In 1913, a group of Olympia citizens, many of them early pioneers, gathered to dedicate a plaque at the site of the first Washington Territorial Assembly. This plaque is still in existence, in front of the Bread Peddler at 222 Capitol Way N, in the port area. The site is one of the most important…
Few landmarks still exist to identify this August 1949 scene as the future site of the 5th 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…
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 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…
Earl Bean came here from Russia in 1892 and joined his father Joseph in the scrap metal business. He parlayed this into hardware store Olympia Supply on the shore of Capitol Lake, still part of the Bean family. In the 1930s Earl Bean was one of the founders of Temple Beth Hatfiloh. In this photo…
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…
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…
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…
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…
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…
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…
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 Vocational Technical Institute student Kent Loomey demonstrates a cathode ray oscilloscope in this photograph from 1963. The Institute (later South Puget Sound Community College) was located in the former Montgomery Ward Building in downtown Olympia. The Institute held an open house to familiarize citizens with the new school, and to publicize the fact that…
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…
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…
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…
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…
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…
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…
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…
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…
Roger Easton, a teacher at Mountain View Elementary in Lacey, initiated an international pen pal program between his students and children from around the world. In addition to sending letters, the children exchanged audiotapes. Easton was also an avid local historian; at his untimely death he bequeathed his estate to the Olympia Historical Society and…
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…
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 4th and Washington. The Boardman Building, still in existence, is behind the vendor at the northwest corner. Photograph selected and captioned by Deborah…
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 5th and Washington, at the current site of the Timberland Bank. Photograph selected and captioned by Deborah Ross on behalf of the Olympia Historical…
In the early 20th 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,…
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 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…
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…
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…
The Montgomery Ward Building was erected in 1928 on Fourth Avenue. Ward’s was a department store and catalogue retailer. The building was repurposed in the early 1960s to serve as the first home of the Olympia Regional Vocational Technical Institute (now South Puget Sound Community College). It has since been occupied by retail and entertainment…
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…
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…
A young Dick Nichols is welcomed to radio station KGY in 1964. He soon became the beloved Voice of South Puget Sound sports. He served as the station’s announcer for 40 years. His stay at KGY ran concurrently with two terms as Thurston County commissioner, among other occupations. Photograph selected and captioned by Deborah Ross…
In this 1906 photograph of Fourth Avenue in downtown Olympia, we can see some familiar buildings, and some that are no longer with us. At the left is the three-story Mottman Building at the northwest corner of Fourth and Capitol, and across from it on the northeast corner is the Chambers Block. Both still exist…
Krystalyn Furgison’s father-in-law was given a collection of 39 glass plate negatives, mostly depicting Olympia area residents from around the turn of the 20th century. Ms. Furgison has meticulously researched the photographs and agreed to share them with the Society and Museum’s website. Following is a PDF containing the results of Ms. Furgison’s research. Individual…
The Columbus Day Storm, on October 12, 1962, is considered the most powerful extratropical storm in history. This Daily Olympian photograph, taken at Capitol Lake the day following the storm, shows some of the devastation, which included thousands of uprooted trees and much destruction of property. Photograph selected and captioned by Deborah Ross on behalf…
Thornton McElroy was the colorful publisher of Olympia’s first newspaper, the Columbian, whose fiery editorials were in part responsible for the creation of Washington as a territory independent of Oregon. His stately home was at the corner of Sylvester Park, at 7th and Washington. His son, Harry, was a local merchant and lived in this…
The Jewish communities of Centralia, Chehalis, Aberdeen, and Elma formed a chapter of the B’nai B’rith in the early 1900s. In this photograph from 1934, the group is meeting in the Masonic Temple, then located at 8th and Capitol in Olympia. Olympia’s Temple Beth Hatfiloh was formed just a few years later, in 1937. Photograph…
Amateur theatrics were and are a popular source of local entertainment in Olympia, even after the advent of moving pictures. In this photo from about 1925, a young Thelma Freitag poses in an exotic costume as publicity for an upcoming production. Her father, Louis, was a musician. Photograph selected and captioned by Deborah Ross on…
In the days before radio and television, home-grown entertainment was an important component of Olympia society. Here a small band poses solemnly for their studio portrait, in about 1885. Photograph selected and captioned by Deborah Ross on behalf of the Olympia Historical Society and Bigelow House Museum, olympiahistory.org. Photo courtesy Washington State Historical Society.
Civil defense was an ever-present concern in the Cold War era. Here a group of Washington Junior High students, in 1962, is led through an exercise involving the evacuation of their school and a walk to Capitol Campus where they would be expected to seek safety in the event of an attack (the school was…
The M.M. Morris store was a fashionable women’s wear shop in downtown Olympia for many years. It stood at the corner of 5th Avenue and Washington Street in the historic Martin Building (the current site of the Captain Little toy store). Photograph selected and captioned by Deborah Ross on behalf of the Olympia Historical Society…
The Columbia Hall was built in 1869 on Fourth Avenue near the center of downtown Olympia (the current site of the 4th Ave Tav). 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.…
Clara Knox built the Knox Apartments and Hotel in the early 20th century. It was located on Washington Street, adjacent to the then-Thurston County Courthouse, now the location of the State Theater. The building lasted until at least the 1940s. Photograph selected and captioned by Deborah Ross on behalf of the Olympia Historical Society and…
In 1913, Asahel Curtis took a series of photographs of the A.L. Brown Farm, in the Nisqually Valley, now part of the Billy Frank Jr. National Wildlife Refuge. This photograph of a harvest portrays a bucolic lifestyle that would not last much longer into the 20th century. Photograph selected and captioned by Deborah Ross on…
A view of Olympia from the Westside shows the tidy Konrad Schneider farmhouse in the foreground. In the distance, Mount Rainier and Mount St. Helens loom over Budd Inlet, the Fourth Avenue Bridge and downtown Olympia. The mountains are misplaced northwards. Artist Edward Lange was known for his minute attention to detail, sometimes offset by…
In the 1880s, it became apparent that Olympia was in urgent need of a hotel that could accommodate the numbers of legislators, lobbyists and hangers-on that appeared on a regular basis during legislative sessions. A number of prominent citizens raised the funds to build the grand Victorian-style Olympia Hotel, at 8th and Capitol. Sadly, it…
In the summer of 1966, staff arrived at the Legislative Building to find that the Rotunda had been “TP’ed.” The culprit was never found. 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.
