Tumwater, located along the scenic Deschutes River near Puget Sound, is officially recognized as the oldest permanent American settlement and city in Washington state. Founded in 1845 by a group of determined American pioneers led by Michael Simmons and George Bush who traveled along the Oregon Trail, the community was established to harness the rushing river water for industrial sawmilling and grain processing. Originally named New Market before adopting its current title derived from the Chinook Jargon word for waterfall, the city played a foundational role in the early pioneer development, governance, and commercial expansion of the Pacific Northwest territory.