Phone photo 3141

The Fetid Lake of Doom remains closed. And we know the real reason why.

Phone photo 3065

A nutria on the shores of the Fetid Lake of Doom, Olympia, Washington

Phone photo 3064

A nutria on the shores of the Fetid Lake of Doom, Olympia, Washington

Phone photo 3061

A nutria on the shores of the Fetid Lake of Doom, Olympia, Washington

Phone photo 2994

The Fetid Lake of Doom

Olympia, Washington

Morty Comix # 2633

Morty Comix # 2633 was left at a public area on the shore of the Fetid Lake of Doom, Olympia/Tumwater, Washington as another invasive species. As you can see the Legislative Building looms in the background.

Finding a place to stash this comic was not easy. At first I tried to put it behind a giant warning sign but didn't like that spot.

Then finally I crammed it into a slot behind the LAKE CLOSED ... sign where I figured it would be more shielded from the elements.

The FLOD has nutria and caimans swimming around in it, but it was the tiny New Zealand Mud Snail that "closed" the Lake. OK, in the first place, this lake was an estuary until the Post-War era, when humans dammed it up, creating this fetid polluted pool of slime that you see above. Now I ask you, just who is the real "invasive" species here? And who is to say New Zealand Mud Snails are not part of nature's plan?

Phone photo 2627

The Legislative Building and the Fetid Lake of Doom

Olympia, Washington

If you enlarge this photo there is a faint line in the center of mysterious origin

Phone photo 2587

An ominously empty bench along the Fetid Lake of Doom

Olympia, Washington

Phone photo 2516

The derelict old Olympia Brewery on the shores of the southern end of the Fetid Lake of Doom, Tumwater, Washington

Postcard - Olympia, Washington

"Olympia and Mt. Rainier, Washington. With Capitol Lake in the right foreground and majestic Mt. Rainier in the background Washington's State Capitol Buildings could not have a more beautiful setting, a short distance from Interstate 5 no visitor should miss these magnificently landscaped buildings."

I'm guessing 1978-1980. The card has written date of 12-29-80.

Postcard - Olympia, Washington

"Olympia, Washington. Capitol Lake in the foreground with the Harbor of Olympia and picturesque Puget Sound in the background."

Mid to late 1970s is my guess given the fact the Mothball Fleet is not in the distance. The card has a 1981 date written on the reverse. Notice the half-submerged railroad trestle along Deschutes Parkway.

This unusual photographic angle of course fills my head with thoughts of HORROR so HORRIBLE that I can scarcely bear to give them utterance.

Postcard - Olympia, Washington

"Olympia, Washington. The State Capitol buildings may be seen at right center. Mt. Rainier stands as a sentinel in the distance."

1969? The present day WSDOT building looks like it is still being put together. Plus the Capitol Park Apts. have not been torn down yet.

On the left, Budd Inlet ends at the "Isthmus," while the northern portion of the Fetid Lake of Doom takes center stage. The steam plant, otherwise known as the caiman wintering area, can be seen on the shore at the right, conveniently next to the railroad tracks for regional distribution.

Postcard - Olympia, Washington

"Washington State Capitol, Olympia, Washington. Aerial view of State Buildings showing Capitol Lake, Puget Sound & Olympic Mt. Range in background."

OK, so the Olympics don't actually show up in this photo, but they would if they were not cropped out. At least on a clear day.  Also, we would see the Mothball Fleet. Note the log boom past the 4th Ave. Bridge!

When this image is enlarged [just click on it], the Capitol Center Building appears to be in the final phases of construction, dating this photo to the late summer of 1965.

Postcard - Olympia, Washington

"Olympia and Mt. Rainier, Washington. Capitol Lake and Olympia Municipal Park close to metropolitan shopping center -- complete swimming and playground facilities for all to enjoy. Mt. Rainier, eternal guardian, sixty miles in the background."

The Capitol Center Building can be seen on the left edge, but the old Hotel Governor is gone and the Fetid Lake of Doom still has quite a bit of industry around it. I'll take a guess this photo was taken 1966-1968.

Postcard - Olympia, Washington

"Washington State Capitol, Olympia, Washington. Aerial view of State Buildings showing Mount Rainier in the background."

The old Oly High School is gone, but Capitol Park Apartments remain. Meanwhile two big state buildings, the Dept. of Highways and the Employment Security Dept., have jumped across Capitol Way. Blocks and blocks of fine old homes have yet to be demolished as the Cap Campus expands. I place this around 1966-1969. The Fetid Lake of Doom, as usual, provides a hint of menace in the corner.

Postcard - Olympia, Washington

 

"State Capitol Group, Olympia, Washington. Capitol lake at right."

Some small details in this photo, particularly in the area of the Maple Park Apartments, make me conclude this photo was taken in the early to mid-1960s.

Notice the steam plant on the shore of the Fetid Lake of Doom in the lower right hand corner-- winter quarters for the caimans that now inhabit the lake. Sure, they're telling you to stay out due to some little snail. Yeah. Right.

Postcard - Olympia, Washington

[Click on image to enlarge]

"State Capitol Group, Olympia, Washington. Capitol Lake at right."

From the early 1960s or 1959 at the earliest. The Capitol Campus has not yet jumped across Capitol Way and displaced all those homeowners. The Capitol Park Apartments (gone now for over 4 decades) can be seen on the left edge.

This postcard is a frightening reminder of the close proximity of the Fetid Lake of Doom to our center of government here in Washington.

Postcard - Olympia, Washington

"Olympia, Washington. The State Capitol buildings may be seen at right center. Mt. Rainier stands as sentinal [i.e. sentinel] in the distance."

I figure this postcard photo was taken between 1959 and 1965. In the far right of the photo the Washington State Library (opened 1959) is visible. The Capitol Center Building, also known locally as "The Mistake by the Lake" is not visible. It was built in 1965.

The Fetid Lake of Doom had yet to be the home of caimans.

Phone photo 2189

Loose caboose by the Fetid Lake of Doom

Olympia, Washington

Phone photo 1945

Fetid Lake of Doom, handy railroad for distribution of reptile eggs, steam plant where the caimans stay warm in the cold months, and the Legislative Building. It's all a little too cozy and obvious, I'd say.