During the 1960s, lumber mills closed down in Olympia, but in 1972 Evergreen State College was founded on 1,000 acres of land. By the end of the 1960s, three large lumber mills, descendants of Michael Simmons’ Tumwater water-powered mill, closed in Olympia.
Olympia has lost much of its earlier waterfront industry since the 1960s, including lumber and plywood mills, shipbuilding, power pole manufacturing, and other operations. Even though the shipping port and log staging area remain, Olympia’s waterfront area has changed significantly since the 1980s. As a result of the efforts of progressive Republican Governor Daniel J. Evans, the state legislature approved the establishment of The Evergreen State College near Olympia in 1967.
The following photos will take you back to the 1960s Olympia. Observe what’s changed in your city.
#1 A wooden two-story colonial style building in Adams Street SE, Olympia, 1968
#2 Adams Street SE, Olympia, 1968
#3 Capitol Lake and 4th Avenue Bridge, July 18, 1962.
#4 4th Avenue Bridge, Olympia, 1962
#5 4th Avenue in Olympia, looking east, 1968
#6 Aerial view of Capitol Campus and Olympia, 1961
#7 Aerial view of Capitol Campus, 1960s
#8 Alden Hatch Steele house, 1968
#9 Boldman house, 1968
#10 Capitol Conservatory in the snow, 1968
#11 Cherberg Building, 1967
#12 Fallen trees on Capitol grounds, 1962
#13 Fountain in front of General Administration Building, 1960s
#14 Three men gathered around a fountain, which is sitting on a trailer, 1960s
#15 George B. Lane house, Olympia, 1968
#16 George B. Lane house, Olympia, 1968
#17 Governor’s Mansion, Olympia, 1968
#18 Historic home, Olympia, 1968
#19 Hotel Governor, 1965
#20 House at 1104 Franklin Street, Olympia, 1968
#21 Ostrander house, Olympia, 1968
#22 Parking lot and Governor’s Mansion, 1964
#23 Patnude house, Olympia, 1968
#24 Port of Olympia, 1962
#25 State of Washington Archives and Records Center building site and sign, 1962
#26 Two-story wooden house with arched windows and porch at 8th Avenue East, Olympia, 1968
#27 Wooden house with gingerbread trim and upstairs and downstairs porches, Olympia, 1968
#28 Bigelow house, Olympia, 1968
#29 Cherberg building, Olympia, 1960
#30 Employment Security Building construction, 1960
#31 Employment Security Building construction, 1960
#32 Employment Security Building construction, 1960
#33 Employment Security Building construction, 1960
#34 Employment Security Building construction, 1961
#35 Employment Security Building construction, Olympia, 1961
#36 Employment Security Building, exterior, at 406 Water St. SW, 1964
#37 Evans and son playing football, 1969
#38 Evans receiving letter from Pony Express, 1965
Image shows Governor Evans standing on the south portico of the Legislative Building accepting a letter from the Henry Bellmon, Governor of Oklahoma by a "Pony Express" wagon, June 17, 1965. An unidentified man stands adjacent to the governor. A Dalmatian dog sits next to the wagon driver.
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#39 Construction on Highways Licenses Building, April 8, 1961. Includes trucks with materials.
#40 Highways Licenses Building construction, framing, 1961
#41 Institutions Building, 1960
#42 Maple Park, Olympia, 1960
#43 Mrs. Evans with Mrs. Krouse and beef cookbook, 1965
#44 Ruth house, Olympia, 1968
#45 School Directors’ Association building, Olympia, 1969
#46 State Archives building construction, 1963
#47 State Archives excavation, 1962
#48 Frosty Fowler and Frank Hawkins with the Mush-mobile in front of the Capitol Building in Olympia, 1960s
#49 Gloria Dei Lutheran Church, 1515 W Harrison St., Olympia, 1968
In 1904 a group of Swedish/Finnish women, who had recently arrived in the Olympia, started a Ladies’ Aid Societyto raise funds to build the Swedish-Finnish Lutheran Church. In 1935 the name was changed to Gloria Dei Lutheran Church. The church outgrew the 5th & Adams building and after much debate, ground was broken on April 9, 1950 for a new facility at Harrison and Perry Streets. By the mid 1960's the church had again outgrown its facilities and a larger brick and stained-glass sanctuary was dedicated on Palm Sunday in 1968.
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#50 University Way looking north from N.E. 40th St., 1963
#51 Water skiing show in Memorial Stadium, Seattle World’s Fair, 1962
Washington's Olympia Brewing Company (ad slogan "It's the water") sponsored Tommy Barlett's International Water Ski Stars in the World's Fair's "It's the Water" Water Ski Show. Four free shows per day were held in Memorial Stadium, in a large, ring-shaped, concrete "aquadrome" that held nearly a million gallons of water.
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#52 United Churches of Olympia, 1961
#53 Emanuel Baptist Church, Olympia, 1961
#54 Westminster Presbyterian Church, Olympia, 1961
#55 First Baptist church, Olympia, 1961
#56 Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints (Mormon), Olympia, 1961
#57 St. John’s Episcopal, Olympia, 1961
#58 YWCA (Kearney) building, Olympia, 1961
#59 First Church of Christ, Scientist, 1961
#60 Calvary Tabernacle, Olympia, 1961
#61 Church of Christ, Olympia, 1961
#62 First United Methodist Church, Olympia, 1961
#63 First Christian Church, Olympia, 1961
#64 Free Methodist church, Olympia, 1961
#65 Woman’s Club., Olympia 1961
#66 Evangelical Free Church, Olympia, 1961
#67 Seventh Day Adventist Church, Olympia, 1961
#68 St. Michael Parish church, Olympia, 1961
#69 First Baptist Church, formerly St. John’s Episcopal church building, Olympia, 1961
#70 Negative photograph of Trinity Lutheran church building, Olympia, 1961
#71 Free Methodist church (Christian Fellowship/Chapel of Grace), 1961
#72 St. Michael Parish School, Olympia, 1961
#73 Foursquare Church, 1961
#74 Church of the Nazarene, Olympia, 1961
#75 Assembly of God, Olympia, 1961
#76 Army vehicles come down State Street, 1966
#77 A church building, Gloria Dei Lutheran, in Olympia, 1961
#78 Flame princesses, Olympia, 1960
#79 Archives building, Olympia, 1963
#80 Walt Hamilton at artesian fountain, Olympia, 30, 1963
#81 School patrol, Olympia, 1963
#82 Salvation Army, Olympia, 1961
It is a wooden building with a marquee. This photograph is part of a collection of photographs of churches and other religious institutions in Olympia, WA, Thurston County. This building was original First Presbyterian Church, later acquired by the Gloria Dei Lutheran Church and moved to the corner of 5th Avenue and Adams Street. The building was then acquired by the Salvation Army and its steeple removed.
