In three or four years, some lucky students will learn about Washington state history from David Williams.
They will receive up close and personal information.
Williams has visited almost every city, town and burg in the state. Now he is driving over every mountain pass and riding every ferry. Folks can share his adventures online at http:// visiteverycityinwashington state.com.
Williams, 35, who is studying at Everett Community College to be a history teacher, decided in 2001 that he would visit every city and town in the state to complete his education.
“At the end of May, I finished the project,” Williams said. “I visited 489 cities.”
Don’t nitpick that there are more than 489 cities in the state. He used a combination of the Washington State Cities of Incorporation Table and checked the list against ZIP codes to create a list of places to cruise through.
Williams also hopes to ride all the ferries and cross all the mountain pass by the end of summer.
Friends and family took pictures of Williams near post office signs in every town. He never had trouble getting folks to join the trips. Some even booked special places they wanted to visit. There was bidding for a trip to wine country.
Off they would go.
“Cheap was the key word,” Williams said. “We’d pack a lunch.”
The most he did in one day was 32 towns in two counties.
There are about 30 incorporated cities in the state that do not have their own ZIP codes, he found.
“For example, the city of Brier is an incorporated city. However, the city shares its ZIP code with Lynnwood,” Williams said. “Brier does not have a post office in its city limits. In situations such as this, I opted to find the City Hall and have my photo taken there.”
The Web site has pictures, information about how cities were named and even a favorites section, including Oysterville, Quinault and Stehekin.
Williams wants to teach at the middle or high school level. He left a great job at Boeing after 10 years, he said, then worked for Community Transit.
He decided a year ago to return to college, where he tutors in EvCC’s writing center. In high school, he wanted to be a history teacher but was sucked into the corporate world, he said.
Williams decided to see the state when he worked for Community Transit. “I was going to see my own back yard,” he said. “I might as well keep track as I go.”
He has produced a document that could be made into a book. Friends have urged him to publish it, but he still has mountain passes to cross and ferries to ride. In the spring, he aims to visit every lighthouse, hydroelectric dam and border crossing.
Can I go? Can I go?
“I have lived in Washington state my entire life, and one day realized that I had not seen very much of the state,” Williams said. “Washington is beautiful, with plenty of things to offer the day and weekend traveler.”
For all the people who have accompanied him, Williams is planning an event at the Washington State History Museum in Tacoma. In September, he will honor everyone who supported his project at a party. They’ll no doubt exchange jokes about the best parts of the trips.
When all is said and done, Williams will have tons of information to share with future students. For instance, Spanaway was named for Yawanaps, an American Indian word meaning “beautiful water.”
Spell it backward.
He discovered that on a remarkable journey.
Columnist Kristi O’Harran: 425-339-3451 or oharran@heraldnet.com.
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