Archives West Finding Aid

The 1877 Washington Territorial Legislature was significant for two major events: first, in 1877 an act was passed to assemble a convention that would draft a state constitution and encourage Congress to grant statehood to Washington. Subsequently, in 1878 the Constitutional Convention convened in Walla Walla and drafted a constitution. Second, in December 1877, Washington's delegate to Congress requested an enabling act from Congress to allow Washington to become a state as soon as a constitution could be drafted and ratified. Without waiting for Congress to act, the Territorial Legislature passed a law to elect delegates to form a convention and draft a constitution. The fifteen delegates met in Walla Walla in the summer of 1878 and drew up a constitution which was ratified by the voters later that year.

Two A. B. Woodard cabinet card photos are located in PH Coll 334. One card has a photomontage of the 1877 Washington Territorial Assembly Members of the House, and one card shows the Ministers and Officers of the Council.