THE PACIFIC COAST STATES

The geologic structure of the Pacific Coast has caused earthquake and volcanic activity.  The San Andreas fault system is located where the Pacific and North American plates meet.  This active boundary extends along the northern California coast through the San Francisco peninsula, then southeast through southern California into the Gulf of California.  The Pacific Plate is slowly moving along the San Andreas Fault. Scientists believe that millions of years from now, the Los Angeles region and parts of southern  California will move past the coast of northern California..  As the Pacific Plate moves past the North American Plate, an increasing level of stress builds up between the plates.  When the stress becomes too much, the plates’ rock structure faults (cracks) sending shock waves along the fault system , creating earthquakes.  Some like the San Francisco earthquake of 1906 have been catastrophic.

WASHINGTON

Capital: Olympia

Economy: Timber, aircraft, shipbuilding, fruit, and fishing.

The Puget Sound region has hundreds of islands, natural harbors, forests, two mountain ranges, and Mount Rainier.  A volcanic peak in the Cascades, Mt. St. Helens, has had several eruptions since 1980.  West of the Puget Sound are the wet and primitive Olympic Mountains.  Seattle, the largest city, is just one of many Washington locations for the air and space giant, the Boeing Company.  East of the Cascades is a large plateau formed by ancient lava deposits.  This arid region has been made into a productive farming area with water and electricity supplied from dams on the Columbia River.  The Grand Coulee is the largest cement dam in the United States.  Washington grows more apples and hops (used in brewing beer) than does any other states.

OREGON

Capital: Salem

Economy: Timber products, wheat, food products, and electronics.

Most early settlers to Oregon came via the Oregon Trail in the 1840s.  Two distinct climate characterize Oregon.  West of the towering Cascades, the weather is mild and moist.  In this region lie Oregon's vast forests and the fertile Willamette River Valley, with its major cities, industries and productive farmland.  Oregon is the nation's leading timber state.  Much of the state is referred to as the “sawdust empire”.    The eastern two-thirds of Oregon consists of a dry plateau subject to wide variations in temperature.  Irrigation has made this a productive agricultural area.  Portland, the largest city, is an important port on the Columbia River.  This river provides much of the Northwest's hydroelectric power.  Oregon has many scenic attractions: Crater Lake, the country's deepest lake (1,932 ft.), which fills the crater of an extinct volcano; steep gorges on the Columbia and Snake Rivers; Pacific beaches, and the majestic Mount Hood.

CALIFORNIA

Capital: Sacramento

Economy: Aircraft, space equipment, electronics, oil, produce, and cotton

California exploded nationally when gold was discovered near Sacremento on John Sutter’s property in 1848.   The manufacturing and agricultural output of the most populous state rank it as the world's sixth largest economy.  The mild Mediterranean climate allows year-round agriculture in the wide, fertile, irrigated Central Valley, which is 500 miles long.  California is the leading producer of fruits, nuts, vegetables, cotton and flowers.  Most farming in California is done by modern farms.  Many of these farms are owned by large corporations.  This type of argiculture is called agribusiness.  Mineral wealth begun in the gold rush days continues.  Today sand and gravel mines bring as much economic prosperty to California as does its oil, silver or gold.  It is also the leading industrial state.  Los Angeles is a sunny, colorful, flat, sprawling city plagued by smog.  It is the nation's second largest city and top manufacturing center.  The part of it called Hollywood is the entertainment capital of the world.  San Francisco is the opposite of L.A.; confined to a small peninsula, it has breathtaking hills, cable cars, Victorian houses, chilly fog, and the Golden Gate Bridge.  The fastest growing cities are San Diego and San Jose.  California is the nation’s most urbanized state.  More than 10% of the nation’s population lives within the state.  More than 90% of the of the states population live in urban areas.  California's  landscape is remarkably diverse: a dramatic coastline, snowcapped mountains, fertile valleys, thick forests, and barren deserts (Death Valley). The tallest peak in the 48 states is Mount Whitney (14,494')-60 miles away is California's redwoods are the world's tallest trees; the sequoias are the largest; and the bristle-cone pines the oldest (4,600 years).