Location: 222 4th Ave W
National Downtown Historic District
Parrott and Harter, Wright Building, 1914, photo by Robert Esterly, courtesy of Washington State Historical Society |
Wright building today (2012), photo by Deb Ross |
The Wright Building at the corner of Water Street and Fourth Avenue was constructed in 1908 and was one of the first concrete buildings in Olympia, possibly the first, to be constructed for commercial purposes. It originally housed several commercial operations on the first floor and was a hotel on the second floor. The photograph at above left, part of the series taken by photographer Robert Esterly in 1914, shows the Parrott and Harter Engineering Company (still in existence in a nearby location) and the Farmer’s Cooperative Creamery. Because of its early adoption of concrete for commercial use, the Department of Archaeology and Historic Preservation has recommended it be eligible for inclusion in the National Register of Historic Places. It is included as a contributing building in the National Downtown Historic District.
Additional resources:
National Downtown Historic District
Washington State Historical Society photographs (enter the following catalog numbers in Collections Search box), 2010.149.16.1; 2010.149.34.1 (grocery store on ground floor with adjacent entrance to Tacoma Hotel)
Copyright © 2022 Deborah Ross