On Oct. 3, 1978, the University of Washington Health Sciences Building was renamed the Magnuson Health Sciences Center in honor of Senator Warren G. Magnuson.

The UW’s Health Sciences Building was dedicated Oct. 9, 1949 on the university’s Seattle campus. The complex consists of more than 20 wings, with nearly 5.8 million square feet of floor space — making it one of the largest buildings in the U.S.

Magnuson and Senator Henry Jackson who represented their state in the U.S. Congress for a combined total of eighty-nine years (1934-1983). Nicknamed the “Gold Dust Twins” for their ability to obtain federal funding, their rise to seniority leadership in Congress resulted in a growing stream of federal dollars into Washington state, and the Pacific Northwest, that continues to have a significant economic impact today.