Washington State Archives

10/14/2026

100 years ago today, on October 13, 1926, about 30 state officials, newspaper reporters, and guests gathered on a narrow platform 287 feet above the street to watch a 25-inch stone ball lowered into place as the uppermost piece of the 300-foot lantern atop the nearly complete Legislative Building in Olympia.

Governor Roland H. Hartley, assisted by John “Scotty” McIver and Jay Johnson of the Sound Construction Company, supervised the placement of the flag-draped stone as whistles blew below. Swaying on a flimsy plank scaffolding, Hartley called to the newsreel cameramen to keep filming, remarking that neither he nor any other governor would likely stand there again. Workmen then quickly sealed the stone and removed the scaffolding, leaving it out of reach and completing the topmost detail of the $7 million capitol.

📷 Legislative Building, topping out ceremony, October 13, 1926. Photograph by Vibert Jeffers. Susan Parish Photograph Collection, Washington State Archives.

10/13/2026

Forty-eight years ago today, on October 13, 1978, all cross-state traffic on I-90 was permanently routed onto the new bypass freeway along the south edge of North Bend. This shift eliminated the infamous stoplight at the town’s main intersection, removing it from the state’s principal east-west highway for good.

Westbound vehicles moved onto the new lanes that day, joining eastbound traffic that had been using the bypass in a temporary configuration since January 26. The $25 million, 8-mile bypass, built to relieve a highway that carried about 20,000 cars daily, drastically reshaped North Bend’s economy. Downtown merchants lost their drive-by customers, causing many older businesses to struggle or close, while new fast-food and service businesses sprouted near the three new interchanges.

📷 View of North Bend (including the Mar-T Cafe, now Twede's Cafe) and the new I-90 bypass, October 13, 1978. WSDOT photographs, Washington State Archives.

10/12/2026

10/03/2026

Archives Month 2026
Choose Your Own Adventure: The Art of Storytelling!

Spencer Gilbert Shaw (1916-2010) was a lifelong librarian and educator who devoted his life to improving library access for urban, working-class youth and communities of color.

After joining the Information School at the University of Washington in 1970, Shaw began bringing storytelling workshops to libraries across the state. His dedication helped small libraries develop children’s story time sessions, turning them into bridges for literacy, empathy, and comprehension. Learn more about Spencer G. Shaw here: https://ischool.uw.edu/news/2020/07/spencer-g-shaw-1916-2010

📸 This image is part of the Washington State Library Photograph Collection on the Digital Archives. Spanning from 1851 to 1990, the expansive collection captures Washington's history, people, and geography. Explore photos like this and more at digitalarchives.wa.gov!

10/03/2026

Choose Your Own Adventure: Setting Sail!

Pictured here is the MV Tourist #2, an Astoria-Megler ferry that once traveled the Columbia River. Between 1921 and 1966, the ferry served as the faithful precursor to the Astoria-Megler Bridge, transporting cars and passengers between Oregon and Washington.

This image comes from the Washington State Library Photograph Collection on the Digital Archives. The expansive collection features images of Washington's history, people, geography, and economic development spanning from 1851 to 1990. Explore photos like this and more at digitalarchives.wa.gov!

10/02/2026

This WSDOT aerial photograph shows the Old Rainier Brewery complex in 1968 when it was known as Sick’s Rainier Brewing Company. In 1968, Rainier was producing three different beers: Rainier Light-Light (gold label), Rainier Not-So-Light (blue label), and the 'happy mellow medium' between the two- the original Rainier Light (red and white label).

Rainier B**r was first brewed in 1878 by the Seattle Brewing and Malting Company, which later became known as the Rainier Brewing Company. The original Rainier Brewing Company’s “R” is now on exhibit in the Museum of History and Industry (MOHAI)’s Grand Atrium.

📷 Rainier Brewery, August 1, 1968. Photo by Ken Whitmire. WSDOT photograph, Washington State Archives.

10/01/2026

In 1999, Washington Gov. Gary Locke proclaimed October "Kalakala Awareness Month."

In its heyday, the ferry Kalakala was considered an Art Deco marine sculpture. The "Silver Slug" plied the waters of Puget Sound from 1935 until its retirement from the state ferry fleet on October 2, 1967. The Kalakala was later converted into a crab processor and towed to Dutch Harbor, Alaska, where it remained for several years. By the 1990s, the nonprofit Kalakala Foundation attempted to restore the vessel to serve as a Seattle maritime museum. However, restoration costs proved immense, and the streamlined ferry was ultimately dismantled for scrap metal in 2015.

10/01/2026

Welcome to Washington Archives Month! Every October, historical and cultural organizations across the state come together to share highlights from their archival collections. This year’s theme is FIND YOUR STORY: Choose Your Own Adventure in Archives!

Join us on a month-long journey through our records, paying tribute to stories of adventure and exploration in Washington. We are excited to celebrate the process of discovery inherent to research and learning, and hope that this Archives Month inspires you to “find yourself” in the historical record.

09/30/2026

On September 29, 1968, a historic "meeting of the jeeps" was held at Rainy Pass to celebrate the first official vehicular crossing of Washington's North Cross State Highway (part of State Highway 20, now designated the North Cascades Scenic Byway).

The celebration marked the 75th anniversary of the highway project, which was first authorized by the state legislature in 1893. The timing coincident with the recent passage of the bill establishing the North Cascades National Park.
Among the dignitaries who spoke was Governor Daniel J. Evans, who called the rough highway "one of America's most spectacular mountain routes." He was joined by U.S. Senator Warren G. Magnuson, U.S. Representatives Thomas S. Foley and Lloyd Meeds, and other state highway officials.
Due to the unfinished nature of the full route, only four-wheel drive vehicles were permitted to complete the crossing on the newly graded 20-mile stretch of "pioneer road" that connected the east and west ends of the highway. Despite the difficult drive, an estimated 3,000 spectators attended the historic event.

📷 WSDOT photographs, Washington State Archives.

09/30/2026

Happy National Coffee Day to those who celebrate! ☕

For 33 years, Loretta Corcoran served up hot coffee, affordable comfort food, and genuine hospitality at Loretta's Cafe, the downtown Olympia diner she opened in 1951. She knew everyone from dockworkers to police officers to firefighters on a first-name basis. Beyond running her unpretentious, spotless diner, Corcoran was deeply involved in local organizations and provided three daily meals and coffee for inmates at the city jail for over three decades.

📷 Loretta's Cafe, June 1959. Olympia Police Dept. photographs, Washington State Archives.