Looking Back – Images from page 2 of the Sunday Olympian

Washington State produces the majority of hops grown in the United States. The crop, used in making beer, was first introduced in Western Washington by pioneer Ezra Meeker. Thurston County hop pickers pose in front of the crop in this photo from about 1889. Most hop pickers of that time were Native American and Chinese. Today, most commercial hops are produced in the Yakima area.  Photograph selected and captioned by Deborah Ross on behalf of the Olympia Historical Society and Bigelow House Museum, olympiahistory.org.

Rogers Studio, around 1889, Courtesy State Capital Museum collection, Washington State Historical Society

This photograph of the Union Block, taken in 1894, dramatically illustrates how Olympia’s shoreline has changed over the years. The Union Block was located on Fourth Avenue between Chestnut and Cherry, approximately where City Hall is now. The building was perched on pilings over the Moxlie Creek estuary at that location.. Moxlie Creek now runs underground and empties into the eastern arm of Budd Inlet, where it meets Olympia Avenue.   Photograph selected and captioned by Deborah Ross on behalf of the Olympia Historical Society and Bigelow House Museum, olympiahistory.org.

1894 photograph, Courtesy State Capital Museum collection, Washington State Historical Society

Francis Henry was an early Olympia settler. His cousin Anson Henry, a close friend and physician to Abraham Lincoln, also settled in Olympia. Francis Henry has lived on in posterity as the author of the song “The Old Settler,” sometimes called the unofficial folk song of Washington State, with its iconic line “surrounded by acres of clams.”  Image selected and captioned by Deborah Ross on behalf of the Olympia Historical Society, olympiahistory.org.

late 1800 photo, Courtesy State Capital Museum collection, Washington State Historical Society

Philemon B. Van Trump was in the first party of European-Americans, in 1870, to summit Mount Rainier.  He summited at least five other times, once guiding noted naturalist John Muir. When not at the mountain, he lived in Olympia and Yelm.  In this photo from around 1911, he is shown here at Paradise Valley, holding his trusty alpenstock (hiking stick). Image selected and captioned by Deborah Ross on behalf of the Olympia Historical Society and Bigelow House Museum. 

Photo about 1911, Courtesy State Capital Museum collection, Washington State Historical Society

The extended family of Benjamin and Agnes Mitchel Price poses proudly with their two automobiles, an REO or Red Wing, and a Winton Six, in this photo from about 1907. The Prices were among the first automobile owners in Olympia. The photograph was taken by Agnes Mitchel Price’s sister, Ida B. Smith. Agnes and Ida were both professional photographers. Photograph selected and captioned by Deborah Ross on behalf of the Olympia Historical Society and Bigelow House Museum. For more information see olympiahistory.org.

Ida B. Smith photo, about 1907, Courtesy State Capital Museum collection, Washington State Historical Society

Olympia Knitting Mills was an important contributor to Olympia’s economy in the early 20^th century.  The factory was located on 6^th (Legion) Avenue between Jefferson and Cherry, and created woolen sportswear and outwear to be shipped throughout the United States and beyond. Pictured here are co-owner Sol Meyers and his crew in the winding room. Finished garments can be seen on shelves at the rear. The building still exists. Photograph selected and captioned by Deborah Ross on behalf of the Olympia Historical Society and Bigelow House Museum.

Photo around 1915, Courtesy State Capital Museum collection, Washington State Historical Society

In August 1902, the Woodmen of the World, a fraternal organization, held a carnival in Olympia. They sponsored a contest to name the Queen of the Carnival. Ruth Allison edged out Iva Van Epps for the honor. Here is Queen Ruth with her court, taken during the four-day event.  This photo by Ida B. Smith was honored at the Northwest Photographers’ convention later that year. Image selected and captioned by Deborah Ross on behalf of the Olympia Historical Society, olympiahistory.org.

Ida B. Smith photo, August 1902, Courtesy State Capital Museum collection, Washington State Historical Society

This photo was taken in the late 1800s from the west side of Olympia. In the foreground is the elegant Percival Mansion. Below it is the Fourth Avenue Bridge that crossed the wide Deschutes Estuary, leading to downtown Olympia. The railroad track, with its depot at far left, linked Olympia to Tenino and access to the Northern Pacific Railroad. Image selected and captioned by Deborah Ross on behalf of the Olympia Historical Society and Bigelow House Museum. 

photo late 1800s, Courtesy State Capital Museum collection, Washington State Historical Society

Pictured here, in a photo from the late 1800s, are the students and a faculty member at the Central School in Olympia, located at the corner of Union Avenue and Washington Street. The building still exists and is one of the oldest in the city: it was cut in two and moved to the corner of Union and Adams Street where it serves as an apartment complex. Photograph selected and captioned by Deborah Ross on behalf of the Olympia Historical Society and Bigelow House Museum. For more information see olympiahistory.org. 

