If your first answer to that question was “not today,” you’d be entirely in the right. Additionally, if your first answer was “the birthdate of Wyatt Earp, legendary lawman of the Wild West,” you’d also be correct. However, there is another event that takes place every year on this day that you may or may not be aware of.
The answer (of course), is that March 19th is University of Puget Sound Day in Hawaii! Ratified on the eighth of March, 1991 by the Hawaiian state government, the day is meant to celebrate the contributions made to by the University of Puget Sound to the State of Hawaii. So while we were off enjoying spring break, the good people of the Aloha State were (surely) celebrating the virtues our University.
Here in our Archives & Special Collections we have original copies of not just the proclamation by Governor John Waihee dedicating the date, but also certificates presented and signed by the Hawaii House of Representatives and State Senate.
Hawaii not quite local enough for you? Don’t worry about that – March 17th is University of Puget Sound day in Tacoma. Ratified first in 1988 and again in 2013 for our 125th anniversary, the event commemorates the long history of the University’s relationship with Tacoma.
So drop on by to the Archives & Special Collections during our open hours, every Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday from 1:00 to 3:00 p.m. and find out what day it really is.
By Zeb Howell