Looking Back’s theme for 2026 is Downtown by the Decades. The USO Club in Olympia opened in early 1942, during World War II. It had a lounge, library, showers, and cafeteria. The USO (United Service Organization) is a nonprofit, founded in 1941, that provides support to service troops and their families. This building was located on Fourth Avenue near Bethel Street. Photograph selected and captioned by Deborah Ross on behalf of the Olympia Historical Society and Bigelow House Museum. More information is available at olympiahistory.org.
Unidentified photographer, around 1942, Courtesy Susan Parish Collection, Washington State Archives