Throughout 2021 we are featuring events and people from the Sylvester’s Window cityscape project, now available online. The 1972 cityscape pictures The Governor Hotel at the corner of 7^th and Legion. The hotel has existed here since 1890, but in three different incarnations. The latest structure was built in 1970 in a mid-Century modern design by architectural firm Camp, Dresser, McKee. It is seen here during Pride Week 2014. Photograph selected and captioned by Deborah Ross. For more information, see https://olympiahistory.org/1972-2/.

Throughout 2021 we are featuring events and people from the Sylvester’s Window cityscape project, now available online. In its early decades, as seen in the 1856 cityscape, Olympia’s commercial core was located in the few blocks north of State Avenue. In this photograph, taken much later, around 1902, we can still see remnants of the Bettman store, the balconied Washington Hotel, and the seat of the first territorial legislature beyond it (now the location of Chelsea Farms restaurant on Capitol Way north). Photograph selected and captioned by Deborah Ross. For more information, see https://olympiahistory.org/1856-the-indian-war/

Throughout 2021 we are featuring events and people from the Sylvester’s Window cityscape project, now available online. The Miller’s Department Store building was erected at Legion Way and Capitol Way about 1949, around the time this photograph was taken. The building has housed a number of retail establishments throughout the years. Damage from the 2001 earthquake and other alterations have largely eliminated its original mid-Century modern architectural features. Image selected and captioned by Deborah Ross. For more information see https://olympiahistory.org/1950-2/. Jeffers photo, 1949, Susan Parish Collection, Washington State Archives

Throughout 2021 we are featuring events and people from the Sylvester’s Window cityscape project, now available online. With the completion of the Carlyon Fill in 1911, the port area of Olympia was able to accommodate dramatic industrial growth. The Washington Veneer Company was founded in 1924, joining the existing Olympia Veneer cooperative at the northern tip of the Port. Photograph selected and captioned by Deborah Ross. For more information see https://olympiahistory.org/1933-2/.

unknown photographer and date, State Library photograph collection, Washington State Archives

Throughout 2021 we are featuring events and people from the Sylvester’s Window cityscape project, now available online. This photo, taken from the Old State Capitol building, shows Sylvester Park around the end of the 19^th century. To the south of the park we see the planking of “the lid,” the predecessor of the 7^th Avenue railroad tunnel. It was originally a trench dug along Seventh Avenue and capped by wooden planking. The trench was replaced by the current tunnel in 1913. Photograph selected and captioned by Deborah Ross. For more information, see https://olympiahistory.org/1899-2/

Throughout 2021 we are featuring events and people from the Sylvester’s Window cityscape project, now available online. John Miller Murphy, prolific, opinionated, long-lived editor of the Washington Standard, came to Olympia with his sister in 1851 and published the Standard from 1860 until 1921. The Standard building was located on Third Avenue (now State Avenue). Photograph selected and captioned by Deborah Ross. For more information, see https://olympiahistory.org/1874-building-a-railroad/.

Throughout 2021 we are featuring events and people from the Sylvester’s Window cityscape project, now available online. Leschi, a member of the Nisqually tribe, was designated a leader of the tribe in treaty negotiations after Washington gained territorial status, but refused to sign the Medicine Creek treaty, deeming it inadequate to preserve the Nisqually way of life. He was later judicially murdered for his role in the so-called Indian Wars of the 1850s, but posthumously exonerated in 2004. Image selected and captioned by Deborah Ross. For more information https://olympiahistory.org/1841-cheetwoot/

Throughout 2021 we are featuring events and people from the Sylvester’s Window cityscape project, now available online. In 1995, Earthbound Productions founder Eli Sterling spearheaded the Procession of the Species, an annual event commemorating Earth Day and the natural environment. The event features thousands of participants and spectators and involves months of preparation. This angler fish is a perennial favorite. Photograph selected and captioned by Deborah Ross. For more information see https://olympiahistory.org/2001-2/

Throughout 2021 we are featuring events and people from the Sylvester’s Window cityscape project, now available online. Radio station KGY is one of the oldest on the Pacific Coast, licensed in 1916. In 1960 it moved into a mid-Century modern building design by G. Stacey Bennett, at the far northern tip of the Port area. The 1972 Sylvester’s Window narrative describes the welcome voice of KGY’s long-time and beloved Dick Pust, announcing a snow day during the blizzard of January 1972. Both Dick and the station tower are visible in the cityscape for 1972. Dick has now (2021) retired from radio broadcasting and is working on a memoir. Photograph selected and captioned by Deborah Ross. For more information, see https://olympiahistory.org/1972-2/

Throughout 2021 we are featuring events and people from the Sylvester’s Window cityscape project, now available online. In May 1950, Olympia held a week-long celebration of our city’s centennial. The Olympian put together a multi-page spread, residents dressed as pioneers, culminating with the Grand Centennial Parade of Progress. Photograph selected and captioned by Deborah Ross. For more information, see https://olympiahistory.org/1950-2/.

Throughout 2021 we are featuring events and people from the Sylvester’s Window cityscape project, now available online. A neighborhood known as Little Hollywood had existed for many years along the shores of the Deschutes Estuary (now Capitol Lake), but expanded during the Great Depression, as depicted in the cityscape for 1933. Buildings were a mixture of float houses, temporary structures known as shanties, and more permanent structures such as Zamberlin’s Market, pictured here. Photograph selected and captioned by Deborah Ross on behalf of the Olympia Historical Society. For more information see https://olympiahistory.org/1933-2/.

Throughout 2021 we are featuring events and people from the Sylvester’s Window cityscape project, now available online. After the construction of the magnificent Thurston County Courthouse, now the Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction, the town commons was beautified into a public park with winding pathways, bandstand, and fountain. In the year of the 1899 cityscape, Olympia celebrated the last year of the century with a bicycle parade through the park. Photograph selected and captioned by Deborah Ross on behalf of the Olympia Historical Society and Bigelow House Museum. For more information see https://olympiahistory.org/1899-2/

Throughout 2021 we are featuring events and people from the Sylvester’s Window cityscape project, now available online. Columbia Hall, pictured in the 1874 cityscape, was built in 1869 on 4th Avenue, near the center of downtown Olympia. It served a myriad of functions: fire station on the ground floor, city offices above, entertainment hall (it hosted the state’s first inaugural ball in 1889), police headquarters, courthouse, and theater. Photograph selected and captioned by Deborah Ross on behalf of the Olympia Historical Society. For more information see https://olympiahistory.org/1874-building-a-railroad/

Throughout 2021 we are featuring events and people from the Sylvester’s Window cityscape project, now available online. In 1856, Olympia’s cofounder Edmund Sylvester was overseeing construction of his Italianate mansion, located just south of the town common now named after him. A German immigrant, Konrad Schneider, was responsible for much of the home’s construction. Schneider had just returned to Olympia after building the New Dungeness lighthouse outside of Sequim. Image selected and captioned by Deborah Ross on behalf of the Olympia Historical Society. For more information, see https://olympiahistory.org/1856-the-indian-war/

Throughout 2021 we will be featuring events and people from the Sylvester’s Window cityscape project, now available online. In 1838, an American naval officer, Charles Wilkes, was given command of an expedition to explore the Pacific Ocean and document its shores and islands. Wilkes reached the southern end of Puget Sound in July 1841. He and his crew were among the first Americans to set foot at what is now Olympia.   Image selected and captioned by Deborah Ross on behalf of the Olympia Historical Society. For more information, see https://olympiahistory.org/1841-cheetwoot/.

In this image from November 1939, a group of Cub Scouts participates in a parade celebrating the Golden Anniversary of Washington’s admittance as a state into the Union.  The float, though, commemorates an earlier occasion, namely the arrival of the first U.S. citizen settlers over the Oregon Trail. Image selected and captioned by Deborah Ross on behalf of the Olympia Historical Society and Bigelow House Museum. For more information see olympiahistory.org.

Richards Studio, 1939, courtesy Tacoma Public Library

Manufacturing giant Georgia Pacific took over the Washington Veneer plywood plant in Olympia and built its headquarters in the Port area, a building noted for its modern architecture demonstrating the versatile uses of plywood. In this photograph from 1955, a tester at the headquarters analyzes the strength of plywood. The building is now occupied by the State Department of Fish and Wildlife, and is on the National Register.   Photograph selected and captioned by Deborah Ross on behalf of the Olympia Historical Society and Bigelow House Museum. For more information see olympiahistory.org. Richards Studio, 1955, courtesy Tacoma Public Library

Olympia native Ron Dodge was a 19 year old up-and-coming baseball player for Tacoma’s Cheney Studs when this photograph was taken of him in 1955. After playing for several different baseball teams, Ron signed up as a pilot with the U.S. Navy, and was sent to Vietnam, where he was shot down and held as a prisoner of war. His remains were finally returned home in 1981. Ron’s cousin John Dodge was a longtime reporter for the Olympian. Image selected and captioned by Deborah Ross on behalf of the Olympia Historical Society.

Richards Studio, 1955, courtesy  Tacoma Public Library

A young Ken Balsley poses for his photograph, accompanying an article from 1971 that identified him as a student representative to The Evergreen State College Board of Trustees. Ken has remained in the Olympia area, as an influential journalist, broadcaster, commentator, and political activist. Image selected and captioned by Deborah Ross on behalf of the Olympia Historical Society and Bigelow House Museum.

