David Scherer Water
By David Scherer Water
Olympia has a history of things turning into other things. The former city maintenance yard is now The Olympia Center. The original one became the headquarters for The Olympian.
Then the paper moved to the small office building next to the former YMCA — before moving to Tacoma. Today, the school district occupies The Olympian’s former site on Bethel. The YMCA stands as a vacant haunted shell.
The old post office on Capitol Way now is the home of the Secretary of State. The previous post office, on the corner of Legion Way and Washington Street, is now home to Drees.
The former Kentucky Fried Chicken near the 5th Avenue Dam has been repurposed by spa software development company, and the old Dairy Queen on Capitol Way is occupied by a company selling electricity to farmers.
In 2006, the downtown Safeway supermarket was repurposed into City Hall. Five city departments, previously scattered across seven buildings, were brought together under one roof. To honor the building’s history, the city put a frozen foods section in the break room and incorporated the old Safeway ceiling arches into the council dais.
The Olympia City Council dais, which made of lumber salvaged from old Safeway store.
Courtesy of David Scherer Water
Olympia’s most dramatic building transformation occurred exactly 66 years ago on March 15, 1959. It was Friday the 13th.
Early that afternoon, 15 heavily loaded boxcars began slowly rolling down the gentle slope from Tumwater to Olympia. Initially, the cars moved so slowly that no one noticed. But five minutes before the brewery’s five o’clock whistle blew, more than 900 tons of steel were barreling down the tracks. Some reports said 25, others said 30 or even 60 mph.
Whatever the exact speed, the runaways came to a loud, catastrophic and sudden stop at the Adams Street train station, instantly demolishing most of the block. Kenneth Dilley, a 35-year-old telegraph operator, was killed instantly, his body found a hundred feet from where he had been working.
In the aftermath of the disaster, there were calls to rebuild, but the prevailing sentiment was that trains were passé, and stations a thing of the past. The freshly opened interstate still had its new car smell. The station sat in ruins for a decade.
The building was eventually repaired and became a sporting goods store, then a bike shop. Today, the former train station is a large pet store, The Pet Works.
Presently, there’s no train service in Olympia, let alone a plan to establish it. From downtown to the nearest train station, it’s a three-hour walk.
David Scherer Water explores absurdity in local culture through the lens of comedic nonfiction. He is the author of a history book and this column. Both have the same smell. Discover more of his work here.
Publisher's Note: A previous version of this column referred to a "large dog food store," but didn't identify The Pet Works, a long-time sponsor of The JOLT News Organization. We both appreciate The Pet Works' support and acknowledge the historical significance of its building.
The JOLT depends on both charitable contributions and local advertising. If you'd like to know more, please click here. Thanks for reading The JOLT.
Snevets
Very cool history!
Wednesday, March 26 Report this
JulesJames
Thank you! Bring back the train station to downtown. It would be far more useful than a high speed Vancouver-Portland line.
Thursday, March 27 Report this
DHanig
I read that, when the Northern Pacific established the rail terminus in Tacoma, they bypassed Olympia. Olympia got a spur track and never got a respectable station fit for the state capitol. The Adam's Street station was little more than a freight depot.
Thursday, March 27 Report this
Honestyandrealityguy
Actually, for Amtrack, there is a great station on Yelm Highway, probably Lacey. The folks there are awesome. We enjoy being able to ride the train. As to why the Democrats stopped the freight, who knows why they do those things? Once stopped, very hard to restart.
Thursday, March 27 Report this
Trcutler1
I love your articles. I want to add some to it. For many years the train ended in Tenino. People then would catch a stagecoach to Olympia or Tacoma. For those ten or so years Tenino was booming. Olympia had not got the ok to be the capital. The state capital was going to be where the new line ended. It was going to Tacoma. Wealthy businessmen from Olympia pooled there money together and built there own rail line into Olympia before they could get to Tacoma there for beating Burlington at there own game and became the state capital.
Thursday, March 27 Report this
HeatherR
Where was the old station and is there anything left of it? I'm not aware of a dog food store downtown. Do you mean Pet Works?
Thursday, March 27 Report this
Clam2024
I remember that as a child, Mom told us about it,
Thursday, March 27 Report this
FrostedFlake
Olympia does have a train station. I know EXACTLY where it is. 3 miles from my house. And about 4 & 1/2 miles from the Capital Complex. If I could move it a mile further, I know I would have a lot of help. Incredibly loud, you see... But, you see, we would have to MOVE THE TRACKS to put the station anywhere else. And no one wants the damned things. Incredibly loud, you see...
Thursday, March 27 Report this
Exolypian
Olympia did two stations for passengers one at mainly freight depot at Adams and forth the other before the tunnel going under the city,at less one was there in early sevenths
Saturday, March 29 Report this