Looking Back’s theme for 2026 is Downtown by the Decades. In 1979, civic organizations and the City retained a national organization known as R/UDAT to come up with a vision for the revitalization of downtown Olympia. One recommendation was the development of a performing arts center. In 1984 the Washington Center for the Performing Arts, shown here under construction in 1983, was dedicated and remains a central element of the downtown arts scene.
Olympia Planning Commission archives, Washington State Archives