The Dolliver Building soon after opening in 1915. (Image courtesy of Washington State Archives)

The Dolliver Building, home to our Corporations and Charities Division, opened 100 years ago in 1915. To celebrate its centennial, the lobby is currently displaying an exhibit about the building’s history.

The exhibit (below) will be on display for the next year. It includes a video of Secretary of State Kim Wyman interviewing former Secretary of State Ralph Munro about the building’s history.

The Dolliver Building, located at 801 Capitol Way S. in downtown Olympia, was originally a post office. In the era before phones and the Internet, this made the building a bustling community center. When the Dolliver Building first opened, even the revolving doors at its entrance were considered high-tech.

In its storied past, the building, named after state Supreme Court Chief Justice James Dolliver, also housed the U.S. Selective Service System and the recruiters for the Armed Services during the Vietnam War, as well as a congressional office.

The state then assumed ownership of the Dolliver Building in 1998. The federal government gave the building to Washington State for free, provided the state would always maintain its historic character.

In the Dolliver Building, the Corporations and Charities Division now registers corporations, LLCs, limited partnerships, charities, nonprofits, commercial fundraisers and trademarks.