Brian and I had a wonderful time exploring Olympia, Washington on Saturday. It was the first time I had ever been to downtown Olympia or explored the waterfront area and I found it to be a very unique and artsy little city.
We started off having a look around the legislative buildings on the state capitol campus. The
Legislative Building is the crowning piece of the Washington State Capitol Campus and is home to the Washington State Legislature and the offices of the Governor, Lieutenant Governor, Secretary of State, and State Treasurer.
Completed in 1928, it boasts one of the tallest free standing masonry domes in the world and houses the largest chandelier ever made by the Tiffany Lighting Company! Brian and I didn’t take the organized tour, but we were amazed that they let us go ahead and wander freely all over the building.
Brian and I took a couple of pictures on the steps of the capitol. There are 42 steps that ascend the main entrance, which represent the 42 states that were in the union when the State of Washington became a state on November 11, 1889. The building is comprised of more than 173 million pounds of stone, brick, concrete, and steel.
The fourth tallest masonry dome in the world, rising 287 feet high, tops this magnificent edifice (it is only surpassed by St. Peter’s Cathedral, Rome, St. Paul’s Cathedral, London and St. Isaac’s Cathedral, Russia) The Legislative Building was a remarkable achievement founded in the era of "American Renaissance," and still stands as a symbol of American ideals and architectural grandeur.
We also walked around the campus which is home to many veterans’ memorials including the Winged Victory, Vietnam Veterans, WW II, and Korean War monuments.
After we left the capitol we strolled along the Percival Landing Waterfront Park, named after the old commercial steamship wharf, a well-known maritime landmark in the Pacific Northwest owned by the Percival family. Brian took me to lunch (steamer clams) at Anthony’s and we enjoyed watching all of the boats heading out for an afternoon sail.
We then drove to Priest Point Park and had a quick look around and realized it will be a great place to explore this summer. Instead of turning around and heading back to Tacoma, Brian and I continued up the road to Boston Harbor, Washington, a quaint little waterfront town with a small marina and picturesque views of the Puget sound. This summer we will definitely be going back for a dockside picnic and maybe a try at kayaking.
What a nice weekend! Stace
Stacy and Sandra with George Washington
State Capitol
Friday Night Cocktail in Old Town Tacoma
RICK SPRINGFIELD HERE WE COME