A young Dick Nichols is welcomed to radio station KGY in 1964. He soon became the beloved Voice of South Puget Sound sports. He served as the station’s announcer for 40 years. His stay at KGY ran concurrently with two terms as Thurston County commissioner, among other jobs. Photograph selected and captioned by Deborah Ross…
Five young women from prominent Olympia families pose in their club uniforms, holding oars aloft. Their straw hats, adorned with A.S.L. insignia, identify them as members of the Anti-Saloon League Boat Club, a temperance organization. Photograph selected and captioned by Deborah Ross on behalf of the Olympia Historical Society and Bigelow House Museum.
Sisters Pauline McAllister McBride and Ruby McAllister stand outside their home in the Nisqually Valley, where their family had lived for generations. They had been given a 30 day notice to vacate their house so that Interstate 5 could be built through their property. Photograph selected and captioned by Deborah Ross on behalf of the…
The Liberty Theater was built around 1924 by the Reed-Ingham Company, which was owned by Thomas M. Reed and his brother-in-law Paul Ingham. It was located at the current site of the Washington Center for the Performing Arts, on Washington Street near Legion Way. The Liberty was one of many theaters located in downtown Olympia…
Ernie Taylor was a popular musician in late 19th and early 20th century Olympia, leading and playing in several bands and orchestras. He owned the E.E. Taylor music store, shown here, at the current location of the Gyro Spot on 4th Avenue (the Ward Building). Image selected and captioned by Deborah Ross on behalf of…
President Theodore Roosevelt visited Olympia as part of a swing through the western states in May 1903. Here he addresses a large crowd in Sylvester Park, in front of the then-Washington State Capitol building (now the Office of the Superintendent of Public Instruction). Photograph selected and captioned by Deborah Ross on behalf of the Olympia…
Pamela Case Hale built the Hale Block at 502 4th Avenue in 1891, during a time of great prosperity for Olympia. In the early 20th century this building was the location of the J.E. Kelley Furniture store. The name J.E. Kelley remains incised into the sidewalk in front of the building, which is now the…
The Daily Olympian advised a sign painter to go back to class after misspelling the word School at a city intersection. Photograph selected and captioned by Deborah Ross on behalf of the Olympia Historical Society and Bigelow House Museum. Daily Olympian photograph, October 1962, State Capital Museum Collection, Washington State Historical Society
In 1962, the Olympia Blueprint and Copy Company experienced a sharp uptick in customers when employee Linda Burkey began wearing a mid-thigh length dress to work, which her mother had created for her. Shorter hemlines had just started to appear on the fashion scene. Image selected and captioned by Deborah Ross on behalf of the…
The Pacific House was one of the earliest hotel/restaurants in Olympia, at the corner of what is now State Avenue and Capitol Way. In 1859, African-American Rebecca Groundage Howard took over its management and soon became famous all over the northwest for her hospitality and good food. In this photo from 1902, the building is…
The Rockway-Leland Building was built in two stages between 1921 and 1941, the later portion in an Art Moderne style designed by Joseph Wohleb.The building was the home of Olympia Oil and Wood Products, and was named after the company’s owner and manager. The building was also once the home of Olympia’s first radio station,…
In 1962, Sacramento, California’s Camelia Queen Carole Cottrell visited Olympia, Sacramento’s sister city. Bert Cole, State Land Commissioner and Jim Leader, Olympia’s Ambassador of Friendship, presented Carole with a deed to Capitol Lake, provided she could carry it away with her. Shortly after, several Sacramento citizens arrived and were presented with jars of water from…
Old Olympia Landmarks By Georgiana Blankenship From Washington State Library manuscript collection MS0037 Transcribed by Deborah Ross Transcriber’s Note: Double spaced, typed article, undated but probably around 1927 or 1928. It has been marked up by an unknown annotator with corrections and updates (e.g., when a building existed at the time of the original typing, but…
The Memorial Clinic building, just east of the Fourth Avenue bridge, designed by local architect father and son team Robert and Joseph Wohleb, was built in 1948. The clinic was an innovative concept at the time, grouping several physicians and specialties under one roof. It was located near downtown but handily close to St. Peter…
With an abundant source of nearby timber, the wood products industry was an important element of the Thurston County economy for many decades. This image from about 1909 shows the Frank Guslander shingle mill, on Black Lake. Image selected and captioned by Deborah Ross on behalf of the Olympia Historical Society and Bigelow House Museum.…
In this photo from May 1962, a bear cub eludes capture in downtown Olympia. The cub was on its way to be displayed at the Tumwater Falls Park when it escaped, after having its photograph taken. The chase led into an insurance office in the Hotel Olympian where it surprised salesman Walter Olsen before finally…
In this photo from March 12, 1950, parents, children, and Sisters of Providence look on at the groundbreaking for the new St. Michael School building on 10th and Boundary. The school was originally located on Capitol Way. Photograph selected and captioned by Deborah Ross on behalf of the Olympia Historical Society and Bigelow House Museum.…
The Olympia streetcar system was launched in the late 1800s and ceased operations in the mid-1930s. Here a streetcar is seen proceeding up Main Street (now Capitol Way) toward Tumwater. Behind it is Olympia High School, which was then across the street from Capitol Campus. Photograph selected and captioned by Deborah Ross on behalf of…
This photograph from 1902 captures the stately Masonic Temple at the corner of 8th Avenue and Capitol Way. Built in 1855 as one of the city’s earliest public structures, it was razed in 1911. Photograph selected by Deborah Ross on behalf of the Olympia Historical Society and Bigelow House Museum. More information is available at…
The Columbia Hall, located where the 4th Ave Tav is now, was a combined police station, fire station, City Hall, and gathering place. Here members of Olympia’s finest pose in front of the hall, sporting their law enforcement badges. Photograph selected and captioned by Deborah Ross on behalf of the Olympia Historical Society and Bigelow…
The capitol building from Washington’s territorial days sits empty in this photograph from 1911. Between 1905 and 1928, the Washington State Legislature met in the Old State Capitol building downtown, now the Office of the Superintendent of Public Instruction. Work began on the current Capitol Campus grouping in 1912. Photograph selected and captioned by Deborah…
In May 1962 attorney general Brock Adams issued an order to stop posting ongoing game scores at public places, on the grounds it promoted illegal gambling. Here Stan Parsons demonstrates the soon-to-be-halted practice, at the Spar restaurant in downtown Olympia. Photograph selected and captioned by Deborah Ross on behalf of the Olympia Historical Society and…
