(Photos courtesy of State Archives)

As Washingtonians, we live in one of the most beautiful and scenic states in the nation, one which consistently places high value on our environment.  Our environmental legacy is a major part of this state’s history, and one that our State Archives tries to preserve.

Here are 1992-1993 toxic waste clean-up files for the Old Olympia Municipal Dump, part of a larger set kept by the State Archives stretching back to 1945.  Archives has virtually millions of documents concerning toxic waste sites and their clean-up, ranging from local gas stations to Commencement Bay, to the ASARCO refinery in Tacoma, and Hanford.

Above is a burn site and below is an empty crushed 55 gallon drum, both 1992 photos from the Olympia municipal dump files

The toxic waste clean-up files and corresponding photos are the second installment in the August edition of State Archives treasures contest. One more “contender” will be featured later this week before we ask you and others to choose your favorite in an online poll.  Check out the first installment here.