Harriet Speckart

The Sunday Olympian’s Looking Back theme for 2024 was Many Voices, celebrating our diverse and rich history. Harriet Speckart, shown here, was a niece of Olympia Brewing Company founder Leopold Schmidt. In 1905 she met Doctor Marie Equi, beginning a long relationship, including a jointly adopted daughter. Harriet’s mother and uncle then unsuccessfully attempted to deny Harriet access to a large inheritance, based on the “unnatural” relationship with Dr. Equi. Harriet and Marie are buried together in Portland, Oregon.

Photograph (of Harriet as a young girl) courtesy Oregon Historical Society

Text © Deborah Ross and The Olympian 2024

CY Wong and the China Clipper in 1963

Looking Back’s theme for 2026 was Downtown by the Decades. 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.   

Daily Olympian photo, 1963, courtesy State Capital Museum collection, Washington State Historical Society, catalog C1986.43.63.1.2.4.1

 

James Wickersham

Looking Back’s theme for 2025 featured Thurston County area photographers, artists, and their subjects. James Wickersham is remembered for his Alaskan career as an ethnographer, judge, and politician. In his earlier career he lived in Washington Territory and befriended members of the Squaxin Tribe in Mud Bay, advocating on their behalf for the legitimacy of the Indian Shaker religion. As an amateur photographer he documented images of tribal members and living conditions.   

1905 political poster, courtesy of Washington State Historical Society, catalog 2007.0.377

Text © Deborah Ross and The Olympian 2025

Clark Savidge by Frank Camp

Looking Back’s theme for 2025 featured Thurston County area photographers, artists, and their subjects. Frank L. Camp (sometimes spelled Camps) established his Olympia studio in about 1891. He specialized in ambrotype portraiture. Pictured here is Clark Savidge as a young mail carrier. Frank Camp later moved to Ashland, Oregon. Clark Savidge entered public service, eventually becoming Commissioner of Public Lands. 

Frank Camp photo, about 1891, courtesy of  State Capital Museum collection, Washington State Historical Society, catalog C1949.8.20

Text © Deborah Ross and The Olympian 2025

Si’ahl (Chief Seattle) by Edward Sammis

Looking Back’s theme for 2025 featured Thurston County area photographers, artists, and their subjects. Photographer Edward Sammis began his career in California but operated a studio in Olympia between 1860 and 1865. His most famous photograph was of Si’ahl, better known by settlers as Chief Seattle. This is the only known photograph of Si’ahl, taken in about 1864. 

Edward Sammis photo, about 1864, courtesy Museum of History and Industry

Text © Deborah Ross and The Olympian 2025

William Yeager charcoal portrait

Looking Back’s theme for 2025 featured Thurston County area photographers, artists, and their subjects. William J. Yeager, an early settler, opened his photographic studio in about 1865, and worked with various business partners including John Vivian Yantis. No existing photographs by him have been identified. This pencil and charcoal portrait is by an unknown artist.

Unknown artist, 1860s, courtesy of  State Capital Museum collection, Washington State Historical Society, catalog C2018.0.154

Text © Deborah Ross and The Olympian 2025

Hal Wolfe and Rags Thornton photo by Ron Allen

Looking Back’s theme for 2025 featured Thurston County area photographers, artists, and their subjects. Ron Allen’s photographic career began with State Patrol, then led to his own studio; he photographed legislators, local people, and events. This humorous photo from 1969 shows legislator Hal Wolf at Ragle “Rags” Thornton’s beauty salon at the Legislative Building.

Ron Allen photo, 1969, Susan Parish collection, Washington State Archives

Text © Deborah Ross and The Olympian 2025

John V. Yantis and Margaret Hume Yantis by L. Wilson Clark

Looking Back’s theme for 2025 featured Thurston County area photographers, artists, and their subjects. John Vivian Yantis was the son of early settler Benjamin F. Yantis. He operated a photograph studio near the corner of Fourth Avenue and Main Street (Capitol Way) in the mid-1860s, and served in the Territorial Legislature. He is pictured here with his wife Margaret Hume Yantis, in this photograph taken by L.  Wilson Clark. 

