Olympia Historic Preservation

09/06/2023

One of Olympia's greatest qualities is that so much history can be stuffed into the smallest spaces!

Known today as the New Caledonia Building, the Carlton Sears Building was constructed in 1941. Prior to this building, a two-story wood frame building sat in this location, and was an exciting participant in the mini-golf course war of 1930! And not only mini-golf, but this particular course was also the first (but not only) mini-golf/cabaret in town, and perhaps on the west coast! In less than one year, at least four miniature golf course businesses popped up around Olympia and were all subsequently out of business by 1931.

One of the Carlton Sears Building's first tenants would be the Paulson Salon, owned and operated by nationally renowned hair stylists. Paulson's first storefront faced Washington Street, and within just six years would take over two of the three storefronts offered in the Sears Building. Paulson's would eventually be taken over Proffitt's.

And the history continues when the indie music scene was at its height around Olympia, and this same building served as space for some of Olympia's best-known venues: North Shore Surf Club, The Vortex, and Thekla. Fun fact (as if these aren't all fun!): David Grohl played his first show with a little band known as Nirvana in this very spot in 1990!

As you can tell, the building has since been heavily remodeled in an aesthetic fit more on the Dalmatian Coast than Olympia, but nonetheless, its role in our shared histories still remains!

Talk about big histories fitting into small spaces!!

08/30/2023

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08/30/2023

Did you know Olympia has several boats listed in the Olympia Heritage Register and the National Register of Historic Places? Maritime is a special part of our histories, and even some sites of our most important maritime-related places are listed! In fact, the heritage commission just listed the Delta V. Smyth Tugs and Barges Company Site (now Budd Bay Cafe and no, their building is not included just to be clear) in the Olympia Heritage Register!

Local events happening Aug. 26 through Sept. 3.

08/30/2023

Would you be surprised if I were to suggest that Stephen King subtly promotes historic preservation in his books? Reading between the lines, IT in particular always comes to mind :D

Welcome to Derry will explore Pennywise's origin story!!! 🎈

08/12/2023

Great news! Maritime Washington National Heritage Area has an Olympia itinerary too! Guess I know what the next posts on here will be 😉

https://maritimewa.org/itinerary/family-weekend-in-olympia/?fbclid=IwAR1fS1Uf_FvGSd6umbx7fUkrYszsl_0ZsOhGKBFR2XaqwsPNKGsJ1CvLJM4_aem_ATTWBFIvPL8YC1ZWyN6WRt6hmZGRvJRlk2GukTnt4HNVp2LJnf-3v0u_mknMHdh0mfI

At the southern end of Budd Inlet, Washington’s state capitol is a fantastic destination for maritime lovers of all ages. Olympia has long been home […]

08/11/2023

Graffiti can be historic too 😅

08/10/2023

Who’s excited for Harbor Days?? Or who doesn’t like crowds and stays home? ( )

So excited for the first ever Drone Maritime Light Show at Olympia Harbor Days! Put on by the incredible Sky Lites. Join us at 9:30 p.m. Friday, Sept. 1 at the end of the very first day of OHD to marvel at the 75 drones that will illuminate the sky with a variety of maritime images! Come down to the waterfront on Thursday night for the test rehearsal - time TBA. Music will be added to the show and will be broadcast by local KXXO MIXX 96.1 radio station. Sponsored by Anthony’s Restaurants, Budd Bay Cafe, Olympia Oyster House, Rivers Edge, Thomas Architecture Studios, Umpqua Bank, and Olympia Downtown Alliance.

08/10/2023

Raise your hand if you think Olympia’s maritime heritage is better and cooler than Seattle!!! ✋✋✋

Seattle’s waterfront. What feelings and memories do these two words conjure up for you? For generations of residents in Seattle's Historic South Downtown, the waterfront has been a hub of community, work, migration, and even magical fishermen.

08/10/2023

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The twin barns at the Billy Frank Jr. Nisqually National Wildlife Refuge possess clues about history and high-tech practices.

08/10/2023

Happy Wohleb Wednesday! When it comes to historic architecture in Olympia, the name Wohleb will be coming up A LOT. So we will try to space it out, but it's inevitable. But they're also excellent buildings and stories, so whatever!

Currently home to several local businesses, such as Rumors Wine Bar, The Painted Plate Olympia, and Ember Goods, the building on the northeast corner of 5th and Washington has been thought to have been constructed as an annex or office building with Capitol Theater in 1924. But new research has identified that this building has its own history prior to 1924 and not related to the Theater. This commercial building was actually constructed in 1915 as the Central Building for Joseph L. Peters, a successful commercial real estate developer at that time. Designed by renowned local architect, Joseph Wohleb, the original building composes the 60'x120' northern half of its current footprint. Some of its first occupants included Farrington's Paint and Paper Store and John and Pete Tailors. In 1922, Piggly Wiggly opened in the Central Building, causing interior remodeling to meet the chain's specifications. Other later, pre-1924 businesses included the tailor "Gulbra," real estate office for John T. Otis, and a warehouse in the rear for grocer Joseph Reder, all in the first floor; the second floor offered additional office space and the "Central Hall," which was a popular meeting space for several lodges and also hosted several dances over time.

At a currently unknown date between 1915 and 1923, Peters sold the Central Building to Millard Lemon, head of the Casco Company; in 1923, Lemon sold the building to William Wilson and E.A. Zabel as what was reported at that time to be the largest business transaction of the year, for $70,000. Wilson and Zabel co-owned the Olympia Amusement Company, which already owned two other theaters, the Ray and the Rex, in Olympia by 1923, and purchased the Central Building as part of their plan to construct what would become the Capitol Theater in 1924. The 1923 transaction included the area south of the Central Building that was occupied by one-story commercial buildings and a single-family residence, all of which were not attached to the Central Building.

In 1924, the Olympia Amusement Company demolished the buildings in that area, and had Capitol Theater architect, also Joseph Wohleb, include an addition to the Central Building that would extend to 5th Avenue and attach to the Capitol Theater. This allowed businesses in the previous buildings a new home, as well as office space for Capitol Theater operations on the second story. Since Wohleb designed all three components (1915 Central Building, 1924 Central Building addition, and 1924 Capitol Theater) he was able to ensure unification of the Central Block's addition with his 1915 design, and thus camouflaging its history. But if you look closely as you walk by, there are ever so minor details that can give it away when you look hard enough!

Raise your hand if you think we should really name it the Piggly Wiggly Building!

08/04/2023

Let’s also celebrate the City and it’s heritage commission for listing the Armory in the Olympia Heritage Register! 🥳 and will also be listed in the National Register of Historic Places soon(ish)! 🥳🥳

Armory Building Manager Valerie Roberts has updated the Olympia City Council about the Olympia Armory Creative Campus phase one plan, which focused on designing with the community through artists' …