Digital Maps Archives: Washington Territory Maps
Last updated: April 29, 2014Political boundaries timelines:
- 1818: The United States and Great Britain agree to joint occupation of the northwest along the 49th parallel where settlers from both nations would be free to settle in both countries for a period of ten years.
- 1819: Spain relinquishes claims to territory in the Pacific northwest when it agrees to recognize the 42nd parallel as its northen boundary (northern California).
- 1821: The Hudson's Bay Company (HBC) and the North West Company merge to beocme the Hudson's Bay Company. HBC quickly moves to the northwest and establishing Fort Vancouver as its headquarters and solidifying British claims to the region.
- 1824: The United States and Russia sign a treaty where Russian and U.S. claims 54 degrees 40 minutes north (Alaska panhandle) thus relinquishing Russian claims to the Pacific northwest.
- 1827: The United States and Great Britain agreed to continue the 1818 agreement for
"Joint Occupancy" of the Oregon Country for another ten years. At this time, the Oregon
Country included the present states of Washington, Oregon, Idaho, and western Montana,
and the province of British Columbia.
- 1841: Washington explored by the U.S. Exploring Expedition under the command of Charles Wilkes.
- 1843: American settlers establish the Oregon Provisional Government.
- 1844: U.S.-British boundary dispute becomes slogan for presidential candidate James K. Polk who became president "fifty-four forty or Fight." That was the Alaska boundary that he was seeking for the U.S. Eventually, the British and the U.S. compromised on the current 49th parallel which gave the U.S. the current states of Washington, Idaho, and Oregon.
- 1846: Joint British and American occupancy ends.
- 1848: Oregon Territory established by the U.S. government.
- 1851 - 1853: Settlers living in what is present-day Washington State met to discuss the possibility of establishing a new territory north of the Columbia River. They complained that the capital city of Oregon City was too far away to represent their needs. The settlers discuss
the drafting of a constitution. In 1852, settlers met again to draft a memorial to Congress asking for the creation of a new territory north of the Columbia to be called Columbia Territory. In 1853,The U.S. Congress draft a bill creating the new territory but renaming it Washington Territory in honor of George Washington. The bill was known as the Organic Act and it was the basis for law in Washington until it became a state in 1889. At the time it was established, Washington Territory extended east to the Rocky Mountains, and included all of present-day Washington, western Idaho and western Montana.
- 1889: Washington becomes a state.
Published by J.H. Colton & Co. |
issued by the Oregon Railway and Navigation Company |
published by authority of the territorial legislature by Lowman & Hanford Stationary & Printing Company, Seattle, W.T. Drawn by Anderson Brothers Engineers and Surveyors, Seattle, W.T. |
Fort Walla Walla to Fort Benton by Captain John Mullan, U.S.A. (1863) Map of Military Road from Fort Walla Walla on the Columbia to Fort Benton on the Missouri (1858-1863) Map of the Mountain Section of the Fort Walla Walla and Fort Benton Wagon Road from Coeur D'Alene Lake to the Dearborn River, Washington Territory (1859-1863) Map of Military Reconnaissance from Fort Taylor to the Coeur D'Alene Mission, Washington Territory (1858) Map of Military Reconnaissance from Fort Dalles via Fort Walla Walla to Fort Taylor, Washington Territory (1858) Note: The map itself has the name "Walla Walla" spelled out as "Wallah Wallah." However, it has been spelled in the conventional manner in order to make sure people can find the map. |
