Faces of Olympia
Visit Faces of Olympia! Olympia Arts & Heritage Alliance’s newest installation celebrates the art, history and cultures of Olympia through the stories of individuals. It can be seen in the east facing firehouse doors of the historic 1912 City Hall/Fire Station at 108 State Avenue, in downtown Olympia. The exhibition includes images of 36 people who call, or have called, Olympia home. Their stories are told on the Faces of Olympia webpages - click here and follow links to read their stories, An additional 33 local people are included in a slide show.
give local
This November, people in our community showed their support of local non-profits by donating through Give Local 2024. AHA raised over $14,000. Thanks to everyone who contributed to this successful campaign. And, it’s not too late to celebrate the vibrant arts and history of Olympia. Your donation will support AHA’s efforts to open a museum in downtown Olympia.
Olympia Arts + Heritage Alliance - a museum for arts, cultures and heritage!
Olympia Arts + Heritage Alliance has submitted our proposal to transform the historic City-owned building at 108 State Ave NW into a museum for arts, cultures and heritage - an active center bringing together a coalition of organizations and offering a range of activities for the broader community. Read the submitted proposal attached here. And the addenda here. We are excited about this step, and appreciate your continued support as evidenced by your letters, conversations and enthusiasm. The City’s approval and support are essential for moving our proposal forward and we may soon be asking you to show up and speak up. Next steps: proposals will be reviewed by City staff and an external review team; City staff presentation to City Council; selection of Preferred Leasing Partner; negotiation. Please keep in touch by signing up at the bottom of this page. And a BIG THANKS for your help and support!
Harbor House Interpretive Panels
Two new interpretive panels at Harbor House on Percival Landing reference Olympia history. Produced by Olympia Arts + Heritage Alliance (AHA) working with the City of Olympia, Squaxin Island Tribe and other partners, the panels are located at the east end of the building at 217 Thurston Ave NW.
It Happened Here, installed in the historic 1912 City Hall/Fire Station.
It Happened Here
It Happened Here is an installation of images that document the various people and groups who used the land and buildings located at State Avenue and Capitol Way, downtown Olympia. It is located in the windows of the 1912 City Hall/ Fire Station that face State Avenue. The project was initiated by the Olympia Arts & Heritage Alliance and funded, in part, by the Olympia Downtown Alliance. Click here to read about events that took place on this site throughout history.
Howard Point marker. Photo courtesy of Olympia Public Works.
howard point marker
Olympia Arts & Heritage Alliance installed a marker to commemorate Black pioneers Alexander and Rebecca Howard. The marker honors the Howard Family and Howard Point, a geographical feature along East Bay Drive that is visible from the marker. The Howard Point marker was funded by a Thurston County Heritage Grant and is a project of AHA in partnership with the City of Olympia. Read more about the Howard family’s legacy here.
Dr. Carolei Tervera Bryan MD speaking at the unveiling for the Howard Point marker.
Listen to Frank Howard’s descendants speaking at the unveiling for the Howard Point monument.
Dr. Terrall Bryan (part 1)
Dr. Terrall Bryan (part 2)
Storm Bryan-Williamson
Dr. Carolei Tervera Bryan MD
Listen to more of the speakers here.
Then: Percival's Dock and the Great Northern Express Co, ca.1890. A sign shows the schedule for Steamer Nisqually and Steamer SG Simpson, ca. 1890. John C. Percival stands in the foreground. An older man stands in the office doorway. Percival worked on Olympia’s waterfront for 65 years. Photographer: Robert Esterly, State Library Photograph Collection, 1851-1990, Washington State Archives, Digital Archives, http://www.digitalarchives.wa.gov.
Now: “The Kiss,” Richard S. Beyer, 1990. This polished metal sculpture, cast in aluminum, stands before the vista of Percival Landing and south Puget Sound. As the legend goes, “The Kiss” was created for, and placed at Percival Landing because of its romantic setting. Photographer: Alex Kistler.
Then: Located on the southernmost point of Puget Sound, the peninsula known as Olympia was Steh-Chass to the Coastal Salish who occupied the site for many generations before the American settlement was established. The end of what is now known as Budd Inlet was a favorite shellfish gathering site for many Coastal Salish tribes, including the Nisqually, Duwamish and Squaxin. Potlatches, the Northwest tribal custom in which tribal leaders shared their wealth with neighboring tribal groups, were held both east and west of the Inlet near Olympia.
Now: The annual Tribal Canoe Journey has grown to become the largest gathering of Native Americans in the western Washington State region. In 2012 the Squaxin Island Tribe hosted the journey, welcoming more than 10,000 people and 98 canoes, with canoes traveling from as far away as northern California, Peru, and Florida. Following the landing on July 29th in Olympia, Washington, the tribe hosted a week-long Potlatch Protocol Celebration in which participants donned regalia, performed traditional dances and songs, and celebrated their culture in tribal fellowship. Photo courtesy of Thurston Talk.