Cowlitz Convention responsible for splitting Washington from Oregon

It was 166 years ago this week that settlers in “Northern Oregon” decided to do something about their plight, and to work to create Columbia Territory on this side of that mighty river.

What was their plight, exactly?

Being cut-off from the Oregon Territory government (and important services) in Oregon City and Salem – which was a couple of days’ travel from Puget Sound in those years.

The Resident Historian is a twice-weekly podcast from KIRO Newsradio's Feliks Banel. Each episode includes either Feliks's Wednesday history feature from Seattle's Morning News, or the weekly Friday morning installment of the history and geography series All Over The Map.