Photo, late 1800s, Courtesy State Capital Museum collection, Washington State Historical Society

The Van Epps family operated several businesses in downtown Olympia in the late 19^th century. Pictured here is the T.C. Van Epps Real Estate office on Main Street (now Capitol Way). The building still exists and is currently the home of Browsers Bookshop. Photograph selected and captioned by Deborah Ross on behalf of the Olympia Historical Society and Bigelow House Museum. Photo late 1800s, Courtesy State Capital Museum collection, Washington State Historical Society

Oysters have been an important food source for our area’s residents since well before the arrival of non-Indigenous Americans. In this photograph from the early 20^th century, harvesters are working at low tide to shovel oysters into a nearby scow. At the time this photograph was taken, harvesting was done nearly exclusively by Japanese immigrants. This process would later be replaced by less back-breaking methods. Image selected and captioned by Deborah Ross on behalf of the Olympia Historical Society, olympiahistory.org.

Undated photo, around 1924, courtesy State Capital Museum collection, Washington State Historical Society

This photograph shows the logging industry in transition. At right we see a team of oxen pulling timber out of the forest, probably on a “skid road” of cut logs. At left is a narrow gauge railroad, with a steam locomotive visible at the far end of the image, taking the logs to nearby mills. Soon after this time, oxen teams would be entirely replaced by steam operated winches and railroads. Image selected and captioned by Deborah Ross on behalf of the Olympia Historical Society, olympiahistory.org.

Photograph taken in late 1800s, Courtesy State Capital Museum collection, Washington State Historical Society

William Bilger and Clint Going were partners in a hardware business that was established in 1891. They are pictured here in a publicity photo demonstrating their wares. They occupied the Olympia Hardware building at 109 Capitol Way North, still in existence in the National Olympia Downtown Historic District. Image selected and captioned by Deborah Ross on behalf of the Olympia Historical Society and Bigelow House Museum. 

Courtesy State Capital Museum collection, Washington State Historical Society

Jacob Bean immigrated to Olympia from Russia in 1902, bringing with him his family’s Torah (first five books of the Hebrew Bible). He and his wife Mollie owned the business now known as Olympia Supply, still in existence in downtown Olympia. Jacob, Mollie, and their son Earl are pictured here around 1907. The Bean family’s involvement with the business spans three generations. Photograph selected and captioned by Deborah Ross on behalf of the Olympia Historical Society and Bigelow House Museum. For more information see olympiahistory.org. Courtesy State Capital Museum collection, Washington State Historical Society

In 1905, the most anticipated event of Olympia’s three-day Independence Day celebration was what was called the Indian canoe race, held in the Deschutes Estuary (now Capitol Lake). According to newspaper accounts, the eleven-man canoes, two of which are shown here, were named the Loon, Reliance Number 2, and Sea Otter. The Sea Otter, captained by Sam Wilson, won the exciting race by a half-length. Photograph selected and captioned by Deborah Ross on behalf of the Olympia Historical Society and Bigelow House Museum.

Courtesy State Capital Museum collection, Washington State Historical Society

Thurston County has had several courthouses over its history. Pictured here is the second purpose-built courthouse, which was at the northeast corner of Fourth Avenue and Washington Street (current site of the State Theater). It was built in 1902 and later razed. To the right of the building in this image is Columbia Hall, which had also earlier served as a courthouse in territorial days. Image selected and captioned by Deborah Ross on behalf of the Olympia Historical Society and Bigelow House Museum, olympiahistory.org.

Unknown photographer, about 1905, courtesy State Capital Museum collection, Washington State Historical Society

Henry Sanford Bush was five years old in 1845 when his parents, George and Isabella Bush, made their way to Washington Territory from Missouri. The mixed-race Bush family were among the earliest non-Indigenous American settlers north of the Columbia River. Henry never married and lived on the Bush farm in Tumwater until his death in 1913. This photograph was taken two years before his death. Image selected and captioned by Deborah Ross on behalf of the Olympia Historical Society and Bigelow House Museum, olympiahistory.org.

unknown photographer, 1911, courtesy State Capital Museum collection, Washington State Historical Society

As bicycles and automobiles grew in popularity in the late 19^th and early 20^th century, the muddy streets of Olympia presented a significant navigation challenge. In 1908, the city agreed to pave its downtown streets. The project consumed the following spring and summer. Here we see workers paving Fourth Avenue. The buildings in the background are the Mottman Building and the Chambers Block at Fourth and Capitol, still in existence. Image selected and captioned by Deborah Ross, Olympia Historical Society and Bigelow House Museum, olympiahistory.org.

unknown photographer, 1909, Courtesy State Capital Museum Collection, Washington State Historical Society

The therapeutic benefits of cold water treatments have been in the news and social media lately. One 19^th century practitioner was Dr. Mary Olney Brown, pictured here. Dr. Brown was affectionately called “Coldwater Brown,” to distinguish her from another Olympia woman with the same last name, known as “Presbyterian Brown.” Dr. Brown is better remembered today for her ardent promotion of universal suffrage. Image selected and captioned by Deborah Ross on behalf of the Olympia Historical Society and Bigelow House Museum, olympiahistory.org. L. Wilson Clark photo, about 1880, Courtesy State Capital Museum collection, Washington State Historical Society

Olympia native Clark Savidge is shown here as a young postal carrier, in about 1891. He later was a long-time Washington State Commissioner of Public Lands, and was a prominent member of Olympia society. Image selected and captioned by Deborah Ross on behalf of the Olympia Historical Society and Bigelow House Museum, olympiahistory.org.