Daily Olympian photo, August 1971, State Capital Museum collection, Washington State Historical Society

Throughout much of the 19^th century, citizens were entitled to claim acreage under a series of federal laws designed to encourage Americans to settle in Western territories and states. As the population of the West grew rapidly in the 1870s and 1880s, United States Land Offices were established to process land claims. A group of early settlers poses here outside the Land Office in downtown Olympia. Photograph selected and captioned by Deborah Ross on behalf of the Olympia Historical Society and Bigelow House Museum.

Unidentified photographer, around 1880, courtesy Washington State Historical Society

When Washington achieved statehood in 1889, it was by no means a foregone conclusion that Olympia would remain the capital of the new state. A concerted campaign featuring posters like this one, and “bribes” in the form of local restaurateur Woodbury Doane’s famous pan-roasted oysters, helped Olympia retain its status over contenders Ellensburg and North Yakima. Image selected and captioned by Deborah Ross on behalf of the Olympia Historical Society and Bigelow House Museum.

Poster, 1889, courtesy Washington State Historical Society

The Bordeaux logging community was established in the 1880s by French Canadian-born Thomas Bordeaux. Before the advent of a logging railroad, teams of oxen laboriously pulled the huge logs along makeshift corduroy roads. This photograph of one such team is said to be the model for the oxen team depicted in bronze on the doors of the Legislative Building.  Photograph selected and captioned by Deborah Ross on behalf of the Olympia Historical Society and Bigelow House Museum. 

Unknown photographer, 1880s, Washington State Archives

Washington State celebrated its Diamond Jubilee (75^th anniversary) in November 1964 with a 600 pound cake. Although there had been concerns that the cake would not fit inside the doors of the Legislative Building, it survived the journey, accompanied by sisters Christy, Gayle, and Sarah Conger, of Olympia. Image selected and captioned by Deborah Ross on behalf of the Olympia Historical Society and Bigelow House Museum.

Daily Olympian photo, November 1964, State Capital Museum collection, Washington State Historical Society

The Olympia High School football team of 1909 included the children of many of Olympia’s most prominent citizens. The sweaters, emblazoned with a capital “O,” were made at Olympia Knitting Mills, then in its infancy. Eventually the company grew to become a large operation that shipped knitted sportswear as far away as China. Photograph selected and captioned by Deborah Ross on behalf of the Olympia Historical Society and Bigelow House Museum. For more information see olympiahistory.org.

Unidentified photographer, 1909, State Capital Museum collection, Washington State Historical Society

It may surprise some that there was no Washington State-owned Governor’s Mansion until 1909. The current mansion on Capitol Campus was first occupied by Governor Marion Hay and his family. In this photograph, taken around that time, two of the governor’s seven children pose on the mansion grounds with a member of the Mansion staff. Photograph selected and captioned by Deborah Ross on behalf of the Olympia Historical Society and Bigelow House Museum. For more information see olympiahistory.org. Unknown photographer, about 1911, Washington State Archives

Donald Anthony White, a young Black man, was sentenced to death after being convicted of murder. Protesters against the death penalty, including folk singer Joan Baez, convened on the steps of the Legislative Building in 1964, seeking clemency for White, who had been diagnosed as schizophrenic. He was granted a new trial and his sentence commuted to life in prison. He later graduated from high school and college while in prison. White’s story galvanized the nationwide anti-death penalty movement. Image selected and captioned by Deborah Ross on behalf of the Olympia Historical Society and Bigelow House Museum.  Unknown photographer, 1964, Susan Parish Collection, Washington State Archives

On October 1, 1937, President Franklin D. Roosevelt went on a whirlwind tour of the Olympic Peninsula, and then stopped for a few minutes in Olympia. Rain throughout the day had forced him to tour in a closed-top car for most of the trip, but he quickly changed to an open car just before he reached the capital, accompanied by a rainbow and a throng of spectators. Photograph selected and captioned by Deborah Ross on behalf of the Olympia Historical Society and Bigelow House Museum, olympiahistory.org. Merle Junk photo, 1937, Susan Parish Collection, Washington State Archives

Bicycles and bicycle racing were immensely popular at the turn of the 20^th century. A velodrome (bicycle racing arena) was constructed near the current site of Olympia High School, and races were held weekly. In this photo from around 1900, the contenders race by in a blur while spectators, many bearing umbrellas, fill the stands. Photograph selected and captioned by Deborah Ross on behalf of the Olympia Historical Society and Bigelow House Museum. For more information see olympiahistory.org.

W.A. Van Epps photo, about 1900, State Capital Museum collection, Washington State Historical Society

In 1914, photographer Robert Esterley took a series of photographs documenting downtown businesses, their owners, and staff. Shown here is The Olympia Cafe at 116 4^th Avenue. It was owned by John Baretich. In the 1930s he hired architect Joseph Wohleb to design an art moderne-style building for the same location. The Baretich building is currently the home of the Danang Restaurant. Photograph selected and captioned by Deborah Ross on behalf of the Olympia Historical Society and Bigelow House Museum. For more information see olympiahistory.org. Robert Esterley photo, 1914, Washington State Historical Society

Leopold Schmidt began brewing beer in 1896 at the foot of Tumwater Falls. By 1906 he had built the large complex seen in this advertising poster. The Old Brewhouse building, still in existence, takes center stage; beyond it we can see the Schmidt Mansion on the hillside, but most other structures in the image were obliterated when I-5 came through in the 1960s. Image  selected and captioned by Deborah Ross on behalf of the Olympia Historical Society and Bigelow House Museum.

Advertising poster, early 1900s, State Capital Museum collection, Washington State Historical Society

In 1969, the second annual Sky River Rock Festival took place in Tenino over Labor Day weekend. (The first Sky River was in Snohomish County.) Held over the objections of local residents, the festival lineup included James Cotton, Country Joe and the Fish, Flying Burrito Brothers, Buddy Guy, Dan Hicks and His Hot Licks, among others. Daily Olympian staff were on hand to document the three-day long event. Photograph selected and captioned by Deborah Ross on behalf of the Olympia Historical Society and Bigelow House Museum.

Daily Olympian photo, 1969, State Capital Museum collection, Washington State Historical Society

In 1853, Charles Burmeister established one of the earliest saloons in Olympia. It was located on Fourth Avenue and Washington Street, where the State Theater is now. This photograph from the 1860s shows Burmeister, his wife, and others in front of the saloon. The building was later moved further west on Fourth Avenue but succumbed to the extension of downtown’s masonry buildings in the early 1900s. Photograph selected and captioned by Deborah Ross on behalf of the Olympia Historical Society and Bigelow House Museum, olympiahistory.org.

Unknown photographer, 1860s, State Capital Museum collection, Washington State Historical Society

Mary O’Neil was one of the earliest territorial schoolteachers, arriving in Olympia in 1863. In 1910, several of her former students gathered to honor her, posing here on the steps of the State Capitol Building (now Office of Superintendant of Public Instruction). Miss O’Neil is in the center of the front row. Many of her students came to be prominent civic leaders. Photograph selected and captioned by Deborah Ross on behalf of the Olympia Historical Society and Bigelow House Museum. For more information see olympiahistory.org.

Unknown photographer, 1910, State Capital Museum collection, Washington State Historical Society

George Adams, a member of the Skokomish Tribe in Mason County, was one of the first Native Americans elected to the Washington State Legislature, serving for sixteen years. In this photograph taken early in his career, Adams poses in traditional attire. Photograph selected and captioned by Deborah Ross on behalf of the Olympia Historical Society and Bigelow House Museum, olympiahistory.org.

The Fourth Avenue Bridge shown here was completed in 1921, replacing a faulty drawbridge. The new bridge accommodated a trolley line from downtown to West Olympia, as well as foot, bicycle, and automobile traffic. After it sustained damage in the 2001 Nisqually Quake, it was reopened and dedicated in 2004 as the Olympia-Yashiro Friendship Bridge. Photograph selected and captioned by Deborah Ross on behalf of the Olympia Historical Society and Bigelow House Museum.

Unknown photographer, about 1921, State Capital Museum collection, Washington State Historical Society

Albert Rutledge, son of pioneer Thomas Rutledge, stands behind the rock that gives Littlerock, Washington its name, in this photo from 1963. The Rutledge family settled here in 1855. The homestead was one of the earliest in Washington State, and both it and the rock still exist. Photograph selected and captioned by Deborah Ross on behalf of the Olympia Historical Society and Bigelow House Museum, olympiahistory.org.

Daily Olympian photo, 1963, State Capital Museum collection, Washington State Historical Society

Elmer Plumb, son of early pioneers, operated a cigar and confectionary store in the Cowling Building at 117 Washington Street (the building still exists, in the National Downtown Historic District). A lifelong bachelor, Elmer was asked by a reporter on his 70^th birthday, “What are some of the important events which have occurred in Thurston county in your time?” He responded, “pretty near all that’s happened.” Photograph selected and captioned by Deborah Ross on behalf of the Olympia Historical Society and Bigelow House Museum. 

1933 photograph, State Capital Museum collection, Washington State Historical Society

When the Capitol Lake recreation area opened in summer 1964, it was an instant hit with adults and children alike. Here an unidentified grownup makes a big splash while trying out the water slide. Photograph selected and captioned by Deborah Ross on behalf of the Olympia Historical Society and Bigelow House Museum.

