History Of Olympia, Washington
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Olympia, Washington Olympia is the capital city of the U.S. state of Washington. It had a population of 55,605 at the 2020 census, making it the state of Washington's 23rd-most populous city. Olympia is the county seat of Thurston County, and the central city ...
includes long-term habitation by Native Americans, charting by a famous English explorer, settlement of the town in the 1840s, the controversial siting of a state college in the 1960s and the ongoing development of arts and culture from a variety of influences.


Pre-European history

Olympia is situated at the extreme southern tip of
Puget Sound Puget Sound ( ; ) is a complex estuary, estuarine system of interconnected Marine habitat, marine waterways and basins located on the northwest coast of the U.S. state of Washington (state), Washington. As a part of the Salish Sea, the sound ...
on
Budd Inlet Budd Inlet is an inlet located at the southern end of Puget Sound in Thurston County, Washington. It is the southernmost arm of Puget Sound. Etymology Budd Inlet was named by Charles Wilkes during the United States Exploring Expedition, to hono ...
. The site of Olympia was home to
Lushootseed Lushootseed ( ), historically known as Puget Salish, Puget Sound Salish, or Skagit-Nisqually, is a Central Coast Salish language of the Salishan language family. Lushootseed is the general name for the dialect continuum composed of two main di ...
-speaking peoples for thousands of years. The abundant
shellfish Shellfish, in colloquial and fisheries usage, are exoskeleton-bearing Aquatic animal, aquatic invertebrates used as Human food, food, including various species of Mollusca, molluscs, crustaceans, and echinoderms. Although most kinds of shellfish ...
in the tideflats and the many salmon-spawning streams entering Puget Sound at this point made it a productive food-gathering area. Many tribes shared access to these resources, including
Squaxin The Squaxin Island Tribe is a federally recognized tribe located in Mason County, Washington. They are descended from several Southern Coast Salish peoples, including the Squaxin, Sahewamish, T'Peeksin, Squiaitl, Stechass, and Nusechatl. Historica ...
,
Nisqually Nisqually, Niskwalli, or Nisqualli may refer to: People * Nisqually people, a Coast Salish ethnic group * Nisqually Indian Tribe of the Nisqually Reservation, federally recognized tribe ** Nisqually Indian Reservation, the tribe's reservation in ...
,
Puyallup Puyallup may refer to: * Puyallup people, a Coast Salish people * Puyallup Tribe of Indians, a federally-recognized tribe * Puyallup, Washington, a city ** Puyallup High School ** Puyallup School District ** Puyallup station, a Sounder commuter ...
, Chehalis,
Suquamish The Suquamish () are a Lushootseed-speaking Native American people, located in present-day Washington in the United States. They are a southern Coast Salish people. Today, most Suquamish people are enrolled in the federally recognized Su ...
, and
Duwamish Duwamish may refer to: People * Duwamish people, a Lushootseed-speaking Indigenous people in Washington state * Duwamish Tribe, an unrecognized tribe of Duwamish descendants Places * Duwamish Head, a promontory jutting into Elliott Bay * Duw ...
. According to early settlers' accounts, Nisqually natives called the present site of Olympia ''Cheet-Woot'' ( ''Schictwoot''), meaning "the place of the bear", named for a Budd Inlet peninsula which at high tide would resemble the silhouette of a bear.


