The local history of Olympia, Washington includes long-term habitation by Native Americans, chartering by a famous British 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. Local history is the study of the history of a relatively small geographic area; typically a specific settlement, parish or county. ... Coordinates: , County Thurston County Incorporated January 28, 1859 Government  - Mayor Mark Foutch Area  - City 48. ... Native Americans in the United States are the indigenous peoples from the regions of North America now encompassed by the continental United States, including parts of Alaska. ...

Pre-European history

Old Capitol building and Sylvester Park

Olympia is situated at the extreme southern tip of Puget Sound on Budd Inlet. The site of Olympia was home to Lushootseed-speaking peoples for thousands of years. The abundant 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, Nisqually, Puyallup, Chehalis, Suquamish, and Duwamish. According to early settlers' accounts, natives called the present site of Olympia "Schict Woot", meaning "place of the bear." Image File history File links Olympia_old_cap_aug_05. ... Image File history File links Olympia_old_cap_aug_05. ... Puget Sound For the liberal arts university located in this region, see University of Puget Sound. ... Budd Inlet from Olympia, WA Budd Inlet is a southern arm of Puget Sound. ... Lushootseed (also xwəlšucid, dxwləšúcid, Puget Salish, Puget Sound Salish, Skagit-Nisqually) is the language or dialect continuum of several Salish Native American groups of modern-day Washington state. ... Binomial name Ostreola conchaphila The Olympia oyster (Ostreola conchaphila) is the native oyster of the Pacific coast of North America from Alaska to Mexico. ... Puget Sound For the liberal arts university located in this region, see University of Puget Sound. ... Squaxin Island Tribe (also Squaxin, Squaxon) is a Native American tribe in western Washington state in the United States. ... Nisqually is a Native American tribe in western Washington state in the United States. ... The Puyallup are a Native American tribe from western Washington state, U.S.A. They settled onto reservation lands in what is today Tacoma, Washington, in late 1854, after signing the Treaty of Medicine Creek. ... Chehalis (tribe) is a group of Native American peoples from western Washington state in the United States. ... Suquamish woman photographed by Edward S. Curtis in 1913. ... Duwamish (the People of the Inside) is a Native American tribe in western Washington. ...

European contact

The first recorded visit by Europeans was in 1792 when Peter Puget and a crew from the British Vancouver Expedition charted the site. In 1833, the Hudson's Bay Company subsidiary called Pugets Sound Agricultural Company established Fort Nisqually, a trading post at nearby Sequalitchew Creek in what is now Dupont. The U.S. Exploring Expedition under Lt. Charles Wilkes came to the future site of Olympia in 1841 and named the bay Budd Inlet after expedition member Thomas A. Budd. Peter Puget was an officer in the British Royal Navy. ... A life sized statue covered in gold of George Vancouver on top of the British Columbia Parliament Buildings Captain George Vancouver RN (June 22, 1757 – May 12, 1798) was an officer of the Royal Navy, best known for his exploration of North America, including the Pacific coast along the Canadian... The Hudsons Bay Company (HBC; Compagnie de la Baie dHudson in French) is the oldest commercial corporation in North America and is one of the oldest in the world. ... (commonly referred to as: Puget, Pugets, or Pugets Sound Agricultural Company) The Puget Sound Agricultural Company was a joint-stock company formed around 1840 as a subsidiary of the Hudsons Bay Company (HBC). ... Fort Nisqually is a living history museum located in Tacoma, Washington, USA, within the boundaries of Point Defiance Park. ... DuPont is a city located in Pierce County, Washington. ... The United States Exploring Expedition was an exploring and surveying expedition of the Pacific Ocean (the Southern Seas) conducted by the United States Navy from 1838-1842. ... Charles Wilkes Charles Wilkes (April 3, 1798 – February 8, 1877) was an American naval officer and explorer. ... Budd Inlet from Olympia, WA Budd Inlet is a southern arm of Puget Sound. ...

European settlement

At the request of the Hudson's Bay Company, French Catholic missionaries established Mission St. Joseph of Newmarket and school in the 1840s at Priest Point near the future townsite for the conversion of natives to Catholicism. The Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Seattle is an ecclessiastical territory or diocese of the Roman Catholic Church in the United States and is led by an archbishop which pastors the motherchurch in the City of Seattle. ... Chief Seattle or Sealth of the Suquamish and Duwamish Native American tribes, was born around 1786 on Blake Island in Washington state, and died June 7, 1866 on the Suquamish Reservation at Port Madison (now Bainbridge Island, Washington). ...

