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Washington joined the Union in 1889 as our nation's 42nd state, so its design is the 42nd in the 50 State Quarters® Program. The image shows a king salmon jumping out of the water, with Mount Rainier in the background.
The salmon is a symbol of Washington and of Pacific Northwest culture. This fish has long nourished the native people of the Pacific Northwest, where Washington is located.
Mount Rainier, part of the Cascade Range that passes through the state, is a volcano covered by snow and glaciers. It hasn't erupted in recent years, but it's still considered an active volcano. As a symbol, it seems to connect the eastern and western parts of the state because of its central location.
Washington's lush evergreen forests inspired a newspaperman named C.T. Conover to call Washington "The Evergreen State." That title later became the state's nickname.