In 1889, Olympia won a heated battle
with Seattle and several other challengers
to become the state capital. Today,
residents and visitors reap the rewards of
that first legislative victory: an
impressive 82-year old Capitol Building,
Vietnam and World War II memorials, the
State Library, Governor’s Mansion, Capitol
Museum and a Capitol Campus with alluring
gardens, a conservatory and vistas of the
Sound, mountains, forest and city.
North of the Capitol, Lacey lures
outdoor enthusiasts with 425 acres of wooded
parkland, four golf courses, three
freshwater lakes, and several miles of
protected, undeveloped Puget Sound
shoreline. Every fall, visitors go
eye-to-fin with spawning salmon in
Tumwater’s Deschutes River canyon.
Year-round, a wooden footbridge over
Tumwater Falls, panoramic views of a
century-old brew house and historic markers
make the area a popular retreat.
Thurston County is conveniently situated
between two major cities, Seattle, WA and
Portland, OR. Mount Rainier and the rugged
Cascade Mountains provide majestic scenery,
while Washington's Pacific Ocean coast is
just an hour's drive to the west. With its
mild climate and abundance of natural
treasures, outdoor recreation is popular
with residents.