European contact

The first recorded visit by Europeans was in 1792 when
Peter Puget Peter Puget (1765 – 31 October 1822) was an officer in the Royal Navy, best known for his exploration of Puget Sound, which is named for him. Midshipman Puget Puget's ancestors had fled France for Britain during Louis XIV's persecution of the ...
and a crew from the
British British may refer to: Peoples, culture, and language * British people, nationals or natives of the United Kingdom, British Overseas Territories and Crown Dependencies. * British national identity, the characteristics of British people and culture ...
Vancouver Expedition The Vancouver Expedition (1791–1795) was a four-and-a-half-year voyage of exploration and diplomacy, commanded by Captain George Vancouver of the Royal Navy. The British expedition circumnavigated the globe and made contact with five continen ...
charted the site. In 1833, the
Hudson's Bay Company The Hudson's Bay Company (HBC), originally the Governor and Company of Adventurers of England Trading Into Hudson’s Bay, is a Canadian holding company of department stores, and the oldest corporation in North America. It was the owner of the ...
established
Fort Nisqually Fort Nisqually was an important fur trade, fur trading and farming post of the Hudson's Bay Company in the Puget Sound area, part of the Hudson's Bay Company's Columbia Department. It was located in what is now DuPont, Washington. Today it is a ...
, a trading post at
Sequalitchew Creek Sequalitchew Creek, located in DuPont, Washington emanates from Sequalitchew Lake, Fort Lewis (Washington), Fort Lewis, Washington, was the location of the original Fort Nisqually trading post established in 1833 by the Hudson's Bay Company. The ...
near present-day
DuPont, Washington DuPont is a city in Pierce County, Washington, Pierce County, Washington (state), Washington, United States. The population was 10,151 at the 2020 United States census, 2020 census. Originally a company town, the city is named after the DuPont ch ...
. As the fur trade declined, the HBC diversified, forming a subsidiary called
Pugets Sound Agricultural Company The Puget Sound Agricultural Company (PSAC), with common variations of the name including Puget Sound or Puget's Sound, was a subsidiary joint stock company formed in 1840 by the Hudson's Bay Company (HBC). Its stations operated within the Pacific N ...
and converted former trade posts including Fort Nisqually into working farms. The
U.S. Exploring Expedition The United States Exploring Expedition of 1838–1842 was an exploring and surveying expedition of the Pacific Ocean and surrounding lands conducted by the United States. The original appointed commanding officer was Commodore (USN)#History, Comm ...
under Lt.
Charles Wilkes Charles Wilkes (April 3, 1798 – February 8, 1877) was an American naval officer, ship's captain, and List of explorers, explorer. He led the United States Exploring Expedition (1838–1842). During the American Civil War between 1861 and 1865 ...
explored the Puget Sound region in 1841. They camped near Fort Nisqually while they charted the area and named
Budd Inlet Budd Inlet is an inlet located at the southern end of Puget Sound in Thurston County, Washington. It is the southernmost arm of Puget Sound. Etymology Budd Inlet was named by Charles Wilkes during the United States Exploring Expedition, to hono ...
after expedition member Thomas A. Budd.


Settlement (pre-1850)

The first known European to reside at the future site of Olympia was Thomas K Otchin, an English Hudson Bay Company employee who took up a claim in 1841 but abandoned it by 1842. American settlers came to the area in the 1840s, drawn by the water-power potential of
Tumwater Falls The Tumwater Falls are a series of cascades on the Deschutes River in Tumwater, Washington, United States. They are located near where the river empties into Budd Inlet, a southerly arm of Puget Sound in Olympia. Geology The Deschutes River ...
and established nearby "New Market," now known as
Tumwater Tumwater is a city in Thurston County, Washington, United States. The population was 25,350 at the 2020 census. The city is situated near where the Deschutes River enters Budd Inlet, the southernmost point of Puget Sound; it also borders the sta ...
, the first American settlement on
Puget Sound Puget Sound ( ; ) is a complex estuary, estuarine system of interconnected Marine habitat, marine waterways and basins located on the northwest coast of the U.S. state of Washington (state), Washington. As a part of the Salish Sea, the sound ...
. The site was the northern end of the "Cowlitz Portage," the overland trail between the
Cowlitz River The Cowlitz River is a river in the state of Washington in the United States, a tributary of the Columbia River. Its tributaries drain a large region including the slopes of Mount Rainier, Mount Adams, and Mount St. Helens. The Cowlitz has a ...
and
Puget Sound Puget Sound ( ; ) is a complex estuary, estuarine system of interconnected Marine habitat, marine waterways and basins located on the northwest coast of the U.S. state of Washington (state), Washington. As a part of the Salish Sea, the sound ...
. In a time when water travel was the easiest form of transportation, Olympia's location on the north end of the main route through the area made it a crossroads for regional trade. In 1846,
Edmund Sylvester Edmund Sylvester (March 2, 1821 – September 20, 1887) was an Oregon Territory and then Washington Territory emigrant settler. He was the founder of Olympia, Washington, in Thurston County, Washington. Early life Edmund (or Edmond) Sylvester w ...
and
Levi Lathrop Smith Levi ( ; ) was, according to the Book of Genesis, the third of the six sons of Jacob and Leah (Jacob's third son), and the founder of the Israelite Tribe of Levi (the Levites, including the Kohanim) and the great-grandfather of Aaron, Moses and ...
jointly claimed the land that now comprises downtown Olympia. Smith built his cabin and enclosed two acres for a garden and livestock near the current intersection of Capitol Way and Olympia Avenue. In 1848, Smith was elected to the Oregon Provisional Legislature. In the same year, while canoeing to Tumwater, he had a seizure and died by drowning. His untimely death in 1848 left his partner and friend, Sylvester the sole owner of the land on which he platted the future townsite. Early names for the settlement included "Smithfield" and "Smithter" in honor of Levi Smith. At the request of the Hudson's Bay Company, French
Catholic The Catholic Church (), also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the List of Christian denominations by number of members, largest Christian church, with 1.27 to 1.41 billion baptized Catholics Catholic Church by country, worldwid ...
missionaries established Mission St. Joseph of Newmarket and school in 1848 at Priest Point near the future townsite for the conversion of natives to Catholicism.


