Throughout 2023 we’ll be exploring the origins of area place names. Watershed Park is named for the abundant water resources at the location in southeast Olympia. The natural springs here form the headwaters of Moxie Creek. For many years Olympia took most of its municipal water supply from here. This painting by artist Edward Lange shows its pumping station. Remnants still exist in the park. The watershed was permanently preserved as a park in 1955. Image selected and captioned by Deborah Ross on behalf of the Olympia Historical Society, olympiahistory.org.
Edward Lange painting, courtesy City of Olympia