The constitution is safeguarded and preserved by the Washington State Archives
OLYMPIA — In honor of U.S. Constitution Week, Secretary of State Steve Hobbs will host a public showing of the original 1889 Washington Constitution Thu., Sept. 14, in the Legislative Building in Olympia.
The constitution is safeguarded and preserved by the Washington State Archives, a division of the Office of Secretary of State, which is presenting Thursday’s display. That afternoon, visitors to the Office of the Secretary of State will be able to view the 1889 document in a secure display case from 1 p.m. until 4 p.m.
State Archives experts will be on hand to answer questions about the document, which will be protected by the Washington State Patrol throughout the exhibition.
“I am proud to be able to bring the foundational document of Washington’s government out from the Archives into full public view to recognize Constitution Week,” Secretary of State Steve Hobbs said. “For more than 134 years, this constitution has guided every aspect of how our state is run. It’s our history, and so much more as well. It’s an honor to host this opportunity for all Washingtonians to see what our state government is built on.”
Elected delegates of the Constitutional Convention assembled on July 4, 1889, in the Territorial Capitol Building in Olympia and labored through the hot summer to draft a constitution which would form the basis for all future Washington laws. On August 23, 1889, the convention concluded its work.
Learn more about the 1889 Washington Constitution and download your own copy from the Washington State Digital Archives here.
Washington’s Office of the Secretary of State oversees a number of areas within state government, including managing state elections, registering corporations and charities, and governing the use of the state flag and state seal. The office also manages the State Archives and the State Library, documents extraordinary stories in Washington’s history through Legacy Washington, oversees the Combined Fund Drive for charitable giving by state employees, and administers the state’s Address Confidentiality Program to help protect survivors of crime.
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