The American Legion was founded in 1919 following the conclusion of World War I. Prior to the construction of this building in 1921, Olympia's veterans met at several temporary locations. Member began to raise funds at the end of 1920 or beginning of 1921 to provide a permanent place and soon decided on the building at 6th and Water Street. The members had little success fundraising at first, but when they received help from the Rotarians and women’s organizations, they were able to secure enough donations to support the construction of this building. The Rotarians and several Olympia area women’s organizations held fundraisers to receive donations from veterans, schoolchildren, and other social organizations or businesses. The original plans for the building included an auditorium and meeting place, with events to attract people from the community. The American Legion wanted to bring in people from outside of their organization. The building opened on Armistice Day in 1921, and there was a large event with dances, boxing matches, Inaugural Balls, and other forms of entertainment.

Website

Established in 1921, Olympia's American Legion Hall provided a space for over a thousand World War I veterans in Thurston County to meet. The organization's initial goal was to support local veterans and the community. In addition to providing a place for servicemen to meet in the postwar years, the American Legion grew to become a significant force on the national level and successfully lobbied for veterans' benefits. This building was designed by Joseph Wohleb and has been added to the National Register of Historic Places. Demonstrating changes in the organization that reflect the declining active membership of fraternal orders and similar organizations, the American Legion stopped meeting at this expansive building in 1999. The structure has been repurposed and is currently occupied by retail businesses and studios.

American Legion Hall

Admin

This tour starts at the Washington State Capitol Building and includes several monuments on the capitol complex before moving north to historic buildings and other landmarks in the city's downtown. 

Washington became an official territory of the United States in 1853, with Olympia designated as its capital. That same year, Olympia’s founder Edmund Sylvester donated 12 acres of land to the territorial legislature, to be used as the site of the capitol building. Over the next several decades, the government outgrew the two-story wooden structure that served as the original capitol. In 1893, the state announced a competition that called for designs for a new capitol building.  The winner of the competition was a New York architect named Ernest Flagg, a relative of Cornelius Vanderbilt. Flagg built a basement and laid the foundation of the building, but construction was halted due to the Panic of 1893. In 1901, the state purchased the nearby Thurston County Courthouse and repurposed it as the capitol building (it is now the Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction). Realizing that this building was also too small, the state held another design competition in 1911. This time, the winners were Walter Wilder and Harry White, with the stipulation that Flagg’s earlier foundations still be used.  Wilder and White did not just design one structure, but an entire campus that was meant to contain six different government buildings. Other notable sites on the capitol campus include the Temple of Justice and the Governor's Mansion, and the landscaping was designed by the famous Olmsted Brothers. Partly inspired by the United States Capitol in Washington, D.C., the Legislative Building became the centerpiece of the campus and the main Capitol Building. When it was completed in 1928, its masonry dome was the fourth-tallest of its kind in the world, behind such iconic cathedrals as St. Peter’s in Rome, St. Paul’s in London, and Santa Maria del Fiore in Florence. The Capitol Building took six years to build and cost approximately $7.3 million, a price tag that Washington's Governor Roland Hartley railed against at the time. It contains marble from Alaska, Italy, Germany, and France, as well as the largest collection of Tiffany bronze in the world (including a 10,000 pound chandelier that hangs beneath the dome). Washington’s entry as the 42nd state in 1889 is represented by the 42 steps on the staircase at the North Portico. Major earthquakes in 1949, 1965, and 2001 all led to substantial seismic retrofitting, among other improvements.

Designed by Walter Wilder and Harry White, the Washington State Capitol Building was completed in 1928. Architect Ernest Flagg laid the foundations in 1893, but work was stalled and did not resume until 1922, under a new team and with a new design. Despite criticism that the building was too costly and ornate, construction was completed after six years and seven million dollars. The building is the tallest self-supporting masonry dome in North America, and the fifth-tallest in the world.  

