Location: 1429 West Bay Dr NW Local register Woodard House, about 1893, Edward Lange artist Woodard House today (2012), photo by Deb Ross The Woodard family, consisting of Harvey and Salome Eaton Woodard and their three boys Alonzo Bixby (AB), Theodore, and Adelbert Eugene (AE), arrived in Thurston County in the early 1850s. They…
Location: 1202 9th Ave SW Local register Carl Woodard House 1957, Thurston County Assessor, Southwest Regional Archives Carl Woodard House today, photograph by Deb Ross The Carl Woodard House is an early (ca. 1919) and well-preserved example of the Craftsman-style bungalows that are very common elsewhere in Olympia but rarer on the Westside. Carl Woodard…
Location: 1114 Woodard Ave NW Local register? Harvey Woodard House 1952, Thurston County Assessor, Southwest Regional Archives Harvey Woodard House today (2014), photograph by Deb Ross The Harvey Woodard House is thought to be the second oldest existing residence in Olympia, after the Bigelow House. It was erected some time between 1858 and the early 1860s by…
Location: 119 N Capitol Way Downtown National Historic District, Popular Culture Woodruff Block around 1891, Edward Lange etching from Olympia Tribune Souvenir Issue 1891, Washington State Library Woodruff Block/Labor Temple today, with Olympia-Rafah Solidarity Mural Project (2011) Photo courtesy of Deb Ross The Woodruff Block was built in 1887 by local developer Sam Woodruff, a member of…
Location: 123 Rogers St NW W.W. Work house 1939, Thurston County Assessor’s photograph from Southwest Regional Archives W.W. Work House today (2011), photo by Deborah Ross In the late 1880s, Samuel Woodruff acquired and platted a large part of West Olympia, selling off lots at reasonable prices. Rogers Street was included in the Woodruff Plat,…
Location: 221 Perry St NW Diversity: Lesbian and Gay History We are looking for vintage photographs of Woodruff Park. If you have one to share, please contact us Woodruff Park today (2014) Photo courtesy of Deb Ross In 1889, Samuel Woodruff, member of a pioneer family, acquired a large parcel of land in West Olympia and platted the…
Location: 222 4th Ave W National Downtown Historic District Parrott and Harter, Wright Building, 1914, photo by Robert Esterly, courtesy of Washington State Historical Society Wright building today (2012), photo by Deb Ross The Wright Building at the corner of Water Street and Fourth Avenue was constructed in 1908 and was one of the…
Location: 504 17th St SE Local register; South Capitol National Historic Neighborhood; Wohleb A vintage photograph of this house has not been located. If you have one to share, please contact us. Judge Wright House today (2014), photo by Deb Ross This English revival home is another example of Joseph Wohleb’s vast architectural repertoire.…
Location: 1855 Yantis St NW Local Register Yantis House with George Yantis, Sr., 1943, courtesy of the family Yantis House today (2014), photograph by Deb Ross The Yantis house is connected with a very early Olympia-area family. George Yantis, Sr. was a prominent attorney and politician, rising to the rank of Speaker of the Washington House.…
Location: 212 19th Ave SW South Capitol National Historic Neighborhood Robert Yantis House 1939, Thurston County Assessor, Southwest Regional Archives Robert Yantis House today (2013), photograph Department of Archaeology and Historic Preservation The Robert Yantis house is connected with two very early Olympia-area families. It was built in 1911, making it among the earlier Craftsman…
Location: 1409 10th Ave SE Local Register No scanned vintage photo of this house is available. If you have one we can scan, or would like to sponsor the scanning of the photo linked below, please contact us at olyhistory@gmail.com Yeager House today (2010) photograph by Deb Ross The Yeager House on 10th Avenue…
Location: 2507 Capitol Way S local register; South Capitol National Historic District WH Jr and Ada Yeager house, 1937, Thurston County Assessor, Southwest Regional Archives WH Jr and Ada Yeager House today (2013), photo by Deb Ross This early Craftsman style home was built in about 1915. As can be seen by comparing the two…
Location: 410 Percival St NW local register; popular culture Yenney (Olof Anderson) house, 1936, Thurston County Assessor, Southwest Regional Archives Yenney House today (2015), photo by Deb Ross This Tudor style cottage is one of eight Tumwater Lumber Mills (TLM) homes built along this stretch of Percival Street. TLM made pre-cut homes that were sold throughout Olympia and…