Captain Samuel Wing Percival built Percival’s Dock (now the site of Percival Landing) as well as an imposing home with terraced grounds overlooking the Deschutes Estuary and downtown Olympia. In this early photograph his three children, John, Georgiana, and Sam, pose in a studio setting. John later took over the shipping business from his father.…
A group of Olympia High School students poses for a publicity photograph in 1909. Vocational education was a revolutionary concept in the early 20th century. To demonstrate its potential, Oly’s domestic science class opened a model kitchen at the Alaska-Yukon-Pacific Exposition in Seattle and served six-course meals there, to astonished and rave reviews. Image selected…
This photograph from 1962 shows the Washington State Archives building under construction. Erected during the cold-war era, the building doubled as a fallout shelter. Just one of its several floors is above ground. 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…
Olympia Knitting Mills produced sportswear and marketed it throughout the United States. Here, a model demonstrates a daring one-piece knit bathing suit. The Olympia Knitting Mills building is now the home of Fishtail Brewing Company, on Legion Way. Photograph selected and captioned by Deborah Ross on behalf of the Olympia Historical Society and Bigelow House…
Miniature golf was all the rage in the late 1920s and early 30s. In January 1931, the Palm Grove “resort” opened at the corner of Franklin and Fifth. The indoor course had a tropical theme, with an adjacent restaurant. One of the area’s first neon signs was erected outside to draw attention to the swanky…
“Captain” Woodbury J Doane was a well-known figure in early Olympia. He owned Doane’s Oyster House near the corner of 5th Avenue and Washington Street. Here he served up his famous pan-roasted oysters. Some say the allure of Doane’s oysters contributed to Olympia’s remaining the capital after Washington became a state in 1889. Image selected…
Three pioneer brothers – Charles, Grant, and George Noyes Talcott – operated the Talcott Jewelers store on Main Street, now Capitol Way. Here they are shown, as elderly men, with some of the products formerly sold at the store. The business was in the family until 2003. Photograph selected and captioned by Deborah Ross on…
Olympia Air Transport was a private company offering air services at the Olympia Regional Airport in Tumwater, beginning in the 1930s. After World War II began, the United States government took over operation of the airport and used Olympia Air Transport planes for military service and training. In this photograph from 1941, servicemen are lined…
In the fall of 1966, comedian, actor, and activist Dick Gregory and his wife Lillian were charged with illegal fishing, when they participated in the Native American Fish-In campaign to assert treaty rights. In this photograph from late November, the Gregorys enter the Thurston County Courthouse on Capitol Way. The trial attracted national publicity. The…
The Olympia High School Bears host the Vancouver Trappers on Thanksgiving Day in 1929. The teams are seen playing on Stevens Field. Olympia High School, then located across the street from Capitol Campus, had no field of its own. The game’s final score: 14-0 Bears. Photograph selected by Deborah Ross on behalf of the Olympia Historical Society…
At the height of the Cold War, many communities participated in Civil Defense exercises designed to prepare us in the event of nuclear attack. Here, Thurston County staffer Jim Falin tests an alarm siren button designed to warn the community of an imminent threat. Photograph selected and captioned by Deborah Ross on behalf of the…
The State Capital Museum, now closed, was a repository of art and artifacts associated with the City of Olympia, the State of Washington, and curiosities from all over the world. In this photo from the 1950s or ‘60s, we see the replica of the Territorial Capitol building, created for Washington’s Centennial Celebration in 1953, displayed…
An unidentified couple stands along the railroad tracks in Tumwater, around 1910. The old Olympia Brewing Company building can be seen in the background. Much of downtown Tumwater was wiped out with the construction of I-5 in the 1960s. Photograph selected and captioned by Deborah Ross on behalf of the Olympia Historical Society and Bigelow…
Samuel Woodruff poses in an elaborate regal costume for a publicity photograph. Woodruff was an early real estate developer. He was also a talented amateur actor and musician (and distant relative of Bing Crosby). Photograph selected and captioned by Deborah Ross on behalf of the Olympia Historical Society and Bigelow House Museum. More information is…
This early photograph shows the Livery Stable operated by Moses Rice Tilley. Established in the 1860s, it was the first stagecoach and livery (carriage rental) business in Olympia, at the northwest corner of State and Capitol (current site of the Family Support Center). Photograph selected and captioned by Deborah Ross on behalf of the Olympia…
Several dairies existed in downtown Olympia in the first part of the 20th century. Olympus Dairy Products was located on the southeast corner of State Avenue and Water Street. 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. Merle Junk photograph,…
Bob Blume, a Lacey businessman and real estate developer, has often been called the “Father of Lacey” for his civic contributions, including the effort to incorporate Lacey as a city. Here, Blume is speaking in front of the Woolworth’s store at the Grand Opening celebration of South Sound Shopping Center, on October 12, 1966. Also…
In 1933 a commission was established to study a proposal to build a canal from the Columbia River to Puget Sound. The project had strong support in Olympia and other cities that would have benefited from jobs during and after construction. In this September 1933 photograph, a parade in support of the canal proceeds past…
In the fall of 1962, the Olympia School District founded the Olympia Vocational Technical Institute (OVTI) in the Montgomery Ward Building on 4th Avenue in downtown Olympia. Here, soon after its opening, a typing class is pictured with its instructor, Carol McKee. This institution later became South Puget Sound Community College. Photograph selected and captioned…
In early Olympia, homegrown entertainment was an important element of community life. Here three prominent members of Olympia Society: Drusilla Percival, Clara Woodruff Burr, and Mrs. J.P. Hoyt, pose as the “Three Little Maids” to promote an upcoming production of Gilbert and Sullivan’s Mikado. Photograph selected and captioned by Deborah Ross on behalf of the…
In 1893, JJ Brenner founded his oyster business near the current site of Bayview Market. Brenner relied on Squaxin and Japanese harvesters, who loaded the oysters onto barges at low tide and then brought them into Olympia. This photograph, of a tugboat hauling Brenner’s oyster barges, is from about 1935. The Brenner company still exists,…