1850–1859

in 1850, Olympia was starting to grow: several homes were being built and a general store offered sugar, coffee, molasses, flour, fabrics, clothes, and various trinkets. In February 1851,
Congress A congress is a formal meeting of the representatives of different countries, constituent states, organizations, trade unions, political parties, or other groups. The term originated in Late Middle English to denote an encounter (meeting of ...
established the Customs District of Puget Sound and Olympia became the official customs port of entry, requiring all ships to call at Olympia first. In July of the same year, the first mail service was established by Antonio B. Rabbeson, which operated a weekly service by horseback and canoe. In 1852, Olympia became the county seat of the newly organized Thurston County which at the time was still part of
Oregon Territory The Territory of Oregon was an organized incorporated territory of the United States that existed from August 14, 1848, until February 14, 1859, when the southwestern portion of the territory was admitted to the United States, Union as the Oreg ...
. The first schoolhouse in Olympia was built in 1852, becoming the first public school north of what is now
Toledo, Washington Toledo is a city in Lewis County, Washington, United States. The population was 631 at the 2020 census. The community is home to an annual Cheese Days festival that celebrates the town's dairy history. Etymology The area underwent several na ...
, and predating Seattle's first school by almost 20 years. On September 11, 1852, the ''Columbian'' was published in Olympia, becoming the first newspaper published in the
Washington Territory The Washington Territory was an organized incorporated territory of the United States that existed from March 2, 1853, until November 11, 1889, when the territory was admitted to the Union as the State of Washington. It was created from the ...
, with the assistance of Thomas J. Dryer. In 1853, the town settled on the name Olympia, at the suggestion of local resident Isaac N. Ebey, due to its view of the Olympic Mountains to the northwest. In about 1853,
Ezra Meeker Ezra Morgan Meeker (December 29, 1830December 3, 1928) was an American pioneer who traveled the Oregon Trail by ox-drawn wagon as a young man, migrating from Iowa to the West Coast of the United States, Pacific Coast. Later in life he worked to ...
says that Olympia contained about 100 inhabitants; it had 3 stores, a hotel, a livery stable, a saloon, and a weekly newspaper called ''The Columbian'' (later renamed ''Pioneer and Democrat''), which was in its 30th publish. By the early 1850s, American settlers began agitating to separate the area north of the
Columbia River The Columbia River (Upper Chinook language, Upper Chinook: ' or '; Sahaptin language, Sahaptin: ''Nch’i-Wàna'' or ''Nchi wana''; Sinixt dialect'' '') is the largest river in the Pacific Northwest region of North America. The river headwater ...
from
Oregon Territory The Territory of Oregon was an organized incorporated territory of the United States that existed from August 14, 1848, until February 14, 1859, when the southwestern portion of the territory was admitted to the United States, Union as the Oreg ...
. The agitation resulted in Congress creating
Washington Territory The Washington Territory was an organized incorporated territory of the United States that existed from March 2, 1853, until November 11, 1889, when the territory was admitted to the Union as the State of Washington. It was created from the ...
. Isaac I. Stevens served as its first governor; on November 28, 1853, Stevens proclaimed Olympia as the capital of the new territory. The first
Washington Territorial Legislature The Washington State Legislature is the state legislature of the State of Washington. It is a bicameral body, composed of the lower Washington House of Representatives, composed of 98 representatives, and the upper Washington State Senate, wit ...
convened early on February 27, 1854 at the ''Parker-Coulter Dry Goods'' store ( the ''Gold Bar Restaurant'') on Main Street (now Capital Way) between State Street and Olympia Ave. As the capitol building was still under construction, the second and following sessions met in the Masonic Temple until 1856. Olympia's Daniel Bigelow represented Thurston County in the first three legislatures. His family home still stands, now known as Bigelow House Museum, Olympia's oldest surviving home. In 1855-1856, during the
Puget Sound War The Puget Sound War was an armed conflict that took place in the Puget Sound area of the state of Washington in 1855–56, between the United States military, local militias and members of the Native American tribes of the Nisqually, Muck ...
, Olympia residents took shelter at Sylvester Park, and constructed a high blockade along 4th Avenue (now Legion Way SE), bay-to-bay with a gate at Main Street. A cannon was mounted and nightly armed patrols took place in town. The November 9, 1855 edition of ''Pioneer and Democrat'' acknowledged having missed the previous week's issue on account of the hostilities, as staff were constructing fortifications or off fighting. Olympia was incorporated as a town on January 28, 1859. File:Survey Plat, Township 018-0N, Range 002-0W, Willamette Meridian (Olympia, Washington), September 9, 1853.jpg, Survey of Olympia and surrounding area, September 9, 1853 File:Survey Plat, Township 018-0N, Range 002-0W, Willamette Meridian (Olympia, Washington), February 11, 1854.jpg,
Cadastral survey Cadastral surveying is the sub-field of cadastre and surveying that specialises in the establishment and re-establishment of Real estate, real property boundaries. It involves the physical delineation of property boundaries and determination of dim ...
of Olympia region, February 11, 1854 File:Olympia, Washigton Territory, looking north to Budd Inlet, by James Madison Alden, 1857.jpg, Looking north to
Budd Inlet Budd Inlet is an inlet located at the southern end of Puget Sound in Thurston County, Washington. It is the southernmost arm of Puget Sound. Etymology Budd Inlet was named by Charles Wilkes during the United States Exploring Expedition, to hono ...
, sketch by James Madison Alden, 1857. The Masonic Temple and the Sylvester's Mansion are seen center-right.