Frank Camp photo, about 1891, Courtesy State Capital Museum collection, Washington State Historical Society

In 1891, the Bettman family, early merchants, built the masonry structure shown here, at 312-324 Fourth Avenue. It featured stores on the ground floor, with a hotel above. The building was damaged in the 1949 Earthquake and the second story and parapet removed. The building still exists, much altered. Photograph selected and captioned by Deborah Ross on behalf of the Olympia Historical Society and Bigelow House Museum. Image selected and captioned by Deborah Ross on behalf of the Olympia Historical Society and Bigelow House Museum, olympiahistory.org.

Brothers Joseph and H.R. Jeffers founded a photography business in 1904, at the southeast corner of Washington Street and 5^th Avenue. Their original studio is shown in this 1908 photo (it was replaced by the current Jeffers Building at the same location). Joe Jeffers and friends pose in front of the studio as they return from a hunting expedition. Image selected and captioned by Deborah Ross on behalf of the Olympia Historical Society and Bigelow House Museum, olympiahistory.org.

Jeffers studio, 1908, Courtesy State Capital Museum collection, Washington State Historical Society

The Morning Olympian newspaper operated at the southeast corner of State and Capitol for decades. Shown here in a 1910 photo is the press room, with foreman Bob Yantis and press operators. This building was succeeded in 1930 by the current Mission-style Olympia Press Building at the same site, now home to several downtown businesses. Photograph selected and captioned by Deborah Ross on behalf of the Olympia Historical Society and Bigelow House Museum Image selected and captioned by Deborah Ross, Olympia Historical Society and Bigelow House Museum, olympiahistory.org.

Brothers Joseph and H.R. Jeffers founded a photography business in 1904, at the southeast corner of Washington Street and 5^th Avenue. Their original studio is shown in this 1908 photo (it was replaced by the current Jeffers Building at the same location). Joe Jeffers and friends pose in front of the studio as they return from a hunting expedition. Image selected and captioned by Deborah Ross on behalf of the Olympia Historical Society and Bigelow House Museum, olympiahistory.org.

Jeffers studio, 1908, Courtesy State Capital Museum collection, Washington State Historical Society

“Kanaka Jack” and his wife Kiki lived on Johnson’s Point, where they maintained a woodyard and water tank for the benefit of visiting steamships. Kanaka Jack was a native of Hawaii. Before Washington became a U.S. Territory, he had worked for the Hudson’s Bay Company in what is now Dupont. Kiki was Native American. The couple’s birth names are unknown. Image selected and captioned by Deborah Ross on behalf of the Olympia Historical Society and Bigelow House Museum, olympiahistory.org.

unknown photographer, about 1900, Courtesy State Capital Museum collection, Washington State Historical Society

James Tilton Pickett was the son of General George Pickett, of Gettysburg infamy, and Sâkis Tiigang, a Haida woman. George Pickett was a close friend of Olympia surveyor James Tilton, a fellow Confederate sympathizer. James Tilton had care of his namesake when George left to join the Confederate army (link here for more information on James  Tilton). This photograph was taken at the time the young man was attending Union Academy in Olympia. He later attended art school and was a talented painter, but died young and in poverty. Image selected and captioned by Deborah Ross.

A.B. Woodard photograph, 1877, courtesy State Capital Museum collection, Washington State Historical Society

Pictured here is the first Tumwater School and its students, along with principal Frank Clem and the school’s teachers. The school was located at 2nd Avenue between “D” and “C” Streets. The 45 stars on the large flag establish that the photo was taken between 1896 and 1907.  Photograph selected and captioned by Deborah Ross on behalf of the Olympia Historical Society and Bigelow House Museum (thank you to Don Trosper for additional information about the school). For more information see https://olympiahistory.org.

unknown photographer, 1896-1907, Courtesy State Capital Museum Collection, Washington State Historical Society

Charles Burmeister was a well-known Olympia saloon keeper for decades. He first operated an establishment on Fourth Avenue (pictured in our July 26, 2020, Looking Back feature). He later moved to the corner of Third and Main, now State Avenue and Capitol Way. Photograph selected and captioned by Deborah Ross on behalf of the Olympia Historical Society and Bigelow House Museum.

unknown photographer, about 1880, Courtesy State Capital Museum collection, Washington State Historical Society

Peterfield Turpin was an early American settler in Olympia, Washington Territory, arriving in 1858. President Buchanan appointed him to be a Land Office surveyor, and he held several other public positions throughout his long life. His home was at the northwest corner of Legion and  Capitol (then called 6^th and Main), kitty-corner from Sylvester Park.  Image selected and captioned by Deborah Ross on behalf of the Olympia Historical Society, olympiahistory.org.

