Olympia is the capital of the U.S.

state of Washington and the county seat and

largest city of Thurston County.[4][5] It is 60 miles (100 km) southwest of the
state's most populous city, Seattle, and is a cultural center of the southern Puget
Sound region.

European settlers claimed the area in 1846, with the Treaty of Medicine Creek
initiated in 1854, followed by the Treaty of Olympia in 1856. Olympia was
incorporated as a town on January 28, 1859, and as a city in 1882.[6] It had a
population of 55,605 at the time of the 2020 census,[2] making it the state's 23rd-
largest city. Olympia borders Lacey to the east and Tumwater to the south.

Contents
1 History
1.1 Recent mayors
2 Geography and climate
2.1 Parks
2.2 Artesian water
3 Demographics
3.1 2010 census
3.2 2000 census
4 Schools and universities
5 Economy
6 Arts
7 Sports
8 Transportation
8.1 Rail
8.2 Bus
8.3 Airport
9 Media
10 Notable people
11 International relations
11.1 Twin towns and sister cities
12 See also
13 References
14 External links
History
Main article: History of Olympia, Washington

Old Capitol Building and Sylvester Park in August 2005

The site of Olympia had been home to Lushootseed-speaking peoples known as the
Steh-Chass (or Stehchass, later part of the post-treaty Squaxin Island Tribe) for
thousands of years. Other Native Americans regularly visited the head of Budd Inlet
and the Steh-Chass, including the other ancestor tribes of the Squaxin, as well as
the Nisqually, Puyallup, Chehalis, Suquamish, and Duwamish. The first recorded
Europeans came to Olympia in 1792. Peter Puget and a crew from the British
Vancouver Expedition are said to have explored the site, but neither recorded any
encounters with the resident Indigenous population. In 1846, Edmund Sylvester and
Levi Lathrop Smith jointly claimed the land that is now downtown Olympia. In 1851,
the U.S. Congress established the Customs District of Puget Sound for Washington
Territory and Olympia became the home of the customs house. Its population steadily
expanded from Oregon Trail immigrants. In 1850, the town settled on the name
Olympia, at local resident Colonel Isaac N. Ebey's suggestion,[7] because of its
view of the Olympic Mountains to the northwest. The area began to be served by a
small fleet of steamboats known as the Puget Sound Mosquito Fleet.

Over two days, December 24–26, 1854, Governor Isaac I. Stevens negotiated the
Treaty of Medicine Creek with the representatives of the Nisqually, Puyallup,
Squawksin, Steh'Chass, Noo-Seh-Chatl, Squi-Aitl, T'Peeksin, Sah-Heh-Wa-Mish, and
S'Hotl-Ma-Mish tribes. Stevens's treaty included the preservation of Indigenous
fishing, hunting, gathering and other rights. It also included a section which, at
least as interpreted by United States officials, required the Native American
signatories to move to one of three reservations. Doing so would effectively force
the Nisqually people to cede their prime farming and living space. One of the
leaders of the Nisqually, Chief Leschi, outraged, refused to give up ownership of
this land and instead fought for his people's right to their territory, sparking
the beginning of the Puget Sound War. The war ended with Leschi's execution.

In 1896, Olympia became the home of the Olympia Brewing Company, which brewed
Olympia Beer until 2003.

The 1949 Olympia earthquake damaged many historic buildings beyond repair, and they
were demolished. Parts of the city also suffered damage from earthquakes in 1965
and 2001.

