On November 11, 1889, Washington became the 42nd state to enter the Union. In the late 1800's, Charles Tallmadge (C.T.) Conover, a pioneer Seattle realtor, newspaper columnist, and historian, nicknamed Washington "The Evergreen State." Conover, who was also instrumental in retaining the name of Mount Rainier, gave Washington this nickname for its abundant evergreen forests.
Today "The Evergreen State" is generally accepted as a reference to the state of Washington. The nickname was used by Governor John H. McGraw in his 1893 inaugural address, and has been considered by the Legislature for official designation, but has never been adopted. The nickname can be seen engraved on Washington State license plates, on memorabilia sold at souvenir shops, and inscribed on the April 2007 United States memorial quarter honoring Washington State. While many state symbols, including the official state flag, song, dance, and seal have officially been designated as such by the Legislature, no official state nickname has been designated.
"The Evergreen State" is designated as the official nickname of the state of Washington.