A.B. Woodard photograph, around 1865, Courtesy State Capital Museum collection, Washington State Historical Society

Fraternal organizations were immensely popular in the latter part of the 19^th century. Pictured here are Olympia members of the Uniform Rank, Knights of Pythias (KoP). According to a history of the KoP, the Uniform Rank was an auxiliary of the KoP, formed during the Civil War and organized along the lines of a military unit. Image selected and captioned by Deborah Ross on behalf of the Olympia Historical Society and Bigelow House Museum. For more information see https://olympiahistory.org.

Unknown photographer, around 1885, courtesy State Capital Museum collection, Washington State Historical Society

Pictured here is Olympia native and resident Elizabeth Ayer, the first female to graduate from the University of Washington architectural school. Ayer was responsible for several important homes in Olympia and elsewhere, including the endangered Hanson Duplex on Capitol Campus. Photograph selected and captioned by Deborah Ross on behalf of the Olympia Historical Society and Bigelow House Museum. For more information see https://olympiahistory.org.

Pictured here is the James family, including father Toone James (Chinese name approximates to Gim Dune), his wife Nettie Chiang and their five children. Most Chinese in Olympia at the time were from Toisan in southern China. They tended oyster beds, worked in canneries, businesses, and restaurants.  Son Walter James later opened the landmark Nankin Cafe in Minneapolis in 1919. Photograph selected and captioned by Deborah Ross and Ron Locke on behalf of the Olympia Historical Society and Bigelow House Museum.

Ida Smith photo, around 1900, courtesy State Capital Museum Collection, Washington State Historical Society

Joseph Conner and his family arrived in Thurston County in 1852, the peak year of the Oregon Trail migration. The family settled in what is now Lacey. Joseph was killed in the Puget Sound War of 1855-1856. Pictured here are his four children, Milton, Alice, Jane, and Martha, in a studio photograph taken in the early 1900s. Image selected and captioned by Deborah Ross on behalf of the Olympia Historical Society and Bigelow House Museum. Unknown photographer, early 1900s, courtesy Washington State Historical Society

The former logging community of Bordeaux, Washington, located in Capitol Forest, was founded in the late 1800s by two brothers. It grew over the years to include a hotel, school, stores, and over 1,000 residents. Logging crew members and family members are posing here in front of a donkey engine. A donkey engine was a steam-powered winch, once widely used in late 19^th to and early 20^th century logging operations. Photograph selected and captioned by Deborah Ross on behalf of the Olympia Historical Society and Bigelow House Museum. For more information see https://olympiahistory.org.

The historic Olympia Armory is soon to be converted to a city-sponsored Creative Campus. In addition to serving the Washington National Guard, the Armory was a venue for social gatherings, sports events, and fundraisers. This photograph, taken at the 1958 Olympia Dog Fanciers Association competition, shows Frances Rice with her winning  great Dane, Long Crest March Wind. Please submit your own memories of the Armory to the Olympia Armory Storytelling Project, olympiaarmory.org. Photograph selected and captioned by Deborah Ross on behalf of the Olympia Historical Society and Bigelow House Museum.

Shown in this 1910 photo are the office and staff members of Olympia’s Washington Standard, published by John Miller Murphy. The paper espoused progressive causes such as female suffrage, abolition of slavery, temperance, and other reforms. Unlike many publishers of the time, Murphy did not consistently endorse a particular political party’s position – the paper’s motto was “Hew to the line, let the chips fall where they may.” Image selected and captioned by Deborah Ross on behalf of the Olympia Historical Society and Bigelow House Museum, olympiahistory.org.

The White family, consisting of William and Margaret White and their children, were among the earliest American settlers in Washington Territory. Margaret and her three daughters later all settled within a few blocks of each other on Olympia’s east side, and were active in the community. Pictured here is Clara White Dunbar. She and her husband Rolph (or Ralph) Oregon Dunbar built the Dunbar House on Olympia Avenue, which is still in existence. Image selected and captioned by Deborah Ross on behalf of the Olympia Historical Society and Bigelow House Museum, olympiahistory.org. See also White Family photographs in the Bigelow House Photograph collection. Charcoal portrait, Courtesy Washington State Historical Society

The watercolor reproduced here was painted in 1857 by James Madison Alden, nephew of James Alden, commander for the U.S. Coast Survey in the 1850s. It is the oldest known image of Olympia, showing Main Street (now Capitol Way) extending down to Budd Inlet. Image selected and captioned by Deborah Ross on behalf of the Olympia Historical Society and Bigelow House Museum. Image selected and captioned by Deborah Ross on behalf of the Olympia Historical Society and Bigelow House Museum. 

