111-663: The Washington State Capitol (or " Legislative Building") in Olympia is the home of the government of the State of Washington . It contains the chambers of the Washington State Legislature , offices for the governor , lieutenant governor , secretary of state , and state treasurer . It is part of a larger administrative campus including buildings for the Washington Supreme Court ,
222-528: A Festivus pole and a request by the Westboro Baptist Church to display a sign saying (among other things) "Santa Claus will take you to hell." Olympia, Washington Olympia is the capital city of the U.S. state of Washington and the county seat of Thurston County . It had a population of 55,605 at the time of the 2020 census , making it the state of Washington's 23rd-most populous city . Olympia borders Lacey to
333-625: A heraldic device in battle, allowing easier identification of a knight over only the heraldic icon painted on the shield. Already during the high medieval period, and increasingly during the Late Middle Ages , city states and communes such as those of the Old Swiss Confederacy also began to use flags as field signs. Regimental flags for individual units became commonplace during the Early Modern period . During
444-456: A closed beach (in the UK also other dangers), yellow signifies strong current or difficult swimming conditions, and green represents a beach safe for general swimming. In Ireland, a red and yellow flag indicates that it is safe to swim; a red flag that it is unsafe; and no flag indicates that there are no lifeguards on duty. Blue flags may also be used away from the yellow-red lifesaver area to designate
555-641: A crew from the British Vancouver Expedition are said to have explored the site, but neither recorded any encounters with the resident Indigenous population. In 1846, Edmund Sylvester and Levi Lathrop Smith jointly claimed the land that is now downtown Olympia. In 1851, the U.S. Congress established the Customs District of Puget Sound for Washington Territory and Olympia became the home of the customs house. Its population steadily expanded from Oregon Trail immigrants. In 1850,
666-697: A free shuttle route called "Dash". Dash runs from the Capitol Campus to the Farmers Market at the far edge of downtown. Intercity Transit's Olympia Express provides service to Lakewood and Tacoma, with connections to regional bus and commuter rail service. In 2009 Intercity Transit won an award for America's best Public Transportation System in the midsize category by the American Public Transportation Association . The fleet runs entirely on biodiesel fuel and
777-710: A gallery in its Minnaert Center with rotating exhibitions. Evergreen State College, northwest of Olympia, has a professionally curated gallery with rotating shows in the Dan Evans Library building. South of Olympia, Monarch Contemporary Art Center and Sculpture Park has an 80-acre sculpture garden and art gallery . Each year, the Olympia Film Society (OFS) produces a film festival and fosters film and video education in Olympia. It also shows independent, classic, and international films year-round at
888-564: A horizontal crossbar from which it is hoisted, either by a vertical pole (no. 5a) or a horizontal one (no. 5b). The topmost stripe on the horizontal version of the flag normally faces to the left. Flags can play many different roles in religion. In Buddhism , prayer flags are used, usually in sets of five differently coloured flags. Several flags and banners including the Black Standard are associated with Islam . Many national flags and other flags include religious symbols such as
999-516: A lantern and lightning rod. The floors and many interior walls are covered by Alaskan marble and marble from Belgium, France, Germany, Italy are used in other parts of the interior. All lamps and Roman fire pots in the rotunda were made by Louis Comfort Tiffany , son of Charles Lewis Tiffany , founder of Tiffany and Company . These comprise the largest collection of Tiffany bronze in the world and Tiffany's last large commission before his death in 1933. The 10,000 lb (4,500 kg) chandelier above
1110-467: A local coffee roaster. Donations from the public were used to form "Friends of the Artesians", a group that researched the wells, maintained them, and tested their quality. They were later replaced by the non-profit organization H2Olympia in 2009. In 2011, the city of Olympia committed $ 50,000 toward improvements of an artesian well in a parking lot that the city purchased the same year. Renovations at
1221-511: A male householder with no wife present, and 48.6% were other families. 36.3% of all households were made up of individuals, and 11.7% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.18 and the average family size was 2.83. The median age in the city was 38 years. 19.5% of residents were under the age of 18; 11.2% were between the ages of 18 and 24; 28.5% were from 25 to 44; 26.7% were from 45 to 64; and 13.9% were 65 years of age or older. The gender makeup of
