Title: Washington State History
Headings: Washington State History
Washington State History
Content: By 1850, more than 1,000 people lived in Washington. This led to the creation of the Washington Territory in 1853. Government  leaders desiring to open more land for white settlement, wanted the Native  Americans to sign treaties in 1855. This  action led to a war that lasted until 1858, when the Indians surrendered  at Four Lakes and moved onto reservations. During the 1860s, thousands of settlers moved to Washington as gold  was discovered in Idaho, Oregon, and British Columbia. When large amounts of gold were not found in Washington, many  settlers stayed to become farmers and loggers. In  1883, railroad connection with the East brought many new settlers to  Washington. Washington became  the 42 nd state on Nov. 11, 1889, with Olympia as the state  capital. In 1890,  Washington’s population reached more than 350,000. Due  to irrigation projects during the 1890s, farmers moved to Washington to  plant fruit orchards and wheat fields.