Ida B. Smith Studio

Looking Back’s theme for 2025 featured Thurston County area photographers, artists, and their subjects. Pictured here is the studio of photographer Ida B. Smith, who was active in the late 19th and early 20th century. The studio, shared with her sister, photographer Agnes Mitchel, was near the corner of Jefferson and 4th Avenue, next door to the Olympia Opera House. The identity of the woman posing for the photograph is not known. 

Unknown photographer, 1895, courtesy State Capital Museum collection, Washington State Historical Society, catalog C1952.284.3

Text © Deborah Ross and The Olympian 2025

Bus Station by Vibert Jeffers

Looking Back’s theme for 2025 featured Thurston County area photographers, artists, and their subjects. Vibert Jeffers was a prolific Olympia-based photographer, having inherited the business from his father and mother, Joseph and Opal Jeffers. This photograph of the North Coast (later Greyhound) bus depot in downtown Olympia was taken in 1937, soon after the depot was built. The building has now been repurposed as a café.  

Vibert Jeffers photograph, 1937, Susan Parish Collection, Washington State Archives

Text © Deborah Ross and The Olympian 2025

Ida B. Smith self portrait

Looking Back’s theme for 2025 featured Thurston County area photographers, artists, and their subjects. Ida B. Smith, pictured here in a self-portrait, came to Olympia with her husband in about 1891. After her husband’s death, Ida took up professional photography, first with her sister Agnes Mitchel and then on her own.  

Ida B. Smith photograph, around 1900, courtesy State Capital Museum collection, Washington State Historical Society, catalog C1951.284.7

Text © Deborah Ross and The Olympian 2025

Vibert Jeffers

Looking Back’s theme for 2025 features Thurston County area photographers, artists, and their subjects. Vibert Jeffers, pictured here in a cropped family photo, was the son of photographer Joseph Jeffers and Opal Jeffers. Vibert took over the business in 1930, a few years after Joseph was killed in a climbing accident. Vibert was responsible for many photographs of members of the legislature, local people, places, and events. 

Jeffers studio photo (cropped), about 1915, courtesy State Capital Museum collection, Washington State Historical Society, catalog C2018.0.148

Text © Deborah Ross and The Olympian 2025

Jeffers Building by Joe Jeffers

Looking Back’s theme for 2025 featured Thurston County area photographers, artists, and their subjects. Joseph Jeffers grew up in Olympia and took an interest in photography from an early age. In 1913, he commissioned architect Joseph Wohleb to create this studio, at the corner of 4th and Washington, at the same location as his previous studio. This was Wohleb’s first major commission, and still exists. 

Joseph Jeffers photo, about 1914, Courtesy State Capital Museum Collection, Washington State Historical Society, catalog C2010.227.7

Text © Deborah Ross and The Olympian 2025

Joe Jeffers studio

Looking Back’s theme for 2025 featured Thurston County area photographers, artists, and their subjects. Joseph Jeffers grew up in Olympia and took an interest in photography from an early age. He is pictured here, in a self-portrait with friends, from about 1908, as they return from a hunting expedition. His studio is behind him, at the corner of 4th and Washington. 

Joseph Jeffers photo, 1908, courtesy State Capital Museum Collection, Washington  State Historical Society, catalog C1949.1242.8

Text © Deborah Ross and The Olympian 2025

Little Rock logging by Clark Kinsey

Looking Back’s theme for 2025 featured Thurston County area photographers, artists, and their subjects. Clark Kinsey was one of three brothers who documented the logging and lumber industry in the late 19th and early 20th century. Although he was not from Thurston County, he and his family spent several seasons in Grays Harbor, Mason, and Thurston County. This photo is of the Little Rock (now Littlerock) Logging Company crew with their steam-driven “donkey engine.” 

Clark Kinsey photo, about 1915, downloaded from Wikimedia Commons

Text © Deborah Ross and The Olympian 2025

Edna Rogers by A.D. Rogers

Looking Back’s theme for 2025 featured Thurston County area photographers, artists, and their subjects. Adelbert D. (A.D.) Rogers was a prolific Olympia-based photographer. His primary subjects were portraits, including this portrait of his daughter Edna, from around 1884. 

A.D. Rogers Photo, about 1884, Courtesy State Capital Museum collection, Washington State Historical Society, catalog C1958.2.62

Text © Deborah Ross and The Olympian 2025

A.D. Rogers self-portrait

Looking Back’s theme for 2025 featured Thurston County area photographers, artists, and their subjects. Adelbert D. (A.D.) Rogers was a prolific Olympia-based photographer. His primary subjects were portraits, including this self-portrait from around 1890. Among many other subjects over the years, A.D. Rogers was commissioned to take the photographic portraits of nearly every member of the first state legislature, after statehood in 1889. 