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#17327722359091332-577: A military fort, base, station or post and at sea at the stern (rear) or main top mast of a warship, a Naval Jack flag and other maritime flags , pennants and emblems are flown at the bow (front). In times of war waving a white flag is a banner of truce, talks/negotiations or surrender. Four distinctive African flags currently in the collection of the National Maritime Museum in Britain were flown in action by Itsekiri ships under
1443-495: A military or naval context began with the rise of nationalism by the end of the 18th century, although some flags date back earlier. The flags of countries such as Austria, Denmark or Turkey have legendary origins while many others, including those of Poland and Switzerland, grew out of the heraldic emblems of the Middle Ages. The 17th century saw the birth of several national flags through revolutionary struggle. One of these
1554-472: A mystery, the oldest flag discovered is made of bronze: a Derafsh or 'flag-like' Shahdad, which was found in Shahdad , Iran, and dates back to c. 2400 BC . It features a seated man and a kneeling woman facing each other, with a star in between. This iconography was found in other Iranian Bronze Age pieces of art. Flags made of cloth were almost certainly the invention of the ancient peoples of
1665-454: A new State Capitol Commission convened in 1911. This time, the commission was interested in constructing a group of buildings to serve as the capitol rather than a single facility and selected the design submitted by the company Walter Wilder and Harry White. Wilder and White's designs were influenced by the Olmsted brothers who served as consultants from 1911 to 1912 and designed and supervised
1776-585: A small Eastside Community), and Trillium Park, which was created by the efforts of adjoining neighborhood associations with the easement of private property. The Nisqually National Wildlife Refuge is near Olympia, as are the Capitol State Forest , Burfoot Park , and the Woodard Bay Natural Resources Conservation Area . In 1984, Olympia hosted the U.S. Olympic women's marathon trial. The winner of
1887-442: A splintered buttress, but the earthquake-resistance work prevented more serious harm to the building. Wilder and White's designs for the dome, weighing 26,000 metric tons, called for the dome to be fixed to its supporting structures by gravity instead of by any bolts or fasteners. During an earthquake, the dome could shift, along with the sandstone columns supporting it. The columns moved as much as three inches (76 mm) during
1998-757: A town on January 28, 1859, and as a city in 1882. The site of Olympia had been home to Lushootseed -speaking peoples known as the Steh-Chass (or Stehchass, later part of the post-treaty Squaxin Island Tribe) for thousands of years. Other Native Americans regularly visited the head of Budd Inlet and the Steh-Chass, including the other ancestor tribes of the Squaxin , as well as the Nisqually , Puyallup , Chehalis , Suquamish , and Duwamish . The first recorded Europeans came to Olympia in 1792. Peter Puget and
2109-488: A year-round average of 75% cloud cover. Annual precipitation has ranged from 29.92 in (760 mm) in 1952 to 66.71 in (1,694 mm) in 1950; for water year (October 1 – September 30) precipitation, the range is 32.71 in (831 mm) in 2000–01 to 72.57 in (1,843 mm) in 1998–99. With a period of record dating back to 1948, extreme temperatures have ranged from −8 °F (−22 °C) on January 1, 1979, up to 110 °F (43 °C), on June 28, 2021;
2220-480: A zone for surfboarding and other small, non-motorised watercraft. Reasons for closing the beach include: A surf flag exists, divided into four quadrants. The top left and bottom right quadrants are black, and the remaining area is white. Signal flag "India" (a black circle on a yellow square) is frequently used to denote a "blackball" zone where surfboards cannot be used but other water activities are permitted. The United States uses beach warning flags created by
2331-430: Is a piece of fabric (most often rectangular) with distinctive colours and design. It is used as a symbol , a signalling device, or for decoration. The term flag is also used to refer to the graphic design employed, and flags have evolved into a general tool for rudimentary signalling and identification, especially in environments where communication is challenging (such as the maritime environment , where semaphore