Youngsters from Jefferson Junior High School (now Jefferson Middle School) demonstrate the old and the new in this photograph from 1962. Pictured are seventh-graders Connie Moore, Dave Hill, Dean Grainger, and DeAnne Barre. Photograph selected and captioned by Deborah Ross on behalf of the Olympia Historical Society and Bigelow House Museum. More information is available…
This unfortunate humpback whale was discovered tangled in log booms in Shelton in late August 1930. When attempts were made to tow it away, it twice escaped from its captors, but finally succumbed to multiple bullets and harpoon strikes. Some 10,000 spectators traveled to Shelton and then to Point Defiance, where the rotting carcass was…
The Olympia Canning Company was established in the Port of Olympia around 1912 and took up an entire block between A and B Avenues. The company processed fruit, vegetables, fish, and shellfish. The company employed many girls and women, some as young as 11 or 12. In this photograph from 1948, a worker is processing…
The M.E. George grocery store in the Angelus Hotel building, at the northwest corner of Fourth Avenue and Columbia Street, was a long-time downtown fixture. It was owned by lifelong Olympia resident Marion George. This is now the location of the Cascadia Grill. Photograph selected and captioned by Deborah Ross on behalf of the Olympia…
The Reed Building, at the corner of Washington and Legion, is one of downtown Olympia’s earliest downtown structures. It was erected in 1891 by Thomas Milburne Reed and features apartments at the second story with retail establishments on ground level. The building originally had elaborate decorative moldings at the roofline, but it was badly damaged…
The Security Building on Fourth Avenue was Olympia’s first “skyscraper,” at five stories! The building features elaborate rosettes and pineapple motifs, a variety of rare stones, and mahogany woodwork throughout. Built on pilings that extended 60 feet deep, the building survived both the 1949 and the 2001 earthquakes. Photograph selected and captioned by Deborah Ross…
A crowd gathers outside Capitol Chevrolet for the arrival of the new 1942 model Chevrolet. This building is now the home of Ramblin’ Jack’s, on Fourth Avenue. Photograph selected and captioned by Deborah Ross on behalf of the Olympia Historical Society and Bigelow House Museum. For more information, visit us at olympiahistory.org.
Lt. Governor John Cherberg, with assistance from Lakefair Queen Sue Kilde, is about to cut the ribbon for the grand opening of the new Sears store at the South Sound Shopping Center on July 12, 1966. The indoor shopping mall, which was officially opened a few months later, was the only one of its kind…
Clouds of dust are raised as floats and automobiles parade through Tenino on July 4, around 1913. Leading the parade were horse-drawn floats sponsored by merchants Campbell and Campbell and a skating rink on wheels. Photograph selected and captioned by Deborah Ross on behalf of the Olympia Historical Society and Bigelow House Museum. For more…
Students are dismissed on the last day of the Nisqually School, on the Nisqually Cut-off Road, in June of 1962. Students attended school in the Nisqually area from as early as the 1850s. This schoolhouse was erected in 1911 and served until 1962, when the school was consolidated with others in the North Thurston School…
In about 1937, the North Coast Lines built the art moderne building that stands at the corner of Capitol Way and 7th Avenue, where it was photographed here shortly after its completion. North Coast was one of the many subsidiaries of Puget Sound Power and Light, begun in 1922 to provide electrically-powered transportation up and…
The Pacific Telephone and Telegraph Building, shown here, stood on Fifth Avenue, where the Washington Business Bank is now. Telephone service was available in Olympia by 1889. In 1908, the California conglomerate Pacific Tel &Tel acquired the local telephone franchise from the Sunset Telephone Company. It erected this structure in the 1920s. In the 1930s,…
Workers process sheets of plywood at the St. Paul and Tacoma plywood plant in the Port of Olympia, in the 1940s. The plant was established in 1921 as the Olympia Veneer Company, an innovative worker-owned cooperative. In 1946 the plant was sold to the St. Paul and Tacoma Lumber Company. The machinery shown here was…
Location: 1008 Prospect Ave NE 1008 Prospect Ave, 1954, Thurston County Assessor 1008 Prospect today (2012), photo by Deb Ross The home at 1008 Prospect Ave is located between the Olympia Avenue National Historic District and the Bigelow House. Built in 1895, it is a good example of the type of unassuming homes that…
Long before the more widely known Native American “fish-ins,” member of the Nisqually Tribes were defiantly engaged in fishing activities that had been decreed illegal by Washington State. The Department of Game made numerous arrests and confiscated gear throughout the 1960s. Here, in a 1962 Daily Olympian photograph, Game Department enforcers arrest Nisqually tribal members…
Olympia Brewing Company, in Tumwater, was an important employer and presence in our community from 1893 to 1983 (with a hiatus during Prohibition). In this photograph from 1940, female workers attend to bottle caps in the production line. Photograph selected and captioned by Deborah Ross on behalf of the Olympia Historical Society and Bigelow House…
The imposing Odd Fellows Hall in downtown Olympia was dedicated, to great fanfare, in 1888. Odd Fellows from all over the area arrived to celebrate the completion of one of the most important lodges in Washington Territory. The building burned in 1937. The G. Miller clothing store is now at this location. Photograph selected and…
Little Hollywood was the name given to a collection of float houses, businesses, and shanties that occupied the lower end of the Deschutes Estuary in the early part of the 20th century. In the late 1930s, the City began removing the structures, in order to make way for the future Capitol Lake. In this photograph…
In May of 1950, the City of Olympia observed its centennial. Celebrations included a log cabin Centennial Headquarters in Sylvester Park, a special edition of the Daily Olympian, and, naturally, a parade. Here a replica of Tumwater’s Crosby House makes its way up Capitol Way, thronged by spectators, many in “pioneer” garb. Photograph selected and…
If you meet someone surnamed Livingston in Olympia, there’s a good chance they are children or grandchildren of Al and Anna Mae Livingston. Fourteen children in all were born to this family, and nine of them still live in our community. In this photo from 1962, Mr. and Mrs. Livingston are bringing home Bill, baby…
The April 13, 1949 earthquake resulted in damage to or destruction of several downtown Olympia buildings. Here, a barber sets up temporary “shop” along Fourth Avenue, across from the Kneeland Hotel, which had to be demolished after the quake. (This is now the location of the Schoenfeld Furniture building). Photograph selected and captioned by Deborah…
In this photo from 1949 we see the beginnings of construction of the Fifth Avenue dam and bridge and the Deschutes Parkway. At the right of the image are the terraced grounds of the Percival Mansion, once a prominent city landmark, now obliterated. Photograph selected and captioned by Deborah Ross on behalf of the Olympia…
