March 6 – March 27, 1878
The Forgotten Quest for Washington Statehood
In 1878, Gov. Ferry called an election to choose delegates to draft a state constitution.
3 reports in The Northern Star, March 6 – March 27, 1878.
The story
According to a March 1878 series in The Northern Star of Snohomish City, W.T., Gov. Elisha P. Ferry issued a proclamation calling a special election to select delegates to a convention to draft a state constitution for Washington. One report describes it as a multi-district election; the accounts do not give the election date, delegate names, or outcome. The reports are brief and come from a single newspaper, so they establish only that Ferry’s call was publicized in this paper.
Told from the 3 reports below. The reports are the record.
The archive grouped these reports automatically, by date, place and subject.
The reports 3
- The Northern StarThe Constitutional Crisis of 1878
Before Washington was a state, Governor Elisha P. Ferry issued a desperate call for a convention to define its future.
- The Northern StarThe Call for a State Constitutional Convention
In 1878, Governor Elisha P. Ferry issued an official proclamation calling for a special election to select delegates for a convention to draft a state constitution for Washington.
- The Northern StarThe Forgotten Quest for Washington Statehood
A rare 1878 proclamation reveals the high-stakes, multi-district election held to draft a constitution that would finally bring Washington into the Union.
From the pages
The Northern Star · Mar 6, 1878
The Northern Star · Mar 13, 1878
The Northern Star · Mar 27, 1878
Library of Congress, Chronicling America. Public domain.