How Seattle became a magnet for creative minds

Tucked away in the upper left corner of the United States sits a region that, to this day, still retains a level of mystique. The Pacific Northwest (or Cascadia as the locals are prone to calling it from time to time), with its verdant, mossy forests and independent state of mind, evokes a sense of adventure and mystery. Through the lens of the corporate world, however, it is, in many ways, an epicenter of global recognition. 
Starbucks. Microsoft. Amazon. Nordstrom. REI. Boeing. All names