Location: 510 Franklin St SE Wohleb YMCA, date unknown between 1910 and 1920, General Photograph Collection, Digital Archives YMCA today (2012) photograph by Matt Kennelly The Olympia Athletic Club was founded in 1892 and operated in various locations around Olympia. By the time the first phase of this building was completed in 1910, it had…
Location: 2002 Capitol Way S Local register; National South Capitol Historic District Young House, 1936, Thurston County Assessor, Washington State Archives Young House now (2013), photo by Deb Ross This elegant Queen Anne home was built by Theodore D. Young, the son of an early Thurston County pioneer. Young was an early partner of developer Millard Lemon,…
Location: 1912 State Ave NE Zabel House, 1939, Thurston County Assessor, Washington State Archives Zabel House now (2013), photo by Deb Ross This substantial home was built for the Zabel family in 1931 (note a reversal of the last two digits in the inventory sheet, resulting in an incorrect date of 1913 in other documents referring to…
Location: 322 Capitol Way N Washington State Register, Local Register Jack Gimblet’s Saloon as it appeared in 1860s or 1870s photograph courtesy of Washington State Historical Society As Zeigler’s appears today Photograph courtesy of Deb Ross In early days of Olympia’s history, the downtown core extended down Main Street (now Capitol Way) to the waterfront,…
For research queries: submit your query by emailing olyhistoryresearch@gmail.com, For website content suggestions and corrections, membership questions, to be added to bulletins, newsletters, and blogs, and all other communications, email olyhistory@gmail.com To contact the Board or for suggestions about programs and activities, e-mail us at: olyhistory@gmail.com To tour Bigelow House: Reservations are not required to tour the…
Annual Business Meeting Saturday, January 21, 2012 10:00 a.m., Coach House of the Washington State Capital Museum. This meeting will review our 2011 activities, elect three new board members, and consider changes to bylaws regarding dues. The meeting will include a presentation by Randi Moe about milliner Bertha Eugley, and a visit by Washington State…
by Mary Zindt My brothers and I spent the summers doing farm chores. A hike to McAllister Springs was always included during summer vacation. It was about two miles from home. We went through a tunnel under Old Pacific Highway and then on a trail to the pristine, beautiful springs. This natural gushing fountain of…
Click here to download the membership form or join online. Mail Checks payable to “Olympia Historical Society” to: Olympia Historical SocietyPO Box 6064Olympia, WA 98507-6064. Please include your name and contact information, including phone number andemail address. Dues also accepted at scheduled meetings. Annual membership dues categories, as defined in our bylaws, are: $10.00 Student/Senior…
By Mark Foutch, President Your Olympia Historical Society has had a productive year. Our Web presence is better than ever, with more features to come. Our membership has never been higher, and hundreds of friends and members view our weeklys Facebook posts, biweekly bulletins, and quarterly newsletters. Our web presence generates significant comment, inquiries, and…
by Richard Edwards Charles Chaenn was born in France in January 1839 to John Chaenn and Madelina Juliet. According to local oral tradition, he served in the French military before entering the United States. He was married on 15 March 1876 to Mari Zoe (maiden name unknown, born in France about 1849) in Texas. Charles…
By Lanny Weaver On a weekly basis, Members Lanny Weaver and Deb Ross catalogue the State Capital Museum collection now housed at the Washington State Historical Society (WSHS) in Tacoma. This project is made possible through a collaboration between the Olympia Historical Society and WSHS, and Deb and Lanny are grateful for the time and…
President’s Message Mark Foutch Memories of Olympia in the 1920s and 1930s Mary Zindt Meet a Family: Charles and Zoe Chaenn Richard Edwards Lanny’s and Deb’s Excellent Adventures in Tacoma Deb Ross Announcements/Advertisements Membership
We are at last leaving the past and now offer our community the opportunity to join or renew online. Please follow this link for details.