Recent mayors
Mayor[8] From To
David Skramstad September 1982 December 1985
William Daley January 1986 December 1987
Holly Gadbaw January 1988 December 1989
Rex Derr January 1990 December 1991
David Skramstad January 1992 December 1993
Bob Jacobs January 1994 December 1999
Stan Biles January 2000 December 2003
Mark Foutch January 2004 December 2007
Doug Mah January 2008 December 2011
Stephen Buxbaum January 2012 December 2015
Cheryl Selby January 2016 present
Geography and climate

Astronaut Photography of Olympia, Washington, taken from the International Space

Station (ISS)
Olympia is located at 47°2′33″N 122°53′35″W (47.042418, −122.893077).[9]

According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has an area of 19.68 square
miles (50.97 km2), of which 17.82 sq mi (46.15 km2) is land and 1.86 sq mi (4.82
km2) is water.[10]

Olympia is at the southern end of Puget Sound on Budd Inlet. The Deschutes River
estuary was dammed in 1951 to create Capitol Lake. Much of the lower area of
downtown Olympia sits on reclaimed land. The cities of Lacey and Tumwater border
Olympia.

The region surrounding Olympia has a warm-summer Mediterranean climate (Köppen

Csb), whereas the local microclimate has dry summers and cool July and August
overnight lows. It is part of USDA Hardiness zone 8a, with isolated pockets around
Puget Sound in zone 8b.[11] Most of western Washington's weather is brought in by
weather systems that form near the Aleutian Islands in Alaska. It contains cold
moist air, which brings western Washington cold rain, cloudiness, and fog. November
through January are Olympia's rainiest months. City streets, creeks, and rivers can
flood from November to February. The monthly mean temperature ranges from 38.4 °F
(3.6 °C) in December to 64.1 °F (17.8 °C) in August. Seasonal snowfall for 1981–
2010 averaged 10.8 inches (27.4 cm)[12] but has historically ranged from trace
amounts in 1991–92 to 81.5 in (207 cm) in 1968–69.[12]

Olympia averages 50 inches (1,270 mm) of precipitation annually and has a year-
round average of 75% cloud cover. Annual precipitation has ranged from 29.92 in
(760 mm) in 1952 to 66.71 in (1,694 mm) in 1950; for water year (October 1 –
September 30) precipitation, the range is 32.71 in (831 mm) in 2000–01 to 72.57 in
(1,843 mm) in 1998–99.[12] With a period of record dating back to 1948, extreme
temperatures have ranged from −8 °F (−22 °C) on January 1, 1979, up to 110 °F (43
°C), on June 28, 2021; the record cold daily maximum is 18 °F (−8 °C) on January
31, 1950, while, conversely, the record warm daily minimum is 69 °F (21 °C) on July
22, 2006.[12] On average, 6.3 days annually reach 90 °F (32 °C), 1.8 days stay at
or below freezing all day, and 78 nights reach the freezing mark.[12] The average
window for freezing temperatures is October 8 through May 3, allowing a growing
season of 157 days, nearly 100 days shorter than in Seattle.[12]

