Between 2014 and 2026, the Sunday Olympian published a weekly image, accompanied by a short caption, about a place, event, or person from our area’s history. The feature was curated by Deborah Ross on behalf of the Olympia Historical Society and Bigelow House museum.

This page is an interactive list of the Looking Back features that appeared over the years, with additional links to other pages on our website or elsewhere. Dates, when indicated, represent the date that the item first appeared in the Olympian. 

• Olympia’s First Airstrip in 1911
• Heritage Fountain in 1997
• Burmeister Saloon in 1860s
• “Committee Room X” at Legislature in 1964
• William Owen Bush about 1890
• Catherine Redpath in 1920s
• Native American children protest at Legislative Building in 1963
• Sam Williams home in about 1870
• Ed McClarty in Spanish-American War 1899
• Olympic Women’s Marathon Time Trials in 1984
• Reserve Fleet practice firefighting skills in 1964
• 5th Avenue “Demo” project ribbon cutting in 1981
• Washington Center under construction in 1983
• Oil Tanks at Port of Olympia
• Olympic Theater
• Evergreen Plaza – 8/30/26
• Mottman Mrcantile closing – 8/23/26
• CY Wong and the China Clipper – 8/16/26
• Mercury Comet at Kearns Motor – 8/9/26
• IBM with THINK desktop – 8/2/26
• Olympia Centennial Parade – 7/27/26
• 5th Avenue Dam Construction – 7/19/26
• 5th Avenue in the 1940s
• Little Hollywood – 7/12/26
• USO – 6/28/26
• 1949 Earthquake – 6/21/2026
• Olympia in 1873 by Emily O. Kimball – 1/25/26
• Odd Fellows Fire – 6/7/26
• Bookmobile at Carnegie Library – 5/31/26
• Downtown in the 1920s – 5/24/26
• Olympia Oyster Truck – 5/17/26
• Olympia Knitting Mills – 5/10/26
• Pekin Cafe – 5/3/26
• Chambers Block in 1914 – 4/26/26
• Waterfront – 2/19/26
• Carlton Hotel – 4/12/26
• Masonic Temple – 4/5/26
• Paving Fourth Avenue – 3/29/26
• Olympia Opera House – 3/22/26
• Main Street in the 1890s – 3/15/26
• Columbia Fire Company number 2 – 3/8/26
• Talcott’s – 3/1/26
• Land Office – 2/22/26
• Olympia Hotel – 2/15/26
• Sam Williams home – 2/8/26
• Main Street 1876 – 2/1/26
• Fourth Avenue in the 1860s – 1/18/26
• Sylvester Mansion – 1/11/26
• James Alden early image of Olympia – 1/4/26
• Territorial Legislative Building by Blankenship and Winstanley – 12/28/25
• Robert Blankenship and friend with bicycles – 12/21/25
• Squaxin Home – James Wickersham photo – 12/14/25
• James Wickersham – 12/7/25
• Clark Savidge by Frank Camp – 11/30/25
• Columbia Hall by Oscar Sternberg – 11/23/25
• Lurana Ware Percival by Joseph Buchtel – 11/16/26
• Si’ahl (Chief Seattle) by Edward Sammis – 11/9/25
• Samuel Holmes Daguerrotypist – 11/2/15
• William Yeager charcoal portrait
• Hal Wolfe and Rags Thornton – photo by Ron Allen
• Ron Allen – 10/5/25
• Capitol Way – J. Boyd Ellis
• Garden Party hosted by Viretta Chambers Denny
• John V. Yantis and Margaret Hume Yantis – 8/24/25
• Legislative Building construction – Joseph McKnight
• Northern Pacific depot – Michael O’Connor photo – 8/10/25
• Michael O’Connor – 8/2/25
• Dress rehearsal – by William Duckering – 7/27/25
• Grand Parade of Progress – Best Photography Studio – 7/13/25
• 4th Avenue by Huntington Brothers – 7/20/25
• James Offut by L. Wilson Clark – 7/6/25
• James Alden painting of early Olympia
• Belle Bush Gaston by Agnes Mitchel – 6/22/25
• Legislative Building repair – William Conser – 6/8/25
• William Conser – 6/1/25