Daily Olympian photo, 1964, State Capital Museum collection, Washington State Historical Society

The 1908 Fourth of July parade in downtown Olympia featured a float, dubbed the Liberty Car, promoting the drive for women’s suffrage. Women dressed in white, the emblem of the suffrage movement, wear sashes representing the states, while float queen Mollie Moore is draped in the flag. Women’s Suffrage was passed in Washington State in 1910, and nationally in 1920. Photograph selected and captioned by Deborah Ross on behalf of the Olympia Historical Society and Bigelow House Museum, olympiahistory.org.

Unknown photographer, 1908, courtesy State Capital Museum collection, Washington State Historical Society

Early public water systems used wooden pipes to carry water underground to homes and businesses. One major manufacturer of wooden pipes was the National Wood Pipe company, located about where the Hands On Children’s Museum is today. This photograph shows a load of wooden pipes being transported along the Union Railroad tracks on Jefferson Street. Recent excavations on Legion Way unearthed one of these older wooden pipes. Photograph selected and captioned by Deborah Ross on behalf of the Olympia Historical Society and Bigelow House Museum. For more information see olympiahistory.org.

This drawing of Fourth Avenue, reproduced in an 1891 edition of the Olympia Tribune, was based on an earlier photograph, now lost. It shows Fourth Avenue, looking west. The building with the cupola at the right of the image is Columbia Hall, the current site of the Fourth Ave Tav. Image selected and captioned by Deborah Ross on behalf of the Olympia Historical Society and Bigelow House Museum. For more information see olympiahistory.org.

A group of Washington State Civil War veterans gathered for a convention in Olympia in 1934, posing here for their photograph in the Old State Capitol Building (now Superintendent of Public Instruction). The local chapter of the Civil War veterans’ association, known as the Grand Army of the Republic, gathered each year for a picnic at Priest Point Park until the 1930s; the Olympia GAR chapter’s oldest veteran died in 1939. Photograph selected and captioned by Deborah Ross on behalf of the Olympia Historical Society and Bigelow House Museum. Vibert Jeffers photo, 1934, Susan Parish Collection, Washington State Archives

In 1964, Ernest Cheeka, Jr., was named chief of the Makah Tribe. Cheeka, then a resident of Olympia, took the Indian name of Khulchoot. He is pictured here with a ceremonial mask, in preparation for his installation. Cheeka was a Vietnam veteran, accomplished artist, and supporter of Native American rights and traditions. He died in 2011. Photograph selected and captioned by Deborah Ross on behalf of the Olympia Historical Society and Bigelow House Museum, olympiahistory.org.

Daily Olympian photo, 1964, State Capital Museum collection, Washington State Historical Society

Our focus this month has been Thurston County’s long love affair with amateur theatrics. School dramatic performances have always been popular with students and parents alike. In this Daily Olympian publicity photograph from 1966, Tumwater High School students Virginia Hamrick, Jim Damitio, Rick Yarber, Kathy Kohse, and Candy Street rehearse a performance of The Importance of Being Earnest, a perennial favorite among high school and local theater companies.  Photograph selected by costumier Melanie Ransom on behalf of the Olympia Historical Society and Bigelow House Museum. 

Daily Olympian photo, 1966, State Capital Museum collection, Washington State Historical Society

Our focus this month is Thurston County’s long love affair with amateur theatrics. In 1908 a performance of The Whirl O’ the Town was staged at the 1,000-seat Olympia Opera House, as a fund raiser for a new Olympia Woman’s Club home. Its previous clubhouse had burned down in 1907. With a cast numbering about 100, the seats were undoubtedly filled with performers’ relatives and friends.   Photograph selected by costumier Melanie Ransom on behalf of the Olympia Historical Society and Bigelow House Museum. 

Unknown photographer, 1908, State Capital Museum collection, Washington State Historical Society

Our focus this month is Thurston County’s long love affair with amateur theatrics. Unlike some other kinds of comedy routines, men dressing as women never seems to go out of style. In this image, one of a montage of publicity images for a local minstrel show, a male actor, dressed in a sweeping gown, is wooed by “her” rustic swain. Photograph selected by costumier Melanie Ransom on behalf of the Olympia Historical Society and Bigelow House Museum.

A.D. Rogers Photo, around 1910, State Capital Museum collection, Washington State Historical Society

Our focus this month is Thurston County’s long love affair with amateur theatrics. In this image from 1888, members of the St. John’s Musical Society perform a number from the operetta The Chimes of Normandy.  It was staged at Columbia Hall, one of the earliest performing arts venues in Olympia. Proceeds of the production helped in the acquisition of a pipe organ for the church. Photograph selected by costumier Melanie Ransom on behalf of the Olympia Historical Society and Bigelow House Museum.

A.D. Rogers Photo, 1888, State Capital Museum collection, Washington State Historical Society

Frank Sparks looks over an antique prescription case in this photograph from 1965. His grandfather was Champion Mann, who first operated a pharmacy downtown, and later opened Mann’s Seeds, at the current location of Rainy Day Records on 5^th Avenue. Sparks was closing the store after many years of operation, the victim of mass production and distribution of seed. Photograph selected and captioned by Deborah Ross on behalf of the Olympia Historical Society and Bigelow House Museum. For more information see olympiahistory.org.

Daily Olympian photo, February 1965, State Capital Museum collection, Washington State Historical Society

Abbie Howard Hunt, born and college-educated in Massachusetts, came west to seek a career. She eventually married Robert Stuart, a Federal lands commissioner, and moved to Olympia. Abbie was an ardent suffragist who founded one of the first women’s clubs on the west coast, the Olympia Woman’s Club. Its clubhouse on Washington Street is named for her, as are Stuart Apartments downtown, the site of the Stuarts’ home. Photograph selected and captioned by Deborah Ross on behalf of the Olympia Historical Society and Bigelow House Museum.

Ida B. Smith photo, 1900, State Capital Museum collection, Washington State Historical Society

Meet Lurana Ware Percival. The Percivals were early arrivals to Olympia. Samuel Wing Percival operated a lumber mill and store, and established Percival Wharf, now Percival Landing, in order to receive and transport merchandise to and from his operations. An apartment building, the Laurana, located at the southern end of Percival Landing, honors Mrs. Percival (with an alternate spelling of her first name). Photograph selected and captioned by Deborah Ross on behalf of the Olympia Historical Society and Bigelow House Museum, olympiahistory.org.

Joseph Buchtel, around 1870, courtesy Washington State Historical Society

In March 1964, Marlon Brando arrived in our area to support Native American tribes as they challenged the state’s interpretation of fishing treaty rights. He was arrested for his efforts. He’s shown here in the Thurston County Courthouse, consulting with Puyallup tribe member Robert Satiacum.  Photograph selected and captioned by Deborah Ross on behalf of the Olympia Historical Society and Bigelow House Museum. For more information see olympiahistory.org.

Daily Olympian photo, 1964, State Capital Museum collection, Washington State Historical Society

In 1864, Asenath Ann Kennedy and Christopher Columbus (CC) Simmons eloped via a “rudely fashioned rowboat.” Asenath Ann was only 14, and CC 19. Legend has it that Asenath Ann placed a piece of paper inscribed with the number 18 in her shoe, so she could answer the preacher truthfully when he asked “Are you over 18?” The couple lived to celebrate their 60^th wedding anniversary.  Photograph selected and captioned by Deborah Ross on behalf of the Olympia Historical Society and Bigelow House Museum. For more information see olympiahistory.org.

Unknown photographer, about 1864, State Capital Museum collection, Washington State Historical Society

As the “fish wars” asserting Native American fishing rights heated up in the mid-1960s, protests regularly occurred at the Legislative Building. In this photograph from March 1964, a group of Makah Indians performed as dance as part of one such event. Photograph selected and captioned by Deborah Ross on behalf of the Olympia Historical Society and Bigelow House Museum. 

Daily Olympian photo, 1964, State Capital Museum collection, Washington State Historical Society

Roadrunners of Olympia was a hot rod club for teenage boys, aimed at “giving teenage boys good things to do.” The boys helped motorists, engaged in car talk, and enjoyed cruising the 4^th Avenue and State Street circuit downtown. Members pictured here with club advisor Officer Oscar Schultz include Ernie Main, John Bert, Mike Faber, Pat Shay, Mike Wood, and Andy Miller. President Will Wolf, now 83, is at right of second row. Photograph selected and captioned by Deborah Ross on behalf of the Olympia Historical Society and Bigelow House Museum, olympiahistory.org.

1952 photo donated by Marcia and Will Wolf

Music has always been an important feature of Olympia life. In this photo from around 1915, instructor Benjamin McClelland is seated with members of the Olympia High School Band.  McClelland’s home on the West Side is on the local heritage register. Photograph selected and captioned by Deborah Ross on behalf of the Olympia Historical Society and Bigelow House Museum. For more information see olympiahistory.org.

Collier Photo, about 1915, State Capital Museum collection, Washington State Historical Society

In February 1938, Ann Nielsen’s Scottish father was aboard the Pacific Pioneer, a British cargo ship that arrived at the Port of Olympia, loading fresh fruit and lumber bound for Great Britain, which was already on the verge of World War II. The port would have looked vastly different than it does today. This aerial from that timeframe shows oil tanks, veneer plants, warehouses, and a row of ships pulled up along Percival Dock. Photograph selected and captioned by Ann Nielsen on behalf of the Olympia Historical Society and Bigelow House Museum. 