Washington State Capitol Building

On June 28, 1914, Gavrilo Princip, a Bosnian Serb, assassinated Archduke Franz Ferdinand. One month later to the day, on July 28, 1914, World War I began when Austria-Hungary declared war on Serbia. On April 6, 1917, the U.S. entered the War. Fighting lasted until the Armistice of November 11, 1918, at the famed moment of the 11th hour on the 11th day of the 11th month of 1918. Seven months later and five years to the day of Archduke Ferdinand’s assassination, World War I officially ended with the signing of the Treaty of Versailles on June 28, 1919. Over the course of the war, 4 million U.S. men and women served, of which over 116,00 died.In 1917 at the beginning of U.S. involvement in World War I the population of Washington State was 1,287,000. Washington State had a total of 67,106 men and women serve in “The Great War.” Although this number may appear small, it represents 5.2% of the state’s total population. “Winged Victory” was dedicated to the 67,106 men and women of Washington State who served in World War I and the 1,642 who lost their lives.At wars end, The American Legion and The Veterans of Foreign Wars along with Governor Ernest Lister promoted legislation for a war monument at the State Capitol. In 1919, the Washington State Legislature approved funding of $100,000 for a World War I monument in Olympia, Washington on the Capitol Grounds. By 1928 the funding goal was met through a federal grant and the sale of state land. However, the project would take another ten years for Alonzo Victor Lewis to complete due to a number of setbacks and the death of his wife.Alonzo Victor Lewis (1886-1946), of Seattle, initially studied at the Chicago Art Institute and was considered one of the premier Northwest sculptors of the time. His famous and controversial WWI “Doughboy” sculpture was finished five years before “Winged Victory.” To match the American Neoclassical architecture of the State Capital Campus the 12-foot tall winged Greek goddess of victory, “Nike,” was chosen to be the WWI monument centerpiece.<blockquote>“She stands protectively behind the roughly life-sized figures of a sailor, soldier, and a marine (representing the three main forces of America’s World War I machine). Also included is a Red Cross nurse who follows the three men with a medicine kit slung over one shoulder. The four human figures appear to be marching away from the Capitol Group toward the distant horizon in the east. Winged Victory, or Nike, holds an olive branch in her right hand, extended over the heads of her 'chosen ones.' The bronze figures stand on an approximately 10-foot tall granite base, inscribed on four sides with words honoring those who gave the ultimate sacrifice in the First World War.”4</blockquote>The four cardinal inscriptions:

East face: &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;A bronze WA State Seal, 'To the memory of the citizens of the State of Washington who lost their lives in the service of the United States during the World War 1917 – 1918.’

North face:&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;'Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friend.'

West face:&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;'Their sacrifice was to vindicate the principles of peace and justice in the life of the world.'

South face:&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;'They fought to safeguard and transmit to posterity the principles of justice, freedom, and democracy.'

The World War I Monument, “Winged Victory,” was the first of six war memorials/monuments on the Capitol Campus in Olympia, Washington. The classically styled 12-foot tall “Winged Victory,” in bronze, sits atop a 10-foot tall granite base at the entrance to the Washington State Capitol. The winged goddess “Nike” is centered behind a soldier, a sailor, a marine, and a Red Cross nurse. Twenty years in the making, on May 30, 1938, “Winged Victory” was unveiled in a dedication ceremony by Mrs. Charles V. Leach and Mrs. Cordelia Cater, both Gold Star Mothers. The monument stands in honor of the 67,106 men and women of Washington State who served in World War I.

Winged Victory Monument (WWI) 

Japan occupied Korea until their surrender in World War II. Korea was then divided between the North and South at the 38th parallel. With communist Russia controlling the North and anti-communist U.S. controlling the South. The goal of achieving reunification and how to implement that looked different to all parties involved. On June 25, 1950, North Korea invaded South Korea. Two days later, on June 27, 1950, President Harry Truman and the United Nations coalition sent U.S. troops to fight in Korea. All the major post-World War II nations were involved with many concerned the conflict could escalate into a third world war with the added possibility of a nuclear exchange between Russia and the United States. Chinese troops entered the fight in October 1950. Over the course of the first-year massive advances pushed back and forth across both the territory of the North and South. Peace talks began on February 1, 1951. However, the fighting and talks continued back and forth ultimately dragging on in a stalemate for two years. After a total of three years of fighting, an armistice was signed between North Korea, the Chinese, and the UN on July 27, 1953.&nbsp; Millions of civilians and soldiers on both sides lost their lives. Although the fighting ended, South Korea refused to sign the armistice. A 2,200-yard demilitarized zone (DMZ) was created as a buffer at the border between North and South Korea. Since 1953, talks of reunification have failed and on multiple occasions the North and South have come close to restarting the fight. To date, North and South Korea remain divided.

