Olympia History Facts and Timeline

(Olympia, Washington - WA, USA)



The history of modern-day Olympia stretches back many thousands of years, when it was inhabited by various tribes of Native Americans. These have included the Chehalis, the Duwamish, the Nisqually and the Suquamish, amongst others.

The abundance of natural resources around Olympia was a contributing factor to the region's popularity. Being located alongside the Budd Inlet, on the southerly side of the Puget Sound, there were endless opportunities to collect shellfish and fish for salmon in the numerous streams during the spawning season.

The Olympia history books really began in the last decade of the 18th century, when the British Vancouver Expedition arrived to explore the area. Naval officer Peter Puget was onboard and soon became the namesake for the Puget Sound itself.


Fort Nisqually

It wasn't until the 1830s that Olympia saw some more significant attention. The Hudson's Bay Company arrived to set up a trading post for fur, building Fort Nisqually in the neighboring suburb of present-day DuPont, roughly 15 miles / 24 km to the northeast. Interestingly, Fort Nisqually was relocated in the 1930s, being rebuilt in Point Defiance Park in Tacoma, where it now serves as a living history museum.

American Settlement

The fur trade only lasted a few years and agriculture was the natural choice for an alternative income. European Americans began to notice Olympia in the 1840s, with the powerful Tumwater Falls being a particular draw card due to their potential for generating free power.

The settlement of New Market (today a southerly suburb of Olympia named Tumwater) was subsequently founded and became the first official European American settlement to be located alongside the Puget Sound itself. A few years later, two Americans named Levi Smith and Edmund Sylvester arrived and set up home on the land that now makes up the city's downtown district. After Smith's unexpected death in the year 1848, Sylvester was left as the land's sole owner and history remembers how he was soon to become the founding father of Olympia.

A Name for the New Town

Sylvester set about planning the town from scratch, drawing up streets and allocating spaces for houses, farms and local businesses.

The settlement was initially referred to as Smithfield, being named after the late Levi Smith. However, as the town began to grow in size, the residents started discussing alternative names, deciding in 1853 that it should be named as Olympia. This was because of the proximity of the Olympic Mountains, which can be viewed to the northwest of downtown Olympia. Sylvester allocated land for the construction of a timber-framed Capitol Building, which was quickly completed.

By now, the burgeoning town was home to the Customs District of Puget Sound for the Territory of Washington, as well as being the seat of Thurston County. The population was soon swelled further by immigrants arriving via the famous Oregon Trail.

Progress in the Town

Steamboats were a regular sight around the Puget Sound and the town grew from strength to strength. Local politician Daniel Bigelow rose to power and represented the county of Thurston at a number of legislatures. The Bigelow House Museum was actually once his family home and is of great importance in history, since it is now the oldest home in the whole of Olympia.

Following its incorporation in January of 1859, Olympia became the official capital of the territory and continued to expand its boundaries. However, the local residents were surprised to learn that the Northern Pacific Railroad was to bypass the town completely, connecting Tacoma instead. The locals were concerned that the lack of a railway line may well lead to the demise of Olympia, and so between them, they pooled their resources, formed a private company and managed to build their very own railway connection.

The Late 19th Century Onwards

Many important dates in local history have come over the past century or so. In the year 1896, the famous Olympia Brewing Company was established in the suburb of Tumwater, while in 1889, Washington joined the United States and although Olympia remained its capital, the competition was fierce.

By the time that the 20th century arrived, the population was close to 5,000 people, although this number started to fall following an economic depression. However, both Seattle and Tacoma continued to grow and were soon far bigger than the state capital of Olympia. The city, keen to preserve its status, converted the Thurston County Court House into a new, grander State Capitol Building, although it soon became apparent that a larger, purpose-built structure was required.

The majestic Washington State Capitol of today was eventually completed in 1928 and the future of Olympia as state capital was secure once more. Trade in the port had increased, thanks to a successful regeneration project, and the city enjoyed a positive period in its history, until a devastating earthquake in 1949.

From the 1950s onwards, several government buildings were built along former residential streets, although attempts to lure businesses to the city were not always successful. Modern shopping malls came into being in the 1960s, and at the same time, the acclaimed Evergreen State College was established (1967). The South Puget Sound Community College came along in 1984 and the city actively worked to preserve its downtown structure, discouraging the construction of high-rise buildings.

Today, Olympia is a modern, albeit fairly small capital city. History is present along many of its streets and around the Capitol, and a number of sizeable events celebrate its rich heritage each year.