Southwest Washington


Southwest Washington is a geographical area of the U.S. state of Washington, encompassing six counties in Western Washington. It generally includes the area south of Olympia and Thurston County, down to the Oregon-Washington state line at Vancouver, and west of the Yakima Indian Reservation.

Cities

Cities and towns in Southwest Washington include:

Culture

The Southwest Washington Fair is held annually in the city of Chehalis.
In the early 20th century, the region was home to a Class-D Minor league baseball league known as the Southwest Washington League.
The Sou'wester is the magazine of the Pacific County Historical Society.

Education

The Southwest Washington State College Committee study of the late 1960s eventually resulted in the establishment of The Evergreen State College in Olympia.
Washington State University Vancouver is located in Vancouver and serves as the only four-year research university in Southwest Washington.

Healthcare

PeaceHealth Southwest Medical Center in Vancouver is the region's largest medical center.

Transportation

The major north–south highways in Southwest Washington are U.S. Route 101, which runs along the Pacific Coast, and Interstate 5, a freeway between Seattle and Portland, Oregon. Several east–west highways connect these two routes, including State Route 4 along the Columbia River; State Route 6 between Raymond and Chehalis; and U.S. Route 12, which also traverses the Cascade Range at White Pass.