Before Intercity Transit came into being, the Olympia Transit Company provided service within Olympia and to neighboring communities. Here, in this photo from 1950, the fleet and its drivers are lined up in front of the Temple of Justice. Photograph selected and captioned by Deborah Ross on behalf of the Olympia Historical Society and Bigelow…
Nisqually Tribal elder William Frank, Sr. poles a canoe on the Nisqually River in this photograph from March 1962. William Frank was the father of noted activist Billy Frank, Jr., for whom the Billy Frank Jr. National Wildlife Refuge was recently renamed. This photograph accompanied a Daily Olympian profile of Frank, Sr., in which he…
Servicemen enjoy a sunny day in Sylvester Park in the early 1950s. Before I-5 was built, all north-south and east-west travelers had to pass through downtown 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. Unknown photographer, Susan Parish Collection, Southwest…
On March 13, 1959, a runaway train smashed through the Union Pacific depot on Fourth Avenue and into businesses on the other side of the street, destroying half a block. Miraculously, only one person was killed, telegraph operator Kenneth Dilley. This photograph shows the destroyed depot, as a large crowd of onlookers gathers after the…
In early March of 1933, a group of about 4,000 men, women, and children marched to Olympia to protest inadequate relief efforts for unemployed and destitute citizens during the Great Depression. After demonstrating at the Legislative Building, the marchers were escorted by sheriffs, Olympia police, and a group of vigilantes to Priest Point Park where…
The USO Club in Olympia opened in early 1942. According to a Daily Olympian article dated January 22, 1942, it had a lounge, library, showers, and cafeteria. The USO (United Service Organization) is a nonprofit, founded in 1941, that provides support to service troops and their families. This building was located on Fourth Avenue, just…
Established in the 1890s, the timber town of Bordeaux at one time had a population of over 400 and employed up to 700 workers. It was the site of logging and milling, sprawled over a huge area 15 miles southwest of Olympia. Most of the town site is now located in Capitol Forest, where remnants…
In early 1949, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers approved the construction of a dam, bulkhead, and new bridge at the mouth of the Deschutes River, thereby creating Capitol Lake. This photograph from late 1949 or early 1950 shows the beginning of construction of the dam and the Fifth Avenue Bridge over it. In the…
Olympia’s current mayor, Cheryl Selby, is the third woman to hold this office. The first, Amanda Benek Smith, held the office from 1953 to 1960. She was also the first female mayor of any state capital. Smith was mayor during the siting and construction of what would become Interstate 5, which she proposed be routed…
The Lewis and Clark Trading Post was located at the eastern end of the Fourth Avenue bridge, and offered repairs, trades, and “Affectionate Tourist Information.” Notable in this photograph from 1949 are the cranes which were being used in construction of the Fifth Avenue dam and bridge; the dome of the Legislative Building, under repair…
The Washington American Legion Band was formed in 1924 by the members of Alfred William Leach Post No. 3 of the American Legion. It is the oldest legion band in continuous existence in Washington State. It has received numerous awards and honors over the years and performs several times a year. Here the band poses…
In January 1962, the Olympia Public Library created its first “Banned Book” display, now an annual tradition of the Timberland Regional Library system. The display was in response to an incident the previous December, when the Thurston County sheriff confiscated copies of Tropic of Cancer from local bookstores. Among the books displayed here is The…
St. Peter Hospital was founded in 1887 by the Sisters of Providence, at a location now on the grounds of Capitol Campus. The hospital moved to a new building on Sherman Street, in West Olympia, in the early 1920s. The new structure was a first-class facility, housing 100 beds and all the modern equipment, as…
In this image from early 1949, the Deschutes Estuary is at high tide and calm on an overcast day. The photo was taken looking north from Tumwater towards Olympia. Construction of the Fifth Avenue dam and Capitol Lake had not yet begun. Photograph selected and captioned by Deborah Ross on behalf of the Olympia Historical…
GallenKamp’s was a shoe store chain with a location in downtown Olympia. In 1938, as a publicity stunt, the chain retained Robert Wadlow, the World’s Tallest Man, to undertake a nationwide tour of the stores. In this photograph, Wadlow is towering over a vehicle advertising the event. Due to a rare disorder of the pituitary…
Each set of Sanborn overlay pages has two possible views: an embedded view that is contained on the page itself, and a linked view that will take you to a larger map hosted by ESRI, a Geographical Information System provider. *To zoom and out, use the +/- buttons or your scroll wheel, if you have one…
In the 1940s Frank Huber created and displayed a life-size crèche on his front lawn, where it was a popular seasonal attraction. In 1959, a coalition of partners acquired the display to create “Christmas Island,” a twinkling raft afloat in the middle of Capitol Lake. Sponsors erected the display annually until the early 1970s, when…
A group of well-behaved youngsters listens to a Sunday School lesson at St. John’s Episcopal Church, in 1954. Photograph selected and captioned by Deborah Ross on behalf of the Olympia Historical Society and Bigelow House Museum. For more information, visit olympiahistory.org. Vibert Jeffers photo, 1954, Susan Parish Collection, Southwest Regional Archives
It’s a dreary, rainy December day in 1954, but Fourth Avenue is decked out in holiday greenery. As can be seen on the route sign, the street was part of Route 99, the West Coast’s main north-south thoroughfare, as well as Route 410, the main highway linking Aberdeen and Lewiston, Idaho. To accommodate increasing amounts…
Doane’s Oyster House stood near the corner of 5th Avenue and Washington Street. “Captain” Woodbury Doane presided, with his famous pan-fried oyster recipe that some claim contributed to Olympia’s being retained as the state capital. Politicians, lobbyists, and anyone else who wanted to be seen flocked to the restaurant; ladies had their own entrance at…
A group of workers poses proudly in front of the new Deane Apartment building, in 1936. The building still stands, behind the YMCA, on Adams Street. Photograph selected and captioned by Deborah Ross on behalf of the Olympia Historical Society and Bigelow House Museum. For more information, visit us at olympiahistory.org. Vibert Jeffers, 1936, Southwest…
This venerable structure stood at the corner of Franklin and Legion, where Selden’s Furniture is now. Over its 65 years of existence, it served many functions, including schoolhouse, Thurston County courthouse, and, as shown here in 1903, the Daily Olympian office. At one time the building was even rotated 90 degrees, for reasons lost to…