Ted Burntrager, long-time Olympia resident, demonstrates how to mount a “pennyfarthing,” or high wheeled bicycle. The bicycle was on display at Talcott Jewelers, a long-time Olympia store that sold jewelry, bicycles, and everything in between. The bicycle would have been an antique at the time the photograph was taken. Fittingly, the Talcott Jewelers building is now a downtown bicycle shop. Photograph selected and captioned by Deborah Ross on behalf of the Olympia Historical Society and Bigelow House Museum. For more information see olympiahistory.org.

unknown photographer, around 1950s, courtesy State Capital Museum collection, Washington State Historical Society

Jeannette Whitcher understood the concept of “pay it forward” before it became a byword. In this January 1964 photo, she and Olympia Vocational Technical Institute classmate Paul Golden view a pile of wrapped gifts. The Golden family had lost all of their Christmas gifts in a fire, and Mrs. Whitcher organized a drive to replace them. Her family had experienced a similar loss and resulting community support several years before.  Photograph selected and captioned by Deborah Ross on behalf of the Olympia Historical Society and Bigelow House Museum, olympiahistory.org. Daily Olympian photo, State Capital Museum collection, Washington State Historical Society

Carpenter Bill Soller put his talents into action to create this Disneyesque castle for the holiday display at the Legislative Building Rotunda in 1963. Soller is shown at the entrance to the castle, putting on finishing touches. Photograph selected and captioned by Deborah Ross on behalf of the Olympia Historical Society and Bigelow House Museum, olympiahistory.org. Daily Olympian photo, December 1963, State Capital Museum collection, Washington State Historical Society

The Daily Olympian captured youngsters from Washington Junior High School in December 1963 as they practiced for an upcoming Christmas concert. Pictured here are Freddy Dobler, Tom Cooper, and Doug Parris, members of the school’s glee club. Photograph selected and captioned by Deborah Ross on behalf of the Olympia Historical Society and Bigelow House Museum, olympiahistory.org.

Daily Olympian photo, December 1963, State Capital Museum collection, Washington State Historical Society

Meet the four daughters of Olympia merchant Robert Frost: Carrie, Annie, Nellie and Florence (Floy). The Frost home was on the east side of Olympia, near East Bay Drive. Photograph selected and captioned by Deborah Ross on behalf of the Olympia Historical Society and Bigelow House Museum, olympiahistory.org.

1885 photo by Rogers Studio, courtesy State Capital Museum collection, Washington State Historical Society

The Union Pacific depot on Fourth Avenue is shown here in a photo from the 1920s. The depot was later the site of a tragic 1959 accident involving runaway freight cars. A portion of the depot building still exists, now the site of a pet store. Photograph selected and captioned by Deborah Ross on behalf of the Olympia Historical Society and Bigelow House Museum. For more information see olympiahistory.org.

Boland photo, 1920s, courtesy Washington State Historical Society

A former resident of Olympia, Minnie Mossman Hill was the first licensed female steamship captain. She navigated some of the most treacherous waters on the Pacific Coast, the mouth of the Columbia River on the border between Oregon and Washington, on a variety of steamships, one of them named the Minnie Hill.  She was posthumously inducted into the National Rivers Hall of Fame in 2017. Photograph selected and captioned by Deborah Ross on behalf of the Olympia Historical Society and Bigelow House Museum.

tintype by unknown photographer, around 1885, courtesy State Capital Museum collection, Washington State Historical Society

League of Women Voters members Mrs. Jess Spielholz and Mrs. Frank Calkins receive instructions from Thurston County auditor Wes Leach on the workings of the new voting machine in Olympia, acquired in 1964 to tabulate votes without human intervention. The machine was temporarily installed in a grocery store, to give voters experience using it in advance of the upcoming elections. Photograph selected and captioned by Deborah Ross on behalf of the Olympia Historical Society and Bigelow House Museum olympiahistory.org.

Daily Olympian photo, 1964, State Capital Museum collection, Washington State Historical Society

Renowned and beloved mycologist (mushroom expert) Margaret McKenny meets with young Freddy Dobler, Gary Bichsel and Greg Bichsel at Pat’s Bookery in downtown Olympia, to autograph her book The Savory Wild Mushroom. A local park, campground, and elementary school are all named after Miss McKenny, a lifelong resident of Olympia. Photograph selected and captioned by Deborah Ross on behalf of the Olympia Historical Society and Bigelow House Museum. For more information see olympiahistory.org.

Daily Olympian photo, October 1962, State Capital Museum collection, Washington State Historical Society

John Grace is a cherished member of Olympia’s music-loving community. Blind from early childhood, Grace has operated a piano tuning service for over five decades. He is shown here in this Daily Olympian article from 1964, early in his career. Photograph selected and captioned by Deborah Ross on behalf of the Olympia Historical Society and Bigelow House Museum.

Daily Olympian photo, 1964, State Capital Museum collection, Washington State Historical Society

Emma Page was a noted temperance advocate. A fountain at the corner of Sylvester Park commemorates her work to promote water as a healthy alternative to alcohol. A trough at the base of the fountain recognizes her love of animals. In this photograph from the early 20^th century, a group of women from Olympia’s First Christian Church pose in front of the fountain. Photograph selected and captioned by Deborah Ross on behalf of the Olympia Historical Society and Bigelow House Museum, olympiahistory.org.

Alfred Tice photo, around 1905, courtesy State Capital Museum collection, Washington State Historical Society

The China Clipper, now the Clipper Cafe, is an iconic establishment in downtown Olympia. In this photograph from 1963, owner CY Wong is at work in the restaurant’s kitchen. The Clipper was one of the businesses destroyed in the Great Train Wreck of 1959 but was rebuilt within a year and continued to be a popular source of Chinese cuisine.   Photograph selected and captioned by Deborah Ross on behalf of the Olympia Historical Society and Bigelow House Museum. For more information see olympiahistory.org.

Daily Olympian photo, 1963, State Capital Museum collection, Washington State Historical Society

Lincoln Elementary School crossing guards sported new fluorescent vests for the start of the 1963 school year. Pictured here are fifth graders Charles Barron and Mary Thomson, assisting young Susie Baker, Bobby Hunter, and Wanda Ewell. Photograph selected and captioned by Deborah Ross on behalf of the Olympia Historical Society and Bigelow House Museum. For more information see olympiahistory.org.

Daily Olympian photo, 1963, State Capital Museum collection, Washington State Historical Society

The annual Pet Parade, sponsored by the Olympian, is a long-standing late summer tradition. In this photo from 1964, four-year-old Jeff Hettler dresses as his favorite Beatle, John. His pet is not identified: perhaps a beetle? Photograph selected and captioned by Deborah Ross on behalf of the Olympia Historical Society and Bigelow House Museum.

Daily Olympian photo, 1964, State Capital Museum collection, Washington State Historical Society

In 1909, President William Howard Taft took a tour of Washington State. This photo commemorates the day that residents of Lacey came out in force to cheer on the president as he passed by rail through the small community. The Lacey depot can be seen behind the crowd. Photograph selected and captioned by Deborah Ross on behalf of the Olympia Historical Society and Bigelow House Museum.

unknown photographer, 1909, courtesy State Capital Museum collection, Washington State Historical Society

The Null Set coffee house opened in West Olympia in August 1964, owned by Pat and Pete Holm and Bonnie and Bob Gillis. In addition to serving coffee and pastries, the coffee house featured folk music, served up with a dash of liberal-leaning politics. Photograph selected and captioned by Deborah Ross on behalf of the Olympia Historical Society and Bigelow House Museum, olympiahistory.org.

Daily Olympian photo, 1964, State Capital Museum collection, Washington State Historical Society

Mary Olney Brown, an early area settler, was a medical practitioner, poet, and ardent suffragist. In 1870 she attempted to vote in Thurston County but was turned away. Several other women, including Mary’s sister Emily Olney French, were more successful, voting in south Thurston County.  

1. Wilson Clark photo, about 1883, courtesy State Capital Museum collection, Washington State Historical Society

A group of workers carefully places a large stone, called a petroglyph, at the Olympia Tumwater Foundation’s headquarters at Tumwater Falls Park. The stone, inscribed with multiple tribal symbols, had been transported from a beach on Harstine Island in 1963 and donated to the Washington State Historical Society. In 2008 it was returned to the Squaxin Tribe and is now at the Veterans Memorial at the Tribal Museum near Shelton. Photograph selected and captioned by Deborah Ross on behalf of the Olympia Historical Society and Bigelow House Museum.

Daily Olympian photo, 1963, State Capital Museum collection, Washington State Historical Society

A young Henry Harris looks distinctly unimpressed at being photographed in his smart kilted suit. The Harris family were prominent Olympia merchants and active in the Jewish community. Their store building still exists at 518 Capitol Way, and their home, formerly adjacent to Sylvester Park, is now at the corner of 7^th and Adams. Photograph selected and captioned by Deborah Ross on behalf of the Olympia Historical Society and Bigelow House Museum. For more information see olympiahistory.org.

Father Eugene Kellenbenz was a renowned liturgical composer and faculty member at St. Martin’s College in Lacey. But he also enjoyed music on the lighter side, and is shown here in 1964 with the Spotlighters, St. Martin’s glee club, who were rehearsing for a concert to honor the Sisters of Providence. Photograph selected and captioned by Deborah Ross on behalf of the Olympia Historical Society and Bigelow House Museum, olympiahistory.org.

