When Washington achieved statehood in 1889, it was by no means a foregone conclusion that Olympia would remain the capital of the new state. A concerted campaign featuring posters like this one, and “bribes” in the form of local restaurateur Woodbury Doane’s famous pan-roasted oysters, helped Olympia retain its status over contenders Ellensburg and North Yakima.
Poster, 1889, courtesy Washington State Historical Society, catalog 2000.103.1
Text © Deborah Ross and The Olympian 2020