• State Patrol by Merle Junk – 5/25/25
• Merle Junk – 5/18/25
• Eliza Olney – 5/11/25
• Charles M. Moore – 5/4/25
• Ida B. Smith Studio – 4/27/25
• Bus Station by Vibert Jeffers – 4/20/25
• Ida B. Smith self portrait – 4/14/25
• Vibert Jeffers – 4/6/25
• Jeffers Building – 3/30/25
• Joe Jeffers studio – 3/23/25
• Little Rock logging by Clark Kinsey – 3/16/2025
• Edna Rogers – 3-9-25
• A.D. Rogers – 3/2/25
• Grand Parade of Progress – 2/23/25
• Robert Chamberlain – 2/16/25
• Percival Wharf by Robert Esterly
• Robert Esterly on a bear hunt – 2/2/25
• Painting by James Tilton Pickett – 1/26/25
• James Tilton Pickett – 1/19/25
• Josie Clark Woodard – 1/12/25
• A.B. Woodard – 1/5/25
• Ann Elizabeth White Bigelow – 12/29/24
• Augusta Sherwood – 12/22/24
• Ernest Cheeka – 12/15/24
• William Owen Bush – 12/8/24
• Cora Pinson – 12/1/24
• Barb O’Neill: 11/24/24
• The Bean family – 11/17/24
• Marlon Brando and Fish Wars – 11/10/24
• Chinatown – 11/3/24
• Thomas Park – 10/27/24
• William Frank, Sr – 10/20/24
• Margaret Whyte – 10/13/24
• Ed Westman – 9/29/24
• Olympia Junk – 9/22/24
• Slocum and Yowaluch – 9/15/24
• Kay’s Chop Suey – 9/8/24
• Pacific House – 9/1/24
• Ralph Munro at Camp Pendleton – 8/25/24
• Edward Salomon – 8/18/24
• Joyce Simmons Cheeka – 8/11/24
• James family – 8/4/24
• Catherine McLeod Mounts
• Festus Campbell – 7/21/24
• Del McBride – 7/14/24
• Henry Harris – 7/7/24
• Locke family – 6/16/24
• Jocelyn Dohm – 6/1/24
• William Bettman – 5/26/24
• Quiemuth – 5/19/24
• Nettie Chiang – 5/12/24
• Jish Jish – 4/28/24
• Trena Selvidge Belsito Worthington – 3/31/24
• Oyster Harvesters – 3/24/24
• Pekin Cafe – 3/17/2024
• Kanaka Jack and Katie – 3/3/24
• Leschi – 2/25/24
• Emma Page – 2/18/24
• Abbie Howard Hunt Stuart – 2/11/24
• Earl Bean – 2/4/24
• Josephine Corliss Preston – 1/28/24
• Japanese workers at JJ Brenner – 1/21/24
• Sun Wo – 1/14/24
• Ira Ward – 12/30/23
• Pumping Station – 12/24/23
• Ed Henderson – 12/17/23
• Frederick Xenophon Jacob Miller – 12/10/23
• David Shelton – 12/3/23
• Thomas Huntamer – 11/26/23
• Charles Mason – 11/19/23
• Cain family – 11/12/23
• The Trosper Family – 11/5/23
• William McLane – 10/29/23
• Olympia Country and Golf Club – 10/22/23
• A.H. Chambers – 10/15/23
• Maybelle Tilley (Countess Stavra) – 10/8/23
• William Owen Bush – 10/1/23
• Michael T. Simmons
• Clarence Martin
• Lydia Hawk
• Ruth Yauger
• Franklin and Ann Farrington Kennedy
• Stephen Ruddell
• Isaac Dofflemyer
• Littlerock with Albert Rutledge
• A.B. Woodard
• Frank Howard
• Governor Isaac Stevens
• Samuel Woodruff
• Milroy family
• Lurana Ware Percival
• Margaret Hazard Stevens
• James Offutt
• Urban Hicks
• End of Oregon Trail monument dedication in 1913
• Colonel Speed Sapp
• Thomas Budd
• Margaret McKenny in 1962
• O.C. Lacey portrait from 1893
• Talcott Brothers in 1939
• Charlotte Emily Olney French
• Ann Elizabeth White Bigelow
• Charles Giles around 1925
• Anson Henry
• Langridge sisters in about 1890
• Iva Van Epps and Ruth Allison in late 1800s
• Nathaniel Crosby and Crosby Store, mid 1800s
• George Mottman
• P.H. Carlyon
• Samuel Coulter co-founder of BU-CO-DA
• Ike Ellis
• Women’s Marathon Trials in 1984
• Kinney family around 1890s
• Legion Way Trees in the 1920s
• Albertina Schneider
• Edmund Sylvester around 1870
• Hazard Stevens Elk Park at Tumwater Falls late 1800s
• Bernice Sapp the National American Woman Suffrage Convention in 1909.