The extended Chambers family were among the earliest settlers in Thurston County. David and Elizabeth Chambers’ sons Andsworth and Walter set up as butchers in Olympia, with a long-running shop, pictured here, at the southeast corner of Fourth Avenue and Washington Street. Andsworth also served as Olympia mayor and developed the Chambers Block building at Capitol and Fourth. Photograph selected and captioned by Deborah Ross on behalf of the Olympia Historical Society and Bigelow House Museum.

Courtesy Washington State Historical Society

The historic Olympia Armory is soon to be converted to a city-sponsored Creative Commons. In addition to serving the Washington National Guard since the late 1930s, the Armory was a venue for social gatherings, sports events, and fundraisers. This photo portrays Governor Langlie, his wife, and other dignitaries, at the 1941 Inaugural Ball. Please submit your own memories of the Armory to the Olympia Armory Storytelling Project, olympiaarmory.org. Photograph selected and captioned by Deborah Ross on behalf of the Olympia Historical Society and Bigelow House Museum.

Throughout 2021 we have been featuring events and people from the Sylvester’s Window cityscape project, now available online. The cityscape project portrays what Sylvester Park and Olympia might have looked like through history, from the vantage point of a window high in the tower of Sylvester Mansion, overlooking the park. For this last image of the year, we show the mansion, this image captured soon after it was built around 1856.  Photograph selected and captioned by Deborah Ross, Olympia Historical Society and Bigelow House Museum. 

Throughout 2021 we are featuring events and people from the Sylvester’s Window cityscape project, now available online. Pictured in the 1874 cityscape is Hazard Stevens. He was the son of first Washington Territorial governor, Isaac Stevens. After serving in the Civil War, Hazard returned to Olympia and became a developer and city booster. He established Cloverfields Farm on Carlyon Street, where his house still stands. Photograph selected and captioned by Deborah Ross on behalf of the Olympia Historical Society and Bigelow House Museum. For more information see https://olympiahistory.org.

Throughout 2021 we are featuring events and people from the Sylvester’s Window cityscape project, now available online. The 2001 cityscape includes Mary Ann Bigelow. Mrs. Bigelow, an artist and author, was named Mother of the Year in 1964, the occasion for the above photograph with her son. The Bigelows sold their home, now the Bigelow House Museum, to the Bigelow House Historic Preservation Association, but continued to live in the home until their deaths. Photograph selected and captioned by Deborah Ross, Olympia Historical Society and Bigelow House Museum. For more information see https://olympiahistory.org.

Throughout 2021 we are featuring events and people from the Sylvester’s Window cityscape project, now available online. The 1972 cityscape features Dixy Lee Ray, who was elected in 1978 as Washington State’s first female governor. Ray ran as a Democrat, despite having no previous political experience, and her one term was marked by controversy as well as achievement. She is pictured in the cityscape with one of her beloved dogs, whom she always kept with her. Image selected and captioned by Deborah Ross on behalf of the Olympia Historical Society and Bigelow House Museum. 1980 Photo courtesy Washington State Historical Society

Throughout 2021 we are featuring events and people from the Sylvester’s Window cityscape project, now available online. Pictured in the 1950 cityscape is Amanda Benek Smith. In 1953, Smith was elected as the first female mayor of Olympia. She oversaw several civic improvements during her tenure as mayor and was noted for her spirit of openness. Photograph selected and captioned by Deborah Ross on behalf of the Olympia Historical Society and Bigelow House Museum. For more information see https://olympiahistory.org.

Susan Parish collection, Washington State Archives

Throughout 2021 we are featuring events and people from artist Robert Chamberlain’s Sylvester’s Window cityscape project, now available online. Pictured in the 1933 cityscape is Washington Secretary of State Belle Reeves. First elected as Chelan legislative representative through a write-in campaign, Mrs. Reeves spent her entire career in politics, many years as the only female representative, then as the state’s first female Secretary of State. Photograph selected and captioned by Deborah Ross on behalf of the Olympia Historical Society and Bigelow House Museum. For more information see https://olympiahistory.org.

Washington State Archives, general photograph collection

Throughout 2021 we are featuring events and people from the Sylvester’s Window cityscape project, now available online. The 1899 cityscape features the beautiful building that graces the east side of Sylvester Park. It was built in 1892 to serve as the Thurston County Courthouse. It is now the Office of the Superintendent of Public Instruction. The clock tower shown in this photo burned in 1928; several turrets were lost in the 1949 earthquake. Photograph selected and captioned by Deborah Ross, Olympia Historical Society and Bigelow House Museum. For more information see https://olympiahistory.org/1899-2/

Jeffers photograph, State Library collection

Throughout 2021 we are featuring events and people from the Sylvester’s Window cityscape project, now available online. The 1874 cityscape includes the Marshville Bridge, built in 1869 to connect downtown Olympia with West Olympia. In this photograph from around that time, we see the bridge in the foreground, spanning the Deschutes Estuary; downtown Olympia is in the center; and beyond, we can see the hillside home of Daniel and Ann Elizabeth Bigelow, now the Bigelow House Museum.  Photograph selected and captioned by Deborah Ross, Olympia Historical Society and Bigelow House Museum. For more information see https://olympiahistory.org/1874-building-a-railroad/