1860-1889


First telegraph

On Sunday, September 4, 1864, telegraph lines from south of the
Columbia River The Columbia River (Upper Chinook language, Upper Chinook: ' or '; Sahaptin language, Sahaptin: ''Nch’i-Wàna'' or ''Nchi wana''; Sinixt dialect'' '') is the largest river in the Pacific Northwest region of North America. The river headwater ...
reached Olympia and Governor William Pickering sent a message to
Abraham Lincoln Abraham Lincoln (February 12, 1809 – April 15, 1865) was the 16th president of the United States, serving from 1861 until Assassination of Abraham Lincoln, his assassination in 1865. He led the United States through the American Civil War ...
:
''To His Excellency, Abraham Lincoln, President of the United States'' ''My Dear Sir'' ''Washington Territory this day sends her first Telegraphic Dispatch greeting yourself, Washington City, and the whole United States, with our sincere prayers to Almighty God, that his richest blessings, both spiritual and temporal may rest upon and perpetuate the union of our beloved country: that His omnipotent power may bless, protect, and defend the President of the United States, our brave army, our gallant navy, our congress & every Department of our National Government. For & on behalf of Washington Territory'' ''William Pickering'' ''Gov. Washington Territory''
The president responded the same day:
''Gov. Pickering, Olympia, W.T.'' ''Your patriotic dispatch of yesterday received, and will be published.'' ''A. Lincoln''


1872 earthquake

On December 14, 1872, at approximately 9:50 p.m., the Puget Sound region experienced the effects of the
1872 North Cascades earthquake The 1872 North Cascades earthquake occurred at in central Washington Territory (now Washington state). A maximum Mercalli intensity of VIII (''Severe'') was assessed for several locations, though less intense shaking was observed at many other ...
. Shaking continued throughout the night, causing some residents to flee to ships and steamers at the wharves.


Northern Pacific Railroad

The city grew steadily until 1873, when the
Northern Pacific Railroad The Northern Pacific Railway was an important American transcontinental railroad that operated across the northern tier of the Western United States, from Minnesota to the Pacific Northwest between 1864 and 1970. It was approved and chartered b ...
building a line toward Puget Sound unexpectedly bypassed Olympia, choosing
Tacoma Tacoma ( ) is the county seat of Pierce County, Washington, United States. A port city, it is situated along Washington's Puget Sound, southwest of Seattle, southwest of Bellevue, northeast of the state capital, Olympia, northwest of Mount ...
as its west coast terminus. Alarmed by the loss of the railroad, Olympia residents set to work building their own rail connection to the main line at Tenino. Citizens formed a private corporation to raise money and build a connection. One of the early contributors was black businesswoman, Rebecca G. Howard, whose contribution of 80 acres of land was used by the committee to encourage like contributions. The corporation used both volunteer labor and contract Chinese workers to complete a
narrow gauge A narrow-gauge railway (narrow-gauge railroad in the US) is a railway with a track gauge (distance between the rails) narrower than . Most narrow-gauge railways are between and . Since narrow-gauge railways are usually built with Minimum railw ...
line by 1878. The little railroad served as Olympia's only railroad connection until the Northern Pacific built a spur to Olympia in 1891.