The U.S. suffered 36,574 deaths in theatre, over 100,000 wounded, and over 8,000 service members still unaccounted for. Sadly, upon returning home, there was little celebration and honor for the men and women who served, compared to World War II just five years prior.

Washington State contributed greatly to the Korean War with over 122,000 men and women serving in theatre. On July 17, 1950, just three weeks after North Korea invaded South Korea, the Second Infantry Division from Fort Lewis in Tacoma, Washington landed in Korea. The Second Infantry Division was the first stateside force to arrive in Korea. In the summer of the second year of the war, the Second Division built an orphanage 33 miles South of Seoul, Korea named Friendship Home. The soldiers provided money and supplies to operate Friendship Home and created an $80,000 fund for the orphanage to continue to operate once the war ended. The Second Division was involved in many of the major battles of the war sustaining over 7,000 casualties. This famous unit having been awarded 18 individual Medal of Honors and the highest unit award achievable, the Presidential Unit Citation, is known to this day by their motto "Second to None."

The Puget Sound Naval Shipyard in Bremerton, Washington doubled its workforce to over 15,000 to reactivate the reserve fleet of mothballed ships for theatre deployment. Seattle was a busy Naval port shipping troops and supplies to Korea and receiving the wounded home for medical treatment at the Madigan Army Hospital on Fort Lewis in Pierce County. The States two Air Force bases, McChord (Western WA) and Spokane (Eastern WA), provided both troop and supply transport and B-29 bombers for combat operations over the Korean theatre.

The Washington State Legislature authorized a Korean War Veterans Memorial in 1989. The veteran’s organization, the “Chosin Few,” led much of the fundraising. They were veterans of "The Battle of Chosin Reservoir.” A brutal battle fought in the dead of winter with heavy casualties on both sides. Over the course of four years, private donations of $320,000 provided the majority of the funding for the $400,000 project.

Montana Artist Deborah Copenhaver Fellows was selected after a three-month competition for the commission of the Korean War Monument. As the daughter of a Korean War veteran, she hoped to provide&nbsp;<blockquote>"a way for people to reflect on war and the price it extracts from those who participate."1&nbsp;</blockquote>Made of bronze and stone, the sculpture took nine months to complete. The two-ton statue was set in place with a helicopter.

<blockquote>“Larger than life-size, stark, cold and gray - by placing the memorial at ground level, visitors are drawn in to examine and touch battle weary and grief-stricken faces…The soldiers' eyes seem to be looking neither here nor there and they are clearly exhausted - perhaps suffering from battle fatigue or what some might refer to as the 'thousand-yard stare.' Shoulders slumped and bent over, one man attempts to light a small fire while another cups a short, well-used cigarette from the weather - the center man stares off into the distance. Flying behind the monument are 22 flags, representing nations participating in the Korean War, and plaques containing information about the Korean War are located on two sides of the memorial. This monument is a direct reflection of historical accounts of the arduous conditions endured by soldiers and marines.”7</blockquote>

The Korean War Memorial was the fifth of six war memorials in Olympia, Washington. The most somber of the memorials was created by the daughter of a Korean War veteran, Artist Deborah Copenhaver Fellows. Three drab dark figures huddled around a small campfire represent the fatigue, bleak isolation, and harsh conditions soldiers endured during this bloody war that took millions of lives. The three soldiers are backdropped by 22 flags representing the 22 nations of the UN coalition who participated in the Korean War. The dedication took place on July 24, 1993, just three days prior to the 40th anniversary of the end of the Korean War. Representatives of all 22 allied nations, Washington State officials, and over three thousand veterans, including four Medal of Honor recipients, and their families were in attendance. The long overdue memorial stands in honor of the 532 Washington State men and women who served and lost their lives in this “Forgotten War.”

