Washington State Place Names: From Alki to Yelm

Place names are like the historical markers past which we all speed in our cars, too preoccupied to stop and enjoy them.

The Strait of Juan de Fuca, Puyallup, Anacortes, Walla Walla—these are some of the place names of Washington State.

Scratch the surface and spend a little time wondering from whence they came and you will uncover a wealth of lore, legend, and local flavor.