West Olympia has been home to many people with a vision for prosperity both in mind and body. John Riley Chaplin was one whose keen eye saw a town budding and wanted to influence that growth from the schoolhouse door to the neighborhood front door.
The neighborhood along Budd Inlet in West Olympia still shows evidence that it almost had a railroad running right through it, one that was supposed to connect Olympia to Port Townsend.
Centennials are a perfect time to celebrate and reminisce about shared history. Locally, Olympia’s KGY 95.3 FM has been a staple of news, music and entertainment over the airwaves since 1922.
Take a historic look at a proposal for a dam across Budd Inlet at Priest Point Park. The idea has surfaced again to protect Olympia from rising sea levels.