Location: Capitol Campus, near 11th and Capitol located in Washington State Capitol National Historic District, but not identified individually Stevens Mansion in late 1800s or early 1900s, State Library Photograph…
Location: 300 24th Ave SE Educational institutions Olympia and Tacoma High Schools playing football at Stevens Field in 1929, Jeffers Photograph, Susan Parish Collection Washington State Archives Stevens Field today (2015) photograph by Deb…
Location: 312 17th Ave SE Local register, South Capitol National Historic Neighborhood; Diversity: Scandinavians Strom House, 1939, Thurston County Assessor, Southwest Regional Archives Strom House today (2014), Photo by Deb Ross This attractive Tudor style cottage…
Location: 550 Capitol Way S National Downtown Historic District, Women’s History, Mid-century modern; Diversity: Japanese Stuart Block, 1891 Edward Lange drawing from Olympia Tribune Souvenir Issue 1891, Washington State Library…
Location: 522 Franklin St SE Religious institutions Sunset Life Insurance Building 1964, image from Thurston County Assessor files, Washington State Archives Original Sunset Life Insurance Building today (2012), photo…
Location: 3138 Capitol Blvd SE Wohleb, Mid-Century Modern Velodrome at Carlyon Park, 1890-1900 Photograph courtesy of Washington State Historical Society Sunset Life building today (2012) Photo from Department of Archaeology…
Location: 118 8th St SE Sylvester Mansion 1860-1870 Photograph courtesy of Washington State Historical Society Site of Sylvester Mansion today (2012)Photo courtesy of Deb Ross Edmund Sylvester co-founded the City…
Location: 615 Washington St SE National Downtown Historic District, State Register, National Register, Local Register; Women’s History Sylvester Park 1895-1904 Photo from Digital Archives Sylvester Park today (2009) Photo Courtesy…
Location: 601 Capitol Way S and 115 Legion Way SW Downtown National Historic District Talcott Apartments, 1964, Thurston County Assessor, Washington State Archives Talcott Apartments and Commercial Buildings today (2014), photo by…
Location: 606 Columbia St SW Downtown National Historic District Talcott Commercial Building-Columbia Street, 1964, Thurston County Assessor, Washington State Archives Talcott Commercial Building-Columbia Street today (2014), photo by Deb Ross This…
Location: 208 18th Ave SW Local Register; South Capitol National Historic Neighborhood; Women’s history Tamblin/Meyer House from Tumwater Lumber Mills catalog, around 1924, City of Olympia Heritage Register Application Tamblin/Meyer…
Location: 2003 Capitol Way S Local Register; South Capitol National Historic Neighborhood George and Addie Talcott House 1939, Thurston County Assessor, Southwest Regional Archives George and Addie Talcott House today…
Location: 420 Capitol Way S Local Register, National Downtown Historical District, Wohleb Talcott’s Jewelers, 1964, Thurston County Assessor’s photograph from Southwest Regional Archives Talcott’s building today (2011), photo by Deborah…
Location: 802 Jefferson St. SE Religious communities, Diversity: Jewish heritage, Popular culture Temple Beth Hatfiloh, 1985, Department of Archaeology and Historic Preservation K Records today (2013) photo by Deb Ross…
Location: 415 12th Ave SW Washington State Capitol National Historic District; Diversity: African-Americans Temple of Justice, 1929, Susan Parish Photograph Collection, Digital Archives Temple of Justice today (2012) photograph by…
Location: 416 Sid Snyder Ave NW Washington State Capitol National Historic District Territorial Capitol at statehood, 1889, Photo from Digital Archives Legislative Building today (2012), Photo from Wikimedia Commons The first purpose-built…
Location: 1601 Sylvester St SW South Capitol National Historic District Titus (Smith Troy) House, 1939, Thurston County Assessor, Southwest Regional Archives Titus (Smith Troy) House today (2015), Photo by Deb Ross The Titus…
Location: 403 17th Ave SE Local register; South Capitol Neighborhood National Historic District Todd House, 1939, Thurston County assessor, Southwest Regional Archives Todd House today (2013), photo by Deb Ross…
Location: 702 Boundary St SE Tracey House, 1939, Thurston County assessor, Southwest Regional Archives Tracey House today (2010), photo by Deb Ross The Tracey House is described in the City of…
Location: 105 Columbia St NW Downtown National Historic District; Wohleb? Transit-Columbia Building, 1984, City of Olympia Planning Department collection, Washington State Archives Transit-Columbia Bakery Building today (2014), photo by…
Location: 316 17th Ave SW Local register; South Capitol National Historic District Treat House, 1938, Thurston County Assessor, Southwest Regional Archives Treat House today (2014), photo by Deb Ross Albert M.…
Location: 113 17th St SE Local register, South Capitol National Historic District Troy House, 1939, photo from Thurston County Assessor, Washington State Archives Troy House today (2010) photograph by…
Location: 610 and 612 4th Ave E Transportation; Popular culture Tresner Auto and Anderson Auto buildings, 1965, Thurston County Assessor, Southwest Regional Archives Tresner Auto and Anderson Auto buildings today (2015), photo…
Location: 521 Capitol Way S Olympia Downtown Historical District, Diversity: Chinese heritage; mid-Century modern Peterfield Turpin house, 1891, Olympia Tribune Souvenir Issue, Washington State Library Site today (2012), Photo by Deborah…
Location: 601 4th Ave E mid-Century modern (Safeway Building) Union Block 1894, Image courtesy of Washington State Historical Society City Hall today (2012), Photo by Matthew Kennelly The two photographs above dramatically…
Location: 407 4th Ave E Transportation Union Pacific Depot, 1925, courtesy of Washington State Historical Society Union Pacific Depot building today (2013), photo by Deb Ross The Union Pacific Depot building was…
Location: Southwest corner 9th and Franklin Religious institutions, Popular culture Unitarian Church, 1891, drawing by Edward Lange, from Olympia Tribune Souvenir Issue, Washington State Library Parking lot of First Baptist (2013), photo…
Location: 110 Eleventh Ave SE Religious institutions United Churches of Olympia, around 1960, United Churches of Olympia collection United Churches of Olympia today (2014), photo by Deb Ross The United Churches…
Location: 107 Capitol Way N Downtown National Historic District Van Epps Building, ca. 1895, Courtesy Washington State Historical Society Van Epps building today (2014), photo by Deb Ross Theodore C.…
