The watercolor reproduced here was painted in 1857 by James Madison Alden, nephew of James Alden, commander for the U.S. Coast Survey in the 1850s. The nephew was designated the survey artist for the expedition. It is the oldest known image of Olympia, showing Main Street (now Capitol Way) extending down to Budd Inlet.
Drawing courtesy Washington State Historical Society, catalog 1932.93.17
Text © Deborah Ross and The Olympian 2022