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#17327722359092442-692: Is a private high school. In addition to primary and secondary schools, Olympia has a number of institutions of higher learning, including The Evergreen State College and South Puget Sound Community College . The Evergreen State College (TESC) offers bachelor's degrees in liberal arts and science, and master's degrees in environmental studies, public administration, education, and teaching. South Puget Sound Community College (SPSCC) offers associate degrees in arts, science, biology, elementary education, pre-nursing, applied science, general studies, and business. Robust journalism in Olympia dates to before Washington Territory 's incorporation in 1853. The Olympian
2553-672: Is a soccer club that was founded in 2014 and primarily played at Black Hill High School. They field an amateur men's team in USL League Two and the Evergreen Premier League . The women's team was associated with the Northwest Premier League . As of 2024 , the teams play their home matches at South Sound Stadium and the women's team plays in the USL W League . The majority of Olympia is located in
2664-423: Is a vertical form of the standard flag. The flag's design may remain unchanged (No. 2a) or it may change, e.g. by changing horizontal stripes to vertical ones (no. 2b). If the flag carries an emblem, it may remain centred or may be shifted slightly upwards. The vertical flag for hoisting from a beam (German: Auslegerflagge or Galgenflagge ; no. 3) is additionally attached to a horizontal beam, ensuring that it
2775-598: Is composed of about 20% biodiesel-electric hybrid buses. Olympia Regional Airport is just south of Olympia in Tumwater. It is operated by the Port of Olympia and serves general aviation as well as corporate aviation . The airport hosts the Olympic AirShow, a medium-sized airshow that occurs on Father's Day weekend each year. Olympia is twinned with: A previous sister city agreement with Olympia, Greece ,
2886-412: Is done on both the state flag of Maryland and the flag of Kiribati . The de jure flag of Libya under Muammar Gaddafi , which consisted of a rectangular field of green, was for a long period the only national flag using a single colour and no design or insignia. However, other historical states have also used flags without designs or insignia, such as the short-lived Soviet Republic of Hungary and
2997-616: Is equivalent to a brigade in Arab countries. In Spain, a flag (Spanish: bandera ) is a battalion -equivalent in the Spanish Legion . The origin of the flag is unknown and it remains unclear when the first flag was raised. Ships with vexilloids were represented on predynastic Egyptian pottery c. 3500 BC . In antiquity, field signs that can be categorised as vexilloid or "flag-like" were used in warfare, originating in ancient Egypt or Assyria . Examples include
3108-399: Is featured throughout the buildings on the state flag , tapestries, railing, door handles and elsewhere, was designed by Olympia Jeweler Charles Talcot by making two circles and putting a two-cent stamp of George Washington in the middle. There is even a bronze version of the seal in the floor of the rotunda. Over time, George Washington's nose has worn down due to foot traffic on it and it
3219-409: Is fully displayed even if there is no wind. The vertical flag for hoisting from a horizontal pole (German: Hängeflagge ; no. 4) is hoisted from a horizontal pole, normally attached to a building. The topmost stripe on the horizontal version of the flag faces away from the building. The vertical flag for hoisting from a crossbar or banner (German: Bannerflagge ; no. 5) is firmly attached to
3330-594: Is located near the southern limit of the Fraser Glaciation and the underlying sediments consist largely of Vashon -age till and outwash deposited at that time; the area also includes former lakebeds and alluvial deposits associated with proglacial lakes that existed in the area near the end of Vashon-stage glaciation. Residual glacial topography in the area includes drumlins , subglacial channels , and kettle lakes . Much of downtown Olympia sits on reclaimed land . Tidewater areas were filled as early as
3441-644: Is no longer in effect. An attempt to create a sister city partnership with Rafah , Palestine , was rejected by the city council in 2007. On December 12, 2023, the City Council passed a resolution calling for an "immediate and permanent ceasefire" during the Israeli–Palestinian conflict . Furthermore, the city recognized the right of existence of both the Palestinian and Israeli states. Nation: States: Territories: Flag A flag
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3552-408: Is not symmetric and should be read in the same direction, regardless of whether the hoist is to the viewer's left or right. These cases can be divided into two types: Common designs on flags include crosses, stripes, and divisions of the surface, or field , into bands or quarters—patterns and principles mainly derived from heraldry . A heraldic coat of arms may also be flown as a banner of arms , as
