"This we know: the earth does not belong to man, man belongs to the earth. All things are connected like the blood that unites us all. Man did not weave the web of life, he is merely a strand in it. Whatever he does to the web, he does to himself." - Chief Sealth
"Trees, trees, nothing but trees ... miles and miles of trees..." That's how the territory was described in early writings. Acres of lush green forests pressed against the crystal, pristine waters of Puget Sound. What a glorious sight it must have been when Captain Peter Puget sailed into Budd Inlet. The year was 1792.
The only inhabitants were Native Americans whose villages had occupied the site for many generations. They called it The Black Bear Place. The shore of Budd Inlet was the venue of choice for neighboring Tribal groups to celebrate festive occasions. Together, they would feast, chant and dance to the ceremonial drums; pay homage to their gods and rejoice in the awesome beauty of the land.
Early Settlers
So it remained until 1841 when the US Exploring Expedition, under Lt. Charles Wilkes, arrived and named the waterfront bay Budd Inlet after the expedition's Midshipman Thomas A. Budd. The first American settlers were Levi Lathrop Smith and Edmund Sylvester who claimed the townsite in 1846 and platted it in 1850, calling for a town square, tree-lined streets, land for schools, a Masonic Hall and capitol grounds. The nearby majestic Olympic mountains were the inspiration for the name Olympia, which was the suggestion of Isaac Ebey, a local resident.
Statehood
In 1852, Olympia became the county seat of the newly organized Thurston County; and in 1853, when the Washington Territory was established, Olympia was named capital. By then, American settlers numbered 996 in population.
As the first access to Puget Sound from the Oregon/Cowlitz Trail, the town developed around the waterfront and quickly became a hub of the waterfront and maritime commerce with Victoria B.C. and San Francisco with shipments of spars, oysters, firewood and lumber. In the years that followed, Olympia's claim as Capitol was challenged many times by Vancouver, Steilacoom, Seattle,Port Townsend and Tacoma. But, true to its spirit, Olympia always prevailed.
Statehood in 1889 brought growth, prosperity and, consequently, many amenities, such as an opera house, a city water system, a streetcar line and a new hotel to accommodate visiting Legislators.
The Early 1900's
There was a dramatic change in Olympia's topography in 1911 when 22 blocks were added to downtown as a result of a gigantic dredging and filling effort to create a deep water harbor and, simultaneously, fill the sloughs to the North and East of the city.
The actualization of this ambitious scheme was an additional boost to the city's already thriving economy. Olympia was on the map as a deep-water seaport and the added real estate invited investment and development.
The War Years
Rapid growth was inevitable during the First World War as the city became the center of the region's lumber processing. Smokestacks rose around the waterfront and downtown buildings were constructed. Residential areas South and West of the city blossomed and, by the time the domed capitol building was completed in 1927, the developing community complemented the grand, imposing structure.
World War II and the years that followed brought expansion to state government, the capitol campus, industry, employment and the economy in Olympia and neighboring towns of Tumwater and Lacey.
Today
No more the small, muddy, bustling village of the 1800's, today Olympia is a thriving, modern, yet quaint, American city. The magnificent Cascade and Olympic mountain ranges continue to embrace the setting, ubiquitous and unchanged.
And there are still trees. "...miles and miles of trees."
Important Historical Dates
- 1792 - Peter Puget and the British Vancouver Expedition visit.
- 1841 - Arrival of US Exploring Expedition under Lt. Charles Wilkes. Budd Inlet named after Midshipman Thomas A. Budd.
- 1846 - Townsite claimed by Levi Lathrop Smith and Edmund Sylvester.
- 1850 - Town officially platted by Edmund Sylvester.
- 8851 - First Custom House on Puget Sound established in Olympia.
- 1852 - Olympia named county seat of Thurston County.
- 1853 - Washington Territory established. Olympia named Capitol.
- 1889 - Washington became a state.
- 1911 - Deep water harbor created.
- 1927 - Capitol Building completed.
- 1944 - Earthquake destroys many historic buildings.
- 2000 - Olympia Online acquires Olympia Online
Historic Sites
Any site-seeing tour in Thurston County should begin with a visit to the Capitol campus and the magnificent domed Capitol building, with its spacious halls of Italian and Alaska Gray marble and impressive rotunda.
While on the campus, don't overlook the Justice building, the Vietnam Memorial, the new WWII Memorial, the State Library, the Capitol Museum and the other historic buildings.
Of course, your second stop has to be the old Capitol building. From there, you're on your own, but we can help you locate all of the information you'll need.
There are also a number of Historical Museums within the area, please refer to The Thurston County Section of "The Map Of Historic Museums" which includes everything you need to give you a complete listing. - you even get a map to help you find them all!
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