OLYMPIA, WASHINGTON

Olympia, the capital city of Washington State, holds a captivating history rooted in its strategic location at the southernmost tip of Puget Sound. Originally inhabited for thousands of years by Lushootseed-speaking peoples, particularly the Steh-Chass (part of the Squaxin Island Tribe), the area became the site of the first American claims in 1846 by Levi Lathrop Smith and Edmund Sylvester. Officially platted in 1850 and named for the majestic Olympic Mountains, Olympia quickly grew into a bustling maritime hub. Designated the provisional territorial capital in 1853, a status confirmed in 1855, it has steadfastly remained Washington's seat of government. From its pioneering days as a trading center to its enduring role as the state's political heart, Olympia's evolution is vividly chronicled through the historical photographs that tell its ongoing story.