The Great Loss

The early days of the month of November usually have historical significance because it is when we hold our national elections.  Coolidge, Reagan and Obama were elected on this date.  Also today is the 150th birthday of the University of Washington.  However the event I will speak of tonight occurred in 1890, when Ellensburg officially lost it's chance at being the state capital.  Olympia retained it right to call itself the state capital rather easily in the election.  Back up a year and Olympia was sweating it, there was a real movement to move the capital to a more central location.  North Yakima (Yakima) and Ellensburg seemed to be logical choices, with Ellensburg being the front runner.  After all, it had running water, or soon would and electric lights on most the streets and in all the hotels.  It was a fancy town.  Then came the wind and Independence Day and after the wind blown fireworks had their say, most the town lay ruined.  With it went most the chances to be the capital.  By the time of the election, Ellensburg had gone from front runner to 3rd in the vote.  Since Olympia could not get 50% of the vote the first time, they voted again one year later in a run off between the top 3, Olympia won with Ellensburg finishing a distance second and North Yakima bring up the rear.  As an aside, my Mom thought it annoying that the people of Yakima were so stubborn as to try to be the capital, when if they supported Ellensburg the capital would be in Eastern Washington.  I guess that that is the difference between Western and Eastern Washington.  Eastern Washington is a vast area without a unifying feature, other than the dislike of 206ers.  Western Washington has that unifying thing, whether it is the weather, the Sound or something else.  Maybe the State would have been different, or maybe not.  I can remember discussing the idea amonst friends while drinking cold beer on warm nights, we decided three things, first it would have been cool to have the capital in Ellensburg, second that the Evergreen State College would have been a more ironic name if located in Ellensburg and lastly we were all happy that Olympia won, because otherwise we probably would have never met.
Tonight's photo is the Davidson Building on 4th and Pearl in downtown Ellensburg.