Climate data for Olympia Regional Airport, Washington (1991−2020 normals, extremes
1948−present)
Month Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Year
Record high °F (°C) 64
(18) 73
(23) 79
(26) 88
(31) 96
(36) 110
(43) 104
(40) 104
(40) 98
(37) 90
(32) 74
(23) 64
(18) 110
(43)
Mean maximum °F (°C) 56.3
(13.5) 59.4
(15.2) 67.9
(19.9) 76.2
(24.6) 83.9
(28.8) 87.9
(31.1) 93.6
(34.2) 92.2
(33.4) 86.3
(30.2) 73.7
(23.2) 61.5
(16.4) 55.5
(13.1) 96.0
(35.6)
Average high °F (°C) 46.2
(7.9) 49.2
(9.6) 53.9
(12.2) 59.0
(15.0) 66.2
(19.0) 71.0
(21.7) 77.8
(25.4) 78.2
(25.7) 72.3
(22.4) 60.4
(15.8) 50.8
(10.4) 45.0
(7.2) 60.8
(16.0)
Daily mean °F (°C) 39.6
(4.2) 40.7
(4.8) 44.2
(6.8) 48.2
(9.0) 54.6
(12.6) 59.2
(15.1) 64.2
(17.9) 64.3
(17.9) 59.2
(15.1) 50.4
(10.2) 43.3
(6.3) 38.9
(3.8) 50.6
(10.3)
Average low °F (°C) 33.1
(0.6) 32.2
(0.1) 34.5
(1.4) 37.4
(3.0) 42.9
(6.1) 47.4
(8.6) 50.6
(10.3) 50.5
(10.3) 46.1
(7.8) 40.5
(4.7) 35.7
(2.1) 32.8
(0.4) 40.3
(4.6)
Mean minimum °F (°C) 18.8
(−7.3) 19.0
(−7.2) 23.9
(−4.5) 27.5
(−2.5) 32.3
(0.2) 38.4
(3.6) 42.7
(5.9) 41.9
(5.5) 35.9
(2.2) 27.9
(−2.3) 21.6
(−5.8) 18.4
(−7.6) 12.6
(−10.8)
Record low °F (°C) −8
(−22) −1
(−18) 9
(−13) 23
(−5) 25
(−4) 30
(−1) 35
(2) 33
(1) 25
(−4) 14
(−10) −1
(−18) −7
(−22) −8
(−22)
Average precipitation inches (mm) 7.77
(197) 5.08
(129) 5.67
(144) 3.66
(93) 2.25
(57) 1.45
(37) 0.53
(13) 0.96
(24) 2.04
(52) 5.07
(129) 8.21
(209) 7.64
(194) 50.17
(1,274)
Average snowfall inches (cm) 1.5
(3.8) 0.5
(1.3) 0.1
(0.25) 0.0
(0.0) 0.0
(0.0) 0.0
(0.0) 0.0
(0.0) 0.0
(0.0) 0.0
(0.0) 0.0
(0.0) 0.0
(0.0) 1.0
(2.5) 4.6
(12)
Average precipitation days (≥ 0.01 in.) 20.2 16.3 18.8 16.3 11.4 8.5 4.0
4.8 8.1 15.1 19.5 20.0 162.8
Average snowy days (≥ 0.1 in.) 0.5 0.6 0.2 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0
0.0 0.0 0.2 0.8 3.3
Source: NOAA [13][14]

Parks

The "sprayground" at Woodruff Park on Olympia's westside

Olympia has a wide array of public parks and nature conservation areas. The Woodard
Bay Natural Resources Conservation Area is a 600-acre (2.4 km2) parcel that
preserves more than 5 miles (8.0 km) of Puget Sound waterfront along the Woodard
and Chapman Bays of the Henderson Inlet. Percival Landing Park includes 0.9 miles
(1.4 km) of boardwalk along Budd Inlet, as well as a playground, picnic areas, and
a large open space. The boardwalk leads north to an open-air amphitheater, a
viewing tower beside the Port of Olympia, as well as the Olympia Farmers' Market.
Percival Landing closed in 2010 for an extensive remodel after saltwater
degradation and reopened in summer 2011. Watershed Park is the site of the former
waterworks for the city and today has a loop trail with a large second-growth
forest. Other parks include Priest Point Park, Burfoot Park, Woodruff Park, Sunrise
Park, Yauger Park (home to one of Olympia's public skate parks), Friendly Grove
(nestled in a small Eastside Community), and Trillium Park, which was created by
the efforts of adjoining neighborhood associations with the easement of private
property. The Nisqually National Wildlife Refuge is just outside Olympia, as is the
Capitol State Forest.

Artesian water
Olympia was historically dependent on artesian waters. Early settlers in Swantown
and Tumwater used artesian springs for their main water supply. The artesian spring
at Fourth Avenue and Main Street (now called Capitol Way) was the main community
well where settlers, as well as the local Steh-Chass and visiting Native Americans,
gathered to socialize. Settler accounts recall paying Native Americans to collect
water here. The artesian well at Artesian Commons park, a former parking lot, is
active.[15] Another still flows at the corner of Olympia Avenue and Washington
Street. A small park was constructed around another spring in the Bigelow
Neighborhood.[16] The northeast end of Capitol Lake was the location of an artesian
well until the construction of a new park that included changes to the shoreline.
McAllister Springs, Olympia's main water source, is fed by artesian wells, and the
former Olympia Brewery is supplied by 26 artesian wells.

