operations that ship to Pacific Rim
countries. Downtown Ellensburg has many historic buildings, many of which were
constructed in the late 19th century. This is a legacy of its bid to be the
state capital, which it lost to Olympia. CWU being placed there is another
product of that legacy. The state legislature selected Ellensburg as the
location for the then Normal School as a consolation prize. Eastern Washington
has a much drier climate than Western Washington, and some Seattle-area
residents have moved to the city and commute over Snoqualmie Pass on Interstate
90 to jobs located in the Puget Sound region
