How Old is the WSMA?

Just how old is the Washington State Medical Association? Well, that depends on when you start counting. Worn and weathered pages in the WSMA archives note that the first formal meeting of the Medical Society of Washington Territory took place in Olympia on Feb. 19, 1873, with five members.

But as the Wild West and its frontier towns grew, it was time for the territory to become the nation’s 42nd state. In response, society members moved that the Territorial Society would adjourn sine die on Oct. 24, 1889, at the Tacoma Hotel.

They reassembled as the Medical Society of the State of Washington, with 46 charter members. The name we’re known by today—the Washington State Medical Association—was approved by the board in 1894. Today, at more than 12,000 members strong, no matter how you count it or what you call it, we’ve come a long way.