Korean War Memorial

It is debated to this day when World War II began. However, two watershed moments were the “Marco Polo Bridge Incident” in Asia on July 7, 1937, and the invasion of Poland by Germany on September 1, 1939, in Europe. Two years later Japan bombed the American fleet in Pearl Harbor, Hawaii on December 7, 1941. The United States entered World War II the following day on December 8, 1941, joining the Allied Forces consisting of France, Great Britain, the Soviet Union, and China against the Axis Forces of Germany, Italy, and Japan. The war touched every corner of the globe including Europe, the Pacific, the Atlantic, Southeast Asia, China, the Middle East, the Mediterranean and Northern Africa. Germany surrendered a week after Adolph Hitler committed suicide on May 7, 1945. On September 2, 1945, aboard the USS Missouri, Japanese foreign affairs minister, Mamoru Shigemitsu, signed the Japanese Instrument of Surrender. From the beginning to the end, 20,000-30,000 were killed daily in World War II with total deaths estimated at 50-80 million.In 1940, Washington State made up 1.29 percent of the nation’s population. Over the course of the war, 1.18 percent of the men and women who served in World War II were from Washington State, of which 3.34 percent did not return home. Back on the home front, Washington State was evolving into an industrial powerhouse. At the beginning of the war, Washington State had no aluminum production. By the end of the war, Washington State was third in the nation for aluminum production. Thousands of B-17 and B-29 bombers and hundreds of Sherman tanks were produced in the state. Warships were built in all five state shipyards. And the plutonium for the two atomic bombs (Fat Man and Little Boy) used to destroy Hiroshima and Nagasaki came from the Hanford nuclear site in Washington State.The entire World War II Memorial project cost $800,000. The state legislature funded $200,000 while donations and fundraising from both private citizens and municipalities paid the remaining $600,000. After Legislative approval in 1995, Washington State held a competition with 42 entries submitted. Hometown resident Simon Kogan of Olympia, Washington won. Simon Kogan (1959 - present) was born in Russia. Prior to immigrating to the United States, he trained 13 years in Moscow and received a Master’s in Fine Arts. Of Jewish descent, Kogan always dreamed of doing a World War II memorial. A Fellow of the National Sculpture Society, he continues to create art and teach in Olympia, Washington and abroad.











The most complex of the memorials, the World War II design was&nbsp;<blockquote>“inspired by the first stanza of the song 'America the Beautiful,' and features a cluster of five, 14-foot high bronze blades, which bend into a form mirroring the shape of the capitol dome that looms behind. Each blade symbolizes one of the military units employed in the war and features shadowy images of servicemen. Upon close inspection, one finds that the ghost-like figures are actually formed using the etched names of Washington state’s war casualties. One blade, rather than carrying the images of soldiers, depicts a mother holding an infant. The child’s shape, unlike the other figures, is not engraved out of names. This symbolizes future generations that were never born as a result of the war. The bronze blades are placed on a circular map of the world that indicates each of the war’s major battles with a bronze marker. Besides the bronze blades, a winding river of 4,000 metal wheat stalks extends eastward. These stalks were originally intended to represent each of the state residents thought to have died in the war. However, during the time of the memorial’s construction, state officials identified an additional 2,000 casualties. The wheat field now collectively represents all those who died in the war. The wheat stalks were made from melted torpedo railings used on old U.S. warships, donated by the Bremerton Naval Shipyard. Around the perimeter of the wheat sit five cut granite boulders inscribed with the names of the major battles fought by year. Also surrounding the monument are engraved granite pavers…”1</blockquote>





 

Bronze Blades:&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;-Names of the nearly 6,000 Washingtonians who were killed in WWII.&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;

Large Granite Stones:&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;-Engraved with major battles fought by year. 

Granite Tiles:&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;-Over 3,000 inscriptions with personal messages from donors. 

Bronze Plaque #1:&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;-Summary of WWII events. 

Bronze Plaque #2:&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;-'When my country called, I answered.&nbsp;When my country asked, I gave. Reach out now, across the years and through the tears.&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; Remember me.'&nbsp; &nbsp;A WWII Veteran

The World War II War Memorial was the last of six war memorials on the Capitol Campus in Olympia, Washington. The dedication took place on May 28, 1999, with 5,000 in attendance. The memorial was designed by Simon Kogan, an immigrated artist from Russia of Jewish descent. The most complex of the six memorials, the World War II Memorial was fashioned from raw bronze, stone, granite, and melted torpedo railings of a warship donated from the United States Navy. The memorial stands in honor of the nearly 6,000 men and women of Washington State who served in World War II and lost their lives.

