Historic Preservation Events

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The City of Olympia takes pride in celebrating our region's rich history. The South Sound Region is home to some of our state's oldest communities. We are committed to preserving our region's history, and sharing that history with our community through events coordinated among our nearby jurisdictions.

Whether you are a local history buff or new to our community, learning about the past provides us a greater perspective on our modern lives and a greater appreciation of the lives and events of the past. Join the adventure!

Winter Events

The Schneiders of Schneider Creek: Rediscovering a Pioneer Family

Book signing to precede and follow presentation.

• When: Monday, February 22, 2010
• Time: 12 Noon to 1 PM
• Where: State Capital Museum Avenue SW Olympia, Washington 98501
• Phone: (360) 753 2580
• Cost: Suggested donation: $2 per person

(Olympia, WA--) The State Capital Museum/ Washington State Historical Society presents local author Deborah Jane Ross. Ross will be speaking about and reading from her new book, Konrad and Albertina, the true story of the Schneider Pioneer family. Deborah will be signing copies of her book in the Coach House.

Konrad Schneider, a German stonemason, and Albertina, his Swedish bride, traveled together to Puget Sound via the Oregon Trail in the early 1850’s. Konrad was hired as the chief mason for the New Dungeness Lighthouse and sent for his teenaged nephew, John, to come and join the couple from Burlington, Iowa. The eventual triumphant completion of the lighthouse was overshadowed by tragedy when Konrad and John were arrested for theft.

Told from the points of view of four young protagonists, Konrad and Albertina is an entertaining and exciting account of the early development of Washington Territory. The book traces the Schneider family’s triumphs and hardships as they contributed to the early development of Olympia and Tumwater, as well as the construction of the New Dungeness Lighthouse on the Olympic Peninsula.

Deborah Jane Ross is a board member of the Olympia Historical Society and a member of the Pacific Northwest Writers’ Association. She has been pursuing her interest in the history of Puget Sound after a career in law and energy policy. In researching and writing Konrad and Albertina, Deborah worked closely with descendants of Konrad and Albertina, and with local historians and archivists. This is her first narrative work.

"Ms. Ross has deftly integrated her historical research on the Schneider Family into a readable narrative written from different perspectives with a deeply human touch. Those interested in Olympia and Washington pioneer history will especially enjoy her ability to weave historical fact into a heartwarming story."

- Shanna Stevenson, Washington historian and author

Public invited to Capitol Olmsted landscape talk, tour Feb. 27

The public is invited to an educational presentation and guided walking tour of the Olmsted-designed campus from 9:45 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. on February 27.

The presentation will be held in the Columbia Room in the lower level of the Legislative Building. The walking tour of the grounds begins at 12:15 p.m., starting at the north steps of the Legislative Building.

• What: Olmsted legacy at the Washington state Capitol: presentation and guided walk
• When: Saturday, February 27, 9:45 a.m. - 1:30 p.m.
• Where: Legislative (Capitol) Building, Columbia Room

The presentation agenda: http://www.ga.wa.gov/news/OlmstedInOlympia.pdf

For more information
Marygrace Jennings, GA Facilities Division
(360) 902-0973, mgjenni@ga.wa.gov
Jim Erskine, GA Communications Office
(360) 902-7206, jerskin@ga.wa.gov
GA on the web: www.ga.wa.gov

This program is part of the State Capital Museum’s Monday lecture series:

Uncovering Washington’s History

All Monday programs are at 12:00 Noon.

Upcoming programs:

March 8

Patricia Cosgrove, Director of the White River Valley Museum, Auburn presents:

Suffer for Beauty, Revealing Washington Women’s History through the Study of Undergarments

“Suffer for Beauty” explores the history of women’s undergarments and tells the story of what women have done to accommodate the changing norms of beauty. The audience will see historic photographs of local women, national fashion trend setters, and hands on examples of historic undergarments.

March 22

A Lawyer in Indian Country: A Memoir.

Program, Reception and Book Signing with author Alvin J. Ziontz

Alvin Ziontz represented Indian tribes for thirty years, from a time when Indian law was little known through landmark battles that upheld tribal sovereignty. He witnessed the growth and maturation of tribal government and the underlying tensions between Indian society and the non-Indian world and, in his memoir, A Lawyer in Indian Country, he presents vignettes of reservation life and recounts some of the memorable legal cases that illustrate the challenges faced by individual Indians and tribes.

As the senior attorney arguing U.S. v. Washington, Ziontz was a party to the historic 1974 Boldt decision that affirmed the Pacific Northwest tribes' treaty fishing rights, with ramifications for tribal rights nationwide. He later continued to fight for tribal rights into the late 1990s, as the Makah tribe of Washington sought to resume its traditional whale hunts. Ziontz will discuss own path through this public history -- one man's pursuit of a life built around the principles of integrity and justice.

Following this program a special reception with refreshments and book signing will be held in the State Capital Museum.

The State Capital Museum is located in Olympia six blocks south of the Capitol Building at 211 21^st Avenue South West in the historic Lord Mansion. The State Capital Museum is a division of the Washington State Historical Society. The museum presents exhibits, programs, and events that bring to life the stories of Washington's history. For more information, please call the Washington State Capital Museum at 360-753-2580, or visit us on the web at www.washingtonhistory.org.

WA State archives workshops

The Washington State Archives is hosting a series of workshops throughout the month on archiving for people who are not professional archivists but work with documents. For information check out this link. http://blogs.secstate.wa.gov/FromOurCorner/index.php/2009/09/archives-workshops/

Olympia's self-guided historic walking tours

These tours provide fun anytime! Maps of the tours are available at:The City of Olympia Community Planning & Development Department, 837-7th Ave SE, during regular work hours.

Memoirs writing group

Whether you're the family historian or writing a personel memoir, learn to tell the stories your family will cherish. Tuesday from 1:00-3:00 p.m. at the Washington State Capitol Museum and Outreach Center

• Where: State Capital Museum, 211 SW 21st Avenue
• When: Tuesdays, 1-3pm

Events Around the Region

Check out other events around the region at the following websites:

• South Sound Heritage Association Events
• Washington Women's History Consortium Events
• State Capitol Museum Events