Washington State Constitution Research

Don Brazier, History of the Washington Legislature, 1854-1963 (2000).

Elwood Evans, History of the Pacific Northwest: Oregon and Washington; Embracing an Account of the Original Discoveries on the Pacific Coast of North America, and a Description of the Conquest, Settlement and Subjugation of the Original Territory of Oregon; Also Interesting Biographies of the Earliest Settlers and More Prominent Men and Women of the Pacific Northwest, Including a Description of the Climate, Soil, Productions of Oregon and Washington (1889) (2 vol.), Vol. 1 (Google Books), Vol. 2 (Google Books); catalog record.

Julian Hawthorne & George Douglas Brewerton, History of Washington: The Evergreen State, from Early Dawn to Daylight; With Portraits and Biographies (1893), Vol. 1 (Google Books), Vol. 2 (Google Books); catalog record.

H. K. Hines, An Illustrated History of the State of Washington: Containing a History of the State of Washington from the Earliest Period of Its Discovery to the Present Time Together with Glimpses of Its Auspicious Future, Illustrations and Full-Page Portraits of Some of Its Eminent Men and Biographical Mention of Many of Its Pioneers and Prominent Citizens of To-day (1894) (Google Books).

Edmond S. Meany, History of the State of Washington (1909) (Google Books); catalog record.

The State of Washington: A Brief History of the Discovery, Settlement and Organization of Washington, the "Evergreen State" as Well as a Compilation of Official Statistics Showing the Material Development of the State Up to Date (Elwood Evans & Edmond S. Meany eds., 1893) (prepared for distribution at the World's Columbian Exposition (the Chicago World's Fair)) (Google Books).

Joseph Marion Taylor, History and Government of Washington: To Which Are Appended the Constitution of the State of Washington and Lists of Territorial and State Officers (1898) (textbook "for the youths of Washington") (Google Books).

The Washington State Library's Classics of Washington History collection offers an eclectic assortment, from pioneer memoirs to territorial session laws.

Selected Articles

Hugh Spitzer, Pivoting to Progressivism: Justice Stephen J. Chadwick, the Washington Supreme Court and Change in Early Twentieth Century Judicial Reasoning and Rhetoric, 104 Pac. Nw. Q. 107 (2014)

Joseph F. Tripp, Progressive Jurisprudence in the West: The Washington Supreme Court, Labor Law, and the Problem of Industrial Accidents, 24 Labor History 342 (2008)

Selected Profiles of Justices from Legacy Makers

When the site has both a shorter profile in HTML and a longer biography or oral history in PDF, the shorter one is listed first below.

Bob Young, Gerry Alexander: Peacemaker Rewrites History (n.d.) (42 p.)

Carolyn Dimmick: A Judge for All Seasons

• A Judge for All Seasons: Carolyn Dimmick: The Oral History of Washington's First Female Supreme Court Justice (2009) (107 p.)

Bob Young, Steven González: "Justice for All Just Ain't Specific Enough" (2021) (37 p.)

Charles Z. Smith: Trailblazer

• John C. Hughes, Charles Z. Smith: Trailblazer: An Oral History and Biography (2008) (154 p.)

Robert F. Utter: Justice's Sailor

• Justice's Sailor: Robert F. Utter (2009) (181p.)