Location: 902 Tullis St NE
National, State, and Local registers, Women’s History
Hale House 1939, Thurston County Assessor Photo, Washington State Archives |
Hale House today (2010), photo by Deb Ross |
The Hale House on Tullis Street is a good example of a Queen Anne cottage. Diminutive in size, its exterior is full of embellishments such as decorative shingling, pressed glass lights, and multiple facades. As can be seen from the photo to the left, the current owners have restored many of the original features of the house that had been lost, and in some cases, duplicated features that may not have been original but are consistent with the character of the home. Although several larger Queen Anne homes survive in Olympia, this house is rare for its small size, which would have been common at the time it was built.
The home’s place on the national, state and local register, however, is also secured by virtue of the prominence of its original inhabitants. Captain Calvin Hale settled on this land, part of a 320 acre Donation Act claim, with his first wife Waitstill, in 1852. He was an important citizen of Olympia and Washington Territory, serving in many elected positions and, for a time, as Indian Agent. After Waitstill’s death, Calvin married Pamela Case, a widow who had moved to Olympia after the death of her first husband and rapidly rose to prominence as a teacher (see listing for Central School site); was the first woman elected as County Superintendent of Instruction; and was appointed as State Superintendent of Instruction. This house was built in 1882, and the couple only lived here for five years. Their earlier residences do not survive.
After Calvin’s death, Pamela became very active in business and at one time was the wealthiest person of either sex in Thurston County (see Hale Block, Olympia Hotel, and Jefferson Apartments, all partly or completely funded or built by her). Today, Pamela Case Hale is considered one of the most important figures in Olympia’s late nineteenth-century history.
The home is on the national, state and local registers.
For more information follow these links:
Washington State Historical Society photograph, enter the following in the Collections Search box: C1964.26.4.16.4
Article, Captain Calvin Hale and his home on Tullis Street, by Lois Fenske
Women’s History Walking Tour, Hale House
For more information on the Hales, including links to Wikipedia and other articles, see the Residents section of this website.
Copyright © 2022 Deborah Ross