World War II Memorial

Abbigail StuartAbbigail (Abby) Howard Hunt Stuart was born on October 28, 1840 in Boston. She grew up in an affluent household and received an excellent education, graduating from Freemont College when she was 19. To the dismay of her parents, she accepted a job as bookkeeper at a manufacturing company. She decided she was going to support herself on her own rather than comply with the social standards of the time. She was perfectly suited for the job; she had excellent penmanship, which was necessary to record information at the time, and she was very good at math. After working at another company in Springfield, Massachusetts, in 1866 she moved to San Francisco to work for her uncle, John, who owned a shipping business. She remained there for five years then set off for Olympia to visit a relative.There she met her future husband, Robert G. Stuart, who was working as Receiver of the U.S. Land Office. They got married in 1873. From this point forward, she wrote her name as Mrs. A.H.H. Stuart to maintain her sense of identity. She was well liked and outspoken in her beliefs on women's rights. In the summer of 1873 she became the leader of the Women's Suffrage Association, a new organization that advocated for women's right to vote. The organization's efforts eventually paid off in 1883 when women won the right to vote in Washington Territory (however, the Territorial Supreme Court overturned the law in 1887; women were finally granted the right vote in 1910, this time permanently).That year, Stuart led the effort to organize the Woman's Club of Olympia and became its president. The club was important on a number of levels. It provided a space for women to discuss important issues, which was a rare opportunity back then. It focused its efforts on the social and cultural life of women and children. The issues they addressed such as domestic matters, the education of children, and local and national politics. The club also started the city's first library in 1896.Stuart was a firm but excellent manager of the club. In the early 1890s, she had the women write reports about important subjects for every meeting. Those that failed to do so were charged a small fine. She also kept thorough records of the club, which provide a window into the club's early history. Her impact was felt elsewhere as well as she helped establish other women's organizations. For this work she became known as the "Mother of Women's Clubs." Unfortunately, Stuart died suddenly of pneumonia in early 1902 (Robert passed away in 1890). She got sick during her visit with her aunt, who was very ill, in San Francisco. She was buried in Olympia next to Robert.ClubhouseThe women first met in private homes until 1900 when they were finally able to buy a building that once stood at this location. However, as noted above, a fire destroyed it in 1907. Undeterred, the women raised money by themselves, by selling bonds, baked goods, newspaper subscriptions, and even writings and songs. The new clubhouse was completed in 1908.

Founded in 1883 by suffragist Abigail Stuart, the Woman's Club of Olympia was the first women's club established on the West Coast. It is housed in this large three-story historic building that was constructed in 1908. The building's design is typical for the early 20th century. It features a hipped roof, dormers, clapboard siding, and a large front porch with Tuscan columns supporting another porch above it. The clubhouse replaced the previous one on this spot which burned down 1907. The current building was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1979. The club remains an active and engaged organization today. For those interested, the club's website features an online archive of scanned images of club documents.

Woman's Club of Olympia

During Washington’s early territorial years, women were in short supply. The ratio of males to females was nine to one, prompting both the governor and a leading legislator to organize parties of single women to come to the territory as potential teachers and brides. When the population grew and more women arrived to share in the task of building new communities on the Northwest frontier, they also participated both directly and indirectly in the development of the political process. In an attempt to crush the woman's suffrage movement, the Territorial Legislature soon after mandated that "no female shall have the right of ballot or vote.In 1871, Susan B. Anthony and Abigail Scott Duniway led a crusade through the territories of Washington and Oregon and helped to form the Washington Woman Suffrage Association. Due to the group's constant protesting and pushing, full voting rights were given to women. in 1883 by a bill that passed through the Territorial Legislature. But in 1887, the Territorial Supreme Court overturned that law. This happened because women voters were making sales of liquor more difficult with their votes, and the state's liquor lobby had fought hard to remove their voting rights. In light of this opposition, some activists chose to emphasize the contributions of women workers to the community and finally, in 1910, the Washington State Constitution was permanently amended to grant women the right to vote.

This historic marker commemorates the actions of suffragists in the state of Washington who successfully lobbied the state legislature in the early 1900s. Here at the former state capitol, the legislature approved a measure that placed the question of women's suffrage on the ballot. Thanks to the continued efforts of progressive women and men who supported equal suffrage, the male voters of the state approved the ballot initiative on November 8, 1910.