Daily Olympian photo, 1964, State Capital Museum collection, Washington State Historical Society

On July 4, 1889 the S.S. T.J. Potter and the S.S. Fleetwood, members of Puget Sound’s Mosquito Fleet, steam into the Port of Olympia. The day was a particularly important one in our state’s history. Besides being our nation’s Independence Day, it was on this day that Washington Territory assembled delegates to begin writing a state constitution. Washington officially became a state on November 11 of that year. For more information see olympiahistory.org.

Silas Wray photo, July 4, 1889, courtesy Washington State Historical Society

Pioneer Emiline Himes is shown here with her knitting, in this photo taken around 1880. Mrs. Himes was the mother of George Himes, one of the first and most prolific historians of Oregon and Washington Territory. After crossing west on the Oregon Trail, Emiline and her husband settled in what is now Lacey. Photograph selected and captioned by Deborah Ross on behalf of the Olympia Historical Society and Bigelow House Museum.

undated photo, probably about 1880, courtesy State Capital Museum collection, Washington State Historical Society

Nathaniel Crosby III was the son of a sea captain whose family settled in Tumwater in early days. Nathaniel, the central figure in this photo, operated this store for several years. He and his wife Cordelia built the Crosby House in Tumwater, which still exists, one of the few spared when I-5 was built. Crosby was the grandfather of crooner Bing Crosby.  Photograph selected and captioned by Deborah Ross on behalf of the Olympia Historical Society and Bigelow House Museum. For more information see olympiahistory.org.

Anna Blom, a Russian immigrant, opened the Anna Blom Book Shop in 1938 at the current location of Drees. She was a beloved and long-time fixture in downtown Olympia, presiding over the store until 1968. The bookshop still exists, now called Browser’s, on Capitol Way. Anna is pictured here surrounded by some of the thousands of books at the store. Photograph selected and captioned by Deborah Ross on behalf of the Olympia Historical Society and Bigelow House Museum. For more information see olympiahistory.org.

Daily Olympian photo, 1964, State Capital Museum collection, Washington State Historical Society

Captain Duncan Finch began his sailing profession in New York, then navigated the Horn to California. In about 1868 he arrived in Puget Sound, where he pursued a distinguished career as captain of the wood-burning steamer Eliza Anderson. He is described as a “cold water man,” that is, anti-alcohol, and permitted no alcoholic beverages to be served on vessels he captained.

William Shew photo, around 1875, courtesy State Capital Museum collection, Washington State Historical Society

In this photograph from 1963, a blindfolded Mary Hall, Thurston County clerk, selects slips of paper with prospective jurors’ names from a hopper and hands them to Judge Charles Wright. Rosemary Ewer transcribes their names. The process was developed to ensure that jury selection was fair and impartial. Photograph selected and captioned by Deborah Ross on behalf of the Olympia Historical Society and Bigelow House Museum. : Daily Olympian photo, October 1963, State Capital Museum collection, Washington State Historical Society

This photograph of milliner Katherine Eugley Musgrove is one of a series, taken by Robert Esterly around 1914, of local businesses and their owners. Mrs. Musgrove was one of a handful of female proprietors in downtown Olympia. A milliner is a hat maker, an important trade in days when a woman’s hat defined her status in society. Photograph selected and captioned by Deborah Ross on behalf of the Olympia Historical Society and Bigelow House Museum. 

Robert Esterly photo, circa 1914, courtesy State Capital Museum collection, Washington State Historical Society

Phyllis Olsen and Nelson Osborn, students at the Olympia Vocational Technical Institute (now South Puget Sound Community College), fire up a new data storage disk machine. The machine was rented for $244 a month and could store 6 disks for a total of .2 megabytes (for comparison, this digital image is about 12 times that size and storage cost a few pennies) Photograph selected and captioned by Deborah Ross on behalf of the Olympia Historical Society and Bigelow House Museum. For more information see olympiahistory.org.

Daily Olympian photo, September 1963, State Capital Museum collection, Washington State Historical Society

The Messenger was a member of the Mosquito Fleet of steam-power vessels that plied that waters of Puget Sound. The small stern-wheeler had separate compartments for ladies and gentlemen. In this photo from around the 1880s, she pulls up alongside an unnamed dock.

undated photo, courtesy State Capital Museum collection, Washington State Historical Society

In 1850, pioneer David Chambers purchased a Black Heart cherry sapling from Oregon-based orchardist Henderson Lewelling and planted it on his homestead, now the site of Panorama retirement community in Lacey. The tree lived to an immense age and size and continued to bear cherries until the 1920s. In this photograph from around 1912, the tree is with members of the Chambers family; the homestead is behind them. Photograph selected and captioned by Deborah Ross on behalf of the Olympia Historical Society and Bigelow House Museum. circa 1912 photo, State Capital Museum collection, Washington State Historical Society

In August 1963, Capital City Forging was forced to relocate from its site in downtown Olympia, to make way for the establishment of new recreational facilities at Capitol Lake. In this Daily Olympian photo, co-owner John Plantenberg and his crew prepare to move a huge air hammer out of the 43 year old building. Photograph selected and captioned by Deborah Ross on behalf of the Olympia Historical Society and Bigelow House Museum. For more information see olympiahistory.org.

Daily Olympian photo, August 1963, State Capital Museum collection, Washington State Historical Society

Sixty years ago, on April 13, Olympia experienced the most destructive earthquake in recent memory. In this photograph taken the following day, hardware store owner Oscar Kincy surveys the damage to his downtown store. Photograph selected and captioned by Deborah Ross on behalf of the Olympia Historical Society and Bigelow House Museum.

April 14, 1949 photograph, State Capital Museum collection, Washington State Historical Society

On a rainy Arbor Day in 1963, Governor Albert Rosellini plants a tree on the grounds of the State Capital Museum. With the governor are museum staffers and naturalist Margaret McKenny. Photograph selected and captioned by Deborah Ross on behalf of the Olympia Historical Society and Bigelow House Museum. For more information see olympiahistory.org.

Daily Olympian photo, April 1963, State Capital Museum collection, Washington State Historical Society

The Daffodil Festival has been held in Pierce county annually since the 1930s. Here the 1964 daffodil princesses make a goodwill stop at the Hotel Olympian in downtown Olympia in advance of the event. Daffodil parade entrants from Olympia that year included a 50 foot yacht, and the Lakefair Float, which won a prize for best portraying the theme of the state’s Diamond Jubilee. Photograph selected and captioned by Deborah Ross on behalf of the Olympia Historical Society and Bigelow House Museum. unknown photographer, March 1964, Susan Parish Collection, Washington State Archives. 

In this photo from 1963, Olympia native Walt Hamilton fills a jug with artesian water at a fountain on the corner of 4^th Avenue and Washington Street. Although he had moved to Yuma, Arizona, he made a point of bringing back the good water whenever he visited his hometown. The fountain was removed several years ago.  Photograph selected and captioned by Deborah Ross on behalf of the Olympia Historical Society and Bigelow House Museum.

Daily Olympian photo, 1963, State Capital Museum collection, Washington State Historical Society

In honor of St. Patrick’s Day, we bring you this photograph of Rossell Galbraith O’Brien, an Irish immigrant who rose to become a Brigadier General in the Washington National Guard. O’Brien is said to have initiated the custom of standing for the National Anthem. He was a long-time resident of Olympia and served on the City Council for several years. Photograph selected and captioned by Deborah Ross on behalf of the Olympia Historical Society and Bigelow House Museum. Isaac Davidson photograph, around 1890, courtesy Washington State Historical Society

A young Harry McElroy poses in a studio portrait from around 1865. Harry was the son of Olympia’s first newspaper publisher, Thornton McElroy. Until the early 20^th century, it was customary for young boys to be dressed in skirts or dresses until they were “breeched” at around age 3 or 4. Photograph selected and captioned by Deborah Ross on behalf of the Olympia Historical Society and Bigelow House Museum. For more information see olympiahistory.org.

The Seamart store was a sprawling complex in the Port of Olympia that featured everything from groceries to amusement rides. In this undated photo, likely from the 1970s, a manager proudly displays the produce section of the store. Photograph selected and captioned by Deborah Ross on behalf of the Olympia Historical Society and Bigelow House Museum.

Merle Junk photo, Susan Parish collection, Washington  State Archives

The ZIP code was introduced in 1963, to facilitate sorting and delivering United States mail. In this publicity photo, Thurston County resident Carol Bjorklund demonstrates the correct use of the ZIP on an oversized envelope.  Photograph selected and captioned by Deborah Ross on behalf of the Olympia Historical Society and Bigelow House Museum.

Daily Olympian photo, 1963, State Capital Museum collection, Washington State Historical Society

A group of men, women, and children gather around the End of the Oregon Trail monument, in Sylvester Park, at its dedication in 1913. The bearded gentleman at the right of the image is Ezra Meeker, who helped to publicize and celebrate the significance of the Oregon Trail. Governor Lister is in the center. The monument was installed by the Sacajawea Chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution. Photograph selected and captioned by Deborah Ross on behalf of the Olympia Historical Society and Bigelow House Museum. Collier, 1913, courtesy Washington State Historical Society

A group of local citizens, pioneer descendants, and historians pose for their photograph at the 1916 dedication of the Oregon Trail Monument in Grand Mound. The monument, shown draped in a U.S. flag, was one of several erected by the Daughters and Sons of the American Revolution to commemorate the historic mass migration.  The monument still exists, on Old Highway 99.

Threats of nuclear fallout were much on the public’s mind in the early 1960s. Here, youngsters Doug Drew and Donald Collins pose for their photo, having demonstrated they could survive a week in a simulated fallout shelter (with their parents’ permission and periodic contributions of food). Photograph selected and captioned by Deborah Ross on behalf of the Olympia Historical Society and Bigelow House Museum. 

