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Olympia

A FOND FAREWELL: THE ORIGINAL NEWHOUSE BUILDING, 1934-2023

A FOND FAREWELL: THE ORIGINAL NEWHOUSE BUILDING, 1934-2023

On May 15, 2023, the last remnants of the original Irving R. Newhouse Building were demolished. The Irving R. Newhouse Building was built in 1934 as part of a Civil Works Administration program to spur job growth during the Great Depression. Since then, it has served the state of Washington in various capacities and housed several different tenants for nearly 90 years. Though it is no longer standing, it remains a vital piece of Capitol Campus history. Designed by prominent…

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Korea 65 Setup
Lights, camera, action: Video shows how Korea 65 exhibit was installed

Lights, camera, action: Video shows how Korea 65 exhibit was installed

For several years, Capitol visitors have been treated to some amazing exhibits in our front lobby, courtesy of our talented and creative Legacy Washington team. The latest is “Korea 65: The Forgotten War Remembered.” The exhibit, along with a series of online profiles, focuses on Washingtonians who experienced the Korean War in different ways, from U.S. soldiers who fought in the war to Korean-Americans who grew up in Korea during or after the war. Ever wonder how an exhibit actually…

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Toledo Elementary School student's letter after visit to Washington State Capitol.
Second-grader gives WA Capitol thumbs-up in letter

Second-grader gives WA Capitol thumbs-up in letter

Washington’s Capitol Campus receives thousands of visitors each year, including many tourists from other states or other nations. But a large number are elementary school students from right here in Washington. Usually, an entire grade of students from a school will make the bus trip to Olympia to see the campus. For most of these students, it’s their first time to the Capitol. So you can imagine their reaction when they look up at the top of the domed Legislative…

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OSOS legislative package includes Presidential Primary date change, other election reforms

OSOS legislative package includes Presidential Primary date change, other election reforms

Secretary of State Kim Wyman is proposing a date change for Washington’s Presidential Primary, as well as other reforms of the state’s elections system as part of her package of requested bills to the Legislature this year. Wyman is asking legislators to make a few modifications to the state’s Presidential Primary, including moving its date from the fourth Tuesday in May to the second Tuesday in March. “The lateness of Washington’s Presidential Primary last year made it clear that we…

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Remembering Sen. Andy Hill

Remembering Sen. Andy Hill

State Sen. Andy Hill gives a floor speech on the opening day of the 2015 legislative session. (Photo courtesy Washington State Archives) Washington’s legislative community and many others around the state were saddened by the news that state Sen.  Andy Hill died Monday after a reoccurring battle with lung cancer. Hill, R-Redmond, served the Eastside’s 45th Legislative District, winning the seat in 2010 and earning re-election in 2014. Hill, who worked at Microsoft before joining the Legislature, had been the…

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“Who are we?” exhibit speakers offer wise words

“Who are we?” exhibit speakers offer wise words

We’re still aglow from last week’s launch of the “Who are we?” exhibit created by our terrific Legacy Washington team. At the launch, we were thrilled to hear moving speeches by three of the Washingtonians featured in the exhibit. Here are excerpts: “We are in an era in which it’s almost sinful to defend government. And that is a real shame, because government is a necessary institution in a free society in order for it to work. And government will…

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Countdown for WA Primary 2016!

Countdown for WA Primary 2016!

Washington’s state Primary voting period is winding down, with Top 2 slots on the line for all nine statewide offices, U.S. Senate, Legislature, courts and assorted local races. Although voters have been super-engaged in the national presidential contest, response to the state Primary has been tepid in the  days leading up to the Tuesday deadline.  As of the weekend, the 39 counties reported receiving 583,489 ballots, or 14.3 percent of the 4,092,951 issued. None were processed over the weekend. Here…

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State agencies honored for food, book donations

State agencies honored for food, book donations

Secretary Wyman with representatives of state agencies honored at Well Fed Well Read recognition ceremony. (Photo courtesy Philip Kerrigan) Several state agencies, including our very own Office of Secretary of State, have been honored for their generosity in donating food and children’s books. Secretary of State Kim Wyman recognized these agencies’ contributions to the Well Fed Well Read donation drive this spring during a ceremony in her office Friday. The following agencies were honored for bringing in the most food:…

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The 1890 vote that decided Washington’s capital

The 1890 vote that decided Washington’s capital

(Images courtesy of Washington State Archives) Unlike this year, Washington voters in 1890 weren’t pondering initiatives on making it harder to raise taxes or protecting endangered species.  (We couldn’t even vote on statewide initiatives back then!) One issue that statewide voters did consider on this date 125 years ago would have enormous impact on Washington: Which city should be the young state’s capital? The three finalists were Ellensburgh (yes, there was an “H” on the end back then), North Yakima…

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GC2G exhibit gone; WA 1889 exhibit coming soon

GC2G exhibit gone; WA 1889 exhibit coming soon

It seemed like yesterday, not over a year ago, that the popular Grand Coulee to Grunge exhibit first appeared on the walls in our front lobby in the Capitol. The exhibit showcased what’s made Washington great and world famous since it attained statehood in 1889, including our triumphs in aerospace, agriculture, engineering and technology. The exhibit also highlighted the mark Washingtonians made in music, from Bing Crosby to Jimi Hendrix to Nirvana. But GC2C is no more, at least at…

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