Washington

Washington, located in the Pacific Northwest, is referred to as The Evergreen State, evoking the lush forested land the state is popularly known for. Bordered by Canada to the north, the Pacific Ocean the west, Oregon to the south and Idaho to the east, the state is marked by mountainous ranges, lowlands and plateaus: the Olympic Mountains, the Coast Range, the Puget Sound Lowlands, the Cascade Mountains, the Columbia Plateau, and the Rocky Mountains.
Human habitation of Washington dates back 11,500 years to the migration of peoples from Asia across the Bering Land Bridge (a 1,000 mile landmass that disappeared at the end of the Ice Age). Native American tribes populated the Pacific Coast of Washington and east of the Columbia Plateau. Spaniards were the first to explore the region in search of a Northwest Passage providing a water route from the Atlantic to Pacific Ocean.
Fur traders entered the area after the Lewis and Clark expedition of 1804-1806 (the first expedition to the Pacific Coast and back). By the mid-1800s pioneers were crossing the plains and mountain over the Oregon Trail to settle the Pacific Northwest. Washington was granted statehood on November 11, 1889, making it the 42 nd state in the union, and the only state named for a president (or citizen).
While present-day Washington is home to the iconic coffeehouse Starbucks, agriculture, the lumber industry, and railroad expansion were important influences on economic growth. Damming of the Columbia River in the 1900s provided cheap electric power for manufacturing and irrigation for the state’s agriculture economy. Important industries today include software development (Microsoft), aircraft (Boeing), lumber and tourism. Visitors are attracted each year to the state’s rich history and outdoor recreation: Mount Rainier, the Lewis & Clark trail, skiing winters and fishing whenever.

California

California has been hailed as one of the most variable of the contiguous states. As far as ecosystems go, there are southern California, sunny beaches on one end and foggy and rainy redwood forests at the other, sprawled along a rocky coastline. Much of the country’s fruit and vegetables come from the state’s Central Valley, a rich agricultural region. And speaking of agriculture, the state has a relatively new viticulture, or wine industry, but it is rich and varied in and of itself. Napa and Sonoma Valleys attract wine lovers from all over the world. Many of the wineries have become world class even in comparison to the legendary winemakers in France and Italy.
Gold is responsible in large part for having driven the initial surge of settler westward. Even the state’s motto is indication of the Gold Rush of the mid 1880s. And business minded entrepreneurs have not stopped hoping. Perhaps the next biggest boom in California’s economy was the Silicon Valley dotcom bubble during the late 80s and early 90s. The computer and microchip industry gained a toehold and impelled the rapid growth, and ultimate demise, of companies founded on virtual capital.
Hollywood is an integral part of the Los Angeles urban area and an inseparable piece of the film industry. Over the last century many of the best movie making in America has taken place, or been inspired, in Hollywood. The world famous Hollywood Walk of Fame along legendary Hollywood Boulevard is like no other stretch of sidewalk in the world. With each step visitors encounter polished inlaid stars that mark the careers of the best entertainers. Estimates put the number of stars along the sidewalk at well over 2,300. And the site is now an official Historic Landmark. Nearby Malibu is synonymous with the ritzy beach homes of the rich and famous and Beverly Hills’ Rodeo Drive provides the fanciest and most exclusive boutiques and restaurants for the nearby rich as well as ogling tourists.

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