Rogers photograph, about 1890, courtesy State Capital Museum collection, Washingto State Historical Society, catalog C1961.1185.57

Text © Deborah Ross and The Olympian 2025

Grand Parade of Progress by Robert Chamberlain

Looking Back’s theme for 2025 featured Thurston County area photographers, artists, and their subjects. In 2005, historian Lynn Erickson and artist Robert Chamberlain collaborated to produce a series of watercolors called Sylvester’s Window. This watercolor (cropped from the original) shows the Grand Parade of Progress in 1950, celebrating Olympia’s Centennial. The artist whimsically included himself as a young man chatting with Margaret McKenny by the grandstand. 

Courtesy Olympia Historical Society and Bigelow House Museum (cropped image from Sylvester’s Window project)

Text © Deborah Ross and The Olympian 2025

Robert Chamberlain self portrait

Looking Back’s theme for 2025 featured Thurston County area photographers, artists, and their subjects. In 2005, historian Lynn Erickson and artist Robert Chamberlain collaborated to produce a series of watercolors called Sylvester’s Window. The images portrayed how downtown Olympia evolved over the course of 150 years, from a spot overlooking Sylvester Park. This watercolor is a self-portrait by Mr. Chamberlain, painted a few years after he completed the Sylvester’s Window project.  

Courtesy Robert Chamberlain

Text © Deborah Ross and The Olympian 2025

John Percival at Percival Wharf by Robert Esterly

Looking Back’s theme for 2025 features Thurston County area photographers, artists, and their subjects. In about 1914, Tumwater-based photographer Robert Esterly undertook a project to capture images of businesses and their owners in downtown Olympia. Here teenaged manager John Percival is shown outside of the Percival Dock shipping complex at the Port of Olympia. 

Esterly photograph, 1914, courtesy Washington State Historical Society, catalog 2010.149.17.2

Text © Deborah Ross and The Olympian 2025

Robert Esterly on a bear hunt

 

Looking Back’s theme for 2025 featured Thurston County area photographers, artists, and their subjects. Robert Esterly was an early owner of a shingle mill at Tumwater Falls. He was also a talented photographer. In this photo from the late 1800s, said to be in part a self-portrait, he and his companions proudly show the result of a successful bear hunt. 

Esterly photograph, courtesy Washington State Historical Society, catalog 2010.149.57

Text © Deborah Ross and The Olympian 2025

Painting of Mount Rainier by James Tilton Pickett

Looking Back’s theme for 2025 was Thurston County area photographers, artists, and their subjects. Artist James Tilton Pickett was the son of Confederate General George Pickett and Sâkis Tiigang, a Haida woman. James attended Union Academy in Olympia, then art school, and was a talented artist. This drawing by James portrays Mount Rainier as seen from near Steilacoom. 

Photograph by Arley Van Epps of J.T. Pickett drawing, Courtesy Washington State Historical Society, State Capital Museum collection, catalog C1945.133.2

Text © Deborah Ross and The Olympian 2025

James Tilton Pickett by A.B. Woodard

Looking Back’s theme for 2025 featured Thurston County area photographers, artists, and their subjects. This photograph by Olympia photographer Alonzo Bixby Woodard is of James Tilton Pickett, the son of Confederate General George Pickett, and Sâkis Tiigang, a Haida woman. This photograph was taken when James was attending Union Academy in Olympia. James later attended art school and was a talented painter. 

1877 photograph by A.B. Woodard, courtesy State Capital Museum Collection, Washington State Historical Society, catalog C1949.1265.36

Text © Deborah Ross and The Olympian 2025

Josie Clark Woodard by A.B. Woodard

Looking Back’s theme for 2025 featured Thurston County area photographers, artists, and their subjects. Alonzo Bixby Woodard was a member of an early settler family. He practiced dentistry and photography; his home still exists on West Bay Drive. This photograph by Woodard is a portrait of his brother Adelbert’s wife, Josie Clark Woodard, who was also a member of an early settler family. 

Photograph about 1870, Courtesy Washington State Historical Society,  State Capital Museum collection, Washington State Historical Society, catalog C2017.0.55

Text © The Olympian and Deborah Ross 2025

A.B. Woodard self-portrait

Looking Back’s theme for 2025 featured Thurston County area photographers, artists, and their subjects. Alonzo Bixby Woodard was a member of an early settler family. He practiced dentistry and photography; his home still exists on West Bay Drive. This photograph is a self portrait from around the 1870s. 

self portrait, around 1870s, courtesy State Capital Museum collection, Washington State Historical Society