Washington Women Win the Vote Historic Marker

The first capitol building was constructed in 1856. It was a simple two-story wood structure that resembled a colonial church. It also had a portico with a balcony above it. It was originally used as the county courthouse until 1901 when the state bought the Thurston County Courthouse and to use it as the second capitol building. By then, the first capitol was too small for the state legislature.The new capitol building wasn't immediately ready for the legislature just yet, however, as the state made plans to build the adjacent annex where the legislature was going to meet (the original part of the building would house the offices of state government officials). It was scheduled to be finished in 1903 but the building contractor, apparently, was experiencing some labor problems and other difficulties. Some locals accused the contractor of delaying on purpose in order to acquire more government contracts. Nevertheless, the annex was finally completed in January 1905. Twelve towers were also added to the entire building.In the coming decades, the old capitol experienced a number of changes. Soon after the state legislature and agencies moved to the new capitol in 1928, a fire severely damaged the old building, destroying the large clock tower and the fourth floor. It took almost a ten years for the building to be renovated. However, it was damaged once again in 1949, this time by an earthquake. Most of the towers were lost and other parts of the building were damaged. Another earthquake in 1964 caused minor damage. In addition, over the years the building was altered to accommodate the needs of the organizations that occupied the building. The old building was renovated in the early 1980s.

Completed in 1892, the Old Capitol Building is one of the most recognized landmarks in Olympia. It was originally the Thurston County Courthouse before becoming the second capitol building in 1901. It is an excellent example of Richardsonian Romanesque architecture. Built with rock-faced sandstone, interesting of the building include four conical towers, decorative stonework, arched windows, and a pair of gargoyles above the main entrance. It also originally boasted a 150-foot tall clock tower that was later destroyed in a fire (see below). Today, the building houses the Washington State Superintendent of Public Instruction. It was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1975. A variety of artwork from around the world is on display in the hallways of building including photographs and paintings. Visitors can take guided tours inside.

Old Capitol Building

The statue includes the following quote from the late governor that residents believed was representative of the former governor:&nbsp;"I would make it impossible for the covetous and avaricious to utterly impoverish the poor. The rich can take care of themselves." Rogers is best known for his support of the&nbsp;"Barefoot Schoolboy Act" which provided state funds to equalize school budgets for small and impoverished counties.&nbsp; John Rankin Rogers moved west as a young man, eventually settling in Kansas in&nbsp;1876. A farmer of great ambition, he&nbsp;became an early organizer of the Farmers' Alliance, an organization that sought to help farmers work together both economically and politically to improve their condition. Rogers would rise to moderate fame within his circle of like-minded farmers when he became the&nbsp;editor of Wichita's&nbsp;Kansas Commoner. Rogers became a leading voice in the&nbsp;People's Party-a coalition&nbsp;of farmers and others who sought to use the power of the government to assist the productive farmers and workers.Rogers had previously worked in drug stores and in 1890, he moved to&nbsp;Puyallup Washington and started a drug store. He also became an early leader of Washington's&nbsp;Populist Party. He was elected to the&nbsp;state legislature in 1895 and became famous within the state after proposing and securing the passage of the&nbsp;"Barefoot Schoolboy Bill." The new law created a fund that transferred funds from relatively well-off urban school districts to isolated rural schools with a smaller tax basis.&nbsp;The following year,&nbsp;Rogers won election to the office of governor-the only&nbsp;Populist governor in the state's history. The populists generated support for many of their policies within the Democratic Party. Recognizing that they needed to merge with the Democrats rather than compete with them in elections, Rogers and others merged with the Democrats and won re-election in 1900. He died shortly after his re-election, leading many in the state to support a movement to create this monument in his honor.

This statue of Washington's third governor was completed thanks to the donations of pennies and nickels from residents after John Rankin Rogers died in office on December 26, 1901. Rankin won election to the governor's office in 1896 as a member of the Populist Party and was known for his support of measure to help elevated the condition of workers and their families.  

John Rankin Rogers Statue

A small number of explorers, missionaries, trappers, and settlers arrived in Oregon territory in the later 1830s and early 1840s. The first large orgainzed groups of settlers left Missouri and traveled the Oregon Trail from 1843 to 1869, when the transcontinental railroad made the trail obsolete. Over&nbsp;500,000 settlers made the overland trip across the trail to Oregon Country and California in&nbsp;covered wagons prior to the completion of the railroad.&nbsp;

This historic marker is located in the northwest corner of Sylvester Park and features a bronze plaque within a granite boulder. The monument was created by the local chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution (DAR), Sacajawea Chapter, and dedicated in 1913. The monument honors pioneers who arrived in the Puget Sound area after traveling over two thousand miles from Missouri to Oregon. The DAR partnered with Ezra Meeker in this endeavor.