President’s Message Mark Foutch Newsletter Editorial Policies The Honorable Lee Creighton Mark Derricott Deb & Lanny’s Excellent Adventures in Tacoma Lanny Weaver Revisiting Capitol Lake Allen Miller & Emmett O’Connell New Online Options for Donating, Joining, and Renewing
The following policies were submitted and adopted as the Olympia Historical Society’s newsletter submission and publication criteria. 1. Articles submitted for publication in the newsletter reflect the research and opinions of the author and not necessarily those of Olympia Historical Society. We do not maintain any position on the interpretation of sources that are submitted…
By Lanny Weaver When Deb and I started going to the Washington State Historical Society a few years ago, archivist Ed Nolan told me that eventually he wanted me to work on the collection of papers from former State Capitol Museum curator Delbert McBride, but he demurred because he thought that the project would be…
The previous two newsletters contained articles on the history of Capitol Lake, whose authors maintain divergent conclusions. As our newsletter policies maintain, the Olympia Historical Society welcomes submissions on any subject of local history and does not take positions on the points of view of our contributors. Mr. Miller submitted the following: Unfortunately the membership…
Mark Foutch, President Our June newsletter showed us unexpectedly how long-ago events can provoke controversy here and now. Emmett O’Connell’s article challenged a widely-accepted and cherished principle, that today’s Capitol Lake was a key feature of the Wilder and White plan for our beautiful State Capitol campus. As part of his argument O’Connell produced a…
Mark Derricott, Editor Introduction Does Aristotle’s theory of the whole can become greater than the sum of its parts hold true if we apply it to our community? Can something as abstract as a community possibly transcend the totality of its individuals? If so, how does that happen? If the Olympia Municipal Code is any…
Emmett O’Connell This article originally appeared on the Squaxin Island Tribe’s Natural Resource Department Weblog and was reprinted here as another view of the history of the development of Capitol Lake. The Olympia Historical Society takes no positions on the analysis or conclusions of the authors who submit articles for consideration in our newsletters. The…
Mark Derricott* The excellent recent piece about Capitol Lake by Mr. Allen Miller and a formidable rejoinder in this quarter’s newsletter by Mr. Emmett O’Connell reveals a rich dialogue about our local history. Mr. O’Connell’s appeal to “true historical context” counters Mr. Miller’s exhortation to perfect the Wilder and White plan on its 100th birthday.…
President’s Message Mark Foutch Preserving the Family Bible Max Marbles Lanny’s and Deb’s Excellent Adventures in Tacoma Deb Ross Meet a Family: Yantises and Blankenships Ralph Blankenship The myth of connection between Wilder and White and Capitol Lake Emmett O’Connell Applied Historiography: Olympia’s Capitol Lake Mark Derricott *** Announcements/Advertisements Lacey Historical Society
Mark Foutch, President It’s been a busy Spring for your Olympia Historical Society. At our April 30, board meeting, we approved the purchase of a banner to identify our displays at local history events. Thanks to Karen Bowen for managing that “short fuse” project—the banner came just in time for Ralph Blankenship and Deb Ross…
Max Marbles, Bookbinder Cherish your human connections. A family Bible is a valued volume handed down through a family, in which each successive generation records information about the family history, births, marriages and deaths. Family Bibles, like everything else, suffer the passage of time. Many family heirloom Bibles and books are in extremely poor condition.…
August 23, 2011. Lacey Community Center The 2011 “Lacey School Reunion” is being held on August 23rd at the Lacey Community Center from 5 to 8 PM. The Lacey Historical Society will have on display Lacey Grade School “Keepsake Pages” that record 8th grade graduating classes from the 1920s to the final class of 1961. …
Ralph Blankenship In October of 1852 Sarah Y Yantis rode into Olympia with her father B.F. Yantis and 7 brothers and sisters in their covered wagon. They left from Saline County, Missouri where B.F. had been a superior court judge. Sadly B.F.s wife died during the difficult journey to Olympia. B.F. and family homesteaded on…
Deb Ross On a weekly basis, Members Lanny Weaver and Deb Ross catalogue the State Capital Museum collection now housed at the Washington State Historical Society (WSHS) in Tacoma. This project is made possible through a collaboration between the Olympia Historical Society and WSHS, and Deb and Lanny are grateful for the time and cooperation…
