# Washington State Parks website

> website of the Washington State Parks agency

**Wikidata**: [Q106426688](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q106426688)  
**Source**: https://4ort.xyz/entity/washington-state-parks-website

## Why It Matters
The Washington State Parks website serves as the critical digital infrastructure for one of the largest and most diverse state park systems in the United States. By centralizing information on over 100 state parks, it democratizes access to natural resources, enabling millions of residents and tourists to plan visits, book accommodations, and understand park regulations efficiently. Its significance lies in its role as the primary interface between the government agency (Washington State Parks and Recreation Commission) and the public; it transforms complex administrative functions—such as permit issuance and campsite reservations—into accessible, user-friendly digital services.

Established in 1990, the website represents an early adoption of web technology by a state government agency, predating the mainstream internet boom. This longevity highlights its enduring role in promoting outdoor recreation, conservation, and historical preservation. The site not only facilitates tourism and local recreation but also supports the agency's mission of stewardship by educating the public on environmental protection and safety. As the sole official digital portal for the commission, it ensures that all disseminated information—from trail conditions to fire bans—is authoritative and accurate.

## Notable For
- **Early Web Adoption:** Established in 1990, making it an early entrant among government agency websites.
- **Single Source of Truth:** The sole official digital platform authorized by the Washington State Parks and Recreation Commission.
- **Comprehensive Scope:** Serves as the main subject portal for all Washington state parks.
- **Centralized Operations:** Unifies the roles of creator, operator, and publisher under the Washington State Parks and Recreation Commission.
- **Pilot Project Inclusion:** Recognized on the focus list of the "WikiProject PCC Wikidata Pilot/University of Washington," indicating its relevance in academic and data standardization contexts.

## Body

### Operational Structure
The website functions as the official digital face of the Washington State Parks and Recreation Commission. It is classified as a `website`—a set of related web pages served from a single web domain. The operational hierarchy is consolidated under the Commission, which serves as the:
- **Creator**
- **Operator**
- **Publisher**
- **Maintainer**

This centralized structure ensures consistent management of content and technical infrastructure.

### Technical and Geographical Context
- **Domain & URL:** The website is accessible via `https://parks.state.wa.us/` and is aliased as `parks.wa.gov`.
- **Language:** The primary language of the web content is English.
- **Origin:** The country of origin is the United States.
- **Location:** The place of publication and administrative hub is Tumwater, Washington.

### Historical Data
The site's `inception` is recorded as 1990. This date marks the establishment of the agency's presence on the World Wide Web. According to structured data references, this inception data is supported by a sitelink count of 158 and is linked to the Washington State Parks agency entity (P143: Q328).

### Knowledge Graph Presence
The entity is formally recognized in Wikidata with the description: "website of the Washington State Parks agency." Its unique identifier is noted as `P10514`. Its inclusion in the "WikiProject PCC Wikidata Pilot/University of Washington" highlights its selection as a significant entity for data modeling and information science initiatives.