Throughout 2021 we are featuring events and people from the Sylvester’s Window cityscape project, now available online. The 2001 cityscape features the Olympia Farmers Market, near the northern tip of the Port of Olympia. The market, one of the largest in Puget Sound, was built at this location in 1996.  Photograph selected and captioned by Deborah Ross on behalf of the Olympia Historical Society and Bigelow House Museum. For more information see https://olympiahistory.org/2001-2/

Throughout 2021 we are featuring events and people from artist Robert Chamberlain’s Sylvester’s Window cityscape project, now available online. Many interesting and charming surprises are included in each cityscape. In the 1950 cityscape, a young man is seen in Sylvester Park. This is “a portrait of the artist as a young man,” Mr. Chamberlain himself as a youngster. He gave us permission to publish this updated self-portrait – made many decades later! Image selected and captioned by Deborah Ross on behalf of the Olympia Historical Society and Bigelow House Museum. For more information see https://olympiahistory.org/1950-2/

Throughout 2021 we are featuring events and people from the Sylvester’s Window cityscape project, now available online. The 1950 cityscape depicts Margaret McKenny in conversation with a young man who will be featured on his own account in an upcoming Looking Back. Miss McKenny grew up in Olympia and in her adulthood became a world-renowned mushroom expert, naturalist, and environmental advocate. Photograph selected and captioned by Deborah Ross on behalf of the Olympia Historical Society and Bigelow House Museum. For more information see https://olympiahistory.org/1972-2/

1962 photograph, The Olympian collection, Washington State Historical Society

Throughout 2021 we are featuring events and people from the Sylvester’s Window cityscape project, now available online. In the 1933 cityscape we see the Old State Capitol Building, which had recently been repurposed to the house the Superintendent of Public Instruction after the Legislative Building was completed in 1926. Pictured revisiting her old haunts is Josephine Corliss Preston, former superintendent from 1913-1929, and the first woman elected to office in Washington State.    Photograph selected and captioned by Deborah Ross on behalf of the Olympia Historical Society and Bigelow House Museum. For more information see https://olympiahistory.org/1972-2/

Superintendent of Public Instruction Election Pamphlet, 1915

Throughout 2021 we are featuring events and people from the Sylvester’s Window cityscape project, now available online. At the far right of the 1899 cityscape is the Olympia Opera House, built in 1890 by publisher John Miller Murphy. Over its short 35 year life, it hosted national celebrities such as Mark Twain, and many local productions.  Photograph selected and captioned by Deborah Ross on behalf of the Olympia Historical Society and Bigelow House Museum. For more information see https://olympiahistory.org/1972-2/

Olympia Opera House, State Library photograph collection, Washington State Archives, about 1890

Throughout 2021 we are featuring events and people from the Sylvester’s Window cityscape project, now available online. Shown in the distance of the 1972 cityscape is the Capitol Center Building, erected in 1966. The building was the feather in local architect G. Stacey Bennett’s cap. It featured cutting edge modernism with its glass curtain effect, termed the Miesian style, after Ludwig Mies van der Rohe. It has been rehabilitated and remodeled as the Views on Fifth apartment building. Photograph selected and captioned by Deborah Ross. For more information see https://olympiahistory.org/1972-2/

late 1960s photo, courtesy Department of Archaeology and Historic Preservation

Throughout 2021 we are featuring events and people from the Sylvester’s Window cityscape project, now available online. The 1899 cityscape includes an elderly Mother Joseph visiting St. Peter’s Hospital, one of the many schools and hospitals that her order, the Sisters of Providence, built during her long tenure in the Pacific Northwest. Mother Joseph is honored with statues in our Legislative Building and the U.S. Senate Statuary Hall.  For more information, visit us at olympiahistory.org. Photograph selected and captioned by Deborah Ross on behalf of the Olympia Historical Society. For more information see https://olympiahistory.org/1899-2/

Courtesy Providence archives

Throughout 2021 we are featuring events and people from the Sylvester’s Window cityscape project, now available online. The 1874 cityscape includes Isaac (Ike) Ellis. Ellis was a noted and successful lumberman, establishing efficient logging and milling operations throughout Puget Sound. Later in his life, he invested in a short-lived racetrack in what is now Lacey.  For more information, visit us at olympiahistory.org. Photograph selected and captioned by Deborah Ross on behalf of the Olympia Historical Society and Bigelow House Museum. For more information see https://olympiahistory.org/1874-building-a-railroad/.