Daily Olympian photo, 1963, State Capital Museum collection, Washington State Historical Society

Legislative pages Tom Harris and Pascual Pellizzia model page uniforms from the present (1963) and past. The older uniforms had recently been discovered at the State Capital Museum. With the boys are their legislative sponsors Harry Lewis and Charles Savage. Photograph selected and captioned by Deborah Ross on behalf of the Olympia Historical Society and Bigelow House Museum.

Benjamin Hartsuck was the first architect registered in Olympia. His most lasting contribution was as supervising architect for the Old State Capitol building, now the Superintendent of Public Instruction building in downtown Olympia. Photograph selected and captioned by Deborah Ross on behalf of the Olympia Historical Society and Bigelow House Museum.

A young Andy Crow repairs pipes of the Wurlitzer organ at the Olympic movie theater, in this 1963 photograph. When the theater was headed for demolition, Crow bought and restored the magnificent organ, which was then re-installed at the same site, now the Washington Center for the Performing Arts. The renamed Andy Crow Wurlitzer continues to delight audiences with performances at regular silent movie showings. Crow died in 2016. Photograph selected and captioned by Deborah Ross on behalf of the Olympia Historical Society and Bigelow House Museum. 

Daily Olympian photo, 1963, State Capital Museum collection, Washington State Historical Society

The S.S. Nisqually, a member of the Mosquito Fleet, steams along Puget Sound. The Mosquito Fleet is the name given to the dozens of small steamers that plied the waters of the Sound in the late 1800s and early 1900s. Photograph selected and captioned by Deborah Ross on behalf of the Olympia Historical Society and Bigelow House Museum.

The Proffitt’s Department store was a fixture of downtown Olympia for many years. The building is now the site of the New Caldonia mini-mall on Fifth Avenue. Photograph selected and captioned by Deborah Ross on behalf of the Olympia Historical Society and Bigelow House Museum. May 1970, unknown photographer, Susan Parish Collection, Washington State Archives

Frederick J.X. Miller, shown here, was a prolific Thurston County writer and poet. He and his sisters donated the family property to the State of Washington provided it be maintained as a park, now Millersylvania State Park. Photograph selected and captioned by Deborah Ross on behalf of the Olympia Historical Society and Bigelow House Museum. 

Julius Asher photo, about 1880, courtesy Washington State Historical Society

In this photograph from around 1904, we are looking across the Fourth Avenue Bridge towards downtown Olympia, from the Westside. Visible buildings that still exist include the Old State Capitol Building (now Superintendent of Public Instruction), with its clock tower still intact; and the Iverson and Overhulse homes in foreground left. Photograph selected and captioned by Deborah Ross on behalf of the Olympia Historical Society and Bigelow House Museum. For more information see olympiahistory.org. 

C.S. Reeves photo, around 1904, State Capital Museum collection, Washington State Historical Society

Sam McClellan (or McClelland) was a businessman and chief of the Olympia Fire Department. He poses here in his uniform in a photograph from the late 1800s. Photograph selected and captioned by Deborah Ross on behalf of the Olympia Historical Society and Bigelow House Museum. 

Frank Camps photograph, undated, State Capital Museum collection, Washington State Historical Society

The two Roe sisters Jeannine and Sharon, along with their mother and an instructor, Mrs. Carl Neal, have fun with hand-made puppets as part of Olympia’s 1963 summer activity program. One of the sisters, Jeannine, later served on the Olympia City Council. Photograph selected and captioned by Deborah Ross on behalf of the Olympia Historical Society and Bigelow House Museum. 

Daily Olympian photo, 1963, State Capital Museum collection, Washington State Historical Society

James T. Spirlock arrived in Thurston County in 1858, and settled in the Mima Mounds area. His property, now the Nelson Ranch, has been in the family ever since and is being farmed by the fourth and fifth generations of his descendants. Photograph selected and captioned by Deborah Ross on behalf of the Olympia Historical Society and Bigelow House Museum. Courtesy Washington State Historical Society. For additional links about James Spirlock, see our Residents page and scroll to Spirlock. 

In this undated photograph, members of the Kenney family proudly pose in front of the Woodland Hotel that they operated. Woodland was the original name for the community that is now the City of Lacey, and the hotel was located at a key intersection near the current location of the Lacey Post Office. Photograph selected and captioned by Deborah Ross on behalf of the Olympia Historical Society and Bigelow House Museum. 8/26/18

In 1963 a welcoming pole was created for the State Capital Museum at the Lord Mansion that replicated the poles at the entrance to the 1962 Seattle World’s Fair. The poles were designed by famed architect Fred Bassetti. Only a small portion of the pole still exists, deteriorating on the grounds of the mansion. Photograph selected and captioned by Deborah Ross on behalf of the Olympia Historical Society and Bigelow House Museum. For more information see olympiahistory.org. 

Daily Olympian photo, 1963, State Capital Museum collection, Washington State Historical Society

This photograph by Asahel Curtis shows members of the Mosquito Fleet approaching Percival Landing at the Port of Olympia on an overcast day in 1910. The Sand Man tug is at the left, near the same location you can find it today. Photograph selected and captioned by Deborah Ross on behalf of the Olympia Historical Society and Bigelow House Museum. For more information see olympiahistory.org. 

Asahel Curtis photograph, 1910, Washington State Historical Society

September 1, 2018

Fall is just around the corner, bringing with it changing colors and fascinating History events! Today, we note with sadness the sudden death of accomplished area historian and writer John Hough while on vacation in South Africa. John was a past president and board member of the Puget Sound Maritime Historical Society, and recently co-wrote “Maritime Olympia and South Puget Sound” with Les Eldridge, documenting the South Sound’s evolution to an important international seaport. Mr. Hough’s detailed obituary may be viewed online at https://funeralalternatives.org/, a full clickable link is included at the bottom of this bulletin, just below the orange box. A memorial service will be held at South Puget Sound Community College on September 15 at 2:00 PM. To hear John discuss some of the early maritime history of the Olympia area and the famed Mosquito Fleet, visit “Now Where Were We” on Youtube. See the clickable link to the video at the bottom of the bulletin.

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* September 4, 6:00 PM – 7:30 PM. Harbor History Museum (Gig Harbor): Gig Harbor Literary Society Discusses “Sarah Canary”.

When black-cloaked Sarah Canary wandered into a railway camp in the Washington territories in 1873, she had no notion of the adventures she was about to face, including being referred to as “The ugliest woman imaginable” and a period of commitment to a local insane asylum. Join the Gig harbor Literary Society for a fascinating discussion of this engaging work. Attendees are welcome to bring an appetizer or dish to share with fellow bibliophiles. The Museum will provide complimentary non-alcoholic beverages. You are welcome to BYOW (Bring Your Own Wine). Library and Museum staff will lead the discussion. This event is FREE and open to the public. Seats are limited; RSVPs are encouraged. To RSVP or for questions, please contact Zachary Sokolik, Marketing & Events Coordinator, at marketing@harborhistorymuseum.org or 253-858-6722. The Harbor History Museum is located at 4121 Harborview Dr, Gig Harbor.

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* September 7, 7:30 PM. Schneebeck Concert Hall (Tacoma): Jacobsen Series – Bernstein 100.

Famed conductor Leonard Bernstein’s 100th birthday was August 25, 2018. Celebrating Bernstein’s legacy as a composer, conductor, and intellectual, Anna Wittstruck will emcee an evening of classical music, jazz, and Broadway. Featuring soloists Maria Sampen, violin; Dawn Padula, mezzo-soprano; Tanya Stambuk, piano; Tracy Knoop, saxophone/clarinet; and other faculty and student performers. Established in 1984, the Jacobsen Series celebrates faculty and guest talent in a variety of performances held at Schneebeck Concert Hall. The Schneebeck Concert Hall is located on the campus of the University of Puget Sound, 1567-1625 N Union Ave, Tacoma.

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* September 8, 9:00 AM – 3:00 PM. Olympia Timberland Library (Olympia): Beginning Genealogy Workshop.

Olympia Genealogical Society members will help workshop participants gain the skills they need to begin their family history research. Participants are encouraged to bring a laptop if they have one, and a lunch for the 30-minute break. Check in at 9:00 AM, before the library opens, at the 9th and Adams Exit Only doors to the library. Registration is required and walk-ins will not be accepted. Register online, at http://www.olygensoc.org/, in person, or by phone at 360-352-0595. The Olympia Timberland Library is located at 313 8th Ave SE, Olympia.

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* September 8, 11:00 AM – 5:00 PM. Fort Nisqually Living History Museum (Tacoma): Harvest Home Festival.

Join the Living History Museum to celebrate the sights, sounds, and smells of autumn at their Harvest Home festival! The day will include popular Victorian games, traditional music and dance performances, and the arrival of the hock cart carrying the last sheaf of wheat through the fort to the granary. Everyone is welcome to come down and press cider, make a corn dolly, and help us send off summer 19th century style. For more information visit fortnisqually.org or call (253) 404-3970. The Fort Nisqually Living History Museum is located at 5400 N. Pearl St., Tacoma.

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* September 8, 2:00 PM – 3:30 PM. Chehalis Timberland Library (Chehalis): Tales from the Parks – Author Talk with Russell Cahill.

