Interesting Facts about Washington

• Point Roberts on the mainland is American territory but juts out from Canada and cannot be reached by land from the rest of the United States.
• The Indian custom of potlatch was observed at parties, when the host or hostess of the event gave away most of his or her possessions to the guests.
• The "Pig War" started when both the United States and Canada claimed the San Juan Islands, and the British threatened to place one Lyman Cutler on trial for shooting a pig owned by a Briton. The matter was settled when arbitration gave the islands to the United States.
• Early Seattle had a shortage of females. Asa Mercer went east and persuaded 11 girls of good families to return to meet the many eligible bachelors. Several prominent families trace their roots back to the Mercer girls.