Bird’s-eye view of Capitol Campus in 1950s

Bird’s-eye view of Capitol Campus in 1950s

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(Photo courtesy of Washington State Archives)

The Legislative Building not only is the centerpiece of our Capitol Campus, it is a notable landmark that can be seen from many vantage points throughout Olympia and Budd Inlet.

There once was a time when visitors were allowed to walk up to the very top of the Lege Building’s dome, where they could enjoy a stunning 360-degree view of the campus and much of Olympia. Unfortunately, the top of the dome has been closed to visitors in recent years due to safety concerns.

For those wondering what it looked like from up there in the late 1950s, this photo from the State Archives provides the answer.  You can tell that the Tivoli Fountain was a recent addition to the campus just by the new walkways leading to it.

Note that the old Olympia High School was across the street from the campus. Nowadays, our State Archives Building is located where the old high school once stood.

One thought on “Bird’s-eye view of Capitol Campus in 1950s”

  1. Up until the late 1980s it was possible to visit the lantern unescorted. Many times I simply asked the tour guides to unlock the door let us (myself and 1-2 guests) climb the stairs to the top. Along the way you could access the interior catwalk. Around 1988 or so they stopped being casual about access and adopted a formal permission policy.

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