Efforts to protect and preserve the free-flowing artesian well on 4th Ave in
downtown Olympia began in 1991 when Jim Ingersoll, a local psychologist, called on
the city council to acquire the well and develop it as a community park.
Ingersoll's interest in the well started in a conversation with Dick Batdorf, co-
founder of Batdorf & Bronson coffee roasting. Batdorf told Ingersoll that the
secret to great coffee was great water – specifically artesian water. Ingersoll
then met with Herb Legg and John Robinson, both of whom had worked in the 1950s and
'60s to protect Watershed Park's artesian wells. Legg and Robinson worked behind
the scenes to get an article published in the Olympian on February 24, 1992,
calling for community support of the well. Ingersoll was then flooded with phone
calls offering time, talent, resources and money. Legg and friends sponsored a
public meeting at the Library, where more than 50 people each donated $50, and a
single $3,000 donation followed the next day.

With hundreds of people using the well every day, community support grew to become
"The Friends of Artesians", an informal organization of advocates who over 20 years
mapped and researched the history of artesian wells in Olympia, raised money to
test water quality and make improvements to the site and kept the vision of a free-
flowing community well alive. In the fall of 2008, The Friends announced they would
stop testing the water quality after February 2009. These actions renewed interest
in protecting the well and led to the creation the nonprofit organization
H2Olympia.[17]

In downtown Olympia, efforts to preserve the use of artesian water at the one
remaining public well has been the mission of H2Olympia: Artesian Well Advocates.
In 2011, the city of Olympia committed $50,000 toward improvements of an artesian
well in a parking lot that the city purchased the same year.[18] Renovations at the
well were completed in late 2011, including surface improvements, solar lighting,
and a raised area to fill bottles. In spring 2012, sea-themed mosaic artwork
created by community members was installed at the site of the well.

Demographics
Historical population
Census Pop. %±
1870 1,203 —
1880 1,232 2.4%
1890 4,698 281.3%
1900 3,863 −17.8%
1910 6,996 81.1%
1920 7,795 11.4%
1930 11,733 50.5%
1940 13,254 13.0%
1950 15,819 19.4%
1960 18,273 15.5%
1970 23,296 27.5%
1980 27,447 17.8%
1990 33,840 23.3%
2000 42,514 25.6%
2010 46,478 9.3%
2020 55,605 19.6%
U.S. Decennial Census[19]
2020 Census[2]
2010 census
As of the census[20] of 2010, there were 46,478 people, 20,761 households, and
10,672 families residing in the city. The population density was 2,608.2
inhabitants per square mile (1,007.0/km2). There were 22,086 housing units at an
average density of 1,239.4 per square mile (478.5/km2). The racial makeup of the
city was 83.7% White, 2.0% African American, 1.1% Native American, 6.0% Asian, 0.4%
Pacific Islander, 1.8% from other races, and 5.0% from two or more races. Hispanic
or Latino of any race were 6.3% of the population.

There were 20,761 households, of which 25.6% had children under the age of 18
living with them, 36.2% were married couples living together, 11.3% had a female
householder with no husband present, 3.9% had a male householder with no wife
present, and 48.6% were other families. 36.3% of all households were made up of
individuals, and 11.7% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older.
The average household size was 2.18 and the average family size was 2.83.

The median age in the city was 38 years. 19.5% of residents were under the age of
18; 11.2% were between the ages of 18 and 24; 28.5% were from 25 to 44; 26.7% were
from 45 to 64; and 13.9% were 65 years of age or older. The gender makeup of the
city was 47.3% male and 52.7% female.

