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Tag: Thurston County

The evolution of a neighborhood store

The evolution of a neighborhood store

Black Lake Grocery has been a staple on the lake for more than 80 years, possibly over 90. If you have not visited the store, it is located on the west side of Black Lake, just off Black Lake Boulevard, in Olympia. The store will soon shut down to repair damages caused by an automobile accident that occurred earlier this year. The wreck was caused by a 17-year-old driver whose 2004 BMW left the road at a high rate of…

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Exploring the old school records of the State Archives

Exploring the old school records of the State Archives

It’s September and the start of a new academic year, so the branches of the Washington State Archives are abuzz with new and returning student interns. This inspired us to think about about school records, so let’s explore what Archives’ school collections encompass. Some of the records we have are from either the state or county levels, including: maps for school boundaries, bus routes, teacher contracts, superintendents’ reports, school annual reports, county school district audit examinations, school censuses, yearbooks, and…

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Longtime leader Karen Fraser profiled in new Legacy Washington exhibit

Longtime leader Karen Fraser profiled in new Legacy Washington exhibit

A profile of Karen Fraser of Olympia, who served in the Washington State Legislature for 28 years, is the latest chapter in Legacy Washington’s overview of 1968 “The Year that Rocked Washington.” The profile — part of an exhibit that will open Sept. 13 at the State Capitol — is now online. Change was in the air. Everywhere. It was the year when Vietnam, civil rights, women’s liberation, and conservation coalesced — and a year when tragedy led the 6 o’clock…

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Understanding the February Special Election

Understanding the February Special Election

Did you know there’s an election coming up on Tuesday, February 13th? Springtime special elections sometimes get overlooked, especially when it feels like the recent November election is so fresh in mind. But in the February 2018 special election, 65 percent of Washington’s registered voters are eligible to participate — that’s 2,753,553 people. Voters from all but two counties have issues and/or races on the February ballot. San Juan and Skamania are the exceptions, but not all other counties have…

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Making the Season Bright

Making the Season Bright

It’s the giving season and the Holiday Kids’ Tree symbolizes it in the best way. Each year, the Association of Washington Business (AWB) hosts the Holiday Kids’ Tree lighting marking the end of their Holiday Kids’ Tree Project of that year.  The project collects donations and funds to be given to children and families in need in rural areas. According to the AWB website, more than $390,000 in cash donations and thousands of gifts since the project started in 1989….

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Classics in Washington History- Bigelow Family mementos

Classics in Washington History- Bigelow Family mementos

From the Desk of Jeff Martin  The Bigelow Family mementos are a marvelous collection of memorabilia of an early Thurston County family.   The collection consists of a hand written journal (and transcription), photos, newspaper clippings, and birth, death and marriage records. Written by Daniel R. Bigelow Digitized version of the unpublished diary [Daniel R. Bigelow diary, 1848-1853] (118, [7] p.) — [Transcription of] the Daniel R. Bigelow diary, 1848-1853 / transcribed by Roger Easton — Reminiscences of the last survivor of…

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Profiles of Washington Territorial Librarians – Champion B. Mann

Profiles of Washington Territorial Librarians – Champion B. Mann

Champion B, Mann   From the Desks of the Central Library Staff Longtime Olympia political fixture, C.B. Mann was born Nov. 2, 1844 in Crawford County, Pennsylvania. Mann attended Willamette University in Salem, Oregon and graduated from Portland Business College before arriving in Olympia in March 1870. He was assigned to the position of Territorial Librarian and served from Aug. 1 to Nov. 6, 1870. C.B. initially held the occupation of school teacher in Oregon and was chosen school district…

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Reed does a lot of swearing (in)

Reed does a lot of swearing (in)

(Photo courtesy of Don Jensen) No, not the type requiring bleeps. Actually, Secretary Reed spent part of Wednesday participating in separate county swearing-in ceremonies in Kelso and Olympia. The Secretary traveled south in the morning to the Cowlitz County Courthouse to swear in County Commissioners Mike Karnofski and Dennis Weber (in photo above), and PUD Commissioner Kurt Anagnostou. After returning to Olympia, Reed made the short trek around Capitol Lake and up the hill to the Thurston County Courthouse to…

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Digging Up History: The Unintentional Washington State Library Connection

Digging Up History: The Unintentional Washington State Library Connection

From the desk of Steve Willis, Central Library Services Program Manager of the Washington State Library: A few decades ago, back when my family still had a farm out in northwestern Thurston County, my father noticed a small glass object that had surfaced after he plowed the field. The farm had once been home to an inn called “The Hicklin Halfway House” on the stage road between Olympia and Montesano in Territory days. We were used to plowing up small pieces…

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