Clark Photo, mid-1800s, Courtesy State Capital Museum Collection, Washington State Historical Society, catalog C1976.41.6

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

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

Augusta Sherwood

Looking Back’s theme for 2024 was Many Streams, celebrating our rich and diverse history. Like BBC period dramas, Olympia had its “upstairs and downstairs” residents. Pictured here is the home of Dr.  Waughop on Main Street (now Capitol Way). Barely visible below the ground level is the family’s servant, Augusta Sherwood. Miss Sherwood was the daughter of Mason County millwright Joseph Sherwood and his wife Mary, a member of the Skokomish Tribe. 

Courtesy Washington State Historical Society, State Capital Museum collection, catalog C1982.18.30.11

Text © Deborah Ross and The Olympian 2024

Margaret Whyte

Looking Back’s theme for 2024 was Many Streams, celebrating our rich and diverse history. Margaret Whyte was responsible for bringing the concept of a Continuing Care Retirement Community to the  developers of the Panorama retirement community developers. She and her life-long companion Marie Lauenroth were also among the first residents. In this 1969 photo, Margaret displays her skill as a “Rockhound.” 

Courtesy Panorama Resident Archives

Text © Deborah Ross and The Olympian 2024

Ed Westman

Looking Back’s theme for 2024 was Many Streams, celebrating our rich history. Scandinavians began arriving in the Pacific Northwest in the late 1800s, with many working in logging, lumber, and construction industries. In 1921, Swedish-born Ed Westman, pictured here, founded the Olympia Veneer Company, which was a revolutionary experiment in cooperative ownership as well as innovator in the veneer industry. 

Courtesy American Plywood Association, 1969

Text © Deborah Ross and The Olympian 2024

Slocum and Yowaluch

Looking Back’s theme for 2024 was Many Streams, celebrating our rich and diverse history. In about 1881, Squaxin tribal member John Slocum and Louis Yowaluch, pictured here, and their families, co-founded the Indian Shaker church near Mud Bay.  The denomination eventually spread to include dozens of churches throughout the Pacific Northwest. The Indian Shaker church at Mud Bay, considered the Mother Church of the denomination, still exists. 

Smithsonian Institution Archives

Text © Deborah Ross and The Olympian 2024

Edward Salomon

The Sunday Olympian’s Looking Back theme for 2024 was Many Voices, celebrating our diverse and rich history. Edward Salomon, pictured here, became Washington Territorial governor in 1870. He was the highest ranked Jewish general during the Civil War and served heroically at the Battle of Gettysburg before being appointed governor by President U.S. Grant. 

Washington State Archives, Territorial Governors, image AR-00101003-ph000009

Text © Deborah Ross and The Olympian 2024

Trena Selvidge Belsito Worthington

The Sunday Olympian’s Looking Back theme for 2024 was Many Voices, celebrating our diverse and rich history. Trena Selvidge Belsito Worthington was the daughter of an Olympia-based lumberman and a store owner. She was a noted attorney in Olympia. She designed and built five distinguished homes in Olympia, based on a design from the magazine Architectural Digest. Trena is pictured here, at left, with Governor Albert and First Lady Ethel Rosellini. 

Olympian photo, courtesy State Capital Museum collection, Washington State Historical Society, catalog C1986.43.0.875.1

Text © Deborah Ross and The Olympian 2024

Abbie Howard Hunt Stuart

The Sunday Olympian’s Looking Back theme for 2024 was Many Voices, celebrating our diverse and rich history. Abbie Howard Hunt Stuart, pictured here, co-founded the Woman’s Club of Olympia, the first on the Pacific Coast. She bucked traditional female expectations by pursuing an independent career, wearing her hair short and, in common with other members of the Club, identifying herself by her first name instead of her husband’s.  

Ida B. Smith photo, undated, courtesy State Capital Museum c