Phone photo 2805

Falls at Deschutes River with derelict Olympia Brewery.

Tumwater, Washington

Phone photo 2802

The giant peace sign over the defunct Olympia Brewing bottling plant reflected in the Deschutes River, Tumwater, Washington

Phone photo 2765

Giant Peace Symbol over the former Olympia Brewing bottling plant

Tumwater, Washington

Phone photo 2747

From the ruins of the Olympia Brewery, Tumwater, Washington

Postcard - Tumwater, Washington

"Olympia Brewing Company, Olympia, Washington. The Olympia Brewery is located on Interstate 5, just south of Olympia, Wash. It was founded in 1896 and is often cited as one of America's exceptional breweries. Visitors are always welcome, 8:00 to 4:30 daily, except Christmas Day."

I'm going to guess mid-1970s. Yes, we know, the Brewery was actually in Tumwater, although downtown Oly is clearly visible in the distance. 

Postcard - Tumwater, Washington

"Olympia Brewery and Mt. Rainier, Washington. Majestic Mt. Rainier, 60 miles to the east, stands guardian over all. The scenery is great in Washington State."

1970s, I'm guessing.

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 Rainier [click on image to enlarge]

The reverse side of this postcard is blank. I date this in the late Ike era or in JFK period. The Pritchard Building is visible near the right corner making this no earlier than 1959. The residential area across Capitol Way is bereft of any State buildings. I'll guess this is in the timeframe of 1959-1961.

The old Olympia High School and Capitol Park Apartments can be seen. Also those grand original maples on Maple Park, which were ripped out about ten years later.

For us local boomers, if you said "Olympia and Rainier" when we were young we would assume you meant the two regional beers.

Phone photo 2270

Pacific Northwest Art Deco streetlight

Abandoned Olympia Brewery in background

Tumwater, Washington

Phone photo 2267

Deschutes River with defunct Olympia Brewing bottling plant in background

Tumwater, Washington

Phone photo 2265

"TUMWATER. Here the Deschutes River cataracts into Budd Inlet, the most southerly point where ends the old Oregon Trail, arduous route of the hardy pioneers of the West with a determined disregard with British opposition to their settlement north of the Columbia River a small band of pioneers founded here in 1846 the town of New Market the first American community established on Puget Sound. The Indian name for the cataract was Spa Kwatl but in Chinook jargon it was Tumwater, meaning throbbing water which name New Market later adopted."

In the background is the long derelict bottling plant of the Olympia Brewing Company.

Phone photo 2227

Deschutes River, defunct Olympia Brewery, and fish ladder

Tumwater, Washington

Phone photo 1956

Phone photo 1804

The new Tumwater Eagan's has a mural of the old Tumwater Eagan's, the one that was just down the street from Olympia High School when I was a student there. Notice the vintage Olympia Beer neon sign above the scene. The Eagan's pictured here was only a block away from the brewery.

Phone photo 1525

View from above of Tumwater Falls

The same waterfall from the old Olympia Beer labels

Phone photo 755

The old Olympia Beer brewhouse
on one of the southernmost tips of Puget Sound
Tumwater, Washington

Phone photo 569

South Sound Places

South Sound Places : a Guide to Olympia, Lacey, Tumwater & Thurston County / by Nancy Patterson. 1st ed. Olympia, Wash. : Four Seasons Pub., 1993.

Nancy asked me to illustrate the chapter headings, which were then compiled into a grid for the cover.

Some of the subjects on the cover include:

Samuel Thurston. I agree with the notion Thurston County should be renamed McLoughlin County after Dr. John McLoughlin.

The Legislative Building on the Capitol Campus.

The Old Capitol Building.

The Evergreen State College.

Mount Rainier, which I can see from my office window on clear days.

Tumwater Falls. Most famously known as being on the label of Olympia Beer. A fellow high school classmate of mine once swam behind the falls and grooved out in a cave behind the water. He was back there long enough for rescue teams to start forming, wondering what happened to him. I attended Olympia High School, just a few blocks away from the brewery. The Oly Brew work whistle and the smell of hops on hot days was part of our high school experience.

Phone photo 75

Another shot of the "It's the Water" fountain of the long deserted Olympia Brewery.

Phone photo 65

The "It's the Water" fountain at the old Olympia Brewery entrance in Tumwater has seen better days.