2000 census
As of the census of 2000, there were 42,514 people, 18,670 households, and 9,968
families residing in the city. The population density was 2,544.4 people per square
mile (982.3/km2). There were 19,738 housing units at an average density of 1,181.3
per square mile (456.1/km2). The racial makeup of the city was 85.3% White, 1.9%
African American, 1.3% Native American, 5.8% Asian, 0.3% Pacific Islander, 1.7%
from other races, and 3.8% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race
were 4.4% of the population. 15.0% were of German, 11.3% Irish, 10.0% English, 6.0%
Norwegian and 5.3% American ancestry. 91.6% spoke English, 2.9% Spanish and 1.7%
Vietnamese as their first language.

There were 18,670 households, out of which 26.8% had children under the age of 18
living with them, 39.6% were married couples living together, 10.4% had a female
householder with no husband present, and 46.6% were non-families. 35.2% of all
households were made up of individuals, and 10.7% had someone living alone who was
65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.21 and the average
family size was 2.88.

In the city, the population was spread out, with 21.5% under the age of 18, 11.9%
from 18 to 24, 30.4% from 25 to 44, 22.9% from 45 to 64, and 13.3% who were 65
years of age or older. The median age was 36 years. For every 100 females, there
were 91.5 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 88.1 males.

The median income for a household in the city was $40,846, and the median income
for a family was $54,136. Males had a median income of $41,267 versus $31,515 for
females. The per capita income for the city was $22,590. About 6.9% of families and
12.1% of the population were below the poverty line, including 10.4% of those under
age 18 and 6.3% of those age 65 or over.

Schools and universities

Olympia's main public school district is the Olympia School District. It enrolled
9,782 students in K-12 in the 2021–22 school year.[21] The district has a total of
18 schools: 11 elementary schools, four middle schools and three high schools. Its
high schools are Olympia High School (formally known as William Winlock Miller High
School), Capital High School, and Avanti High School.

In the 2007–08 school year, Olympia began the Parent Partnership Program, which
provides more opportunities to homeschooling families. Olympia's online high
school, Olympia Regional Learning Academy (ORLA), is part of the same program.
Private elementary schools include Olympia Waldorf School, Olympia Community
School, St. Michael School, Holy Family, and Evergreen Christian. Private middle
schools include Olympia Waldorf School and NOVA School.
In addition to primary and secondary schools, Olympia has a number of institutions
of higher learning, including The Evergreen State College and South Puget Sound
Community College. The Evergreen State College (TESC) offers bachelor's degrees in
liberal arts and science, and master's degrees in environmental studies, public
administration, education, and teaching. South Puget Sound Community College
(SPSCC) offers associate degrees in arts, science, biology, elementary education,
pre-nursing, applied science, general studies, and business.

Economy
Further information: List of companies based in Olympia, Washington
According to Olympia's 2017 Comprehensive Annual Financial Report,[22] the county's
top employers are:

# Employer # of Employees
1 State of Washington, including education 17,027
2 Local government, including education 3,591
3 Providence St. Peter Hospital 2,053
4 Capital Medical Center 600
5 YMCA 551
6 Titus Will 400
6 Macys 400
8 AMR Corp 300
9 Weyerhaeuser 222
10 Olympian 270
Arts

The Capitol Theater, home of the Olympia Film Society

Olympia is a regional center for fine arts. A number of theatrical experiences are
available with companies such as Animal Fire Theater, Olympia Family Theater,
Olympia Little Theater, Goldfinch Productions, Broadway Olympia Productions, and
Harlequin Productions at the historic State Theater. The Olympia Symphony Orchestra
performs five regular-season concerts at the Washington Center and two pops
concerts. The Masterworks Chorale Ensemble performs four regular-season concerts at
the Washington Center for the Performing Arts.

Visual art venues include some of the local coffeehouses, Olympia Coffee Roasting
Co., Batdorf & Bronson, and Burial Grounds downtown. Art House Designs is an art
gallery that also hosts a jazz performance space. Murals and public art
installations of sculpture are prevalent in Olympia and are especially featured on
the State Capitol Campus and along Percival Landing on the urban waterfront. The
Washington Center for the Performing Arts also presents visual art exhibitions
throughout the season in its lobby areas.