Bush Prairie Farm, Then and Now By Mark Derricott, Editor It is not often that the present so starkly meets the past, but it is actually happening this year. Two relatively recent developments have compellingly confirmed this development. Most of you are familiar with the first: our own Deborah Ross’s book, Konrad and Albertina, which reconstructs…
Centennial of the Wilder and White Plan for Capitol Campus By: Allen Miller with assistance from Professor Emeritus Norman J. Johnston, Ralph Munro, and Leavitt White A century ago, on both coasts of America, the curtain of history was about to go up on a transcontinental drama still being played out today. In the West the setting…
[Note: this article was written in 2011 and the performance space described no longer exists. The floor of the second floor was removed to accommodate beer storage] Burgers, Beats and Brew: The Loft on Cherry by Deborah Ross Driving down Legion Way towards downtown Olympia on most evenings, you may notice the strings of colorful…
Captain Calvin Hale and his House on Tullis Street by Lois J. Fenske There is a unique house on the corner of Tullis and Pine streets in North East Olympia. According to the description from the City of Olympia: “This charming Queen Anne-style cottage was built for Captain Calvin Hale and his second wife, Pamela…
Living with the Pioneers by Elizabeth Bret with photographs from her personal collection, When I was asked to write about what it was like living with the Percivals I wasn’t sure how to begin. I was six years old when we left Santa Monica, my mother driving me and my 15 year old brother Ross …
By J. Pennelope Goforth Everyone looks so much younger, the trees grown much taller, and there’s acres more development. These are a few of the things I noticed when I returned to Olympia after years of travel and living in Mexico, Canada, and Alaska. I wondered if I would feel at home again here. Altered…
By Mark Derricott, Editor It is not often that the present so starkly meets the past, but it is actually happening this year. Two relatively recent developments have compellingly confirmed this development. Most of you are familiar with the first: our own Deborah Ross’s book, Konrad and Albertina, which reconstructs the lives of several individuals…
By: Allen Miller with assistance from Professor Emeritus Norman J. Johnston, Ralph Munro, and Leavitt White A century ago, on both coasts of America, the curtain of history was about to go up on a transcontinental drama still being played out today. In the West the setting could be found on a bluff above the…
Mark Foutch, President, Olympia Historical Society Your Olympia Historical Society is enjoying an interesting and productive year. We’ve had some new members join OHS and lots of current members renewing. And so far there’s enough cash in our tiny treasury to cover expenses. In February those attending our first General Membership meeting of 2011 heard…
The 2011 “Lacey School Reunion” is being held on August 23rd at the Lacey Community Center from 5 to 8 PM. The Lacey Historical Society will have on display Lacey Grade School “Keepsake Pages” that record 8th grade graduating classes from the 1920s to the final class of 1961. The Society invites “One and All”…
Mark Derricott, Secretary As noted elsewhere, the board of the Olympia Historical Society elected several new officers. You have no doubt read about them from others. As for me, I am delighted to take over the responsibilities of Secretary from Deb Ross, who will then spend more time on our Facebook page and continue with…
Mark Foutch, President I’m truly honored to succeed Ralph Blankenship as president of the Olympia Historical Society. Under Ralph’s leadership OHS has increased its visibility in the community, given community members new ways to learn about our programs and resources, and made significant progress in accessing and preserving local historical materials. What’s so remarkable about…
Ralph Blankenship, Treasurer. Greetings fellow Olympia History Buffs! What a fast paced year 2010 has been. My year as president has been a good bit of work but also fun and fulfilling. I’ve gotten to meet many new folks. And gotten to know many folks better at our meetings and events. Membership has grown well…
Driving down Legion Way towards downtown Olympia on most evenings, you may notice the strings of colorful lights inside the second story of the building at the corner of Legion and Cherry Street. In the daytime, you will spot the freshly painted sign Olympia Knitting Mills on its side. Welcome to the historic Olympia Knitting…
