Washington History Museum

We got free passes from the library, so Saturday we headed out to the Washington State History Museum.  It's a real adventure to get there even though it's nearby.  First we drive around Commencement Bay. Then we park in a parking garage and catch the free Link train for a few stops.  The stop drops us in a middle-of-the-street station right in front of the museum, close to the Glass Museum and Union Station.

 handcarved wooden state seal

 Parker's first time driving a covered wagon

 Like most of the country, Washington really grew once the railroads arrived.

 I love this photo--the entire population of Tacoma in 1870.

 and this one's for Matt--in the photo on the right you can see a teeny tiny guy partway up the stack.  That is a LOT of lumber!

 classic apple box designs

 another part of Washington industry, to this day, is salmon from the San Juan Salmon Bank.

 This is a fun tree built of all the wood products made in Washington.

 Shipbuilding has always been big because of the immense old trees.  During World War I many ships were built in the dockyards.

 A master shipbuilder's toolbox--are you guys drooling yet? 

 And then of course there was Boeing during World War II....

 Looking down into the museum gift shop--full of Pendleton Wool items which I drooled over...

 There was a huge model train representing all the rail activity in the state.  Amazing to see

 the Tacoma Roundhouse, built in 1891 and still in use today.