Looking Back’s theme for 2026 was Downtown by the Decades. On April 13, 1949, a 7.1 magnitude earthquake inflicted widespread damage in Olympia and beyond. Pictured here is the corner of the Martin Building, at the southwest corner of 5th and Washington. The marquee and canopy of the M.M. Morris clothing store were detached, and the roofline sustained major damage.
Unknown photographer, 1949, Washington State Archives, image AR-28001001-ph002955
Text © Deborah Ross and The Olympian 2026