1. In 1861, Washington Territory held its first election, which included the election of its first territorial delegate to the U.S. Congress. The winner was Isaac Stevens, who would go on to play a significant role in the development of the Pacific Northwest.
2. On October 19, 1897, the city of Seattle held a grand celebration to welcome the arrival of the steamship Portland, which had just completed a record-breaking journey from St. Michael, Alaska, carrying tons of gold from the Klondike Gold Rush. The event marked Seattle's emergence as the premier gateway to the Klondike gold fields.
3. In 1930, the Tacoma Narrows Bridge, the third longest suspension bridge in the world at the time, opened to traffic. Unfortunately, the bridge's design proved to be unstable in high winds, and it famously collapsed on November 7, 1940, just over a year later.
4. On October 19, 1961, U.S. Army Intelligence specialist Edwin Wilson was born in Seattle. Wilson would later become a controversial figure, accused of selling weapons to Libya and other countries in violation of U.S. law. He was eventually convicted and spent more than two decades in prison.
5. In 2011, the Seattle Sounders FC defeated Real Salt Lake 3-0 to win the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup for the third consecutive year. The Sounders have since become one of the most successful teams in Major League Soccer, winning four U.S. Open Cup titles and earning numerous playoff appearances.
5 Fun Facts About October 19 In Washington History
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