Happy New Year to all of you history lovers in our midst! January promises to be a busy month with lots of events to participate in. Here are some we know of: – January 5, 6:30-8:30 PM: Wood Window restoration. This is part of the Do-it-Yourself Wednesdays! Workshops, Hosted by Olympia Supply Co, 625 Columbia…
The Olympia Historical Society’s Fall Newsletter is now available for your viewing at https://olympiahistory.org/index.php?option=com_content&view=category&layout=blog&id=19&Itemid=38 Enjoy, and have a Happy Thanksgiving! — Deborah Ross, on behalf of The Olympia Historical Society www.OlympiaHistory.org
Click here to download the membership form. Mail Checks payable to “Olympia Historical Society” to: Olympia Historical SocietyPO Box 6064Olympia, WA 98507-6064. Please include your name and contact information, including phone number and email address. Dues also accepted at scheduled meetings. Annual membership dues categories, as defined in our bylaws, are: $10.00 Student/Senior members (Seniors…
“‘Come Softly to Me’: Gretchen Christopher of the Fleetwoods.” Saturday February 19th at 1:00 p.m. at the Coach House at the State Capital Museum, 211 21st Avenue SW. Gretchen Christopher of the Fleetwoods will tell the story of this famous group as part of Olympia’s music history. Ms. Christopher will also have CDs for sale…
There are several upcoming events to put on your calendars. We hope to see you at one or more of these! *First*, remember our membership meeting coming up soon on October 16. It will be held at the State Capitol Museum. We begin as usual with a members-only “meet and greet” in the dining room…
The Olympia Historical Society’s Summer 2010 Newsletter is available on line for your reading and viewing pleasure! Link to it here: https://olympiahistory.org/index.php?option=com_content&view=category&layout=blog&id=18&Itemid=36 , or, go to our website olympiahistory.org and click on the Newsletter menu for this and previous issues. I’m sure you will enjoy, as we have, the feature article by Elizabeth Bret, a…
by Lois J. Fenske There is a unique house on the corner of Tullis and Pine streets in North East Olympia. According to the description from the City of Olympia: “This charming Queen Anne-style cottage was built for Captain Calvin Hale and his second wife, Pamela Case Hale in 1882. The Hale House, though small…
by Mark Derricott, editor The City of Olympia is currently updating its Comprehensive Plan, which is the primary document by which the city accommodates the region’s population growth over the next ten years. The city has implemented a broad outreach effort in order to elicit feedback and input from the community. You may have heard…
LACEY HISTORICAL SOCIETY ANNUAL MEETING ALL ABOARD TRAIN BACK TO 1891 STATION LACEY COMMUNITY CENTER SEPTEMBER 28, 2010 ARRIVE 5:P.M. LEAVE 7:P.M. CELEBRATING: April 1891 NPRR Builds Lacey Depot – May 1891 Lacey Hotel and Race track open June 1891 Lacey Post Office established MENU Vintage box lunch and coffee Please…
By Elizabeth Bret with photographs from her personal collection, When I was asked to write about what it was like living with the Percivals I wasn’t sure how to begin. I was six years old when we left Santa Monica, my mother driving me and my 15 year old brother Ross in our car stuffed…
Greetings fellow Olympia History Buffs: At our March board meeting we elected a new slate of officers. I agreed to serve as president along with a great board that includes three new board members, Mark Derricott, Karen Bowen, and Sean Krier. Our website lists all with a little bio on each. First I would like…
by Ralph Blankenship, President Season’s Greetings fellow Olympia History Buffs: Well here we are approaching the end of 2010 and all the holiday activities. So much to do.Most of us are looking forward to the December 5 Bigelow House tour of historic homes for the Olympia area. I am volunteering to docent at that event…
A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P-Q R S T–U V W X Y-Z Click here for information/tips on using links provided Note: to access images from the Washington State Historical Society (WSHS) collections, enter their catalog numbers in Collections Search box. Items in bold face…
A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P-Q R S T-U V W X Y Z Click here for instructions on using links Note: to access images from the Washington State Historical Society (WSHS) collections, enter their catalog numbers in Collections Search box. Items in bold…
A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P-Q R S T-U V W X Y Z Click here for instructions/tips on using links provided Note: to access images from the Washington State Historical Society (WSHS) collections, enter their catalog numbers in Collections Search box. Items in bold face…