Unknown photographer, 1860-1880, courtesy Washington State Historical Society

Throughout 2021 we are featuring events and people from the Sylvester’s Window cityscape project, now available online. The 1856 cityscape includes George Bush, early American settler. He and the Simmons party arrived first in Oregon Territory; but as a mixed race man, Bush was not welcome there. The party proceeded north to what is now Tumwater, where Bush and his wife Isabella helped countless fellow settlers to establish their homesteads. Photograph selected and captioned by Deborah Ross on behalf of the Olympia Historical Society. For more information see. For more information, see https://olympiahistory.org/1856-the-indian-war/

Throughout 2021 we are featuring events and people from the Sylvester’s Window cityscape project, now available online. The 2001 cityscape includes the popular Heritage Fountain, between Fourth and Fifth Avenues. The property was acquired by the city, with the fountain donated by a generous family. It was dedicated in 1996 and is one of the few public recreational water features in our city. Photograph selected and captioned by Deborah Ross on behalf of the Olympia Historical Society and Bigelow House Museum. For more information see https://olympiahistory.org/2001-2/

Throughout 2021 we are featuring events and people from the Sylvester’s Window cityscape project, now available online. The 1972 cityscape includes Joyce Simmons Cheeka, Squaxin Island Tribe activist. Mrs. Cheeka was trained as a Rememberer, responsible for preserving and celebrating her tribal culture.  Photograph selected and captioned by Deborah Ross on behalf of the Olympia Historical Society and Bigelow House Museum. For more information, see https://olympiahistory.org/1972-2/

Throughout 2021 we are featuring events and people from the Sylvester’s Window cityscape project, now available online. The 1950 cityscape features construction of the Fifth Avenue dam and bridge to create Capitol Lake. In this photo from 1949 we can see the project from the vantage point of the Fourth Avenue Bridge. 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. Photograph selected and captioned by Deborah Ross. For more information see https://olympiahistory.org/1950-2/.

Throughout 2021 we are featuring events and people from the Sylvester’s Window cityscape project, now available online. When the state acquired the Old State Capitol Building and moved the seat of government to downtown Olympia, it was apparent that downtown accommodations were inadequate to house all of the legislators, lobbyists and others during legislative session. After much delay, the elegant five-story Hotel Olympian, pictured in the 1933 cityscape, was completed in 1920, directly to the north of Sylvester Park. Photograph selected and captioned by Deborah Ross. For more information, see https://olympiahistory.org/1933-2/6/27/21

Throughout 2021 we are featuring events and people from the Sylvester’s Window cityscape project, now available online. The S.S. Beaver, pictured in the 1856 cityscape, was the first steam-operated vessel in Puget Sound. She was owned by the British Hudson’s Bay Company and plied the waters of our sound and all the way to Alaska, until she foundered in 1888. The Vancouver (B.C.) Maritime Museum has a display with several of her salvaged parts. Image selected and captioned by Deborah Ross. For more information see https://olympiahistory.org/1856-the-indian-war/

Throughout 2021 we are featuring events and people from the Sylvester’s Window cityscape project, now available online. The 1899 cityscape features a bicycle parade around the grounds of Sylvester Park. Bicycling was all the rage in the last years of the 19^th century. Pictured here are Olympia’s Robert Blankenship and another unidentified man with their “wheels,” including a high-wheeled pennyfarthing, already going out of style when the photo was taken.   Photograph selected and captioned by Deborah Ross. For more information, see https://olympiahistory.org/1899-2/

Throughout 2021 we are featuring events and people from the Sylvester’s Window cityscape project, now available online. In the 1899 cityscape we see Bertha Eugley in front of her millinery (hat) store on 6^th Avenue (now Legion). Late nineteenth century women would not dream of going out in public without a hat, and Mrs. Eugley made sure that those who could afford it had the opportunity to sport her latest, elaborate creations. Photograph selected and captioned by Deborah Ross. For more information see https://olympiahistory.org/1899-2/

Throughout 2021 we are featuring events and people from the Sylvester’s Window cityscape project, now available online. The 1874 cityscape includes Anna Conner Hartsuck, a so-called “Mercer Girl,” brought to the Pacific Northwest in the 1860s to remedy a deficit of eligible brides. The Mercer Girls story inspired the TV series “Here Come the Brides.” Anna married Mark Hartsuck and was a prominent member of Olympia society.  Photograph selected and captioned by Deborah Ross. For more information, see https://olympiahistory.org/1874-building-a-railroad/

Throughout 2021 we are featuring events and people from the Sylvester’s Window cityscape project, now available online. The 1856 cityscape depicts Clara Pottle Sylvester with her husband, Olympia’s co-founder Edmund Sylvester, pointing out their new home, then under construction. Clara arrived in Olympia as a newlywed in 1854. She was an ardent supporter of women’s suffrage and helped establish the Woman’s Club, one of the first on the West Coast.   Photograph selected and captioned by Deborah Ross. For more information, https://olympiahistory.org/1856-the-indian-war/

