Location: 1100 Plum St SE
Transportation; mid-Century modern
Dick Lewis Pontiac Cadillac, 1964, Tacoma Public Library Photograph collection |
Hulbert Auto Park in 2015, photo by Deb Ross |
The Dick Lewis Pontiac Cadillac building was a bold departure from the largely utilitarian automobile dealerships that dotted the transportation corridors of Olympia and its surrounding landscape. Built in 1964, immediately after the opening of the I-5 Interchange at Plum Street, the A-frame spoke of modernity and aesthetic appeal, including a landscaped water feature that took advantage of the crossing of Moxlie Creek in the dealership’s front lot. In adapting the latest in architectural design to the practical limitations of an automobile business, the business took a page from another automobile dealership from a previous generation, the ornate 1923 Olympia Motors Building that was located along the original Route 99, now 4th Avenue. The architects were the city’s preeminent mid-Century firm of Bennett and Johnson, with landscape design by Dave DeMoulin. The building was demolished in 2016.
Additional resources:
Department of Archaeology and Historic Preservation inventory sheets
City of Olympia mid-Century modern Context Statement
Department of Archaeology and Historic Preservation, mid-Century modern walking tour
Copyright © 2022 Deborah Ross