Saturday Speaker Series - All Over the Map: Surprising Places and Placenames of the Evergreen State

The names given to places and things reflect the history and culture of the people who have called this area “home” for centuries, and even for time immemorial. Formal names – such as “Washington Territory” – only reflect part of the story, while boosterish titles – “Evergreen State” – reflect other dreams and aspirations. Along with these formal monikers, informal nicknames for communities and community institutions hint at the creativity and fluid nature of the shared identities of the places and things that we feel belong to all of us. Broadcaster and historian Feliks Banel has been studying place names since his sister gave him a copy of “Washington Place Names” when he was 10 years old. In this illustrated presentation, Banel explores the stories behind some of the formal and informal names of places and things around Western Washington – including some not found on any map.

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