country highways. The most important highways built and
maintained at state expense are the Pacific, the Sunset, the Inland
Empire, the Olympic and the National Park.

THE PACIFIC HIGHWAY.

The Pacific Highway extends from the southern limit of the state of
California to Vancouver, British Columbia, twenty-seven miles north of
Washington's boundary line, a total distance of about two thousand
miles. Three hundred and fifty miles is within the state of Washington,
connecting Vancouver on the Columbia with Blaine at the international
line. It traverses nine counties of Washington, containing forty-eight
per cent of the wealth and fifty-five per cent of the population, and
passes through nine county seats, including Olympia, the state capital,
Vancouver, Kalama. Chehalis, Tacoma, Seattle, Everett, Mount Vernon and
Bellingham.

[Illustration: PACIFIC HIGHWAY

NATIONAL PARK HIGHWAY WILLAPA HARBOR

STATE ROAD ALONG THE METHOW

RAINIER NATIONAL PARK ROAD

SUNSET BOULEVARD NEAR SPOKANE

ALONG THE SCENIC HIGHWAYS.]

From Vancouver, Washington, this highway starts northward through the
prune and plum orchards of Clarke county, where more of these trees grow
than in all other parts of the state combined. Along the banks of the
historic Columbia and through the fertile valley of the Cowlitz, it
winds toward Kelso, famous for smelt fisheries; and Castle Rock, the
gateway to Mount St. Helens. Deviating to the right at Vader, the north
fork of the picturesque Chehalis is soon reached, which fertile valley
is followed to the cities of Chehalis and Centralia, two rapidly growing
railroad centers having a combined population of 15,500 people. Groves,
orchards, gardens and prairies line the smooth gravelly road from here
to Olympia, where the first view of Puget Sound is obtained. The desire
to swerve off toward Grays Harbor or the Olympic Peninsula by the newly
completed Olympic Highway, or to try the steamer on the peaceful Sound,
is with difficulty overcome; but the Pacific Highway finally wins and
draws one on toward Tacoma, thirty-two miles northeast. Rising above the
famous Nisqually flats, and descending again to cross the oak moor lands
marking the beginning of Tacoma's playgrounds and reminding one of
southern England, the road soon enters Tacoma, third city in population
in the state.

Along the Puyallup and White river valleys, the course leads, touching
at Puyallup and Sumner, famous for berry culture; at Aubur