American settlement

Olympia and the namesake Olympic Mountains

American settlers also came to the area in the 1840s, drawn by the water-power potential of Tumwater Falls and established nearby "New Market," now known as Tumwater, the first American settlement on Puget Sound. The site was the northern end of the "Cowlitz Portage," the overland trail between the Cowlitz River and Puget Sound. In a time when water travel was the easiest form of transportation, Olympia's location on the main north-south route through the region made it a crossroads for regional trade. Image File history File links Olympia_dt_om_aug05. ... Image File history File links Olympia_dt_om_aug05. ... The Olympic Mountains The Olympic Mountains are a mountain range on the Olympic Peninsula of western Washington in the United States. ... Tumwater Falls of the Deschutes River, Tumwater, Washington. ... Tumwater Falls of the Deschutes River, Tumwater, Washington. ... Puget Sound For the liberal arts university located in this region, see University of Puget Sound. ... The Cowlitz River is a river in the state of Washington in the United States, a tributary of the Columbia River. ... Puget Sound For the liberal arts university located in this region, see University of Puget Sound. ...

Edmund Sylvester and Levi Smith jointly claimed the land that now comprises downtown Olympia. Smith's untimely death in 1848 left 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. 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. This article or section does not cite its references or sources. ... The Olympic Mountains The Olympic Mountains are a mountain range on the Olympic Peninsula of western Washington in the United States. ...

1850-1890

In 1851, the U.S. Congress established the Customs District of Puget Sound and Olympia became the home of the customs house. In 1854, the customs house moved to Port Townsend at the entrance to Puget Sound to better monitor shipping activity. In 1852, Olympia became the county seat of the newly organized Thurston County. Port Townsend is a city located in Jefferson County, Washington. ... Thurston County is a county located in the state of Washington. ...

By the early 1850s American settlers began agitating to separate the area north of the Columbia River from Oregon Territory. The agitation resulted in Congress creating Washington Territory. Isaac I. Stevens served as its first governor. Upon his arrival in 1853, Stevens declared Olympia capital of the territory. The Columbia River (French: fleuve Columbia) is a river in the Pacific Northwest region of North America. ... The Oregon Territory is the name applied both to the unorganized Oregon Country claimed by both the United States and Britain, as well as to the organized U.S. territory formed from it that existed between 1848 and 1859. ... Categories: Historical stubs | Washington history | U.S. historical regions and territories ... Isaac Ingalls Stevens (March 25, 1818 - September 1, 1862) was the first governor of Washington Territory, and served as a brigadier general in the Union Army during the Civil War until his death at the Battle of Chantilly. ...

State Capitol and waterfront, Olympia, Washington.

The city grew steadily until 1873, when the Northern Pacific Railroad bypassed Olympia, choosing Tacoma as its west coast terminus. Alarmed by the lack of a railroad, Olympia residents set to work building their own spur connector to the main line at Tenino. Citizens formed a private corporation and used both volunteer labor and contract Chinese laborers to complete a narrow gauge line in 1878. The little railroad served as Olympia's only rail connection until the Northern Pacific built a spur to Olympia in 1891. Download high resolution version (1056x701, 137 KB)State Capitol, Olympia, Washington, December 12, 2004. ... Download high resolution version (1056x701, 137 KB)State Capitol, Olympia, Washington, December 12, 2004. ... Northern Pacific Railway Categories: Stub | Defunct railroad companies of the United States | Idaho railroads | Minnesota railroads | Montana railroads | North Dakota railroads | Oregon railroads | Washington railroads | Wisconsin railroads ... Tacoma, with Mount Rainier in background You may be looking for Takoma or Tacoma class frigate. ... Tenino is a city located in Thurston County, Washington. ... Comparison of standard gauge (blue) and one common narrow gauge (red) width. ...

After Washington achieved statehood in 1889, Olympia continued as the state's capital city. Construction of the current Washington State Capitol 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. Legislative Building The Washington State Capitol in Olympia, Washington is the seat of government of the state of Washington. ...

Aside from its role as the seat of state government, Olympia was a fairly typical Pacific Northwest town. Early on, extraction industries such as logging and oystering were the basis of much of the economy. By the twentieth century, sawmilling, fruit canning, and other industrial concerns comprised its economic base. Olympia also served as a shipping center for materials produced from the surrounding countryside, including sandstone, coal, and agricultural products. The Pacific Northwest from space This page is about the region that includes parts of Canada and the United States. ... Binomial name Ostreola conchaphila The Olympia oyster (Ostreola conchaphila) is the native oyster of the Pacific coast of North America from Alaska to Mexico. ...

