Throughout 2023 the Sunday Olympian’s Looking Back theme was origins of area place names. Tilley Road in south Thurston County is named for the Tilley family, early settlers. Abram Tilley operated a hotel near Tenino. His son, Moses Rice Tilley, operated a livery stable at the corner of State and Capitol (then Third and Main). Pictured here is Moses and Sarah Hodgdon Tilley’s daughter, Maybelle. She was a celebrated international beauty, and married twice, the second time to an alleged Greek Count Stavra, hence her married title Countess Stavra.
George Bain photo, Library of Congress collection, undated
Text © Deborah Ross and The Olympian 2023