• Tilley Livery Stable 1870s
• Haskin and Peele shoe shop in 1914
• Columbia Hotel in 1870s
• Motorcycle Officer Koepke in 1912
• Olympia Motorcycle Club in 1913
• Nancy Smith and Mandana Smith Bush
• Sons of Veterans in late 1800s
• Franklin and Ann Farrington Kennedy around 1900
• Old State Capitol Annex groundbreaking 1902
• Hop pickers in 1889
• Union Block in 1894
• Francis Henry
• Philemon Van Trump in 1911
• The Prices with their automobiles about 1907
• Olympia Knitting Mills in about 1915
• Queen Ruth with her court in 1902
• Olympia from the West Side late 1800s
• Central School late 1800s
• T.C. Van Epps Land Office in late 1800s
• Oyster Harvesting in 1920s
• Logging in transition late 1800s
• Bilger and Going hardware operators in 1891
• Jacob, Earl, and Mollie Bean around 1907
• Independence Day Canoe Race in 1905
• Thurston County Courthouse on 4th Avenue in about 1905
• Henry Sanford Bush in 1911
• Paving Downtown in 1908
• Mary Olney Brown about 1880
• Clark Savidge in about 1891
• Bettman Block late 1800s
• Morning Olympian in 1910
• Jeffers returning from hunt in 1908
• Kanaka Jack and Kiki in about 1900
• James Tilton Pickett in 1877
• Tumwater School 1896-1907
• Saloon keeper Charles Burmeister about 1880
• Peterfield Turpin around 1865
• Uniform Rank, Knights of Pythias around 1885
• Architect Elizabeth Ayer
• Toone James family around 1900
• Children of Joseph Conner in early 1900s
• Bordeaux Logging Company’s Donkey Engine about 1907
• Dog Show at the Armory in 1958
• Washington Standard in 1910
• Clara White Dunbar
• James Madison Alden view of Main Street in 1857
• Chambers Butcher Shop in the late 1800s
• Inaugural Ball at the Armory 1941
• Sylvester Mansion in mid 1800s
• Hazard Stevens
• Mary Ann Bigelow Mother of the Year in 1964
• Governor Dixy Lee Ray in 1980
• Mayor Amanda Benek Smith
• Belle Reeves in about 1930
• Thurston County Courthouse (Old State Capitol) 1920s
• Marshville Bridge in mid 1800s
• Farmer’s Market
• Artist Robert Chamberlain self-portrait
• Margaret McKenny in 1962
• Josephine Corliss Preston
• Olympia Opera House in about 1890
• Capitol Center building in the late 1960s
• Mother Joseph
• Isaac Ellis
• George Bush in 1845
• Joyce Simmons Cheeka
• 5th Avenue dam construction in 1949
• Hotel Olympian in 1930s
• S.S. Beaver in 1880s
• Bicycles old and new in 1911
• Bertha Eugley
• Anna Conner Hartsuck
• Clara Pottle Sylvester
• Barbara O’Neill
• Memorial Clinic in 1950
• Security Building in about 1926
• Trolleys at 4th and Capitol
• First Congregational Church in 1878
• Washington Center for the Performing Arts in 2014
• Governor Hotel celebrating Pride Week in 2014
• Lower Main Street (Capitol Way North) in 1902
• Miller’s Department Store in 1949
• Washington Veneer
• Sylvester Park with 7th Avenue “lid”, late 1800s
• Washington Standard around 1870
• Chief Leschi portrait
• Procession of the Species in 2003
• KGY building around 1960
• Olympia Centennial Parade in 1950
• Little Hollywood in the 1930s
• Sylvester Park in 1895
• Columbia Hall in 1902
• Konrad Schneider in late 1800s
• Explorer Charles Wilkes 1838-1842
• Admittance Day celebration parade in 1939
• Georgia Pacific plywood tester in 1955
• Ron Dodge in 1955
• Ken Balsley in 1971
• Land Office around 1880
• Vote for Olympia poster in 1889
• Oxen team at Bordeaux around 1880s
• Diamond Jubilee Cake in 1964
• Olympia High School football team of 1909
• Hay children at Governor’s Mansion about 2011
• Donald Anthony White demonstration against death penalty 1964
• Franklin Roosevelt in Olympia in 1937