Throughout 2021 we are featuring events and people from the Sylvester’s Window cityscape project, now available online. Barbara O’Neill, pictured in the 2001 cityscape, was a commanding presence in our area for many years. While operating a soul food restaurant on Fourth Avenue, she instituted a practice of providing free holiday meals for those in need. The tradition continued after her death, with the annual Barb’s Family and Friends program, led by her children and numerous volunteers and supporters. Photograph selected and captioned by Deborah Ross. For more information, see https://olympiahistory.org/2001-2/

Throughout 2021 we are featuring events and people from the Sylvester’s Window cityscape project, now available online. The 1950 cityscape begins to include some of downtown Olympia’s iconic mid-Century architecture. The Memorial Clinic just east of the Fourth Avenue bridge, designed in 1948 by father-son team Joseph and Robert Wohleb, was an innovative concept at the time, grouping several physicians and specialties under one roof. The building was demolished in 2015.   Photograph selected and captioned by Deborah Ross. For more information see https://olympiahistory.org/1950-2/

Throughout 2021 we are featuring events and people from the Sylvester’s Window cityscape project, now available online. The Security Building on Fourth Avenue, pictured in the 1933 cityscape, 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. For more information, see https://olympiahistory.org/1933-2/

Throughout 2021 we are featuring events and people from the Sylvester’s Window cityscape project, now available online. The 1899 cityscape shows one of Olympia’s five yellow trolleys proceeding southward on Main Street (now Capitol Way). The trolley system was electrified in 1892, with power supplied by the hydroelectric plant at Deschutes Falls. The system ran until 1933; a remnant exists in the form of a trolley pole at 11^th and Capitol. Photograph selected and captioned by Deborah Ross. For more information, https://olympiahistory.org/1899-2/

Throughout 2021 we are featuring events and people from the Sylvester’s Window cityscape project, now available online. Religious communities have always played an important role in the life of our residents. First Congregational church, pictured here at its first location on 9^th and Capitol (out of view in the 1874 cityscape), was the fifth church to be organized in Olympia. The congregation still exists, part of the federated United Churches of Olympia. Photograph selected and captioned by Deborah Ross. 

Throughout 2021 we are featuring events and people from the Sylvester’s Window cityscape project, now available online. The site of the Washington Center for the Performing Arts has been an entertainment mecca since the 1920s, beginning with the Liberty movie theater. As suburban multiplexes spelled the slow demise of downtown cinema venues, the city of Olympia teamed up with the state to develop the current entertainment complex. The cityscape for 2001 features the center as it appeared before its much-needed facelift in 2014. Photograph selected and captioned by Deborah Ross. For more information, see https://olympiahistory.org/2001-2/

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Richards Studio, 1939, courtesy Tacoma Public Library

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

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

Richards Studio, 1955, courtesy  Tacoma Public Library

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

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

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

Unidentified photographer, around 1880, courtesy Washington State Historical Society

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

Poster, 1889, courtesy Washington State Historical Society

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

Unknown photographer, 1880s, Washington State Archives

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

The Olympia jazz scene was hopping in the 1930s and 1940s, with both local and nationally known groups performing in several area venues. In this photo from that era, Olympia’s own Herb McClarty Trio takes the stage at the Eagles Club Ballroom. Photograph selected and captioned by Deborah Ross on behalf of the Olympia Historical Society and Bigelow House Museum. For more information see olympiahistory.org.

Vibert Jeffers photo, 1930s-1940s, Susan Parish Collection, Washington State Archives

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Joseph Buchtel, around 1870, courtesy Washington State Historical Society

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

1952 photo donated by Marcia and Will Wolf

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

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

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

Jocelyn Dohm founded the Sherwood Press in 1940 to produce high-quality printed material using traditional techniques. Here, in a photo from 1964, Miss Dohm is creating stationery for the Olympia branch of the American Association of University Women. AAUW member Mrs. Walter Vitous looks on appreciatively. The Sherwood Press is still in operation, now under the able management of Jamie Heinricher. Photograph selected and captioned by Deborah Ross on behalf of the Olympia Historical Society and Bigelow House Museum. For more information see olympiahistory.org.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Boland photo, 1920s, courtesy Washington State Historical Society

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

The Washington State Teachers Association, now the Washington Education Association, is one of the state’s oldest professional associations. In this photograph from April 1889, its charter members and their families pose at the Territorial Capitol to celebrate the association’s foundation. Photograph selected and captioned by Deborah Ross on behalf of the Olympia Historical Society and Bigelow House Museum.

Unknown photographer, 1889, courtesy State Capital Museum collection, Washington State Historical Society

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Students and teachers line up outside the Central School, located at Union and Washington, in a photo from 1883. Among the students, seated in front, is Jesse Mars, who served as Olympia’s first Black firefighter from the age of 13. The school building still exists, now at the corner of Adams and Union. Photograph selected and captioned by Deborah Ross on behalf of the Olympia Historical Society and Bigelow House Museum.

A.D. Rogers Photo, 1883, State Library collection, Washington State Archives

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

Merle Junk photo, Susan Parish collection, Washington  State Archives

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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