The National Park Service celebrated their 100th birthday in 2016, but the origin of America’s parks goes all the way back to the Civil War and beyond. Author Russell Cahill thinks it started when a single tree was cut down in California in 1852. Cahill was a National Park Ranger during the 1960’s and 1970’s and has written on the origins of our parks and his adventures in Yosemite, Alaska, Washington D.C. and Hawai’i. Join him and hear of rescues, forest fires, bears breaking into a five star hotel and other happenings. Books will be available for purchase and signing. The Chehalis Timberland Library is located at 400 N. Market Blvd, Chehalis.

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* September 8, 9:00 AM – 3:30 PM. Asia Pacific Cultural Center (Tacoma): We Are History Keepers – Tacoma!

We Are History Keepers – Tacoma! is a free daylong workshop on preserving the historical and cultural record of your family and community – a program brought to you by the Ethnic Heritage Council, the University of Washington Libraries, and the Washington State Historical Society. Sessions will include: small group instruction on sorting and preserving papers and records of your family and cultural organizations; creating exhibits; organizing and preserving your photo collections; conducting oral histories; cultural preservation through storytelling; and more! Library, archives, and museum professionals from the University of Washington Libraries Special Collections, UW Tacoma Library, and the Washington State Historical Society will lead the program. The Asia Pacific Cultural Center will serve a delicious lunch of Asian Pacific foods for a $15 cash donation per person. Reserve lunch and indicate vegetarian, if required, when you RSVP to: rsvp@ethnicheritagecouncil.org. Participants are also invited to share a completed history project or work in progress. If you or your youth have a visual display to exhibit, please let us know when you RSVP for the event. We Are History Keepers! is co-created by the Ethnic Heritage Council and the University of Washington Libraries. Tacoma History Keepers! is funded in part by the Washington State Historical Society, the Heritage League of Pierce County and 4 Culture. The Asia Pacific Cultural Center is located at 4851 South Tacoma Way, Tacoma.

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* September 9, 1:00 PM – 4:00 PM. Tumwater Historic District (Tumwater): Voices from the Past.

On Sunday, September 9, three talented living history reenactors will give performances at period homes located in Tumwater’s Historic District. Staggered start times will allow the public to hear all three presentations. Beginning at Schmidt House at 1:00 PM, storyteller Kristin Alana will portray Rebecca Groundage Howard, an African-American woman who operated the Pacific House, a restaurant and hotel in Olympia in the 1860’s and ‘70’s. At 2:00 PM, reenactor Karen Haas will visit Crosby House to portray Norwegian immigrant Thea Foss, who in 1912 bought a used rowboat in Tacoma and built a maritime empire on Puget Sound. At 2:45 PM at Henderson House, long-time reenactor Ray Egan will portray one of his favorite historic personalities, Ezra Meeker. Meeker’s reminiscence begins with his first experiences working with oxen, and continues with a discussion of what oxen are and are not, and why they were vitally important on the Oregon Trail. All three Houses will be open for tours before and after the performances. Schmidt House is located at 330 Schmidt Place SW, Crosby House is located at 702 Deschutes Way SW, and Henderson House is located at 602 Deschutes Way SW, all in Tumwater. For more information, contact Karen Johnson at karen@olytumfoundation.org or 360-890-2299.

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* September 10, 7:00 PM. Tacoma Historical Society (Tacoma): Some Mid Life History of Tacoma Rail.

Join the Tacoma Historical Society for their first monthly meeting of the fall, and hear local railroad historian, photographer, and author of multiple articles on railroading David Cantlinas discuss the history of rail in the Tacoma area. Admission is free and all are welcome! This event will take place at the Murray Board Room of the Wheelock Student Center, University of Puget Sound, located at 1500 N Warner St, Tacoma.

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* September 13, 12:00 PM – 1:00 PM. Schmidt House (Tumwater): The Darker Side of Tumwater’s History.

Olympia Tumwater Foundation’s Public History Manager Don Trosper will begin a new season of History Talks at Schmidt House with an illustrated talk highlighting the darker side of Tumwater’s history. Learn how newspapers of the day reported on murder, political intrigue, scandal, immorality, tragedy, racism, conflict, and Trosper’s personal favorite, “Strange Events.” Schmidt House is located at 330 Schmidt Place SW, Tumwater.

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* September 13, 7:00 PM – 8:15 PM. Lacey Timberland Library (Lacey): Antiquated Technologies Series – Moving Pictures with Devon Damonte.

Witness a plethora of 16mm & 35mm movie viewing and projecting apparatus, including a running upright Moviola editing machine once used by film director Hal Ashby (Being There, Harold & Maude, etc). Help celebrate Devon’s latest acquisition: a Tagarno 35mm medical viewer that plays both in high speed and in super slow motion. These technologies have withstood the test of time – what other media format has remained playable for over 100 years? This program is part of the Antiquated Technologies series and is sponsored by the Friends of the Lacey Library. The Lacey Timberland Library is located at 500 College St SE, Lacey.

In 1963, St. Peter Hospital, then located in West Olympia, introduced the opportunity for patients to have televisions in their rooms. Here, Mrs. Herb (Shirley) Legg, a volunteer at the hospital, demonstrates its use to a grateful patient. Photograph selected and captioned by Deborah Ross on behalf of the Olympia Historical Society and Bigelow House Museum. For more information, visit the Society’s Looking Back page, https://olympiahistory.org/category/lookingback/. 

Daily Olympian photo, 1963, State Capital Museum collection, Washington State Historical Society

Few landmarks still exist to identify this August 1949 scene as the future site of the 5^th Avenue dam and bridge. This photograph was taken as construction was getting under way. In the distance we can just make out the Governor Hotel, the Dolliver Building, and the Security Building. We can also see the smokestack of the Memorial Clinic building that was demolished in 2015. Photograph selected and captioned by Deborah Ross on behalf of the Olympia Historical Society and Bigelow House Museum. 

Merle Junk photograph, 1949, Susan Parish Collection, Washington State Archives

In 1909, a special summer session of the Legislature was called, resulting in Session lasting until mid-August. A group of young women, all legislative clerks, posed for a group photo in Governor Hays’s automobile, still a relative rarity in Olympia. Behind them are the Old State Capitol Building, now the Superintendent of Public Instruction, and the Reed Building. Photograph selected and captioned by Deborah Ross on behalf of the Olympia Historical Society and Bigelow House Museum. For more information see olympiahistory.org.

unknown photographer, 1909, State Capital Museum collection, Washington State Historical Society

The Port of Olympia was the hub of commercial activity in Olympia’s earliest decades. By 1910, when this photograph was taken, it was in decline: even the Red Light District had moved elsewhere. The old Bettman store is at foreground left, with the New England Hotel to its right, now the site of the 222 shopping and dining complex. Photograph selected and captioned by Deborah Ross on behalf of the Olympia Historical Society and Bigelow House Museum. 

This photograph was taken about 1900 from the Old State Capitol Building (now Superintendent of Public Instruction). Dominating the image is the Olympia Hotel, which burned down in 1904. Other identifiable buildings include the Sylvester Mansion and steepled St. Michael Parish. The home in the foreground belonged to Mitchel Harris. It still exists, but was moved to the southeast corner of 9^th and Adams. Photograph selected and captioned by Deborah Ross on behalf of the Olympia Historical Society and Bigelow House Museum.

Natalie Riggin won Second Grand Prize in the national Pillsbury Bakeoff contest in 1956, when she was only a teenager. Her Hoot Owl cookies are still included in compilations of best cookie recipes of all time. Natalie was later Lakefair Queen in 1962, the third young woman to earn that title. Photograph selected and captioned by Deborah Ross on behalf of the Olympia Historical Society and Bigelow House Museum. Here’s a link to the recipe: https://toriavey.com/toris-kitchen/hoot-owl-cookies/

Daily Olympian photo, 1956, State Capital Museum collection, Washington State Historical Society

Olympia attorney Trena Belsito Worthington, at left, confers with Governor Albert and First Lady Ethel Rosellini as they barbecue a fish on Capitol Campus. In addition to being a successful lawyer, in an age where female attorneys were rare, Mrs. Worthington was responsible for the design and construction of five nearly identical homes in southeast Olympia and along Capitol Lake.  Photograph selected and captioned by Deborah Ross on behalf of the Olympia Historical Society and Bigelow House Museum. More information about Mrs. Worthington is available at olympiahistory.org in our Residents feature, under her maiden name Trena Selvidge. 

Daily Olympian photo, late 1950s, State Capital Museum collection, Washington State Historical Society

In this Daily Olympian photo from summer 1966, Olympia city staffers stock the water feature at the new City Hall with fish. Since the “moat” was never intended as a fish pond, all the fish died shortly thereafter. This building complex is now the Lee Creighton Justice Center. Photograph selected and captioned by Deborah Ross on behalf of the Olympia Historical Society and Bigelow House Museum. More information is available at olympiahistory.org. 

Daily Olympian photo, 1966, State Capital Museum collection, Washington State Historical Society

In this early photograph from about 1880, we see the Tumwater Long Bridge spanning the Deschutes Estuary. The homes and businesses of Tumwater are in the background; they succumbed to I-5 construction in the 1960s. Photograph selected and captioned by Deborah Ross on behalf of the Olympia Historical Society and Bigelow House Museum. More information is available at olympiahistory.org. 