A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P-Q R S T-U V W X Y Z Click here for tips/instructions on using links provided Note: to access images from the Washington State Historical Society (WSHS) collections, enter their catalog numbers in Collections Search box. Items in bold face…
A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P-Q R S T U V W X Y Z Click here for instructions/tips on using links provided. Note: to access images from the Washington State Historical Society (WSHS) collections, enter their catalog numbers in Collections Search box. Items in…
A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P-Q R S T U V W X Y Z Click here for instructions/tips on using links provided. Note: to access images from the Washington State Historical Society (WSHS) collections, enter their catalog numbers in Collections Search box. Items in…
A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P-Q R S T U V W X Y Z Click here for instructions/tips on using links provided. Note: to access images from the Washington State Historical Society (WSHS) collections, enter their catalog numbers in Collections Search box. Items in…
A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P-Q R S T U V W X Y Z Click here for information/tips on using the links provided. Note: to access images from the Washington State Historical Society (WSHS) collections, enter their catalog numbers in Collections Search box. Items…
A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P-Q R S T U V W X Y Z Click here for instructions/tips on using links provided. Note: to access images from the Washington State Historical Society (WSHS) collections, enter their catalog numbers in Collections Search box. Items in…
Most links will open a new window (or tab, depending on your browser), taking you to an external site with information and/or pictures of the named person (or, in the case of State Historical Society images, to the Collections Search page). In some cases, for example, full texts of books posted at Google, you may…
A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P-Q R S T U V W X Y Z Click here for instructions/tips on using links provided. Note: to access images from the Washington State Historical Society (WSHS) collections, enter their catalog numbers in Collections Search box. Items in…
A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P-Q R S T U V W X Y Z Click here for instructions/tips on using links provided. Note: to access images from the Washington State Historical Society (WSHS) collections, enter their catalog numbers in Collections Search box. Items in…
A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P-Q R S T U V W X Y Z Click here for instructions/tips on using links provided. Note: to access images from the Washington State Historical Society (WSHS) collections, enter their catalog numbers in Collections Search box. Items in…
A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P-Q R S T U V W X Y Z Click here for instructions/tips on using links provided. Note: to access images from the Washington State Historical Society (WSHS) collections, enter their catalog numbers in Collections Search box. Items in…
A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P-Q R S T U V W X Y Z Click here for instructions/tips on using provided links. Note: to access images from the Washington State Historical Society (WSHS) collections, enter their catalog numbers in Collections Search box. Items in…
A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P-Q R S T U V W X Y Z Click here for instructions/tips on using links provided. Note: to access images from the Washington State Historical Society (WSHS) collections, enter their catalog numbers in Collections Search box. Items in…
A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P-Q R S T U V W X Y Z Click here for instructions/tips on using links provided. Note: to access images from the Washington State Historical Society (WSHS) collections, enter their catalog numbers in Collections Search box. Items in…
A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P-Q R S T U V W X Y Z Click here for instructions/tips on using links provided. Note: to access images from the Washington State Historical Society (WSHS) collections, enter their catalog numbers in Collections Search box. Items in…
A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P-Q R S T U V W X Y Z Click here for instructions/tips on using links provided. Note: to access images from the Washington State Historical Society (WSHS) collections, enter their catalog numbers in Collections Search box. Items in…
A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P-Q R S T U V W X Y Z Click here for instructions/tips on using links provided. Note: to access images from the Washington State Historical Society (WSHS) collections, enter their catalog numbers in Collections Search box. Items in…