• Velodrome about 1900
• Olympia Cafe in 1914
• Olympia Brewing Company poster early 1900s
• Sky River II in 1969
• McClarty Trio in 1930s or 1940s
• Mary O’Neil and her former students in 1910
• George Adams in 1930s
• Fourth Avenue Bridge in about 1921
• Albert Rutledge at the “little rock” in 1963
• Elmer Plumb in 1933
• Capitol Lake swimming area in 1964
• 1908 Suffrage Float
• Wooden Pipes in the late 1800s or early 1900s
• Fourth Avenue in 1860s
• Civil War veterans in 1934
• Ernest Cheeka hereditary Makah chief in 1964
• The Importance of Being Earnest in 1966
• Whirl O’ The Town in 1908
• Minstrels in drag around 1910
• Chimes of Normandy in 1888
• Frank Sparks at Mann’s Seeds in 1965
• Abbie Howard Hunt Stuart in 1900
• Lurana Percival in 1870
• Marlon Brando is arrested in 1964 Fish Wars
• CC and Asenath Ann Kennedy Simmons in about 1864
• Makah protestors at Legislative Building in 1964
• Road Runners hot rod club in 1952
• Olympia High School Band in about 1915
• Port of Olympia in the 1940s
• Sherwood Press in 1964
• Ted Burntrager with old fashioned “pennyfarthing” in 1950
• Jeannette Whitcher pays it forward in 1964
• Rotunda castle in 1963
• Washington Junior High Glee Club in 1963
• Frost daughters in 1885
• Union Pacific Depot in 1920s
• Minnie Mossman Hill first female steamship captain
• New Voting Machine in 1964
• Margaret McKenny autographs books for youngsters in 1962
• John Grace piano tuner in 1964
• Loyal Women of First Christian Church at Emma Page fountain about 1905
• CY Wong at the China Clipper in 1963
• Washington State Teachers’ Association in 1889
• Lincoln Crossing Guards in 1963
• Pet Parade – Jeff Hettler as a Beatle in 1964
• Waiting for Taft in 1909
• Null Set Coffee House in 1964
• Mary Olney Brown about 1883
• Petroglyph at Tumwater 1963
• Henry Harris about 1880
• July 4, 1889 at Port of Olympia
• The Spotlighters with Father Eugene Kellenbenz at St. Martin’s
• Emiline Himes in about 1880
• Crosby store about 1860-1870
• Anna Blom bookseller in 1964
• Capt. Duncan Finch about 1875
• Jury Selection in 1963
• Katherine Musgrove milliner in 1914
• New Data Storage machine at Voc Tech 1963
• Mosquito Fleet Messenger in 1880s
• Chambers Cherry Tree in about 1912
• Capital City Forging Moves in 1963
• 1949 Earthquake – Kincy Store
• Arbor Day at the State Capital Museum in 1963
• Daffodil Princesses in 1964
• Artesian Fountain at 4th and Washington
• Rossell Galbraith O’Brien around 1890
• Harry McElroy about 1885
• Central School with Jesse Mars 1883
• Seamart in 1970s
• ZIP code introduced in 1963
• Dedication of End of Oregon Trail Monument in 1913
• Grand Mound Oregon Trail dedication in 1916
• Fallout Shelter practice in 1963
• Legislative Page uniforms through the ages
• Benjamin Hartsuck late 1880s
• Andy Crow repairs organ in 1963
• SS Nisqually early 20th Century
• Proffitt’s store in 1970
• Frederick J.X. Miller
• View from the Westside in 1911
• Jack Gimblet’s boxer “Jerry”
• Sam McClellan Fire Chief
• Roe sisters in 1963
• James Spirlock in around 1870
• Sun Wo in 1890s
• Kenney family at Woodland Hotel
• Welcoming Pole at State Capital Museum – 9/9/18
• Port of Olympia in 1910
• St. Peter Hospital introduces television in rooms in 1963
• Territorial Assembly Plaque dedication in 1913
• 5th Avenue Dam Construction in 1949
• August 1909 special session
• Lower Capitol Way in 1910
• Earl Bean in 1963
• View from Old State Capitol in about 1900
• Natalie Riggin Pillsbury Bakeoff winner in 1956
• Trena Belsito Worthington with the Rosellinis in the 1950s
• Fish at City Hall in 1966