Notable art venues near Olympia include Art in Ecology, housed in Washington
Department of Ecology's 322,000-square-foot, three-story building on the campus of
Saint Martin's University. Art in Ecology is a long-established art-in-the-
workplace venue that has works by numerous northwest artists. Permanent
installations by Alfredo Arreguin, commissioned by the Washington State Arts
Commission, are accompanied by changing solo and group exhibitions throughout the
year. Appointments to view the works are needed; tours take about an hour.

South Puget Sound Community College has a gallery in its Minnaert Center with
rotating exhibitions. Evergreen State College, northwest of Olympia, has a
professionally curated gallery with rotating shows in the Dan Evans Library
building. South of Olympia, Monarch Contemporary Art Center and Sculpture Park has
an 80-acre sculpture garden and art gallery.

Each year, the Olympia Film Society (OFS) produces a film festival and fosters film
and video education in Olympia. It also shows independent, classic, and
international films year-round at the art-deco Capitol Theater. A mostly volunteer-
powered organization, OFS supports and presents a variety of cultural events,
including All Freakin' Night, an all-night horror film screening with a cult
following.

On the fourth Saturday in April, in honor of Earth Day, Olympia is host to one of
the region's largest community celebrations – the Procession of the Species. Held
in conjunction with the city's biannual Arts Walk, the Procession is organized by
the community-based nonprofit organization Earthbound Productions, and is the
culmination of an annual Community Art Studio that is free and open to the public.
[23] In its July 2009 Best of America feature, Reader's Digest magazine honored the
Procession of the Species with the top spot in its "can’t resist" parades and
processions list.[24][25] Open to all, the Procession of the Species attracts up to
30,000 viewers, while its costumed participants of all ages frequently number
nearly 3,000. On the Friday evening before the Procession of Species, a Luminary
Procession is held.

The Fleetwoods, a popular 1950s and 1960s doo-wop group, whose hits included "Come
Softly to Me" and "Mr. Blue", originated in Olympia.

Sports
In 1984, Olympia hosted the U.S. Olympic women's marathon trial. The winner of the
event was Joan Benoit, who won a gold medal at the first women's Olympic marathon
at the 1984 Summer Olympic games in Los Angeles.

Olympia is the home of the Oly Rollers, the local women's flat track roller derby
league whose travel team, the Cosa Nostra Donnas, were the 2009 national champions
of the Women's Flat Track Derby Association (WFTDA), winning the national
Declaration of Derby tournament in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.[26]

Transportation
Rail
Amtrak provides service to Olympia-Lacey at Centennial Station. Amtrak train 11,
the southbound Coast Starlight, departs Olympia at 11:19am with service to
Centralia; Portland; Sacramento; Emeryville, California (with bus connection to San
Francisco); and Los Angeles. Amtrak train 14, the northbound Coast Starlight,
departs Olympia at 6:01pm daily with service to Tacoma and Seattle. Amtrak Cascades
trains, operating as far north as Vancouver and as far south as Eugene, Oregon,
serve Olympia-Lacey several times daily in both directions.

Bus
Main article: Intercity Transit

Intercity Transit Bus 920 on Route 12 to downtown Olympia

Olympia, Lacey, Tumwater, and the surrounding area are primarily served by
Intercity Transit, with connections to Grays Harbor Transit, Mason Transit
Authority, Pierce Transit, and Sound Transit. Intercity Transit maintains a free
shuttle route called "Dash".[27] Dash runs from the Capitol Campus to the Farmers
Market at the far edge of downtown. Intercity Transit's Olympia Express provides
service to Lakewood and Tacoma, with connections to regional bus and commuter rail
service.[28] In 2009 Intercity Transit won an award for America's best Public
Transportation System in the midsize category by the American Public Transportation
Association. The fleet runs entirely on biodiesel fuel and is composed of about 20%
biodiesel-electric hybrid buses.[29]