Location: 124 Foote St. NW Local register Van Etten House 1957, Thurston County Assessor, Southwest Regional Archives Van Etten House today (2013), photograph by Deb Ross The Van Etten, or…
Location: 321 17th Ave SE Local register; South Capitol National Historic Neighborhood Vance House, 1939, Thurston County Assessor, Southwest Regional Archives Vance House today (2014), photo by Deb Ross This…
Location: 500 Capitol Way S Local Register, National Historic Downtown District, Wohleb Musgrove Shoe Store about 1917, Image courtesy of Washington State Historical Society Walker Building today (2012), Photo by Matthew Kennelly…
Location: 317 4th Ave E Local Register; Popular culture Olympia Vocational Technical Institute, from South Puget Sound Community College website Ward Building today (2012) photograph by Matt Kennelly The buildings leading…
Location: 137 Sherman St NW Local register, Women’s history Samuel Ward House, 1970, Thurston County Assessor, Southwest Regional Archives Samuel Ward House today (2009), photo by Deb Ross The Samuel Ward House…
Location: 432 Rogers St NW local register, Rogers Street Historic District Ward Levenhagen House, 1937, Thurston County Assessor, Southwest Regional Archives Ward Levenhagen House today (2014), photo by Deb Ross The Ward…
Location: 1801 4th Ave E Warmoth House, 1966, Thurston County Assessor, Southwest Regional Archives Warmoth House today (2015), photo by Deb Ross The Warmoth House was erected by George Warmoth, a railroad freight…
Location: 202 9th Ave SW Warnica and Warnica Building, 1966, Thurston County Assessor, Southwest Regional Archives Warnica and Warnica Building today (2015), photo by Deb Ross This building was erected as a…
Location: 512 Washington St SE Downtown National Historic District; Popular culture Liberty Theatre, ca. 1935, Susan Parish Collection, Southwest Regional Archives, photo by V. Jeffers Washington Center for the Performing Arts…
Location: 825 Capitol Way SE Schools, Religious Institutions, Women’s History; mid-Century modern Providence Academy, 1943. Jeffers, Susan Parish Photograph Collections, Washington State Archives Washington Mutual Building today (2014), Photo by Deb Ross The…
Location: 221 Washington Street NE (corner of Olympia and Washington) The Washington Standard Building as it appeared around 1870 photograph from Digital Archives Site today (2011), Photograph courtesy of Deb Ross …
Location: 520 Union Ave SE mid-Century modern First home of Washington State Employees Credit Union, 1968, Susan Parish Collection, Washington State Archives First home of Washington State Employees Credit Union today…
Location: 415 15th Ave SW mid-Century modern; State and National registers Washington State Library (Joel Pritchard) Building, around 1959, Hugh Stratford Photograph, State Library Collection, Digital Archives State Library building today…
Location: 700 Capitol Way N Popular Culture, Diversity: Scandinavians Washington Veneer 1924-1930 photograph from Digital Archives Farmer’s Market today (2012), Photo courtesy of Matthew Kennelly With the completion of the Carlyon…
Location: near 1605 Eastside Street Pump Station, Olympia Waterworks, early 20th century watercolor by Edward Lange, City of Olympia Watershed Park with remnant of pumping facility today (2012), photo…
Location: 718 Governor Stevens Ave SE Local register Watkins House, 1939, Thurston County Assessor, Southwest Regional Archives Watkins House today (2014), photo by Deb Ross In the early 1920s, Olof…
Location: 1102 State Ave NE Local register Weatherbie House, 1937, Thurston County Assessor’s files, Washington State Archives Southwest Region Weatherbie House now (2012), photo by Deborah Ross The George and…
Location: 915 Capitol Way S local register; Wohleb; transportation Rear view of Weidner Auto Court, on 10th Avenue, 1965, Thurston County Assessor, Southwest Regional Archives Weidner Auto Court buildings today (2014),…
Location: 116 4th Ave W Downtown National Historic District, Diversity: Chinese Heritage; Wohleb Van Epps store in 1880s, photograph courtesy of Washington State Historical Society Great Cuisine of India and…
Location: 115 18th Ave. SW Local register; South Capitol National Historic District No vintage photograph is available of this home; if you have one to share please contact us…
Location: 703 Rogers NW Religious communities, Schools West Side Chapel, 1961, courtesy Washington State Historical Society West Side chapel today (2012) , photograph by Deb Ross The West Side…
Location: 726 Percival St SW Local, state and national registers; Women’s History Westhillsyde 1939, Thurston County Assessor, Southwest Regional Archives Westhillsyde today, photograph by Deb Ross The West Olympia home…
Location: 820 5th Ave SW Wohleb; Popular culture Westbrook House 1966, Thurston County Assessor, Southwest Regional Archives Westbrook House today (2015), photograph by Deb Ross This distinguished English revival style home…
Location: 1522 4th Ave E Religious institutions Westminster Presbyterian 1961, courtesy Washington State Historical Society former Westminster Presbyterian church building today (2014), photograph by Deb Ross The congregation now called Westminster Presbyterian had its…
Location: 903 Rogers St NW Local register No vintage photographs of this building have been scanned. If you have one to share, please contact us. Westside Grocery building today…
Location: 209 4th Ave E Downtown National Historic District Fourth Avenue looking east, 1940s, private collection White Building today (2014), photo by Deb Ross The White Building on Fourth Avenue,…
Location: 1431 11th Ave SE Local Register William White house in 1939, photo from Thurston County assessor’s records, Washington State Archives William White house today (2010) photograph by Deb…
Location: 702 Governor Stevens Ave SE Local register We have not been able to locate a vintage photograph of this house. If you have one to share, please contact…
Location: 2501 Columbia St SW Local register; South Capitol National Historic Neighborhood Wight House, 1936, Thurston County Assessor, Southwest Regional Archives Wight House today (2013), photo by Marisa Merkel This…
Location: 2822 Capitol Way SE mid-Century modern, Wohleb, Transportation Wildwood Building, 1950, advertisement in Olympia Centennial Souvenir program, Southwest Regional Archives Wildwood Building today (2013) photo by Deb Ross The…
Location: 313 Quince St SE Local register We have not located a vintage photograph of this home.If you have one to share, please contact us. Wiman/Jackson House today (2014) photo by…
