Olympia, the capital city of Washington State, is located at the southern end of Puget Sound in Thurston County. Established as a town on January 28, 1859, Olympia has a rich history that dates back to its original inhabitants, the Coast Salish Native American tribes. The city’s name is derived from the Olympic Mountains to the northwest, named by explorer George Vancouver in honor of the Olympic Mountains, which in turn were named for their resemblance to the home of the gods in Greek mythology. As the state capital, Olympia serves as the administrative and political hub of Washington, housing the state government, including the legislative, executive, and judicial branches. Geographically, Olympia boasts a picturesque setting with a blend of urban and natural landscapes, including Capitol Lake, the Deschutes River, and the nearby Puget Sound shoreline.
Last Updated on June 8, 2012 by HON. ISAAC INGALLS STEVENS. – Governor Stevens was born at Andover, Massachusetts, March 18, 1818. He graduated from West Point in the class of 1839, of which he stood at the head, and immediately thereafter was commissioned second lieutenant of engineers. In 1840 he was promoted to a […]
Last Updated on May 21, 2011 by HON. ROBERT F. STURDEVANT. – Mr. Sturdevant is known as the pioneer lawyer of Dayton, Washington, and is one of its most enterprising citizens. His birthplace was Warren county, Pennsylvania; and the date was November 18, 1841. About eighteen months after that important event in his history, his
Last Updated on July 20, 2012 by Albert “Stubb” Stuth died at an Olympia area nursing home Friday morning [July 21]. Mr. Stuth was born in Olympia, April 24, 1890. He attended Washington State College where he played baseball and he later played for the Olympia Senators baseball team in Olympia. Mr. Stuth served in
Last Updated on May 29, 2011 by HON. CHARLES H. MASON. – Mr. Mason was born at Fort Washington, on the Potomac river, Maryland, in 1830. At the age of seven, with his widowed mother, he removed to Providence, Rhode Island. He graduated in 1850 with distinguished honors at Brown University, and was admitted to
Last Updated on May 29, 2011 by HON. ROBERT C. HILL. – Mr. Hill, one of the most responsible men of Washington, and a pioneer of an early day, was born in Hatboro, Pennsylvania, September 14, 1829, the son of Doctor John Hill, his mother’s maiden name having been Eliza L. Davis. At the age
Last Updated on May 23, 2011 by THEODORE C. VAN EPPS. – Mr. Van Epps, a portrait of whom is placed among the illustrations of this work, is one of the best known men in Washington’s capital city. He was born in New Scotland, eight miles west of Albany, New York, February 15, 1847, and
Last Updated on June 8, 2012 by HON. HIRAM D. MORGAN. – This gentleman, whose portrait appears in this history, and who is so well known up and down the Sound, has had a varied pioneer life since 1853. He is a native of Ohio, having been born at Mount Ayre in 1822. During his
Last Updated on July 20, 2012 by Nell M. Stuth, 82, of Olympia died Saturday, Jan. 5, 1985, in an Olympia convalescent center. She was born July 1, 1902 in Ellensburg and lived in Seattle and Yakima before moving to Olympia in the 1930s. She was married in 1940 to Albert E. “Stubb” Stuth in
Last Updated on August 16, 2013 by Dennis Seattle, the metropolis of Washington, in 1880 had 7,000 inhabitants, and property valued at something over four millions. Its manufactures comprised three ship-yards, three foundries, two breweries, one tannery, three boiler-shops, six sash and door factories, five machine-shops, six sawmills, three brick yards, three fish packing factories,
Last Updated on May 21, 2011 by GEORGE D. SHANNON. – This well-known contractor, banker and successful farmer is a man whom Nature fitted with qualities that inevitably guide their possessor to success. He was born in what is now Schuyler county, New York, December 20, 1832, and is the son of Thomas and Mehitable
Last Updated on May 21, 2011 by CONRAD G. SAYLOR – Among the pioneers to the Pacific Northwest, and especially to the “classic shades” of Yamhill county, Oregon, none enjoyed a greater measure of esteem than the gentleman whose name is the title to this memoir. He was born in Martinsville, Indiana, October 6, 1818,
Last Updated on June 12, 2011 by A.H. CHAMBERS. – This wealthy and influential resident of Olympia is a native of Washington Territory, and a son of one of the earliest pioneers, his parents having crossed the plains to Oregon in 1844. Andsworth was born near Olympia, at Chambers Prairie, June 25, 1851. He began
Explore the remarkable life of Esdras N. Ouimette (1838-), from his roots in St. Eustache, Quebec, to becoming a cornerstone of Tacoma, Washington’s early business community. This biography highlights Ouimette’s journey westward, his transformative contributions to Tacoma’s development, including the construction of the city’s first three-story brick building, and his success in real estate. Ouimette’s story is a testament to the enduring impact one individual can have on a city’s economic and social fabric, inviting readers to uncover the details of his legacy and Tacoma’s ascent as the City of Destiny.
Last Updated on May 21, 2011 by EDWARD THOMAS YOUNG. – Young’s Hotel, at the capital of Washington Territory, is a conspicuous building, well known to the traveling public and to the members of the legislature, and is the pride of the city. Its proprietor, whose name it bears, is a native of London, England.
John Carson, born January 25, 1828, in Butler County, Pennsylvania, was a quintessential pioneer of the American frontier. Moving to Perry County, Indiana at age 15, Carson later journeyed to Puget Sound, Washington Territory, in 1853. Carson and his family endured arduous travels, eventually settling near Puyallup, Washington. He established a private ferry and was a key figure during the Indian wars, raising a volunteer company for defense. Carson served in the territorial legislature and was instrumental in local infrastructure development. His contributions to Pierce County, including his success in hop-raising and sawmilling, highlight his legacy as a pioneer and community leader.
Last Updated on June 13, 2011 by FRANCIS H. COOK, – Mr. Cook was born in Marietta, Ohio, in 1851. He went with his parents to Iowa at the age of twelve. His father was a farmer, and have his attention to agriculture and to sawmilling; but it was decided to make a printer of
Last Updated on July 20, 2012 by Mrs. S. E. Fix, 78, former Pierce County resident, died Tuesday in a hospital at Olympia. She was born at Rockford, Ontario, Canada, and came to the United States with her parents in 1884. The family made its home at Auburn, and prior to her marriage, Mrs. Fix
Last Updated on October 25, 2013 by Dennis Phil Crow, a 23-year resident of Olympia, Wash. died May 14, 2007. He was 62. Mr. Crow was born Sept. 14, 1944, in Milwaukee, Wis. to Henry and Mary Greenwood Loades, Sr. He graduated from Joseph High School in 1962 and attended Spokane Community College as well
Last Updated on June 24, 2011 by HON. JOHN B. ALLEN. – “I think Walla Walla is destined to be the central and commercial city of that large area of country in Eastern Washington lying south of the Snake river, and of much of Eastern Oregon. Probably no city of its population in the Northwest