Airport
Olympia Regional Airport is just south of Olympia in Tumwater. It is operated by
the Port of Olympia and serves general aviation as well as corporate aviation. The
airport hosts the Olympic AirShow, a medium-sized airshow that occurs on Father's
Day weekend each year.[30]

Media
Robust journalism in Olympia dates to before Washington Territory's incorporation
in 1853.[31]

The Olympian is the local daily newspaper. The Tacoma-based Weekly Volcano has
covered Olympia entertainment since 2001. Progressive newspaper Works in Progress
is published monthly.[32] The statewide government channel TVW is based in Olympia.
Online outlet NorthAmericaTalk, an aggregate for local community news and
marketing, was established with headquarters in Olympia.

Olympia and Thurston County are included in the Seattle-Tacoma designated market
area (DMA), and therefore are chiefly served by Seattle's network-affiliated
television stations and some radio stations. Since 1983, Olympia has had a public,
educational and government access television station, which was rebranded in 2016
as Thurston Community Media.[33] Olympia sits on the southern fringe of the FM
signal of National Public Radio member station KUOW. An AM simulcast is transmitted
from a tower in nearby Tumwater.[34] Evergreen State College's KAOS broadcasts a
mix of educational and political programming, with student-driven music shows.[35]

Notable people
Main article: List of people from Olympia, Washington
US Soccer goalkeeper Kasey Keller was born in Olympia. He played for Seattle
Sounders FC until 2011, after a long career in Europe.[36]
The 1990s riot grrrl feminist punk movement, which included bands like Bikini Kill
and Bratmobile, originated in Olympia.[37]
Entrepreneur Christopher Hedrick grew up in Olympia and was inducted into the
Olympia High School Hall of Fame.
Don Rich, lead guitarist for Buck Owens, was raised in Olympia.
Grammy-winning musician Rickie Lee Jones attended high school in Olympia.[38]
Nathan and Aaron Weaver of Atmospheric Black Metal band Wolves in the Throne Room
live in Olympia.
Geoff Jenkins, Major League Baseball outfielder, was born in Olympia.[39]
Calvin Johnson, of the band Beat Happening and founder of Olympia-based record
label K Records, lives in Olympia.[40]
Peter Kennedy, five-time national champion and 1952 Winter Olympics silver medalist
in pairs figure skating, was born in Olympia.
Kimya Dawson, singer-songwriter and member of The Moldy Peaches, is a resident of
Olympia.[41]
Gary Toxel of the popular doo-wop group The Fleetwoods, whose hits included Come
Softly to Me and Mr. Blue.
USA Rugby player Scott LaValla was born and raised in Olympia and graduated from
North Thurston High School. He later played for Stade Français in Paris, France.
[42]
Artist Nikki McClure lives in Olympia.[43]
New York Times bestselling author Jim Lynch lives in Olympia.[44]
Kurt Cobain of the band Nirvana lived at 114 Pear St NE from 1987 to 1991.[45]
Colin O'Brady, endurance athlete and mountain climber, was born and grew up in
Olympia.
William Henry Mitchell, pioneer and sheriff
International relations
See also: List of sister cities in the United States
Twin towns and sister cities
Olympia is twinned with:

Katō, Hyōgo, Japan.[46]

State of Palestine Rafah, Palestine[47]
A previous sister city agreement with Olympia, Greece is no longer in effect.[48]
See also

View from Tumwater Hill

flag United States portal
Bigelow House
Capital City Pride – Community Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender (LGBT)
Festival
Washington State Capitol
Freechild Institute for Youth Engagement – Nonprofit organization in Olympia
Capitol Lakefair – Annual festival in Olympia
Music of Olympia, Washington
Port Militarization Resistance
References
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External links
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Olympia, Washington.
Wikivoyage has a travel guide for Olympia, Washington.
City of Olympia
Olympia Historical Society
"Olympia, the capital of the state of Washington, U.S.A." . Encyclopædia Britannica
(11th ed.). 1911.
Olympia, Washington at Curlie
Convention and Visitors Bureau