Olympia-born Donald Eugene Ulrich, best known by the stage name Don Rich (August 15, 1941 – July 17, 1974) was a country musician who helped develop the Bakersfield sound in the early 1960s. He was a noted guitarist and fiddler, and a member of the The Buckaroos, the backing band of country singer Buck Owens. Don graduated from Olympia High School in 1959, already having opened for Elvis…
The Olympia Collegiate Institute was the third in a series of private schools supported by the Methodist Church in Olympia’s early years. This building was located on East Bay Drive, at the corner of Olympia Avenue. It was probably erected around 1874. Many of the Washington’s notable citizens were graduates and supporters of the institute.…
Olympia High School (official name: William Winlock Miller High School) has a long and proud tradition of outstanding marching bands. In this photograph from 1950, the band, leader, and majorettes stand in formation on the lawn of the Washington School, which had formerly been the home of Olympia High School. This building is now the…
The collection that became the Olympia Public Library was begun by the Women’s Club of Olympia in 1896. In 1909, the City took over the collection. Around that time, Andrew Carnegie instituted his program of endowing communities with funds to build local libraries, subject to certain stipulations. Carnegie’s grant of $25,000 assisted in the construction…
At the outset of the automotive era, Capitol Way became part of the main north-south thoroughfare of the West Coast, first designated the Pacific Highway, then renamed State Route 1, and, in 1926, US 99. Automobile dealerships, filling stations, motels, and restaurants lined the “main drag” to serve America on the move. The Barker Motors…
The Foursquare Church on Fourth Avenue in Olympia was founded in 1939. The building was constructed with labor and materials supplied by the congregation. This photograph was taken in 1941: note the presence of men in uniform, as well as a young man wearing an Olympia High School letter sweater. After the building was deconsecrated,…
Paul Wiseman, a nearly life-long resident of Olympia, was the founder of the Olympia branch of the Mountaineers. He led trips for the Mountaineers into his ’80s and continued to hike and drive his Lincoln—the one vehicle with a trunk big enough to hold a set of skis—well into his late ’90s. He died in…
In the fall of 1961, fears of radioactive fallout sent some panicked Olympians to building fallout shelters. For $215, a family could buy a ready-made shelter from the Seamart store downtown and install it in their basement. In this photograph, a family demonstrates life in an underground shelter. While Mom happily plucks away at her…
On September 14, 1927, Charles Lindbergh flew his plane, the Spirit of St. Louis, over the relatively new Legislative Building as part of his 48-state tour of the country. Newspaper reports estimate that 1 in 4 Americans witnessed some part of Lindbergh’s tour. According to the Seattle Times, when Lindbergh’s plane reached Olympia, “the plane…
The Capitol Theater, now the home of the Olympia Film Society, was the crowning achievement of the Zabel family, who owned several movie theaters downtown. It includes terra cotta decorations, stained glass windows depicting each of the five muses, and marble flooring. Anticipating some of today’s theater design features, Zabel installed special seating for parents…
In the late 19th century several sandstone quarries were established in Tenino, Washington. Stone from these quarries shipped for buildings and construction throughout Washington and Oregon, including many distinguished existing structures. This photograph from around 1900 shows the Tenino Stone Company quarry in full operation, with its stepped wall of sandstone in the foreground. The…
In this photograph from early 1960s, we are looking north on Capitol Way from the southwest corner of Legion Avenue. Across the way is the Miller’s Department Store, a mid-Century modern building erected just before the 1949 earthquake. Across from it is the Penney’s store. The building still exists though remodeled into its current “blank”…
When we see old photographs of Olympia, it’s sometimes difficult to nail down what we are looking at. There are two clues in this photograph, which was taken in 1928: the dome of the Legislative Building in the background, and the Foursquare home with its dormer toward the left side of the image. This helps…
Diet fads have been with us since at least the 1800s. In the 1950s, miracle pills and powders abounded, as they do today. Many included amphetamines as an active ingredient, now frowned upon as a slimming solution. The display in this photograph from 1958 featured the “Be-Slim” product, and shows “Miss Be Slim” visiting a…
The Miller’s Department Store was located at the important intersection of Capitol and Legion Ways. This mid-Century modern building was erected about 1949, just before the 1949 earthquake, which caused minor damage to the structure. The building currently houses commercial operations at the ground level, and the large façade above the entryways has been removed.…
Lakefair and its parade have been an Olympia fixture since 1957. In 1964, in observance of Washington state’s Diamond Jubilee, the Lakefair princesses and queens were transported down Capitol Way in a magnificent float with a diamond theme. Photograph selected and captioned by Deborah Ross on behalf of Olympia Historical Society and Bigelow House Museum.…
In 1914, Tumwater resident Robert Esterly took a series of photographs of many of Olympia’s commercial and industrial operations, providing a valuable record of our city as it looked 100 years ago. Most of the photographs also include owners and staff. This automobile dealership was at the corner of Columbia and 5th. The building still…
Brickyards existed in and around Olympia from its earliest days. Bricks were made by mining the extensive clay beds around Olympia’s shores, molding them, building wooden kilns to hold them and then setting the kilns on fire. The brickyard at the corner of Fourth and Eastside, shown here in about 1880, was one of at…
On June 27, 1934, a huge explosion at the Denn Powder Company in the community of Lacey resulted in 11 deaths. The company produced dynamite, which was in great demand for logging, stump clearing, mining, and demolition. The damage from the explosion was so extensive that it was never possible to reach a definitive conclusion…
The fish ladder at Tumwater Falls was built in the 1950s to provide a pathway for salmon up the Deschutes River. Before the ladder was built, there was no natural salmon run up the Deschutes. The hatchery at the top of the falls was constructed in 1962. The ladder and hatchery provide a way for…
In the early 1930s, Bill Bergstrom and Irving Lassen founded Bergstrom’s Sporting Goods store (in the Simenson Jeweler Building) on Fourth Avenue, where the Spider Monkey tattoo parlor is now. Here, Bergstrom and Lassen show off a brace of fish caught with tackle from their store. Irving Lassen is the dapper gentleman at the left.…
