Old Capitol Building
About this property
The Old Capitol Building (originally known as the State Capitol Building) is a historic building in downtown Olympia, Washington. It was built in 1892 and has been listed on the National Register of Historic Places since 1975. It is currently occupied by the Office of the Superintendent of Public Instruction. On December 12, 1890, architect Willis A. Ritchie was selected to develop the new seat of government. Construction began on May 15, 1891 and completed on October 12, 1892, when it was formally accepted as the Thurston County courthouse. The State Capitol Building was dedicated on January 11, 1905, at Governor Albert Mead's inauguration, and served 1928 as the State Capitol, seat of the legislature of Washington, until 1928. In 1928, the legislature moved to the current Capitol Building. On Saturday, September 8, 1928, a fire ignited, severely damaging the timber roof framing on the main section of the building, including the loss of a 150 feet (46 m) tall central tower. Additionally, water from fire fighting efforts damaged the building's interior. Dense smoke was detected at 3:35 p.m. at the base of the tower and roof eaves; all available firefighters in Olympia responded to the emergency. After 20 minutes, Tacoma Fire Department was dispatched to assist, making a 32 miles (51 km) trip across the Pacific Highway to arrive 35 minutes later. The fire was completely put out by 5:30 p.m., and witnessed by approximately 6,500 people from the surrounding streets. After the 1949 Olympia earthquake, the building was evacuated and suffered severe damage to its masonry exterior that had to be repaired over the following few months at a cost of $1.1 million. 10 of the 12 towers were lost in the earthquake, along with a rotunda, the House chamber, and several galleries in the East Wing. National Register of Historic Places listings in Thurston County, Washington Media related to Old Washington State Capitol at Wikimedia Commons
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Property data from the National Register of Historic Places, National Park Service (public domain).
Description adapted from Wikipedia under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.
Everything a full report reveals about Old Capitol Building
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Questions about this property
When was Old Capitol Building listed on the National Register?
Old Capitol Building was listed on the National Register of Historic Places on May 29, 1975.
What type of historic resource is Old Capitol Building?
Old Capitol Building is classified as a building in the National Register of Historic Places.
What is the period of significance for Old Capitol Building?
The period of significance for Old Capitol Building is recorded as the industrial era.
Can I research the history near Old Capitol Building?
Yes. Aubrey Research reports search National Register listings, battlefield records, land patents, and other primary historical sources within any radius of a US address. A report for an address near Old Capitol Building will include this listing and all other historical records in the area.
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