Washington has introduced several notable inventions to the world along with other Washington firsts you may not be aware of. Did you know about any of these 10 things that started here in our state first?

1. After Prohibition, we opened the first brewpub in the U.S.
RicardoImagen / iStock via Getty Images Plus
Yakima Brewing & Malting Co., also known as Grant's Brewery Pub, opened in 1982 and was the first in the country after Prohibition ended.

Learn a little more about Yakima Brewing & Malting Co. and its founder Bert Grant in this video from WashingtonBeerTV:
2. We were the first to broadcast news in HD!
Cutlass Supreme at English Wikipedia, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons
KOMO TV was the first station in history to broadcast daily local news in digital high definition television (HDTV) in May 1999 to the Seattle area.
3. Washington is home to the first floating bridge.
zingersb/Flickr
The Lacey V. Murrow Bridge carries the eastbound lanes of I-90 across Lake Washington and is the first floating concrete bridge in the world.
4. In 1926 Bertha Landes was elected mayor of Seattle, which made her the first female mayor of any major American city.
Seattle Municipal Archives from Seattle, WA, CC BY 2.0 , via Wikimedia Commons
She served as mayor from 1926 to 1928 and pushed for civil service hiring, the city’s first traffic code, and tighter regulation of nightlife.

Watch this video from the Seattle Channel talking about Bertha Landes, the first female mayor of Washington:
5. We had the first Red Robin!
bobbyt/Flickr
The first location of many opened here in our state and has served up some appetizing burgers since it was founded in 1969.

Related Stories

A UFO Was Sighted In Washington 76 Years Ago And It's One Of The Most Important UFO Sightings In History

A UFO Was Sighted In Washington 76 Years Ago And It's One Of The Most Important UFO Sightings In History

 Some Of The Worst Drivers In The Nation Are Found In Seattle, Washington, According To A New Study

Some Of The Worst Drivers In The Nation Are Found In Seattle, Washington, According To A New Study

 Few People Know About The Missing Nuclear Bomb Hiding Somewhere Off The Coast Of Washington

Few People Know About The Missing Nuclear Bomb Hiding Somewhere Off The Coast Of Washington
6. Speaking of deliciousness...we also created the first Cinnabon.
Jasmine/Flickr
In 1985 the first location opened at the SeaTac Mall and the only option on the menu was the "Cinnabon Classic" cinnamon roll.
7. The first shopping mall in the United States was the Northgate Mall in Seattle.
Kevin W./Yelp
While you're shopping here, a trip to the Cinnabon is never a bad idea.
8. Washington was the first state to allow ballots to be e-mailed to our military and overseas voters.
usarmyafrica/Flickr
Every vote counts - especially residents who are actively serving in the military!
9. The first Costco Warehouse was opened here.
Mike Mozart/Flickr
In 1983, the first warehouse club store was opened in Seattle where you could find great deals on bulk items.
10. Washington was the first state to pass a law banning texting while driving.
Lord Jim/Flickr
Not only is this illegal, but also highly dangerous. It can wait!

For even more Washington fun, watch this video featuring 101 facts about Washington:

We were also the first to celebrate Father’s Day – in Spokane – as we detailed in our Inventions In Washington article! This state is so innovative… what are some other Washington firsts you’ve heard about?

OnlyInYourState may earn compensation through affiliate links in this article. As an Amazon Associate, we earn from qualifying purchases.

More to Explore

Even more Washington firsts

Chris Muras | June 12, 2023

What are some inventions from Washington State?

There are plenty of things Washington was first at, that includes many things that were invented here. Let's take a look at a few of the inventions that came from Washington State:

  • The backpack: It's fitting that the backpack was invented in Washington as we have so many wonderful hiking trails. Without the backpack, we'd have to have a lot more arms in order to carry our gear. Lloyd Nelson discovered that the hard way in the 1920s when he realized there had to be a better way to carry all of his stuff. He sold the patent for his idea to Trager Manufacturing.
  • Vinyl: Waldo Semon is credited with the invention of the Vinyl record and 116 different inventions derived from his work with vinyl, rubber, and synthetic rubber compounds. He attended the University of Washington so we'll claim him as one of our own, even though he was originally from Alabama and spent much of his life in Ohio.
  • Pickleball: Sometimes a new invention comes from necessity. In 1965, Washington Congressman Joel Pritchard and friends Bill Bell and Barney McCallum didn't have the right gear for badminton so they improvised and came up with what is now Pickleball.
  • The automatic car wash: If you have spent any time in Seattle you have probably seen signs for the Elephant Car Wash. What you may not have known is that this company is credited with the invention of the first fully automated car wash in the US.
  • Waterskiing: Next time you are out on Lake Chelan strapping on a pair of waterskis you'll have to thank Washingtonian Don Ibsen for his role in the invention of the sport. It turns out three different people at three different times were attempting to be the first to ski behind a boat on a pair of wooden planks. Ralph Samuelson of Minnesota in 1922, Fred Waller in Long Island, NY in 1924, and Don Ibsen in 1928.

Related Articles

Explore Washington