End of the Oregon Trail Historic Marker

The American Legion was founded in 1919 following the conclusion of World War I. Prior to the construction of this building in 1921, Olympia's veterans met at several temporary locations. Member began to raise funds at the end of 1920 or beginning of 1921 to provide a permanent place and soon decided on the building at 6th and Water Street.  The members had little success fundraising at first, but when they received help from the Rotarians and women’s organizations, they were able to secure enough donations to support the construction of this building. The Rotarians and several Olympia area women’s organizations held fundraisers to receive donations from veterans, schoolchildren, and other social organizations or businesses.  The original plans for the building included an auditorium and meeting place, with events to attract people from the community. The American Legion wanted to bring in people from outside of their organization. The building opened on Armistice Day in 1921, and there was a large event with dances, boxing matches, Inaugural Balls, and other forms of entertainment.

Built in 1924 to show motion picture and host travelling vaudeville acts, Capitol Theater was the leading movie palace in Olympia during Hollywood's "Golden Age." Shortly after its completion, the owners installed a pipe organ that was later moved to a local church. Sadly, that organ was later sold for scrap. A similar fate might have fallen on this old movie palace, but community leaders came together to save the historic building which is now home to the Olympia Film Society. 

Capitol Theater

Olympia National Bank was established in 1899 as Olympic State Bank, and its first trustees included important businessmen and professionals. It opened its first location on Capital Way between Third and Fourth Streets. In 1900, the bank decided to become national and changed its name to Olympia National Bank. It also moved to another building where it remained until the present building was erected. The bank hired local architect Joseph Wohleb to design it, who chose the Neoclassical style which was popular around the country at the time. Bank operations and offices were located on the first floor and the leased offices were on the second floor. The building was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1987.

This striking building is the historic former Olympia National Bank, which was built in 1915. Designed to resemble an ancient Greek or Roman temple, it is arguably the finest example of Neoclassical architecture in the city. It features a terra cotta exterior with a colonnade of fluted, Corinthian pilasters (decorative features to mimic columns), among other interesting decorative elements. The bank played an important role in the city's history in the early 20th century as it served many prominent businessmen. The building is also significant for its association with Leopold Schmidt, the founder of the Olympia Brewing Company, who bought it in 1912. The building, which is currently home to a bicycle shop, is part of the downtown Olympia walking tour.

Olympia National Bank

Less than five years after Olympia became a town, it was named Capitol of the Washington Territory. This gave it the prominent position of hosting the Washington Territorial Legislature in 1854. The first legislature took place in the second story of the Parker Coulter building, a drygoods store built by Edmund Sylvester, who was instrumental in the creation of Olympia and was the town proprietor.(Brazier, 3)This first legislature dealt mostly with the selection of its committee leaders, representatives, and initial laws. The members were all newly elected, the elections took place on January 30th and the legislature met on February 27th. In addition to difficulties of their new positions many of the members of the legislature faced hardship in merely getting to Olympia to perform their duties. Pacific county, which is about eighty miles away from Olympia, had the worst luck on this matter.(Ibid.)Their first representative from Pacific County was J. L. Brown, who was nominated in 1854, but died before the January 30th Election. Jehu Scudder was elected in his stead and proceeded the long travel to Olympia. There two ways to reach Olympia at the time: by land or by sea/river. Either way held its own perils, and Mr. Scudder succumbed to them, dieing on route to Olympia in February. The next representative of the ill fated county was Henry Fiester, who actually made it to the capitol and met with the legislature on March 30th. However, after the meeting was finished me met with other members in a bar. While there he fell from his chair, dead. The county had no representation until James Strong, a lobbyist in Olympia received a proclamation for an election from the Governor. He took this and rode to Pacific county, and returned shortly after with news of his nomination and election. He was quickly seated on April 14th and served for the rest of the session.(Brazier, 4)Towards the end of the session the legislature began to focus on the construction of roads and the election of territorial officers. Both topics proved controversial. Roads brought up the cost and burden to be born by the counties through which they would pass. The territorial officers were: printer, treasurer, auditor and librarian. Printer proved especially controversial and political for the next five decades. However, most posts went to the democratic party, as the Whigs were in a state of disarray caused by the slavery debate which was consuming the nation at the time.(Brazier, 5)The First Washington Territorial Legislature, held in a small dry-goods store, in a barely developed corner of the Pacific Northwest, set the stage for what would become the state of Washington. The determination of its members, who faced death and disaster to perform their duties was an honorable example of the Pioneer spirit of the region in the mid 19th century. Today their original meeting location is still remembered by a plaque, on north Capitol Way.