Dock construction

In 1885, a
wharf A wharf ( or wharfs), quay ( , also ), staith, or staithe is a structure on the shore of a harbour or on the bank of a river or canal where ships may dock to load and unload cargo or passengers. Such a structure includes one or more Berth (mo ...
was constructed North from Main Street (now Capitol Way) and remained in use for 10 years until the
U.S. Army Corps of Engineers The United States Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) is the military engineering branch of the United States Army. A direct reporting unit (DRU), it has three primary mission areas: Engineer Regiment, military construction, and civil wor ...
dredged the harbor in 1895.


Statehood

Washington was admitted as the 42nd state of the United States on November 11, 1889; Olympia remained the state's capital city. A week later, the new state government was installed and an elaborate celebration of statehood took place on November 18. File:Swantown Bridge, Olympia, Washington, circa early 1860s.jpg, Swantown Bridge, early 1860s File:Olympia, ca. 1860 - DPLA - 43c7b4779e8e9014ca653b7ae40ba8f2.jpg, alt=Engraving of street scene, circa 1860, Engraving of street scene, File:Early history of Thurston County, Washington - together with biographies and reminiscences of those identified with pioneer days (1914) (14769524755).jpg, alt=4th Street, circa 1867, 4th Street, File:Olympia, Washington looking North to Budd Inlet, circa 1872.jpg, alt=Looking North to Budd Inlet, circa 1872, Looking North to Budd Inlet, File:Olympia Main Street 1887.jpg, alt=Main Street (now Capitol Way) looking South, circa 1887, Main Street (now Capitol Way) looking South, File:Inauguration of Governor Ferry in Washington State.jpg, Inauguration of Governor Ferry, at the present-day
Washington State Capitol The Washington State Capitol (or "''Legislative Building")'' in Olympia is the home of the government of the state of Washington. It contains the chambers of the Washington State Legislature, offices for the governor, lieutenant governor, s ...
, November 18, 1889


1890-1899

In 1890, the Olympia Light & Power Company (in part owned by
Hazard Stevens Hazard Stevens (June 9, 1842 – October 11, 1918) was an American military officer, mountaineer, politician and writer. He received the Medal of Honor for his service in the Union army during the American Civil War at the Battle of Fort Hu ...
) purchased the Gelbach flour mill for and built a dam to provide water to an
hydroelectric Hydroelectricity, or hydroelectric power, is Electricity generation, electricity generated from hydropower (water power). Hydropower supplies 15% of the world's electricity, almost 4,210 TWh in 2023, which is more than all other Renewable energ ...
power plant. This enabled an
electric streetcar A tram (also known as a streetcar or trolley in Canada and the United States) is an urban rail transit in which Rolling stock, vehicles, whether individual railcars or multiple-unit trains, run on tramway tracks on urban public streets; some ...
to run between downtown Olympia and Tumwater. By 1895, the company operated five miles of track, but had began its foreclosure. By 1892, real estate values were comparable to that of
San Francisco San Francisco, officially the City and County of San Francisco, is a commercial, Financial District, San Francisco, financial, and Culture of San Francisco, cultural center of Northern California. With a population of 827,526 residents as of ...
and many speculated Olympia would be the "New York of the West". However, the panic of 1898 caused a considerable economic correction. Many Eastern Washington residents took advantage of the lower prices and purchased lots at a discount. As the surrounding area grew, Olympia required reliable water transportation channels, which was challenging in the mud flats of Budd Inlet. In , the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers dredged a shipping channel which would support the
Puget Sound mosquito fleet The Puget Sound mosquito fleet was a multitude of private transportation companies running smaller passenger and freight boats on Puget Sound and nearby waterways and rivers. This large group of Steamboat, steamers and sternwheelers plied the wat ...
and continued industrial growth. File:Whitham and Page's map of Olympia and surroundings, 1890.jpg, Map of surrounding area, 1890. File:Olympia with Mt. Rainier in background, circa 1890.jpg, Looking Northeast to Mount Rainier, File:Bird's-eye view of Olympia, capital of the State of Washington, overlooking the head of Puget Sound, 1893 (WASTATE 2194).jpg, Bird's-eye view of Olympia, overlooking Budd Inlet, 1893. File:Olympia waterfront from Capitol Building, ca. 1895 - DPLA - ad39102ed8dfa2d728787821139bedaf (page 1).jpg, alt=Looking North from Capitol Building, circa 1895, Looking North from Capitol Building,


