Flag of the Province of Washington
Flag of the Province of Washington
The Puget Sound area, filled with strategic military targets such as the Bremerton Navy Yard and Boeing Aircraft, suffered severely from the nuclear exchange on October 18, 1985. The Soviets hit numerous targets, destroying Bremerton, Everett, Seattle, and Tacoma. Of the densely populated areas of the Seattle to Tacoma zone, only the area around Auburn was spared destruction. Areas to the north and south of this zone were spared attack, but suffered massive depopulation from the rigors of the first few following winters with their attendant starvation, violence, and epidemic illnesses.
Despite the damage and death toll, the northern end of Puget Sound was one of the most prosperous areas in the Pacific Northwest in the years following the attack. Many of the old port communities such as Port Townsend and Anacortes turned to fishing and some coastal trade and the wet and mild climate promoted agriculture. By 1989, the growing prosperity of the area invited raids from the growing number of bandit gangs and pirates. As a response, the Town Councils of Anacortes and Port Townsend agreed to unite into the Puget Sound League. This defensive alliance provided for joint patrols of Puget Sound and joint response against attacks. In the next year, most of the surviving communities joined the League and the level of violence in the area quickly diminished. By the early 1990s, the area was enjoying a rapid population growth, unlike most of the rest of North America, where populations were stable or still declining.
The alliance proved so successful that on April 3, 1993, the member states agreed to a new constitution that changed their alliance to a unified state, with an elected governor and bicameral legislature. Anacortes was made the capital city and Nathan Overpeck was elected the first governor in elections held in June of that year.
During Governor Overpeck’s administration, growing disputes with the Republic of Portland, that had begun to change ruinous tolls for sea trade along the Pacific Coast, led to demands that the League fight the Portlanders for control of the sea. Overpeck, well aware of the Portlanders’ industrial superiority, refused to enter into open conflict with them. Overpeck continually improved the League’s army, waiting for a chance to use it.
Thea Ruckman was elected the second governor of the league in June 2003. During her administration, an opportunity to break the Portlanders’ stranglehold on trade occurred when the Alaska League invaded the Oregon coast and called for an alliance against Mayor William DeHaven’s republic. On September 26, 2007, the first Puget Sound League troops crossed the Columbia River at Astoria to join with the Alaska League forces and allies. The allied forces defeated the Portland regime at the battle of Silver Springs on Sptember 29, 2007.
While happy to be allies of the new rulers of Portland, the Puget Sounders remained a totally independent state, though they did sign an offensive/defensive alliance on October 2, 2007. Growing economic ties and Prime Minister Josh Dolphin's considerable personal popularity led the Puget Sounders to vote to join the Commonwealth on June 1, 2016.
Washington Province covers the area of the former state of Washington west of the crest of the Cascade Range. It includes the counties of Clallam, Jefferson, Grays Harbor, Pacific, Cowlitz, Lewis, Clark, Skamania, Thurston, Pierce, King, Snohomish, Skagit, Whatcom, Island, Kitsap, San Juan, and Mason.
Cascade Mountains: To the east of the Puget Sound Lowlands the great Cascade Mountains rise high, several peaks extending more than 10,000 feet into the sky. Mt. Rainier, the highest point in Washington is located in the Cascade Mountains along with Mount St. Helens which errupted in 1980. This 700-mile chain of mountains is marked by several volcanic peaks, most of them inactive. Besides Mt. Rainier (14,410 feet), Mount Adams (12,307 feet), Mount Baker (10,778 feet) and Glacier Peak (10,541 feet) are prominent in the Cascade Mountatin range. All of the higher mountains support glaciers and permanent snow cover on their upper slopes. The lower slopes and lower mountains are carpeted with beautiful, lush forests, most located within designated National Forest areas.
Puget Sound Lowlands: To the east of the Olympic Mountains and the west of the Cascade Mountains, Puget Bay extends south into Washington Prvince and north into Prince Rupert Province. The Puget Sound Lowlands also include the land along the Chehalis River that runs to the Pacific Ocean between the Olympic Mountains in the north and the Willapa Hills in the south. This is the Valley of the Chehalis River. Almost all of Washington Province's population live in the Puget Sound Lowlands. Puget Sound is connected to the Pacific Ocean in the north by the Strait of Juan de Fuca
Coast Range: To the south of the Olympic Mountains in the southeast corner of Washington is the land area referred to as the Coast Range. The Coast Range runs south into Oregon. The most notable features of the Coast Range in Washington are the Willapa Hills which overlook Willapa Bay.
Olympic Mountains: The Olympic Mountains in the northeast corner of Washington Province are bordered on the north by the Strait of Juan de Fuca and on the west by the Pacific Ocean. To the east of the Olympic Mountains lies Puget Sound and to the south of the mountains is the Coast Range.