3663-930: Is now roped-off to prevent further damage. The Legislative Building houses the chambers of the Washington State Legislature and offices of several elected officials. This building is the dominant feature of the capitol grounds, with its dome 287 feet (87 m) high, making it the tallest self-supporting masonry dome in the United States, and fifth tallest in the world, surpassed only by St. Peter's Basilica in Rome , St. Paul's Cathedral in London , Global Vipassana Pagoda in Mumbai , and Santa Maria Del Fiore in Florence . A number of features in
3774-1027: Is part of USDA Hardiness zone 8a, with isolated pockets around Puget Sound in zone 8b. Most of western Washington's weather is brought in by weather systems that form near the Aleutian Islands in Alaska . It contains cold moist air, which brings western Washington cold rain, cloudiness, and fog. November through January are Olympia's rainiest months. City streets, creeks, and rivers can flood from November to February. The monthly mean temperature ranges from 38.4 °F (3.6 °C) in December to 64.1 °F (17.8 °C) in August. Seasonal snowfall for 1981–2010 averaged 10.8 inches (27.4 cm) but has historically ranged from trace amounts in 1991–92 to 81.5 in (207 cm) in 1968–69. Olympia averages 50 inches (1,270 mm) of precipitation annually and has
3885-469: Is the local daily newspaper. The Tacoma-based Weekly Volcano has covered Olympia entertainment since 2001. Progressive newspaper Works in Progress is published monthly. The statewide government channel TVW is based in Olympia. Online outlet NorthAmericaTalk, an aggregate for local community news and marketing, was established with headquarters in Olympia. Olympia and Thurston County are included in
3996-480: Is transmitted from a tower in nearby Tumwater . Evergreen State College's KAOS broadcasts a mix of educational and political programming, with student-driven music shows. Amtrak provides service to Olympia-Lacey at Centennial Station . Amtrak train 11, the southbound Coast Starlight , departs Olympia at 11:19am with service to Centralia; Portland ; Sacramento ; Emeryville, California (with bus connection to San Francisco ); and Los Angeles . Amtrak train 14,
4107-401: Is used to mark the limits of the bathing area on a beach, usually guarded by surf lifesavers . If the beach is closed, the poles of the flags are crossed. The flags are coloured with a red triangle and a yellow triangle making a rectangular flag, or a red rectangle over a yellow rectangle. On many Australian beaches there is a slight variation with beach condition signalling. A red flag signifies
4218-604: Is used). Many flags fall into groups of similar designs called flag families . The study of flags is known as " vexillology " from the Latin vexillum , meaning "flag" or " banner ". National flags are patriotic symbols with widely varied interpretations that often include strong military associations because of their original and ongoing use for that purpose. Flags are also used in messaging , advertising , or for decorative purposes. Some military units are called "flags" after their use of flags. A flag (Arabic: لواء )
4329-439: The 5 October 1910 revolution which brought this party to power. Throughout history, monarchs have often had personal flags (including royal standards ), representing the royal person, including in personal union of national monarchies. Flags are often representative of an individual's affinity or allegiance to a country, team or business and can be presented in various ways. A popular trend that has surfaced revolves around
4440-522: The Bigelow Neighborhood . The northeast end of Capitol Lake was the location of an artesian well until the construction of a new park that included changes to the shoreline. McAllister Springs , Olympia's main water source, is fed by artesian wells, and the former Olympia Brewery is supplied by 26 artesian wells. Efforts to protect and preserve the free-flowing artesian well on 4th Avenue in downtown Olympia began in 1991 with support from
4551-577: The Indian subcontinent or the Zhou dynasty of Ancient China . Chinese flags had iconography such as a red bird, a white tiger, or a blue dragon, and royal flags were to be treated with a level of respect similar to that given to the ruler. Indian flags were often triangular and decorated with attachments such as a yak 's tail and the state umbrella. Silk flags either spread to the Near East from China or it
