1775 Spanish explorer Captain Bruno Heceta lands on the coast and claims the land for Spain.
1778 Captain James Cook visits the coast searching for the Northwest Passage.
1792 George Vancouver maps out the coast of Washington and names Puget Sound.
1792 American explorer Robert Gray discovers the Columbia River.
1805 Lewis and Clark reach the Pacific Ocean at the mouth of the Columbia River.
1810 Fina McDonal built a fur trading depot near the present day Spokane.
1824 Fort Vancouver is built on the Columbia River by the Hudson's Bay Company.
1836 The missionary Marcus Whitman arrives and begins building missions.
1846 The U.S. gains control of the region through the Oregon Treaty with Great Britain.
1848 The Oregon Territory is created including Washington.
1853 The Washington Territory is established.
1889 Washington becomes the 42nd state.
1897 Seattle begins to boom due to the Klondike Gold Rush.
1899 Mount Rainier National Park is established.
1916 William Boeing established the aircraft company that still bears his name.
1938 Olympic National Park was established.
1941 The Grand Coulee Dam is completed.
1962 The Space Needle opens in Seattle along with the World's Fair.
1974 Spokane held host to Expo 74.1810 Fina McDonal built a fur trading depot near the present day Spokane.
1980 The volcano Mount Saint Helens erupts.