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Washington is known as the Evergreen State due to its lush green forests and high levels of rainfall. The nickname was suggested by Charles T. Conover in 1890 and officially signed into law by the state legislature. The state’s national parks and protected areas are also known for their towering evergreen trees. The state is the only one named after a US president, with the Washington state flag featuring a portrait of George Washington on a solid green background.
Washington is called the Evergreen State due to its physical geography and climate. Much of the land of this state is made up of deep green pine and fir forests. Large amounts of annual rainfall account for the richly green landscapes of the state. This state nickname is also sometimes attributed to Washington’s many national parks and protected nature preserves. The prominence of deep green is evident in some of Washington’s other state symbols, such as the color of its flag.
The origins of Washington state’s nickname can be traced back to the late 19th century, when the state first became an official part of the United States. A real estate professional named Charles T. Conover suggested the Evergreen State moniker in 1990 as a tribute to the green landscapes that were visible from his Seattle home. The Washington state legislature officially signed the nickname into law in 1890. Some residents occasionally refer to their state by the unofficial nickname of Green Tree State, although this name is usually not as well known.
Frequent rainy weather is a notable contributing factor to Washington being nicknamed the Evergreen State. This state has one of the highest annual rainfall levels in the United States (USA), as an average year in Washington state sees about 160 inches (about 407 cm) of rain. Precipitation is often most concentrated in certain western regions of the state such as the Olympic Peninsula. The high humidity levels also keep the Evergreen State’s grass and other plants consistently green when the same types of vegetation normally dry out in other regions during the hotter summer months. Summer in Washington is normally the only season with days of significant sunlight, and longtime residents often say long months filled with gray clouds are a trade-off for the lush green land.
Washington has some of the most visually stunning national parks such as Olympic National Park and North Cascades National Park. These protected wilderness areas are known for their evergreen trees that can rival some multi-story buildings in height. Some of these trees have even thrived in rain for hundreds of years.
Evergreen State is the only state in the United States to be named after one of the nation’s presidents. The Washington state flag consists of a solid green background with a seal depicting a portrait of George Washington. Many residents of their native state identify as much with their state’s signature green color as they do with Washington’s namesake.
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