1900-1929

By 1905, Olympia had daily
steamboat A steamboat is a boat that is marine propulsion, propelled primarily by marine steam engine, steam power, typically driving propellers or Paddle steamer, paddlewheels. The term ''steamboat'' is used to refer to small steam-powered vessels worki ...
services to other cities on the Puget Sound and San Francisco, free mail delivery, water works, sewage system, several hotels, a fire department, an opera house, and several schools. Each month, of lumber and 15 million
shingles Shingles, also known as herpes zoster or zona, is a viral disease characterized by a painful skin rash with blisters in a localized area. Typically the rash occurs in a single, wide mark either on the left or right side of the body or face. T ...
were shipped from the port. The largest wooden pipe factory in the United States was also in operation, as were sash, glove and door factories, a fruit extract plant, and other industry. In 1909, the city underwent several road grading and sidewalk paving projects: 50 blocks of cement sidewalks downtown to replace worn wooden walkways; of cement and board sidewalks in residential areas; the completion of 4th Steet paving; and the construction of approximately a dozen blocks on tide-flats. Later that year, and through 1911, of Budd Inlet
mudflats Mudflats or mud flats, also known as tidal flats or, in Ireland, slob or slobs, are coastal wetlands that form in intertidal areas where sediments have been deposited by tides or rivers. A global analysis published in 2019 suggested that tidal ...
were
dredged Dredging is the excavation of material from a water environment. Possible reasons for dredging include improving existing water features; reshaping land and water features to alter drainage, navigability, and commercial use; constructing dams ...
, creating an additional 29 city blocks. In May 1911, Aviator Fred J. Wiseman landed his aircraft (the first one to carry mail) on the newly filled area. Construction of the current
Washington State Capitol The Washington State Capitol (or "''Legislative Building")'' in Olympia is the home of the government of the state of Washington. It contains the chambers of the Washington State Legislature, offices for the governor, lieutenant governor, s ...
began in 1912, with the prominent Legislative Building, one of the largest in the nation, completed in 1928. The building's dome is the fourth largest free-standing masonry dome in the world. While early on, extraction industries such as logging and oystering were the basis of much of the economy, by the 20th century,
sawmilling A sawmill (saw mill, saw-mill) or lumber mill is a facility where logs are cut into lumber. Modern sawmills use a motorized saw to cut logs lengthwise to make long pieces, and crosswise to length depending on standard or custom sizes (dimens ...
, fruit canning, and other industrial concerns comprised the city's economic base. Olympia also served as a shipping port for materials produced from the surrounding countryside, including sandstone, coal, and agricultural products. File:View of Historic District from NW Olympia, ca. 1900 - DPLA - 94e9e8dc606e3432ab49f8f5e0c0d9ce.jpg, alt=View from Northwest, circa 1900, View from Northwest, File:Gold Bar Restaurant in ruins, Olympia, WA, Thurston County, Apr. 30, 1902.jpg, Gold Bar Restaurant (location for 1st session of the
Washington State Legislature The Washington State Legislature is the state legislature of the State of Washington. It is a bicameral body, composed of the lower Washington House of Representatives, composed of 98 representatives, and the upper Washington State Senate, w ...
) in ruins, April 30, 1902 File:Sylvester Park, Olympia, Washington, circa 1895-1904.jpg, alt=Gathering at Sylvester Park, circa 1895-1904, Gathering at Sylvester Park, File:Fourth Street looking east from Main (Chambers Block), Olympia, Washington, circa 1905.jpg, 4th Ave. looking East from Main St. ( ''Chambers Block''), File:Power Plant of Olympia Light & Power Company, circa 1905.jpg, alt=Olympia Light & Power Company plant, circa 1905, Olympia Light & Power Company plant, File:View of Olympia, circa 1905.jpg, alt=Composite print showing scenes from Olympia, circa 1905, Composite print showing scenes from Olympia, File:Masonic Temple, Olympia, Washington, pre-1911.jpg, Masonic Temple and original State Capitol in distance at upper right, pre-1911