The Bettman family were merchants in Olympia from very early days. Their men’s clothing store was in business downtown on Capitol Way until the 1970s (see also Bettman First Store, Bettman Block, and Bettman-Oppenheimer House for more sites associated with this family). In this photograph from June of 1949, a gentleman is trying on a…
The Forest Cemetery, now Forest Memorial Gardens, was established in 1857 by early pioneers. Several members of the Bigelow family are buried here. The cemetery was later referred to as the Chinese Cemetery — somewhat to the Bigelow family’s indignation — as it is the burial place for many Chinese immigrants. In addition, the cemetery…
The Percival Mansion, the home of pioneers Samuel W.and Lurana Percival, is one of the more recognizable structures in early Olympia images. It was built by Benjamin Harned in 1874, at the western end of the Fourth Avenue bridge. Built in Gothic Revival and Italianate style, it perched on top of a terraced hillside and…
In the early days of statehood, one room schoolhouses were the norm throughout Thurston County. Here a stern looking teacher has charge of a group of 27 youngsters at the Littlerock School, in 1909. Photograph selected and captioned by Deborah Ross on behalf of the Olympia Historical Society and Bigelow House Museum. For more information,…
Whitlock Collection, Olympia Historical Society and Bigelow House Museum This week marks the 70th anniversary of V-E day, the end of the European conflict in World War II. On May 10, 1946, near the first anniversary of V-E Day, the United States Army’s Second Division participated in events held in its honor in Olympia. The…
Alice Padilla, left, opens a new hair salon in Tumwater in 1950. The salon featured Thomasine Andre, “a hair stylist from Hollywood,” probably shown at Alice’s right. It was located in a new, modern, shopping center called The Village. Photographs selected and captioned by Deborah Ross on behalf of the Olympia Historical Society and Bigelow…
The Bayview Hotel was located on Third Avenue (now State Street) in Olympia. Third Avenue was the dividing line between the “respectable” part of downtown and the Dead Zone, or Tenderloin District. As suggested by its name, the hotel was located on what was then waterfront on the north side of the street. In this…
The Washington State YMCA-sponsored Youth in Government program was begun in 1947, just a few years after the first such program was founded in New York State. Some of our state’s most important citizens, including former Governor Gary Locke, acquired their first taste of politics by participating in this annual event. Olympia-area citizens play a…
David Chambers arrived in this area in 1848, a member of the very early pioneer Chambers family. On the migration west, he brought with him fruit tree saplings and planted them on his homestead in what is now Lacey. One of the saplings grew into a magnificent and well-known cherry tree, which outlasted both the…
John Gowey was an important citizen of Olympia, who served in many local and territorial capacities and eventually rose to the level of consul of Japan, where he died. His wife was one of the original “Mercer girls” who were brought to Washington Territory to meet the matrimonial needs of the men of the territory.…
Until the early 20th century, Capitol Way (or, as it was known then, Main Street), was unpaved. It was a muddy mess in the rainy season, and dusty in the summertime. The need for a hard surface became urgent with the advent of bicycles and automobiles. Thus, the bricking of Main Street in 1908 was…
Vibert Jeffers photograph, 1939, Susan Parish Collection, Southwest Regional Archives The Governor Hotel, across from Sylvester Park on Capitol Way, has a long and distinguished history. In 1890 the hotel (variously called the Governor House and the Mitchell Hotel) was a three story structure with a columned entryway. It was developed by William H. Mitchell,…
1945, C.R. Jenson Photograph, Susan Parish Collection, Southwest Regional Archives William Owen Bush was the eldest of six sons of the pioneer George and Isabella Bush family. Carrying on his parents’ remarkable legacy of careful land stewardship and public service, he was one of the most successful farmers in the northwest. He brought his products,…
1937, Vibert Jeffers photograph, Susan Parish Collection, Southwest Regional Archives This image from February 1937 shows the result of a successful cougar hunt. Elwyn Miles, the owner of the Miles Sporting Goods store, is one of the proud men in the photograph by Vibert Jeffers. The store was located in the Van Epps building at…
1951 Susan Parish Collection, Southwest Regional Archives The Capital Park building, commonly known as the “1063 Building” after its address on Capitol Way, was erected in 1931 by the Dawley Brothers, who built several of the commercial buildings in Olympia’s core. It is a large masonry structure in the art moderne style. The building had…
Jeannine was born in Tacoma, WA and raised in Olympia since the age of 4. I graduated from Olympia High School, University of Puget Sound with a degree in Education and Psychology. She was employed by the House of Representatives in 1981 for a “session only” position. This led to working in the legislative arena…
Shanna Stevenson is a long-time local historian in Olympia. Formerly the Historic Preservation Officer for Olympia, Thurston County and Tumwater. From 2006 to 2014 she served the Washington State Historical Society as the Coordinator of the Women’s History Consortium project. She has a BA in History and Education from Gonzaga University and a Masters in Public Administration…
Dwight has been a resident of Olympia since moving here at the age of one (1965). Dwight graduated from Olympia High School and now serves as Historian on the Olympia High School Alumni Association Board. Dwight is an accomplished computer programmer, working for the State of Washington as a Systems Administrator for the past couple…
The Springer & White mill was an important early business in Olympia’s port district. It was co-owned by Charles Springer and Allen White, and fabricated doors and other building elements. The mill was located at the north end of Jefferson Street, about where the Hands-on Museum is now. This drawing from 1891 by Edward Lange…
Vibert Jeffers photograph, Susan Parish Collection, Washington State Archives, 1962 The Safeway Store chain has long been a fixture in the Olympia area. The first store was located in downtown Olympia. In 1962, a new, modern building was erected on Fourth Avenue. Its arched glass front, with domed ceiling, lent an airy, open feeling to…
Paul is a long-time Olympia area resident, moving to Olympia shortly after joining the staff at the Washington State Senate. He is married to Mary Ann and their three children all graduated from Olympia High School. Paul was raised in the small town of Harrah in the Yakima Valley. He graduated from White Swan High…
Cheryl is a long time resident of Olympia, having moved here with her family as an elementary school student. She graduated from Olympia High School and attended the University of Washington graduating with a BA in Art. She undertook graduate work in urban planning and design also at UW. After an exploratory museum studies seminar…
