# Washington Place Names

> place names dictionary for the State of Washington

**Wikidata**: [Q105825627](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q105825627)  
**Source**: https://4ort.xyz/entity/washington-place-names

## Summary
Washington Place Names (WPN) is an online dictionary and gazetteer dedicated to cataloging place names within the State of Washington. Created and published by the Tacoma Public Library, it serves as a digital reference tool for toponymy. The resource is accessible in English as part of the library's Online Digital Collections.

## Key Facts
*   **Title:** Washington Place Names
*   **Aliases:** WPN
*   **Creator:** Tacoma Public Library
*   **Publisher:** Tacoma Public Library
*   **Instance of:** Website, Online Dictionary, Gazetteer
*   **Main Subject:** Toponym (specifically regarding the State of Washington)
*   **Inception:** 1990
*   **Language:** English
*   **Part of:** Tacoma Public Library Online Digital Collections
*   **Wikidata Property ID:** P9330
*   **URL:** https://cdm17061.contentdm.oclc.org/digital/collection/p17061coll4

## FAQs
### Q: Who created and maintains Washington Place Names?
A: Washington Place Names was created by the Tacoma Public Library. The library serves as both the publisher and the host for the resource through its Online Digital Collections.

### Q: What type of resource is Washington Place Names?
A: It is an online dictionary and gazetteer. It functions as a website that provides information on toponyms (place names) specifically for the State of Washington.

### Q: When was Washington Place Names established?
A: The resource was established in 1990.

## Why It Matters
Washington Place Names serves as a specialized repository for the geographical nomenclature of the State of Washington. By functioning as both a dictionary and a gazetteer, it provides structured information about toponyms, offering users a way to research the specific names of locations rather than just geographic coordinates. This distinction makes it a vital tool for historians, geographers, and researchers interested in the linguistic and cultural history of the region's landmarks.

The resource is significant for its longevity and early adoption of digital formats; with an inception date of 1990, it stands as an early example of web-based library collections. As part of the Tacoma Public Library Online Digital Collections, it represents the institution's commitment to digitizing regional history. The database ensures that the etymology and historical context of Washington's locations remain accessible to the public in English, filling a niche that general encyclopedias or standard maps do not address.

## Notable For
*   **Early Digital Adoption:** The website was established in 1990, making it an early entrant in the field of digital library collections.
*   **Dual Classification:** It is uniquely classified as both an online dictionary and a gazetteer, bridging lexical definitions with geographical data.
*   **Regional Specificity:** It is a dedicated authority on toponyms strictly for the State of Washington.
*   **Library Integration:** It is fully integrated into the Tacoma Public Library's digital infrastructure, ensuring institutional backing and archival stability.
*   **Dedicated Wikidata Property:** The resource is recognized with a specific Wikidata property (P9330), indicating its utility as a source for structured data.

## Body
### Overview and Classification
Washington Place Names (WPN) is a digital knowledge base classified as a website, an online dictionary, and a gazetteer. Its primary function is to catalog and define toponyms found within the United States, specifically focusing on the State of Washington. The resource is entirely in English.

### Institutional Ownership
The project is a product of the Tacoma Public Library. The library is listed as the creator, publisher, and current host. It operates as a subset of the larger "Tacoma Public Library Online Digital Collections."

### Technical and Access Information
The resource is accessible via the ContentDM platform, a common digital asset management system used by libraries and archives.
*   **URL:** The collection is available at `https://cdm17061.contentdm.oclc.org/digital/collection/p17061coll4`.
*   **Identifier:** In the realm of linked open data, Washington Place Names is associated with the Wikidata property P9330.

### History
According to structured data sources, the inception of the Washington Place Names website occurred in 1990. This date marks its establishment as a served web page from a single web domain under the administration of the Tacoma Public Library.