1890-1950

Olympia is often associated with the Olympia Brewing Company, which from 1896-2003 brewed Olympia Beer, even though the brewery was actually located in Tumwater. The Olympia Brewing Company began producing beer in 1896 at a site along the Deschutes River and continued until Prohibition. After Prohibition ended, a new brewery was erected just upstream from the original site. This brewery was eventually purchased by SABMiller and closed on July 1, 2003. The Olympia Brewing Company was a brewery in Tumwater, Washington which existed from 1896 until 2003. ... Year 1896 (MDCCCXCVI) was a leap year starting on Wednesday (link will display calendar). ... Year 2003 (MMIII) was a common year starting on Wednesday (link displays 2003 calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... Olympia is a brand of beer brewed since 1983 by Pabst Brewing Company. ... Tumwater Falls of the Deschutes River, Tumwater, Washington. ... The Olympia Brewing Company was a brewery in Tumwater, Washington which existed from 1896 until 2003. ... Year 1896 (MDCCCXCVI) was a leap year starting on Wednesday (link will display calendar). ... Tumwater Falls of the Deschutes River, Tumwater, Washington. ... The term Prohibition, also known as A Dry Law, refers to a law in a certain country by which the manufacture, transportation, import, export, and sale of alcoholic beverages is restricted or illegal. ... The term Prohibition, also known as A Dry Law, refers to a law in a certain country by which the manufacture, transportation, import, export, and sale of alcoholic beverages is restricted or illegal. ... SABMiller (South African Breweries - Miller) (LSE: SAB, JSE: SAB,Official site) is one of the world’s largest brewers, with brewing interests and distribution agreements in over 60 countries across six continents. ... is the 182nd day of the year (183rd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2003 (MMIII) was a common year starting on Wednesday (link displays 2003 calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ...

Scandinavian immigrants founded two cooperative plywood mills after World War I. During World War I and World War II, there were also increased influxes of labor attracted by wartime industries including shipbuilding.

Periodic earthquakes rock the Olympia area. The 1949 earthquake damaged many historic 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. In 1965 and 2001, Olympia suffered damage from significant temblors. It was the closest major city to the epicenter of the 2001 Nisqually earthquake. The Nisqually earthquake occurred on February 28, 2001, and was one of the largest recorded earthquakes in Washington state history. ...

1950-present

In 1967, the state legislature approved the creation of The Evergreen State College near Olympia, mostly due to the efforts of progressive Republican Governor Daniel J. Evans. 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. The Evergreen signature clock tower The Evergreen State College is an accredited public liberal arts college and is a member of the Council of Public Liberal Arts Colleges. ... Daniel Jackson Evans Daniel Jackson Evans (born November 11, 1925) served three terms as governor of the state of Washington from 1965 to 1977, and represented the state in the United States Senate from 1983 to 1989. ... Henry Martin Scoop Jackson (May 31, 1912 – September 1, 1983) was a U.S. Congressman and Senator for Washington State from 1941 until his death. ...

Because of the college's presence, Olympia has become a hub for artists and musicians (many of whom have been influential in punk, post-punk, anti-folk, lo-fi and other music trends (see Olympia music scene). Olympia was recently named one of the best college towns in the nation for its vibrant downtown and access to outdoor activities.^[1] Olympia is a regional center for social justice and environmental activism. Olympia was the hometown of human rights activist Rachel Corrie. Olympia's residents are also notable for their opposition to the Iraq War^[2]. Punk rock is an anti-establishment music movement beginning around 1976 (although precursors can be found several years earlier), exemplified and popularised by The Ramones, the Sex Pistols, The Clash and The Damned. ... Post punk generally refers to the particularly fertile and creative period following the initial punk rock explosion. During the first wave of punk, roughly spanning 1976-1983, bands such as The Sex Pistols, The Clash, The Ramones and The Damned began to challenge the current styles and conventions of rock... Anti-folk (or antifolk) is a genre of music related to punk rock and American folk music that originated in the mid-1980s in New York City. ... Lo-fi is a subgenre of indie rock which uses lo-fi recording practices. ... The city of Olympia, Washington (USA) has been a center of post-punk, anti-folk, and other youth-oriented musical genres since at least the late 1970s. ... This article or section does not adequately cite its references or sources. ... For the psychology topic, see Environmental psychology. ... Activism, in a general sense, can be described as intentional action to bring about social or political change. ... Human rights are rights which some hold to be inalienable and belonging to all humans. ... Rachel Corrie Rachel Corrie (April 10, 1979 – March 16, 2003) was an American member of the International Solidarity Movement (ISM) who traveled to the Gaza Strip during the Al-Aqsa Intifada. ... For other uses, see Iraq war (disambiguation). ...

Further Reading

• Billings, William (1886). Document of deputization to swear in citizens to quell an anti-Chinese riot in Olympia, Washington Territory. Available online through the Washington State Library's Classics in Washington History collection

See also

• History of Washington

Washingtons current flag. ...

References