History of the Pacific Northwest

¶ … History of the Pacific Northwest [...] how the Great Depression, World War II, and the Cold War impacted regional demographics in the Pacific Northwest. What social ramifications resulted from population shifts in the Northwest (consider rural and urban area)? How did demographics shape/influence Pacific Northwest politics? The Pacific Northwest did not escape the ramifications of the Great Depression, World War II, and the Cold War. No area in the country did. However, since the Pacific Northwest had not been quite as economically successful in the decade leading up to the stock market crash in 1929, its residents were not quite as deeply affected as those who had been more indulgent with their income.

Before the Great Depression in 1929, the Pacific Northwest had been growing significantly. By 1920, the area had grown by 254% from 1900 (Schwantes 365). However, the Great Depression put a stop to the growth and migration. By the time the Great Depression hit, the area was economically sound, but still rural in much of its' character. The Great Depression had a deep effect on the economy of the region, because so much of the area relied on agriculture, timber, and mining for their livelihood, and these industries suffered as the nation suffered. Historian Schwantes writes, "The Pacific Northwest as a whole experienced mortgage foreclosures, delinquent taxes, and sharply rising unemployment. A sense of desperation led to protests and in some cases to direct action and other forms of self-help by angry farmers and industrial workers" (Schwantes 382). To make matters worse, arrivals from the Midwest Dust Bowl arrived in the area looking for work, but there was none. They simply added to the problem of unemployment and public assistance that was facing the entire area. Another historian states, "During the great depression of the thirties, half a million wanderers from Oklahoma and other Dust Bowl states wended their way into the Inland Empire, seeking to escape the scourge of economic distress" (Warren 329). Thus, the population grew even as the economy sank.

Socially, this time in Pacific Northwest history changed the face of the area. What began in 1900 as a largely rural area, turned into a mainly urban area by the time of the Cold War. Agriculture, timber, and mining were all important to the economy and the success of the population, but there were other industries coming into the area, and more people were shifting to the cities. This shift in demographics changed the face of the area, but it also changed the area politically. After the Great Depression, what had been a Republican stronghold began to look increasingly toward Democratic candidates for local and national issues. Historian Schwantes continues, "Of four states electing governors, all chose Democrats" (Schwantes 384). This gave Democrats a foothold in an area they had never had before, and eventually led to a great many New Deal projects in the area from Franklin Roosevelt's plan to rejuvenate the nation by creating government work projects. However, it also led to some embarrassing times for elected officials. Some of the Democrats had less than stellar personal records, and some journalists called this time the time of "Circus Politics," especially in Washington, where one candidate was actually in jail for rape during the campaign (Schwantes 388). As the Depression wore on, FDR created a number of work projects in the area, and one of the largest was the Grand Coulee Dam, a magnificent structure that has long defied description. This time also marked the beginning of a burgeoning tourist industry in the area, with the development of ski areas such as Sun Valley in Idaho. It also marked the beginnings of ecological conservation in the area. As the economy worsened, people began to realize the timber and mining resources would not be there forever. One historian notes, "both state and Federal planning agencies stressed the importance of preserving and utilizing the resources on a sustained basis, thus building a diversified economy" (Gates 48). This idea carries on in the area today, perhaps with more force than ever before.

When World War II began, the Pacific Northwest was changing, but the War would create change that hardly any resident of the area could have envisioned. Historian Schwantes continues, "Wartime social and economic pressures scarcely left a corner untouched" (Schwantes 408). The two main centers of population, Puget Sound (Seattle) and Portland became major industrial providers during the War, but areas all over the Pacific Northwest helped support the war effort, and grew rapidly. The area produced planes, ships, timber, machinery, food, and a wide variety of other products that helped keep the war on track and production high. Society prospered, and people were working again. In addition, there were numerous large Army and Navy bases in the area, which added to the population. If the demographics had sifted dramatically from the turn of the century, now they were amazing. Schwantes notes, "The region's population shifts were phenomenal. Between 1940 and 1944, Seattle increased from 368,302 to approximately 530,000 people (650,000 in the greater metropolitan area); Tacoma from 109,408 to 140,000; and Bremerton from 15,134 to 48,000" (Schwantes 413). Young men from the area's rural regions streamed into the cities looking for jobs, and they found them. Thus, the population shifted even more toward the urban areas, a shift which has continued throughout modern history in the Pacific Northwest.

This population shift also had some detrimental and lasting social effects. Juvenile delinquency rose as more parents worked or were drafted. Because of the large influx of soldiers, prostitution increased, and so did divorce rates (Schwantes 415). The area was prospering, but socially, the increase in population in the urban areas also brought problems that had been less prevalent before. In addition, more minorities moved to the area to take advantage of the jobs available, and so, a population that had been largely white began to become more diverse and well rounded, with blacks, Asians, Hispanics, and other minorities adding to the labor force. Increased work and production brought an increased standard of life that would continue into the Baby Boom years following the war. It was a prosperous time for the country, and this was true in the Pacific Northwest, too. Some feared a major collapse in the economy after the war, but this simply did not occur. Building increased, and while the wartime industries reduced their workforce, there were other industries in the area to take up the slack. Many immigrants stayed on after the war, and the population grew another 25% between 1940 and 1947 (Schwantes 423). Of course, this created suburbs outside the major cities, a trend that continues today. After the war, the nuclear industry created electrical power and testing facilities in the area, which were a major reaction to the Cold War with the Soviet Union. Thus, each decade of change created great transformation in the Pacific Northwest, and each added its own mark on the population and politics of the area. There was uncertainty because of the proximity to the Soviet Union, but there was prosperity, too.