Southwest Washington

Southwest Washington is a geographical area of the U.S. state of Washington, encompassing roughly half of Western Washington. It generally includes the Olympia area southwards to the Oregon-Washington state line at Vancouver. Olympia, the state capital, has been a transshipment center for Southwest Washington since its settlement in the mid-19th century.

Cities
Cities and towns in Southwest Washington include:


 * Aberdeen
 * Camas
 * Centralia
 * Chehalis
 * Hoquiam
 * Kelso
 * Lacey
 * Longview
 * Olympia
 * Raymond
 * Shelton
 * South Bend
 * Tumwater
 * Vancouver
 * Washougal
 * Woodland
 * Yelm
 * Ridgefield

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.

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.