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Olympia, Washington

Located in Thurston County, Washington, Olympia was established in 1846. Washington state capital at the southern tip of Puget Sound. Evergreen State College is known for its progressive, alternative approach.
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Founded 1846 | Population 58,000 | Peak 58,000 (2024) | County Thurston County

Top 10 Most Important Events for Olympia, Washington

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1846 Founded: Named for Olympic Mountains.
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1853 Capital: Washington Territory capital.
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1896 Economic Development: Olympia grew through manufacturing and industry.
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1942 Military Presence: Military installations became a major part of Olympia's identity and economy.
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1949 Earthquake: 6.7 earthquake.
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Latest News in Olympia

Apr 13, 2026
AOC’s Federal Campaign Finance Records Reveal ‘Lavish’ Spending In Puerto Rico 
Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez is once again under scrutiny after new federal campaign finance records revealed tens of thousands o…
Apr 11, 2026
Sexual Assault Probe and Staff Revolt Threaten to End Congressman’s California Gubernatorial Bid
Rep. Eric Swalwell’s once-promising campaign for California governor has unraveled with breathtaking speed. In little more than …
Mar 27, 2026
Trump’s Executive Intervention on TSA Pay Amid DHS Funding Stalemate Raises Questions of Executive Overreach and Congressional Gridlock
President Donald Trump announced Thursday that he will sign an executive order directing the Department of Homeland Security to im…
Mar 23, 2026
Trump Administration Deploys ICE Agents to Major Airports Amid Partial DHS Funding Impasse
WASHINGTON—Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents have been stationed at more than a dozen major U.S. airports as a partial …
Mar 12, 2026
DOJ Probes Iran’s Use of Binance to Evade Sanctions
The U.S. Department of Justice has launched a formal probe into Iran’s alleged use of the Binance cryptocurrency exchange to…
Mar 10, 2026
CBS Investigation Reveals Hospice Fraud Hotspot in Los Angeles
CBS News has exposed a troubling epicenter of hospice fraud in Los Angeles, California, shedding light on a systemic issue that ha…

Complete Historical Timeline

1846 Culture
Founded
1853 Government
Capital
1896 Industry
Economic Development
1942 Government
Military Presence
1949 Disaster
Earthquake

Did You Know?

1
Washington state capital at the southern tip of Puget Sound.
2
Evergreen State College is known for its progressive, alternative approach.
3
Named for the Olympic Mountains visible across the Sound.
4
Olympia is located in Thurston County, Washington.
5
Olympia was founded in 1846.

Famous People from Olympia, Washington

RC
Rachel Corrie
Writer, Biographer · Born Apr 10, 1979 · Died Mar 16, 2003 (age 23)
KK
Kasey Keller
Association Football Coach, Association Football Player · Born Nov 29, 1969 · Age 56
EM
Eloise Mumford
Actor, Television Actor · Born Sep 24, 1986 · Age 39
TS
Trevor Stines
Television Actor, Film Actor · Born Jul 15, 1996 · Age 29
DH
Donald Hume
Rower · Born Jul 25, 1915 · Died Sep 16, 2001 (age 86)

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