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4662-635: The Olympia School District . It enrolled 9,782 students in K-12 in the 2021–22 school year. The district has a total of 18 schools: 11 elementary schools, four middle schools and three high schools. Its high schools are Olympia High School (formally known as William Winlock Miller High School), Capital High School , and Avanti High School. Portions of Olympia are in the North Thurston Public Schools district and
4773-574: The Sassanid battle standard Derafsh Kaviani , and the standards of the Roman legions such as the eagle of Augustus Caesar 's Xth legion and the dragon standard of the Sarmatians ; the latter was allowed to fly freely in the wind, carried by a horseman, but depictions suggest that it bore more similarity to an elongated dragon kite than to a simple flag. While the origin of the flag remains
4884-670: The Tumwater School District . In the 2007–08 school year, Olympia began the Parent Partnership Program, which provides more opportunities to homeschooling families. Olympia's online high school, Olympia Regional Learning Academy (ORLA), is part of the same program. Private elementary schools include Olympia Waldorf School, Olympia Community School, St. Michael School, Holy Family, and Evergreen Christian. Private middle schools include Olympia Waldorf School and NOVA School. Pope John Paul II High School
4995-544: The Washington Governor's Mansion , and many other state agencies. After Olympia became the capital city of the Washington Territory in 1853, the city's founder, Edmund Sylvester, gave the legislature 12 acres (4.9 ha) of land upon which to build the capitol, located on a hill overlooking what is now known as Capitol Lake . A two-story wood-frame building was constructed on the site, where
5106-666: The Water Garden ; and Woman Dancing . General George Washington, a colossal portrait by Avard Fairbanks , is placed in the reception room (another is installed at Washington University Medical School in Washington, D.C.). In 1980 the Washington State Arts Commission commissioned large contemporary murals by Michael Spafford and Alden Mason for the House and Senate chambers. The Spafford mural
5217-568: The cross , the crescent , or a reference to a patron saint. Flags are also adopted by religious groups and flags such as the Jain flag , Nishan Sahib ( Sikhism ), the Saffron flag ( Hindu ) and the Christian flag are used to represent a whole religion. Because of their ease of signalling and identification, flags are often used in sports . Some countries use diplomatic flags, such as
5328-605: The cupola of the Legislative Building's dome so badly it had to be completely replaced. A 6.5 magnitude earthquake in 1965 had even worse results, with the dome's brick buttresses left in such poor condition that a major aftershock could have caused them to collapse entirely, according to a state report. The state performed work after both earthquakes to reduce the impact of future occurrences, and performed additional seismic improvements in 1975. The Nisqually earthquake of 2001 caused further damage, including
5439-520: The national flag . Other countries' armed forces (such as those of the United States or Switzerland) use their standard national flag ; in addition, the U.S. has alongside flags and seals designed from long tradition for each of its six uniformed military services/military sub-departments in the Department of Defense and the Department of Homeland Security . The Philippines' armed forces may use their standard national flag , but during times of war
5550-674: The rainbow flag was adopted as a symbol of the LGBT social movements . Its derivatives include the Bisexual pride and Transgender pride flags . Some of these political flags have become national flags, such as the red flag of the Soviet Union and national socialist banners for Nazi Germany . The present Flag of Portugal is based on what had been the political flag of the Portuguese Republican Party previous to
5661-682: The 1870s, but the major change occurred in 1910–11 with placement of the Carlyon Fill (named for mayor P.H. Carlyon). Over two million cubic yards (1,500,000 m ) of sediment were dredged , thereby creating a deep-water port at Olympia; the dredged material was used to fill tidelands, creating almost 30 blocks of what is now downtown. Olympia has a warm-summer Mediterranean climate ( Köppen : Csb ). The local microclimate has dry summers in July and mildly humid summers in early June and late August, with cool July and August overnight lows. It
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#17327722359095772-603: The Capitol grounds as well as at the Old Capitol Building and adjoining Sylvester Park in downtown Olympia. The Senate and House also have their own security staff. After the September 11th attacks , there was a security checkpoint at the entrance to the Capitol building, complete with magnetometer and x-ray machine , but security has since reverted to its original state. Until 2021 the open carry of firearms