• Tumwater Long Bridge about 1880
• Knights of Pythias Parade in 1894
• 1965 Earthquake
• Olympia Voc Tech in 1963
• Millersylvania Civilian Conservation Corps in about 1935
• John Montgomery puzzle 1966
• Anna and Maggie in about 1870
• Peace Pilgrim in 1966
• St. Peter Hospital – Sherman St in 1952
• First St. Peter Hospital in 1895
• Star Laundry in 2014
• Dr. Lucie Cook in 1914
• Roger Easton pen pal audiotape in 1966
• Olympia Opera House in 1890
• Street vendor in 1914
• Ray Theater
• District heating stack dismantled in 1966
• City Hall in 1966
• Olympia Veneer in 1946
• “Cheery” Street in December 1962
• Pool Hall and Taylor Music in 2014
• Montgomery Ward Building in 1938
• Abandoned Territorial Capitol in snow in 1911
• Methodist Church in 1890s
• Fourth Avenue in 1906
• Columbus Day Storm October 1962
• McElroy House
• B’nai Brith meeting in 1934
• Thelma Freitag in about 1925
• Olympia musicians in 1880s
• Civil Defense exercise in 1962
• M.M. Morris store in 1950
• Columbia Hall in 1902
• Knox Apartments in 1945
• Brown Farm at Nisqually 1913
• Greetings from the Westside by Edward Lange
• Olympia Hotel about 1890
• Legislative Building TP’ed in 1966
• Dick Nichols at KGY in 1964
• Anti-Saloon League Boat Club
• McAllister sisters moving in 1966
• Liberty Theater in 1941
• Ernie Taylor Music Store
• Teddy Roosevelt visits Sylvester Park in 1903
• J.E. Kelley Hardware Store in 1914
• Street “typo” 1962
• Linda in miniskirt in 1962
• Pacific House in 1902
• Rockway Leland Building in about 1941
• Gift of Capitol Lake in 1962
• Memorial Clinic in 1950
• Frank Guslander mill on Black Lake
• Bear cub eludes capture 1962
• St. Michael School groundbreaking in 1950
• Olympia streetcar in 1920s
• Masonic Temple in 1902
• Columbia Hall Police in 1905
• Old Territorial Capitol in 1911
• Spar Ticker in 1962
• Percival Children in about 1865
• Olympia High School domestic science class at Alaska-Yukon-Pacific Exposition in 1909
• Archives Building under construction in 1962
• Olympia Knitting Mills swimsuit around 1935
• Palm Grove miniature golf in 1931
• Woodbury Doane
• Talcott Brothers
• Olympia Air Transport in 1941
• Dick Gregory trial in 1966
• Thanksgiving Football in 1929
• Civil Defense in 1961
• State Capital Museum (Lord Mansion) in 1953
• Tumwater tracks around 1910
• Samuel Woodruff
• Tilley Stable
• Olympus Dairy in1951
• Lacey South Sound Center opening in 1966
• Parade for “the Canal” in 1933
• Olympia Vocational Technical Institute in 1962
• “Three Little Maids” in 1890s
• JJ Brenner Barge about 1935
• The Newfangled Twist in 1962
• Unfortunate humpback whale in 1930
• Olympia Canning
• ME George Grocery in 1930
• Reed Building in 1930
• Security Building around 1926
• Capitol Chevrolet in 1941
• Sears Opening in Lacey in 1966
• Tenino Fourth of July in about 1913
• Last Day of Nisqually School in 1962
• North Coast bus station in 1937
• Pacific Tel building
• Plywood factory 1940s
• Fishing arrests in 1962
• Olympia Brewing Company bottle-cap workers
• Odd Fellows building in about 1889
• Little Hollywood Float House in 1940s
• Centennial Parade in 1950
• Livingston baby #12 in 1962
• Kneeland Hotel demolition and outdoor barbershop in 1949
• Percival Mansion terrace
• Olympia Transit
• William Frank, Sr.
• Sylvester Park in early 1950s
• Union Pacific Train Wreck
• Hunger March
• USO Club
• Bordeaux
• Fifth Avenue Dam and Bridge Construction
• Amanda Benek Smith
• Lewis and Clark Trading Post
• American Legion Band at Winged Victory
• Banned Book display in 1962
• St. Peter Hospital on Sherman Street