1930–1959

Scandinavian immigrants founded two
cooperative A cooperative (also known as co-operative, coöperative, co-op, or coop) is "an autonomy, autonomous association of persons united voluntarily to meet their common economic, social and cultural needs and aspirations through a jointly owned a ...
plywood mills after World War I. During World War I and World War II, there were also increased influxes of workers attracted by wartime industries including shipbuilding. The Wildwood Center - Olympia's first shopping center - was built in 1938 at Eskridge and Capitol Way. The building was designed by
Joseph Wohleb Joseph Henry Wohleb (1887–1958) was an American architect from Washington. Life and career He was born in Waterbury, Connecticut, and grew up in California. He is known for the design of classic motion picture theaters in the 1920s. He was also ...
in the
Streamline Moderne Streamline Moderne is an international style of Art Deco architecture and design that emerged in the 1930s. Inspired by Aerodynamics, aerodynamic design, it emphasized curving forms, long horizontal lines, and sometimes nautical elements. In indu ...
style. It featured a grocery store, pharmacy, and flower shop. The
Puget Sound Puget Sound ( ; ) is a complex estuary, estuarine system of interconnected Marine habitat, marine waterways and basins located on the northwest coast of the U.S. state of Washington (state), Washington. As a part of the Salish Sea, the sound ...
area is at great risk of different types of earthquakes. The 1949 earthquake damaged many historic downtown buildings beyond repair, and they were demolished. Others were retrofit with new facades to replace the damaged Nineteenth century wood and glass storefronts. Subsequently, much of Olympia's downtown reflects mid-twentieth-century architectural trends. Olympia also suffered significant damage from the 1965 Puget Sound and 2001 Nisqually earthquakes; it was the closest major city to the epicenter of the 2001 event. In May 1950, the residents celebrated the city's
Centennial A centennial, or centenary in British English, is a 100th anniversary or otherwise relates to a century. Notable events Notable centennial events at a national or world-level include: * Centennial Exhibition, 1876, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. ...
with a parade, dressing up in 1800s clothing as pioneers and building a small log cabin in Sylvester Park. In 1951, construction on the Fifth Avenue
dam A dam is a barrier that stops or restricts the flow of surface water or underground streams. Reservoirs created by dams not only suppress floods but also provide water for activities such as irrigation, human consumption, industrial use, aqua ...
was completed, severing
Deschutes River The Deschutes River ( ) in central Oregon is a major tributary of the Columbia River. The river provides much of the drainage on the eastern side of the Cascade Range in Oregon, gathering many of the tributaries that descend from the drier, easte ...
and the
Puget Sound Puget Sound ( ; ) is a complex estuary, estuarine system of interconnected Marine habitat, marine waterways and basins located on the northwest coast of the U.S. state of Washington (state), Washington. As a part of the Salish Sea, the sound ...
to create
Capitol Lake Capitol Lake is a 3 kilometer (1.9 mile) long, artificial lake at the mouth of Deschutes River in Tumwater/Olympia, Washington. The Olympia Brewery sits on Capitol Lake in Tumwater, just downstream from where the Tumwater Falls meet the artif ...
, a freshwater lake.