A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P-Q R S T U V W X Y Z Click here for instructions/tips on using provided links. Note: to access images from the Washington State Historical Society (WSHS) collections, enter their catalog numbers in Collections Search box. Items in…
A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P-Q R S T U V W X Y Z Click here for instructions/tips on using links provided. Note: to access images from the Washington State Historical Society (WSHS) collections, enter their catalog numbers in Collections Search box. Items in bold face have…
A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P-Q R S T-U V W X Y Z This project provides links to on-line and other resources and, where available, brief information about Olympia area residents from first pioneer settlement to 1930. Please refer to the following list…
A C D E F G H I J K L M N O P-Q R S T U V W X Y Z Click here for instructions/tips on using links provided. Note: to access images from the Washington State Historical Society (WSHS) collections, enter their catalog numbers in Collections Search box. Items in bold face have been scanned Backlund…
Olympia, the Capital of the State of Washington By Allen Weir The Washington Historian, 2:3 (April, 1901), 107-111. Some one has said that “God made the country and man made the city.” This is, at least, an exaggerated statement, and needs to be qualified. No city could be built, or could flourish, unless it have…
A Short History of Industry and Manufacturing in Thurston County, Washington by Thomas Rainey Mirror of page http://www.wa.gov/esd/lmea/labrmrkt/eco/thureco.htm The following history is largely excerpted from “A Short History of Industry and Manufacturing in Thurston County, Washington,” by Thomas Rainey, Ph.D. Additional commentary has been included by LMEA staff. The native inhabitants of what is now…
The Journal of Levi Lathrop Smith, 1847 – 1848Edited by James Robert Tannis [full text of the diary follows Tannis’ preface] [Transcribed 2003 by Roger Easton. Note: Excerpted text from Smith’s Journal entries contains all mispellings, errors, etc. as in the original] May 17. the Eldest Sow was deliverd of Five Sow pigs.…
EDMUND SYLVESTER’S NARRATIVE OF THE FOUNDING OF OLYMPIA Pacific Northwest Quarterly, v. 36, (October 1945) 331-339. [Transcribed verbatim, including errors, by Ed Echtle and Roger Easton, 2003. Text in [brackets] inserted to aid in searching.] p331 When Hubert Howe Bancroft came to write the History of the early settlements on the lower Columbia…
Captain Doane’s Oyster Pan Roast By Goldie Robertson Funk Pacific Northwest Quarterly, 43 (April 1952) 154-157. WHEN GOVERNORS and judges, legislators and lobbyists of the Northwest are but dimly remembered, the name of Captain Doane of Olympia, Washington, and his Oyster Pan Roast will still be household words. For a whole generation most…
The Old Stevens Mansion By Kate Stevens Bates Washington Historian, Vol 19 No 2 (April 1928), 108-111. p108 In view of the early landscaping of the Capitol grounds at Olympia one naturally wonders just what will be done with the old Stevens home on Capitol Way and Eleventh Street. One must wish that some means could be…
The Olympia Narrow Gauge Railroad By William Winlock Miller Vol 16 No 4 (October 1925): 243-250 p243 For a period of five years, from 1869 to 1874, the most exciting public question in every town on the Eastern shore of Puget Sound was the location of the terminus and branch lines of the Northern…
INDEX From Rogues, Buffoons and Statesmen: The Inside Story of Washington’s Capital City by Gordon Newell Seattle: Superior Publishing Co., 1975. Transcribed for Web, 2002 TRascribed verbatim, including errors. Text in [brackets] inserted to aid searching. A Abbott, M. D., 337 Abernethy, Alexander S., 23,32, 33, 82 Acme Theater, 222, 266, 327 Active,…
SOME OF THE EARLY DOCTORS OF OLYMPIA by Dr. T.R. Ingham (Used with permission from Thurston County Historic Commission) 1994 CHARLES McARTHUR Charles E. McArthur was born July 9, 1901 on a Kansas wheat farm near Walton, some ten miles north of Wichita. He attended the one room school at Walton and…
Scanned version “So Fair a Dwelling Place”: A History of Olympia and Thurston County Washington By Gordon Newell Olympia: Olympia News Publishing, 1950. Electronically Transcribed 2001. By Edward Echtle Note: transcription retains errors appearing in the original text, and no doubt includes a few added in the transcription process. Please check unclear passages against an…
Pioneer Links: A Narrative Of The Establishment Of The Independent Order Of Odd Fellows On The Pacific Coast And A History Of Odd Fellowship In Washington To 1880, A Souvenir Of Thirty-Two Years In The Grand Lodge Of Washington Ioof. [Excerpts regarding Olympia Lodge No. 1, the Oldest Corporation in Washington still in…