During the long planning period leading up to the construction of Interstate 5, several routes were considered, including one that would have tunneled underneath downtown Olympia. Ultimately, it was decided to site the freeway in a wide arc around the capital city, facilitating connection with Route 101, but requiring the demolition of most of downtown…
Susan Parish Collection, Washington State Archives, 1930’s; Greenwood’s Ark photograph by Vibert Jeffers In 1920, William Greenwood began to build an ark, convinced that a second flood was imminent. The ark was constructed entirely out of found material, and located in West Olympia, near the waterfront of Budd Inlet. Greenwood, at right, spent the next…
Susan Parish Collection, Washington State Archives, 1950 This aerial photograph, taken in 1950, shows the dome of the Legislative Building under repair after the 1949 earthquake. Among the many repairs required, the original stone lantern atop the dome was replaced with a lighter weight lantern. An elaborate scaffold was built, with a tramway to transport…
Merle Junk photograph, 1951, Susan Parish Collection, Washington State Archives The intersection of Fourth Avenue and Capitol Way is both literally and figuratively the center of Olympia. At one time the Kneeland Hotel stood here at the southwest corner; it had to be razed after the 1949 Earthquake. Soon after, the Goldberg family opened Goldberg’s…
Merle Junk photograph, December 1949, Susan Parish Collection, Washington State Archives This photograph from December 1949 shows Capitol Lake under construction. In the foreground is the 4th Avenue Bridge, while the beginnings of the 5th Avenue Bridge and dam construction can be seen behind it. The terraced area to its right is what remained of…
Vibert Jeffers photograph, December 1937, Susan Parish Collection, Washington State Archives Block’s Shoe Store was located in the Pacific Building, now the home of Archibald Sisters. The building was once three stories tall; the 1949 Earthquake made the removal of the top two stories necessary. In this photograph from 1937, the store is decked out…
Sanborn Insurance maps were developed between 1867 and 2007 to assist insurance companies in assessing the risk of fire. They contain detailed information about every building and space and associated infrastructure and are an invaluable tool for researchers. Each year’s set of maps featured two or more pages. Sanborn maps came in both black and…
Vibert Jeffers photograph, December 1957, Susan Parish Collection, Washington State Archives The J.C. Penney store occupied a prominent position at the corner of Legion Way and Capitol Way in downtown Olympia. The building was originally developed by P.H. Carlyon, a prominent dentist, businessman, and public figure. In the 1990s the building was redeveloped into its…
Susan Parish Collection, Southwest Regional Archives The Olympia Cornet Band was formed in the 1870s and provided entertainment at local events, as well as traveling as far as Victoria, B.C. Members of the band included many of Olympia’s most prominent citizens. Photograph selected and captioned by Olympia Historical Society and Bigelow House Museum. For more…
William Duckering photograph, 1893, Susan Parish Collection, Southwest Regional Archives Professional and amateur theater was an important part of early Olympia social life. Here, four amateur thespians rehearse in 1893 for a production of H.M.S. Pinafore, a benefit for St. John’s Episcopal Church. The woman in the center is Drusilla Percival; at the left of…
Vibert Jeffers photograph, Susan Parish Collection, Southwest Regional Archives Oystering was an important industry from Olympia’s earliest days. In this photograph, taken at Oyster Bay in the 1930s, a line of floats piled high with oysters waits out low tide. In the background we can see residential float houses lined up along the shore. Photograph…
Vibert Jeffers photograph, 1937, Susan Parish Collection, Southwest Regional Archives When the state acquired the Old State Capitol Building in 1902, it was apparent that downtown accommodations were inadequate to house all of the legislators, lobbyists and others during legislative session. After much delay, the five-story Hotel Olympian was built in 1918 directly to the north…
Susan Parish Collection, Southwest Regional Archives Making a bold modern statement, the Olympia Federal Savings building is a floating glass box framed by metal and brick. Erected in 1967, it was one of the best works of Olympia architect G. Stacey Bennett. The elaborate carved doors were the work of artist Walter Graham. The building…
Susan Parish Collection, Southwest Regional Archives, photograph by Vibert Jeffers This photograph of a group of second-generation (Nisei) and third-generation Japanese-Americans was taken at the Labor Temple, also known as the Woodruff Building, in downtown Olympia in October of 1938. The banner over the group can be translated as Olympia Japanese Nisei Association of Kindred…
Susan Parish Collection, Southwest Regional Archives, photograph by Vibert Jeffers John Percival was the second son of pioneer Samuel Wing Percival. In 1877, Samuel entrusted to John the important job of running the family’s dock business when John was only 16. In this photograph from 1940, John Percival stands in front of his shipping office,…
Susan Parish Collection, Southwest Regional Archives, photograph by Vibert Jeffers Isaac Harris founded Harris Dry Goods in the 1880s. In 1896 he moved the store to Main Street (now Capitol Way) between Fifth Avenue and Legion Way, one of the most desirable locations in downtown Olympia. The building still exists and is on the local…
Susan Parish Collection, Southwest Regional Archives, photograph by Mae Cummins The Olympia Light & Power Company, organized in 1890, brought the first electricity to Olympia and Tumwater, Washington. The waterwheel-generated hydroelectric power plant at Tumwater Falls also powered the streetcars between Olympia and Tumwater. In 1923 it was purchased by Puget Sound Power & Light…
Vibert Jeffers photograph, Susan Parish Collection, Washington State Archives, 1930 The miniature golf craze hit Olympia in 1930, with two indoor parlors opening that year. This one was located at the former site of a Buick dealership at the corner of Franklin Street and Fifth Avenue. This photograph may depict its opening day in late…
Merle Junk photograph, Susan Parish Collection, Washington State Archives, 1960s Champion Bramwell Mann, an early Olympia pioneer, held a variety of public offices, including territorial librarian, Thurston County Treasurer, and mayor. His most lasting legacy to local historians is a survey he sent out to other Thurston County pioneers and their descendants, asking questions about…
After a shaky start in the late 1840s and 1850s, by the early 1880s Olympia was the most important community in Washington Territory, assisted by its status as territorial capital. Although the center of the city originally was north of Third (State) Avenue, it soon moved south to the intersection of Fourth and Main (now Capitol Way).…
The pace of Olympia’s growth accelerated with the introduction of a railroad line and statehood. Business was booming in 1891: a close look at the maps shows the erection of many fine masonry or brick buildings downtown, as well as factories and homes extending up to what is now Capitol Campus. Many of these still…