State Capital Museum collection, courtesy Washington State Historical Society

In June of 1894, during the “golden age of fraternalism” in America, members of the Grand Lodge Knights of Pythias parade up a rain- and mud-soaked Capitol Way in Olympia. Photograph selected and captioned by Deborah Ross on behalf of the Olympia Historical Society and Bigelow House Museum. For more information, visit olympiahistory.org. 

William Duckering photo, 1894, Washington State Historical Society

A magnitude 6.7 earthquake hit the Pacific Northwest on April 29, 1965, causing 7 deaths and millions of dollars of damage. In this photograph from the Daily Olympian, a postal worker at the brand-new Olympia post office examines the havoc wreaked by the quake. Photograph selected and captioned by Deborah Ross on behalf of the Olympia Historical Society and Bigelow House Museum, olympiahistory.org. 

Daily Olympian photograph, April 1965, State Capital Museum Collection, Washington State Historical Society

During the Depression, the Civilian Conservation Corps hired thousands of young men and put them to work building and improving public amenities. CCC members were responsible for building many of the structures still in place at Millersylvania State Park, outside of Olympia. In this photo, a group of young men are hard at work building one of the kitchen shelters at the park. Photograph selected and captioned by Deborah Ross on behalf of the Olympia Historical Society and Bigelow House Museum, olympiahistory.org. 

circa 1935 photograph, State Capital Museum collection, Washington State Historical Society

In this Daily Olympian photograph from 1966, Washington State Archivist Sid McAlpin puzzles over a jar of ashes of a person identified only as John Montgomery. No one knew who he was or why his ashes were at Archives. In 2014, genealogists identified the ashes as belonging to a 6 year old, and the ashes were then buried with John’s father. Photograph selected and captioned by Deborah Ross on behalf of the Olympia Historical Society and Bigelow House Museum, olympiahistory.org. Daily Olympian photograph, 1966, State Capital Museum Collection, Washington State Historical Society

This sweet photograph from around 1870 commemorates the teenaged friendship of early Olympia residents Anna Pullen and Maggie Sutton. Anna later married printer Martin Kelly and Maggie became a teacher in Tumwater. Photograph selected and captioned by Deborah Ross on behalf of the Olympia Historical Society and Bigelow House Museum, olympiahistory.org. 

circa 1870 photograph, State Capital Museum collection, Washington State Historical Society

Peace Pilgrim, born Mildred Lisette Norman, was an American non-denominational spiritual teacher and peace activist. Starting on January 1, 1953, in Pasadena, California, she adopted the name “Peace Pilgrim” and walked across the United States for 28 years, advocating for world peace. She’s shown here in 1966, walking by the Daily Olympian building at State and Capitol (now the Olympia Press Building). Photograph selected and captioned by Deborah Ross on behalf of the Olympia Historical Society and Bigelow House Museum, olympiahistory.org. 

Daily Olympian photograph, 1966, State Capital Museum collection, Washington State Historical Society

By the 1920s, St. Peter Hospital had outgrown its original location on what’s now Capitol Campus. The large structure shown here, in West Olympia on Sherman Street, was completed in 1924, and included a nursing school and modern X-ray equipment. In this 1952 photograph, a nurse and Sister of Providence attend a patient. The building is now an apartment complex. Photograph selected and captioned by Deborah Ross on behalf of the Olympia Historical Society and Bigelow House Museum. For more information, visit olympiahistory.org. 1952 photograph, Susan Parish Collection, Washington State Archives 

St. Peter Hospital was founded by the Sisters of Charity of the House of Providence in 1887, and served the needs of area residents, including many injured loggers. Its original location, on what’s now Capitol Campus, is marked by a plaque across from the current Department of Enterprise Services (GA) building. The hospital has moved twice since then. Photograph selected and captioned by Deborah Ross on behalf of the Olympia Historical Society and Bigelow House Museum. For more information see olympiahistory.org. A.D. Rogers Photograph, 1895, Susan Parish Collection, Washington State Archives

This photograph of the jovial proprietors of the Star Laundry is one of a series, by photographer Robert Esterly, of local businesspeople. Located on Capitol Way in the bustling Port area, Star Laundry catered to the needs of itinerant sailors and merchants. It existed until the 1960s, eventually growing to take up the large masonry building that is now the home of Lassen Electric. Photograph selected and captioned by Deborah Ross on behalf of the Olympia Historical Society and Bigelow House Museum. More information is available at olympiahistory.org. 

Esterly Photograph, 1914, State Capital Museum collection, Washington State Historical Society

This photograph of Doctor Lucie Cook and her child is one of a series of local businesses and their owners taken by photographer Robert Esterly. Dr. Cook’s office was located in the Port area. Her patients were mostly female, and she is known to have ministered to some of the less fortunate members of Olympia society.  Photograph selected and captioned by Deborah Ross on behalf of the Olympia Historical Society and Bigelow House Museum.

Esterly Photograph, 1914, State Capital Museum collection, Washington State Historical Society

Publisher John Miller Murphy built the Olympia Opera House on Fourth Avenue, about where Orca Books is now. As this photograph from 1890 shows, a trolley line ran by the theater, providing easy access to all classes of Olympia society. Over its 30 years of existence some of the biggest national names played here, including John Phillips Sousa, Mark Twain, and others, as well as numerous local performers. Photograph selected and captioned by Deborah Ross on behalf of the Olympia Historical Society and Bigelow House Museum. For more information see olympiahistory.org. 

unknown photographer, 1890, State Library Collection

Photographer Robert Esterly took this photograph of an unnamed street vendor in 1914, as part of his series of local businesses and their proprietors. The photo was taken at the corner of 4^th and Washington. The Boardman Building, still in existence, is behind the vendor at the northwest corner.  Photograph selected and captioned by Deborah Ross on behalf of the Olympia Historical Society and Bigelow House Museum. More information is available at olympiahistory.org.

Esterly Photograph, 1914, State Capital Museum collection, Washington State Historical Society

In the heyday of the motion picture industry, downtown Olympia had several movie theaters. The Zabel family owned several of them. This one, the Ray, was located at the corner of 5^th and Washington, at the current site of the Timberland Bank. Photograph selected and captioned by Deborah Ross on behalf of the Olympia Historical Society and Bigelow House Museum. More information is available at olympiahistory.org. 

Esterly Photograph, 1914, State Capital Museum collection, Washington State Historical Society

In the early 20^th century, veneer plants in the Port of Olympia supplied surplus heat to a central plant that distributed steam heating to the area through underground pipes. The steam plant building is still in existence on Thurston Avenue. But this 1966 photograph from the Daily Olympian shows the dismantling of the plant’s smokestack, after the veneer plants were all shuttered. Photograph selected and captioned by Deborah Ross on behalf of the Olympia Historical Society and Bigelow House Museum. For more information, visit olympiahistory.org.

The “O” shaped Olympia City Hall building, now the Lee Creighton Justice Center on Plum Street, was part of Olympia’s “Committee of the 60s” effort to improve the infrastructure of the city. It was touted nation-wide as a model of good design, architectural innovation and space planning. This photograph was taken in early 1966 when the building was brand-new, just before architect Robert Wohleb’s untimely death. Photograph selected and captioned by Deborah Ross on behalf of the Olympia Historical Society and Bigelow House Museum. For more information see olympiahistory.org. Ron Allen photograph, March 1966, Susan Parish Collection, Southwest Regional Archives 

The Olympia Veneer Company was founded in 1921 as a revolutionary example of a cooperative company, owned by its workers. Located at the far northern tip of the port area, it also developed techniques that were soon copied by other manufacturers. The mill employed many Scandinavian immigrants who had come to this area in the early 20th century. Photograph selected and captioned by Deborah Ross on behalf of the Olympia Historical Society and Bigelow House Museum. 

1946 photo by Merle Junk, Susan Parish collection, Southwest Regional Archives

Did a sign painter have Christmas on his mind when he misspelled Cherry Street as Cheery Street? An astute Daily Olympian photographer caught the “typo” in time to print it in a December paper from 1962. Photograph selected and captioned by Deborah Ross on behalf of the Olympia Historical Society and Bigelow House Museum.

Daily Olympian photograph, December 1962, State Capital Museum collection, Washington State Historical Society

The proprietors of a pool hall pose for their photograph in this photograph from late 1914. A sign in the window of the adjacent E.E. Taylor Music Store asks, Will there Be a Victrola In your Home this Christmas?  The establishments were located at the current site of the Ward Building on Fourth Avenue (see last week’s Looking Back for a photograph of that building). Photograph selected and captioned by Deborah Ross on behalf of the Olympia Historical Society and Bigelow House Museum. More information is available at olympiahistory.org.

Esterly Photograph, 1914, State Capital Museum collection, Washington State Historical Society

This photograph from December 1911 shows the abandoned Washington Territorial Capitol in the snow. The structure was eventually razed when Capitol Campus was created a few years later. Photograph selected and captioned by Deborah Ross on behalf of the Olympia Historical Society and Bigelow House Museum. For more information see olympiahistory.org. 

1911 photograph, Washington State Archives

First United Methodist Church is among Olympia’s earliest congregations. Here we see the original church structure, built 1856, at the corner of Fourth and Adams. The congregation outgrew this structure and acquired an adjacent lot on Fifth Avenue. The newer building, erected in 1894, can be seen in the background of this image. This allows us to date the photograph to between 1894 and 1896, when the Cunningham’s Building now at this site was erected. Photograph selected and captioned by Deborah Ross on behalf of the Olympia Historical Society and Bigelow House Museum. 

Unknown photographer, 1894-1896, Susan Parish collection, Washington State Archives