Give Local is Here!
The Olympia Historical Society & Bigelow House Museum is participating in the Community Foundation of Puget Sound’s Give Local 2024…
Join us in exploring, preserving and promoting Olympia’s history. We are a non-profit membership-based organization presenting the stories from our past to enrich the present and inform the future of Olympia. The Bigelow House Museum, owned and operated by the Society and Museum, is the oldest residence in Olympia, Washington, and one of the earliest still standing in the Pacific Northwest.
Our Mission: The Olympia Historical Society and Bigelow House Museum preserves and shares the history and heritage of Olympia and the Bigelow House in a way that recognizes and values the diversity and rich cultures that gave rise to our community, is inclusive of all persons and perspectives, and informs and engages community members and visitors.
This year the Olympia Historical Society & Bigelow House Museum is proud to announce that the popular annual Holiday Tour of Historic Homes returns to Olympia and South Sound.
The event is set for Sunday December 8th from noon to 4:00 pm. As in the past, we feature five beautifully preserved residences in the South Capitol Neighborhood Historic District.
Your tour ticket also gives you admission to the annual open house at the Bigelow House Museum. Here you will enjoy touring the museum that will be decorated for the season, listen to pianist Jean Kuehn play the Steinway grand piano, and indulge in treats and hot beverages.
Tour tickets are $35 and support OHS & BHM programs and events throughout the year as well as our ongoing work to preserve the Bigelow House for future generations.
Tickets are now being sold at three locations around town including Childhood’s End Gallery and Drees in downtown Olympia as well as Thompson’s Furniture and Gifts in Tumwater. Cash or check only are accepted at these venues.
Tickets will also be sold on the day of the tour at the Coach House behind the Lord Mansion at 211 21st Avenue SW as well as at the Bigelow House. Cash, check, and credit cards will be accepted.
It is a pleasure to thank our many generous sponsors of the tour. You will find their logos on your ticket.
To help you plan your tour, look for the QR code that links to our website (or click here). There you can read more detailed information that will enrich your appreciation for the featured homes and their owners, as well as what to expect on the day of the tour.
OHS & BHM looks forward to seeing you on December 8th.
The Olympia Historical Society & Bigelow House Museum is participating in the Community Foundation of Puget Sound’s Give Local 2024…
The Olympia Historical Society and Bigelow House Museum is sponsoring the Holiday Tour of Historic Home on Sunday, December 8,…
Featuring five homes in the South Capitol Neighborhood Historic District. Open house at the Bigelow House Museum
Looking Back’s theme for 2024 is Many Streams, celebrating our rich and diverse history. William Owen Bush, son of settlers…
Looking Back’s theme for 2024 is Many Streams, celebrating our rich and diverse history. In 1988 Olympia voters helped make…
Looking Back’s theme for 2024 is Many Streams, celebrating our rich and diverse history Barbara O’Neill was a commanding presence…
We have everything from photos and resident data to interactive maps to help you find the information you are looking for. Click on some of the more commonly used historical tools below or use the navigation at the top of the page to see all of categories.
Find out more about the people and places that have shaped our history
We have created interactive maps that will allow you to find out more information about important historic and heritage locations over time.