Inspiring Ways Washington Women Made History

I am inspired by other women. When I think of their stories, courage, and innovations to pave the way for the rest of us, I'm left in awe. There are dozens of inspiring women from Washington State who have made history — they are true trailblazers. Let's take a trip back in time to learn about seven women from Washington who have left powerful legacies.

1. Bonnie Dunbar

Bonnie Dunbar is the first woman astronaut from Washington and flew five space missions between 1985 and 1998. In addition to her title as an astronaut, Dunbar has also been an administrator for NASA, CEO of the Museum of Flight in Seattle, the John and Bea Slattery professor of aerospace engineering at Texas A&M University, and the Director of the Institute for Engineering Education and Innovation at Texas A&M University.

2. Patricia Bostrom

Patricia Bostrom was a professional tennis player who fought for gender equality in collegiate sports in the 1970s. Better known as Trish Bostrom, she grew up in Seattle, played tennis for the University of Washington, and then competed worldwide. She eventually became an attorney in Washington State.

3. Corrine Carter

Corrine Carter was the first black policewoman on the West Coast and the second black policewoman in the United States. In addition to her work on the police force, she provided services to black youth and child trafficking victims. She also established Seattle’s Phillis Wheatley Branch of the YWCA.

4. Dixy Lee Ray

Dixy Lee Ray was elected Washington State’s first female governor in 1976. She was a woman with an impressive resume, as she was a University of Washington professor and the director of Seattle’s Pacific Science Center. President Richard Nixon also nominated her as Chairman of the United States Atomic Energy Commission.

5. Linda Buck

Linda Buck was a scientist and a Nobel laureate best known for her research on the sense of smell. Buck received the 2004 Nobel Prize for Medicine, along with Richard Axel. She helped to discover the genes and receptors that allow us to smell. 

6. Bessie Hall Dempsey

Dempsey began her studies as a ballerina but returned to school and earned a degree in mechanical engineering. She paved the way for other women in this field as she became Boeing’s first female aeronautical engineer. She worked for Boeing for more than two decades.  

7. Dorothy Stimson Bullitt

Bullitt is nicknamed the “Queen of KING” and was the first woman to buy and run a television station. She was a risk taker who purchased Seattle’s first television station in 1949 when not many individuals even owned television sets. The station became known as KING Broadcasting Company and was the only television station in Seattle until 1953.

Yes, I know many other Washington women could be on this list — you are not forgotten. To each and every woman who is willing to stand up and stand out, I want to say “Thank you.” Thank you for your courage, dedication, and perseverance. Thank you for paving the way for the rest of us. You are truly an inspiration.

If you love history, check out these images of Washington from the early 1900s, which will take you on a journey back in time. Also, make sure to look at these before-and-after pictures of Mount Rainer National Park that show just how much things have changed over time.