Location: near 1605 Eastside Street
Pump Station, Olympia Waterworks, early 20th century watercolor by Edward Lange, City of Olympia |
Watershed Park with remnant of pumping facility today (2012), photo by Deb Ross |
According to the City of Olympia’s website, the vast majority of water in Olympia historically came from the Moxlie Creek Springs Basin, the current location of Watershed Park. Private wells were established here in the 19th century, and the city acquired the wells and pumping operation in 1917. When the wells were replaced in the 1950s, the city proposed to sell off the land and have it logged. Citizen opposition was so strong that an ordinance was eventually passed in 1955 that established Watershed Park here. It’s a hidden gem in the heart of east Olympia with walking trails, ancient trees, stumps, and vestiges of the old pumping facilities and wells, one of which can be seen in the photograph at above right.
Additional resources:
City of Olympia, Watershed Park
Washington State Historical Society photographs (enter the following catalog numbers in Collections Search box), C1949.18.51
Copyright © 2022 Deborah Ross