Did you know that this liberal bastion was the scene of large Klan rallies in the 1920s? The Washington Historical Society has photos here. Gives new meaning to Hood Canal.

Here is a Seattle Times article on the UW research about the Klan and its influence. There weren't many African Americans to terrorize back then, so the Klan focused on Catholics, Jews and people who looked different.

This description has modern-day echoes:

Klan leaders appealed to people's Christianity, their patriotism and a fear of foreigners.

Meanwhile in North Idaho, there's this swell dude in need of a history intervention.

And over in Rexburg, schoolchildren traded "The Wheels on the Bus" for "Assassinate Obama". Sigh.

Photo/Washington State Historical Society

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