State of Jefferson Stories

The State of Jefferson Stories is a series of short works by Harry Turtledove, published in short order between May and June, 2016. The stories are light alternate history tales set in a world where sasquatches and related cryptids are real. However, unlike common popular depictions of such creatures as less evolved primates, in Turtledove's work, they are essentially human beings, and have been integrated into society.

Moreover, in 1919, several counties in northern California and southern Oregon seceded, forming the new U.S. state of Jefferson.

The three stories published thus far have centered on Bill Williamson, the governor of Jefferson in the late 1970s. Williamson is a sasquatch, who entered politics after a career in real estate sales. The first two tales, "Visitor from the East" and "Peace is Better" were both published in May 2016 in Thirty Days Later: Steaming Forward: 30 Adventures in Time, a collection of short stories with an ostensibly steampunk theme. Both are slight pieces focused more on world building, giving the reader insight into the culture and politics of Jefferson and its sasquatch governor. The third story, "[[Typecasting]" is more a developed story, featuring Williamson's efforts to help his daughter while combating certain negative stereotypes about sasquatch.