Did you know that the Washington State Archives has over 68,000 trademark applications from corporations registered in Washington?

In 1891, the Mount Shasta Mineral Spring Company applied for a trademark. Formed in 1889, the company distributed naturally carbonated water from the springs of Mt. Shasta in northern California. In the mid-twentieth century the company expanded into the soda business. You can still find the brand, “Shasta” on many store shelves. This trademark from 1891 is one of the earliest trademarks in the Digital Archives.

A trademark is any word, name, logo, symbol, or device adopted by an entity to identify and distinguish their goods and services from others. Registering a trademark with the Office of the Secretary of State gives the applicant exclusive use to the applied trademark and protects them from rights infringement.

The Secretary of State, Corporations Division, Trademarks Collection is searchable by keyword, date, name, registration number, and application type. There are several documents related to each application such as the official application; the sample, or drawing of the trademark; the reservation or place holder for a company considering registering with the state; the assignment, which is the change of owner or change of ownership name of a trademark; the amendment or corrections to a trademark; and renewal paperwork to extend the rights of using the trademark. For the Shasta Mineral Spring Company’s application in 1891, there is a trademark application and sample.