“It’s the Water”: A Brief History of the Olympia Brewing Company

Program Description: During the 1970s, the Olympia Brewing Company was ranked the 6th-largest brewer in the nation. It was the largest private employer in Thurston County for decades, and its influence has permeated the community for well over a century. Olympia Tumwater Foundation Assistant Director Megan Ockerman presents an illustrated history of the brewery, the people who ran it, and its place as a pop culture icon.

Abou the Speaker: Megan Ockerman is a historian, author, and third-generation Olympian. Her master’s thesis is on the Olympia Brewing Company, and her most recent article, published in COLUMBIA magazine, explains the role women played at the brewery. She is Assistant Director of the Olympia Tumwater Foundation, and enjoys her office view overlooking the Deschutes at Brewery Park at Tumwater Falls. She spends her spare time walking and doing yoga, exploring South Puget Sound, baking, reading, and cramming as much history into each day as is humanly possible.