This small sidewalk marker indicates where the first legislature of the Washington Territory took place in 1854. Shortly after Washington was incorporated as a territory, and Olympia named as its Capitol, The legislature met in the second story of the Parker Coulter building, a dry goods store built by Edmund Sylvester in the center of town. This initial meeting established not only the members of the territorial Council, but also laid down the framework for future legislation. At the time of the meeting, there were only 4,000 settlers living in the territory and Olympia itself was at best a small frontier town, with a few dry-goods stores and homes and dirt roads. Today the marker sits across the street from the Old City Hall.


The First Washington Territorial Legislature

When settlers began arriving throughout present-day Olympia in the 1850s, there were few roads aside from a few dirt roads and carriage paths. Given the difficulty of overland transportation, access to the Pacific became one of the most important issues facing early commercial development. At first, schooners and brigs transported people up from California and the rest of the Pacific Coast. For example, the steamship Orbit took Olympia founder Edmund Sylvester back to Puget Sound after a failed expedition in the gold rush.(Findlay and Paterson)But as the population of the Pacific Northwest grew, so too did its need for transportation of goods. Steam, rather than wind and sail, was the preferred propulsion at the time. As a result, a steady stream of steamships were coming and going from the many cities on the coast. Early on the boats went where ever they were needed, and where ever the captain and the company could make a profit. But as the fleet grew along with the industrial and commercial activity the boats began to follow a more structured schedule.As the fleet and its surrounding industries grew, ships were produced locally instead of only being built in California, the East Coast, or overseas. They generally followed a simple but elegant design. They had steep and sharp bows, with softer sterns and a broad flat bottomed wooden hull. This allowed them to come closer to shore, and navigate the myriad channels of Puget Sound. Being able to get as close to shore as possible was very important, as many of the steamboats operated in areas without well developed piers and wharfs, and so either had to drop a plank directly onto shore, or have a series of smaller rowboats come to transport passengers or cargo to the larger ship.(Ibid)While these boats all had a roughly similar shape, their sizes varied greatly. From small launches of less than fifty feet, to the largest three hundred foot vessels these steamboats and ships all serviced the same area and often in similar roles. Despite the size of even the largest boats, though, there was a constant threat of danger.(Ibid.)Many of the steamship suffered explosions, collisions and running aground. One of the worst was the collision between the Dix and the Jeanie. The fix was cut in half, killing 45 passengers, all workers from the Port Blakely Mill.(Johnson)By the 1920s the Mosquito Fleet was on its way out. Newer, faster and safer forms of transport, such as trains, cars and trucks had come into prominence and the traditionally dirt paths were finally being consistently paved. Despite this, though, ships were still being built, such as the Virginia V, built in 1922. But the writing was on the wall, and the last scheduled mosquito trip ran in 1939.(Ibid.)While we'll likely never again see a swarm of steamships, schooners and ferries on Puget Sound, one can still visit Percival Landing Park, which only 100 years ago helped to connect Olympia to the rest of the nation.

Percival Park sits on what was once the main landing for a wide variety of steamships and ferries, known collectively as the Mosquito Fleet. The fleet was named, according to legend, by an office worker in Seattle, who looked out the window and remarked at how the horde of paddle boats and steamships resembled a swarm of mosquitoes. These ships helped to transport people, lumber, and other goods. They went up and down Puget Sound, connecting the great sailing ships of the Pacific Coast to the wharf which was located here and owned by the Percival family. Today, the former wharf has been turned into Percival Landing Park, a public park and maritime recreation area.

Olympia Washington Walking Tour

American Legion Hall

Introduction

Images

Backstory and Context

Sources

Additional Information