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Pierce County's history is rich with explorers, pioneers, drama, growth, and conflict...
- 1792...British
explorer George Vancouver and officers Peter Puget and Joseph
Whidbey began charting Puget Sound
- 1833...Hudsons
Bay Company established Fort Nisqually, the first white settlement
on Puget Sound
- 1836...The Beaver, Puget Sounds first steamship, sailed from
Fort Vancouver
- 1841...Wilkes
Expedition began first American survey of Puget Sound -- the
Voyage of Discovery; named most of the waterways in the south
sound
- 1846...Britain
ceded claims to the Pacific Northwest
- 1848...Congress
created Territory of Oregon
- 1849...US
Armys Fort Steilacoom established; First criminal trial
in future Washington Territory convenes
- 1852...Nicolas
Delin began operating a sawmill on Commencement Bay; Oregon
Legislature created Pierce County;
first settlement established on Commencement Bay; Ezra Meeker
arrived with his family - 1853...Washington
Territory established
- 1854...Steilacoom
is the first territorial town incorporated; Medicine Creek Treaty
signed
- 1855...Indian
wars began
- 1858...Chief
Leschi hanged
- 1862...Homestead
Act passed
- 1868...City
of Tacoma founded
- 1870...McNeil
Island Federal Penitentiary (oldest in nation) is founded
- 1873...Northern
Pacific Railroad picked Tacoma for Western terminus
- 1889...Washington
became a state
- 1899...US
Congress created Mount Rainier National Park
- 1918...Pierce
County voters created Port of Tacoma
- 1940...Tacoma
Narrows Bridge collapsed
- 1950...Second
Narrows Bridge opens connecting the Kitsap Peninsula with Tacoma
- 1951...Washington
State Ferries began operations

Copyright 2007 . Heritage League of Pierce County
Key Events in Pierce County History