Location: 7th Avenue and Adams St
Farquhar Store, Jeffers Photograph of earlier drawing of unknown date, Susan Parish Photograph Collection, 1889-1990, Washington State Archives |
Farquhar site today (2014), photo by Deb Ross |
Alexander Farquhar immigrated from Scotland and settled in Olympia in 1858. He worked for several years for Charles Williams at the Olympia Hardware Store, then went into business for himself at a location near here. Historian Bernice Sapp states that an earlier building just east of here, on the Swantown Slough, collapsed during a storm and that the building shown at above left was built on slightly higher ground.
After Farquhar’s death, this building served several functions. It was a stopgap location for the legislature after the original Territorial Capitol Building became unfit for occupation, and before the legislature was able to move into the Old State Capitol Building (now the Superintendent of Public Instruction building) in 1903. After that, it was known for some time as The Lobby, a sort of informal annex to the legislature, and also served as an armory and social hall.
As seen in the photo at above right, a historic plaque marks the location.
Additional resources:
Washington State Historical Society, Enter the catalog number in the Collections Search Box: C1951.284.3 (the Benjamin Price family in their automobiles in front of The Lobby)
For more information on the Farquhar family, see the Residents section of this website
Copyright © 2022 Deborah Ross