Location: Capitol Campus Washington State Capital National Historic District; Arts and Culture Winged Victory statue in 1960s, Susan Parish Collection Washington State Archives Winged Victory today (2012) photograph by Benjamin Helle…
Location: 127 17th Ave SW Local register; South Capitol National Historic District Winstanley House 1938, Thurston County Assessor, Washington State Archives Winstanley House today (2013), photo by Deb Ross This…
Location: 436 Rogers St NW local register, Rogers Street Historic District Winters House, 1937, Thurston County Assessor, Southwest Regional Archives Winters House today (2014), photo by Deb Ross The Winters House is…
Location: 2013 Boundary St SE Local Register; Wohleb Wisniewski House, late 1940s, Thurston County Assessor, Southwest Regional Archives Wisniewski House today (2014), photograph by Deb Ross The charming but modest Wisniewski House was…
Location: 2902 Orange St. mid-Century modern; Wohleb (Robert); local register Vintage photograph has not been located; if you have one to share, please contact us Robert Wohleb Cottage today (2013),…
Location: 122 21st St SW Wohleb; South Capitol National Historic Neighborhood Joseph Wohleb House 1939, Thurston County Assessor, Southwest Regional Archives Joseph Wohleb House today (2015), Photo by Deb Ross This surprisingly…
Location: 1002 Washington St SE National Register, State Register, Local Register, Women’s History Woman’s Club soon after completion, around 1908, Photo courtesy of Washington State Historical Society Woman’s Club today (2012), Photo…
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…
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…
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…
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,…
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,…
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…
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),…
Location: 709 Percival St SW Local register Thurston County assessor photograph, 1939, courtesy Washington State Archives Wynstra House today (2023), courtesy the owners The Mabel and Theodore R. Wynstra…
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,…
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…
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…
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…
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…
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…
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…
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…
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…
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…
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…
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…
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…
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…
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…
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…
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.…
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…
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…
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…
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…
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…
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…
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…
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…
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…
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…
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…
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,…
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…
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…
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…
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…
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…
[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…
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. …
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…
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…
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…
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…
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. …
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…
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…
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…
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…
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…
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…
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…
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…
“‘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…
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…
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…
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: …
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…
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…
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. …
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…
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…
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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…
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…
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…
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…
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…
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…
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…
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. …
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…
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:…
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,…
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…
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…
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…
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…
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 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,…
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…
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.…
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…
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…
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…
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…
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…