1960–present

Since the 1960s Olympia has lost much of its earlier waterfront industry, including lumber and plywood mills, shipbuilding, power pole manufacture and other concerns. While the shipping port and log staging area remains, Olympia's waterfront area has
gentrified Gentrification is the process whereby the character of a neighborhood changes through the influx of more affluent residents (the "gentry") and investment. There is no agreed-upon definition of gentrification. In public discourse, it has been us ...
since the 1980s. In 1967, the state legislature approved the creation of
The Evergreen State College The Evergreen State College is a public liberal arts college in Olympia, Washington. Founded in 1967, it offers a non-traditional undergraduate curriculum in which students have the option to design their own study towards a degree or follow a ...
near Olympia, mostly due to the efforts of progressive Republican Governor
Daniel J. Evans Daniel Jackson Evans (October 16, 1925 – September 20, 2024) was an American politician from the state of Washington. A member of the Republican Party, he served as a member of the Washington House of Representatives from 1957 to 1965, gov ...
. Evans later served as president of the college, leaving Evergreen in 1983 when he was appointed to the United States Senate to fill the vacancy caused by Senator Henry M. "Scoop" Jackson's death. Because of the college's presence, Olympia has become a hub for artists and musicians (many of whom have been influential in
punk Punk or punks may refer to: Genres, subculture, and related aspects * Punk rock, a music genre originating in the 1970s associated with various subgenres * Punk subculture, a subculture associated with punk rock, or aspects of the subculture s ...
,
post-punk Post-punk (originally called new musick) is a broad genre of music that emerged in late 1977 in the wake of punk rock. Post-punk musicians departed from punk's fundamental elements and raw simplicity, instead adopting a broader, more experiment ...
,
anti-folk Anti-folk (sometimes spelled antifolk) is a music genre that emerged in the 1980s in New York City, founded by the musician, author and comedian Lach, as a reaction to the commercialization of folk music. It is characterized by its DIY ethos, ...
,
lo-fi Lo-fi (also typeset as lofi or low-fi; short for low fidelity) is a music or production quality in which elements usually regarded as imperfections in the context of a recording or performance are present, sometimes as a deliberate stylistic ch ...
and other music trends (see Olympia music scene)). In 2003
Outside Magazine ''Outside'' is a magazine focused on the outdoors. The first issue of the ''Outside'' magazine was published in September 1977. It is published by Outside Inc., a company that also owns various other ventures. History ''Outside'' founders were J ...
named Olympia one of the best college towns in the nation for its vibrant downtown and access to outdoor activities. Olympia is a regional center for
social justice Social justice is justice in relation to the distribution of wealth, opportunities, and privileges within a society where individuals' rights are recognized and protected. In Western and Asian cultures, the concept of social justice has of ...
and
environmental Environment most often refers to: __NOTOC__ * Natural environment, referring respectively to all living and non-living things occurring naturally and the physical and biological factors along with their chemical interactions that affect an organism ...
activism Activism consists of efforts to promote, impede, direct or intervene in social, political, economic or environmental reform with the desire to make Social change, changes in society toward a perceived common good. Forms of activism range from ...
. Olympia was the hometown of activist
Rachel Corrie Rachel Aliene Corrie (April 10, 1979 – March 16, 2003) was an American nonviolence activist and diarist. She was a member of the pro-Palestinian International Solidarity Movement (ISM) and was active throughout the Israeli-occupied terr ...
. Olympia has been the site of direct-action opposition to the
Iraq War The Iraq War (), also referred to as the Second Gulf War, was a prolonged conflict in Iraq lasting from 2003 to 2011. It began with 2003 invasion of Iraq, the invasion by a Multi-National Force – Iraq, United States-led coalition, which ...
. The city has constructed several tiny home villages as temporary or permanent housing solutions, such as Quixote Village. Olympia hosts the state's largest annual
Earth Day Earth Day is an annual event on April 22 to demonstrate support for environmental protection. First held on April 22, 1970, it now includes a wide range of events coordinated globally through earthday.org (formerly Earth Day Network) includin ...
celebration,
Procession of the Species The Procession of the Species Celebration is an annual, community arts-based Earth Day celebration in Olympia, Washington. It is the largest annual Earth Day celebration in the Puget Sound area and Cascadia bioregion. The procession featur ...
, a community arts-based festival and parade. Also popular is the Olympia Farmers Market, the second largest in Washington State, as well as the locally based Olympia Food Co-op.


See also

* History of Washington *
Old Capitol Building (Olympia, Washington) The Old Capitol Building (originally known as the ''State Capitol Building'') is a historic building in downtown Olympia, Washington, Olympia, Washington. It was built in 1892 and has been listed on the National Register of Historic Places since ...
*
National Register of Historic Places listings in Thurston County, Washington __NOTOC__ This is a list of the National Register of Historic Places listings in Thurston County, Washington. This is intended to be a complete list of the properties and districts on the National Register of Historic Places in Thurston Count ...
* Sylvester Park *
Edmund Sylvester Edmund Sylvester (March 2, 1821 – September 20, 1887) was an Oregon Territory and then Washington Territory emigrant settler. He was the founder of Olympia, Washington, in Thurston County, Washington. Early life Edmund (or Edmond) Sylvester w ...
*
Olympia Brewing Company The Olympia Brewing Company was a brewery which operated at the Olympia Brewery in Tumwater, Washington. Founded in 1896 by Leopold Friederich Schmidt, it was bought by G. Heileman Brewing Company in 1983. Through a series of consolidations, it ...
* Captain Hale House


Footnotes


References


External links


The Olympia Historical Society & Bigelow House MuseumThe Olympia Genealogy SocietyState Capital Museum and Outreach Center
* {{DEFAULTSORT:History Of Olympia, Washington