unless referring specifically to the state government. At least in Seattle, "the District" refers to the University District.

Before Washington state there was Washington Territory - that's where the state's name came from. At its largest extent, it included all of present day Washington and Idaho, plus the parts of present day Montana and Wyoming west of the Continental Divide, although that proved unmanageable - imagine having to travel from Boise to Olympia, the territorial capitol, by wagon.

The original proposed name for the territory was "Columbia", but Congress changed it to "Washington", in order to avoid confusion with the District of Columbia - spawning confusion ever since between the two Washingtons, so go figure.

There was an abortive attempt to name the state "Tacoma".

[jacqueg]

Originally Posted by CrazyDonkey

There was an abortive attempt to name the state "Tacoma".

Tacoma would have been nice!

I have been making a concerted effort to call our volcanoes by their tribal names.

Mt. Rainier and Mt. Hood are both named for British naval officers who fought on the British side during the Revolutionary War, and Mt. St. Helens was named for a British diplomat who served Britain during the Revolutionary War.

Mt. Adams is named for an American president, not sure whether it was John or John Quincy or even both.

[cdelena]

Edit: as noted above...

It is my understanding that there was a large group that wanted it to be named Columbia but since there was already the District of Columbia that name was discouraged... the compromise is no less confusing as DC is now commonly called Washington.

[wutitiz]

The name of King County (Seattle) is interesting. It was named after William Rufus Devane King, 13th VP who was from North Carolina. (Note that there was another Rufus King from Mass. and later NY who was a signer of the US Constitution and helped Jefferson w/ the Louisiana Purchase).

In 2006 County exec Ron Sims decided to change the county logo to a likeness of Martin Luther King Jr. The county council went along with the idea. After all William Refus Devane had been a white male and a slave owner (Rufus King of MA was an early abolitionist). Cost of the change was about $500,000. Then later came out claims that William Rufus Devane King had been gay.
William Rufus King: First gay U.S. vice president? | The Gay History Project

Andrew Jackson referred to King and James Buchanan as 'Miss Nancy and Aunt Fancy.' So this effort to celebrate diversity by King County was seen by some as a backfired operation.

[MarciaMarshaMarcia]

Who cares?

[PollyGlott]

Originally Posted by thisplacesucks

Who cares?

I do. I find this stuff fascinating!

[motownewave]

Thanks all... my real question here was "was the Washington name chosen as a 'screw U' message to the neighboring British?" And remember, Alaska was sold to America by Russia in 1867 partly because the USA (who had just started to recover from the Civil War) felt the need to surround British Canada on both sides, just in case the Brits tried to reconquer the States. There probably was no realistic threat of that, but I think until WWII, the two countries (US and UK) had a competition of egos, as the US gradually overtook the UK as the world's biggest superpower. But as for Canada, I'm sure there always have been people there (especially in Quebec, but also in English Canada) who would support the US in a war against the UK. Canada really is a melting pot of at least four cultures: British, French, American, and indigenous.