Lights and Shades of Pioneer Life on Puget Sound, By A Native Son George E. Blankenship Transcribed by Roger Easton Transcriber’s notes: Lights And Shades of Pioneer Life on Puget Sound, was published in limited edition by George E. Blankenship in 1923. In 1972, Shorey’s Book Store in Seattle printed only 100 facsimile editions. Blankenship’s…
History of Olympia Lodge No. 1, F. & A. M.Olympia, Washington 1852–1935. George E. Blankenship, Compiler Olympia, Washington FOREWORD It is deemed advisable in compiling a history of Olympia Lodge No. 1to avoid much of the routine business and Masonic work, which would beuninteresting to the reader and of little historical value. This…
By J. Pennelope Goforth Everyone looks so much younger, the trees grown much taller, and there’s acres more development. These are a few of the things I noticed when I returned to Olympia after years of travel and living in Mexico, Canada, and Alaska. I wondered if I would feel at home again here. Altered…
See also our Bibliography, Many Voices, and other resource pages that include links to thousands of documents, photographs, and other resources for researching Olympia history Olympia area Museums and Historical Groups Lacey Museum Olympia Heritage Commission Olympia Music History Project Olympic Flight Museum Sound Sound Maritime Heritage Association (Harbor Days) Squaxin Island Tribe Museum Thurston County…
The Olympia Historical Society collaborated with the Olympia Heritage Commission and the Olympia Downtown Association to create a display depicting historic Capitol Way (Main Street) and Fourth Avenue. Following are the photographs that were on display. Links are to the Where Are We? pages for these locations. Thank you to a private collector for use…
The Southwest Region of the Washington State Archives has acquired over 9,000 photographs from the collection of Susan Parish, a collector and photographer. This page reproduces several of these photographs, which are now in the public domain. Please include the citation when duplicating any of these images. Many more can be viewed through Digital Archives,…
This bibliography lists books, articles, and transcripts relating to Olympia area history. Many are also available on line, either housed on our website or externally, and links will be underlined. External links (those found on other websites) will open new windows. Many links are in PDF format and require the free Acrobat reader. Please contact us to add to…
Presenter John Salicco
October 17, 7:00 p.m.
Presenter Karen Hass
September 12, 7:00 p.m.
Presenter Vivian & Phil Williams
August
Presenter Hank Cramer
July 11, 12:00 Noon
By Edward Echtle Origins and Early Arrivals During the latter half of the 19th century, the Puget Sound region received an influx of settlers from around the world. Among them were immigrants from southeast China Many came to earn money to send to their struggling families. Others arrived planning to stay and make…
By Winnifred Olsen and Lois Fenske History Priest Point Park, located about a mile north of downtown Olympia, has a colorful history. The forested area and beach were once the site of an Indian village. Then came the European and American explorers, fur trappers and American settlers in 1845 and 1846. In 1848 an…
By Winnifred Olsen with Lois Fenske, Editor History Priest Point Park, located about a mile north of downtown Olympia, has a colorful history. The forested area and beach were once the site of an Indian village. Then came the European and American explorers, fur trappers and American settlers in 1845 and 1846. In 1848 an…
Greetings from the President, Congratulations to member Roger Easton for all of his efforts during Olympia’s sesquicentennial year, including the event in May at the Archives which combined Olympia’s anniversary with Thurston County’s birthday. Roger made not one, but two well received presentations on the origins of Thurston County place names. Thanks to the members…
By Edward Echtle 2005 marks the 100th anniversary of the designation of Priest Point as an official Olympia city park, although residents and visitors used the area as a site for outdoor recreation since the 1800s. Prior to that, Priest Point was across roads of regional history, hosting generations of native peoples, early missionaries, itinerant…
Click here to download the membership form Mail Checks payable to “Olympia Historical Society” to: Olympia Historical Society PO Box 6064 Olympia, WA 98507-6064. Please include your name and contact information, including phone number and email address. Dues also accepted at scheduled meetings. Annual membership dues categories, as defined in our bylaws, are: $10.00 Student/Senior…
