Olympia has been the Capitol of the Territory and State of
Washington since 1853. The Capitol Campus is situated on 12 acres
of grounds designed by the famous Olmsted Brothers and with a
sweeping view of the city and Puget Sound, it remains one the
loveliest capitol settings in the United States. The grand
centerpiece of the campus is the soaring Legislative Building
(1928), a monumental landmark of columns and hand-carved friezes.
Six cast-bronze doors weighing five tons apiece, each one bearing
a different scene from Washington's past, open into a sumptuous
world of polished marble and plaster ceilings.
Majestically looming over Sylvester Park in downtown Olympia is
the Romanesque style "Old Capitol" building. Built in 1892, as the
county courthouse, it was originally topped by eight turrets and a
central clock tower; unfortunately natural disasters destroyed
these architectural features. It remains an impressive landmark
for the city and visitors can step inside during public business
hours. This building is part of the 12 square block area of
downtown, which was designated as a National Register Historic
District in 2004.
In a world that is increasingly mobile, it's a breath of fresh
air to come upon a place that connects the generations in one
location; you'll find just that in the historic Bigelow House
Museum in Olympia. This Carpenter-Gothic style house, one of the
oldest homes in the state, was, until recently, home to four
successive generations of the pioneer Bigelow Family. Visitors
will enjoy the museum's original heirlooms, furnishings and family
handiwork.
A more opulent home built in Olympia is the Lord Mansion,
gifted to the state in 1939 and now serving as the Washington
State Capital Museum. With its arched, formal entry and majestic
staircase, this museum preserves the history of Washington State.
"Site of the First American Pioneer Settlement in Washington -
1845." The words inscribed at the base of this stylized
representation of a northwest coast totem pole in Tumwater
symbolize the influence of Native American culture on the region.
The 1938 and listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
Provided by the Olympia-Lacey-Tumwater Visitor & Convention Bureau
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