5883-670: The Legislative Building is the Temple of Justice, home to the State Supreme Court and the State Law Library. Until 1924, the unused boiler and coal rooms located under the Temple of Justice housed the Division of Highways Testing Laboratory, which would later become the Department of Transportation Materials Laboratory. The Governor's Mansion is located immediately west of the Legislative Building. Built before
5994-489: The Nisqually earthquake. Renovations completed in 2004 by Design Company EYP Architecture & Engineering fixed the dome permanently to the rest of the building. Because the Capitol grounds are outside the normal jurisdiction of Olympia and Thurston County , the sheriff and city police do not investigate crime on the Capitol campus. The Washington State Patrol is responsible for law enforcement and investigations on
6105-589: The Procession of the Species attracts up to 30,000 viewers, while its costumed participants of all ages frequently number nearly 3,000. On the Friday evening before the Procession of Species, a Luminary Procession is held. The Fleetwoods , a popular 1950s and 1960s doo-wop group, whose hits included " Come Softly to Me " and " Mr. Blue ", originated in Olympia. Additionally, acclaimed black metal band Wolves in
6216-539: The Seattle-Tacoma designated market area (DMA), and therefore are chiefly served by Seattle's network-affiliated television stations and some radio stations. Since 1983, Olympia has had a public, educational and government access television station, which was rebranded in 2016 as Thurston Community Media. Olympia sits on the southern fringe of the FM signal of National Public Radio member station KUOW . An AM simulcast
6327-893: The Throne Room hails from the city, forming in 2002. Olympia has a wide array of public parks and nature conservation areas. Percival Landing Park includes 0.9 miles (1.4 km) of boardwalk along Budd Inlet, as well as a playground, picnic areas, and a large open space. The boardwalk leads north to an open-air amphitheater, a viewing tower beside the Port of Olympia, as well as the Olympia Farmers' Market. Squaxin Park has an extensive trail system, 150-year-old forest, and undeveloped waterfront on Puget Sound. The city's 39 other developed parks include Watershed Park , Woodruff Park , Sunrise Park , Yauger Park (home to one of Olympia's public skate parks ), Friendly Grove (nestled in
6438-550: The Tivoli Fountain—Tivoli Park, Copenhagen , Denmark . Presented to the State of Washington by Olympia-Tumwater Foundation. Peter G. Schmidt, President. 1953." Other points of interest include World War II , Korean War , Vietnam War , medal of honor , POW–MIA , and law enforcement memorials; monument to the family of early Washington pioneer George Bush ; Arc of Statehood ; Boiler Works ; Du Pen Fountain ; Mysteries of Life ; Sea to Sky ; The Shaman ; an untitled sculpture by Lee Kelly (1973); Territorial Sundial ;
6549-411: The United Kingdom (see image of the Embassy flag ) and the Kingdom of Thailand (see image of the Embassy flag ). The socialist movement uses red flags to represent their cause. The anarchist movement has a variety of different flags, but the primary flag associated with them is the black flag . In the Spanish Civil War , the anarchists used the red-and-black bisected flag. In the 20th century,
6660-412: The alphabet. Each flag or pennant has a specific meaning when flown individually. As well, semaphore flags can be used to communicate on an ad hoc basis from ship to ship over short distances. Another category of maritime flag flown by some United States government ships is the distinctive mark . Although the United States Coast Guard has its own service ensign, all other U.S. government ships fly
6771-408: The art-deco Capitol Theater . A mostly volunteer-powered organization, OFS supports and presents a variety of cultural events, including All Freakin' Night , an all-night horror film screening with a cult following. On the fourth Saturday in April, in honor of Earth Day , Olympia is host to one of the region's largest community celebrations – the Procession of the Species . Held in conjunction with
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#17327722359096882-470: The beginning of the Puget Sound War . The war ended with Leschi's capture in 1856; he was executed two years later. The 1949 Olympia earthquake damaged many historic buildings beyond repair, and they were demolished. Parts of the city also suffered damage from earthquakes in 1965 and 2001 . Interstate 5 was built through the south side of the city in the late 1950s as a replacement for earlier highways that traveled through downtown Olympia. The freeway
6993-410: The building. The fourth floor is covered with a gabled roof that is situated behind the cornice on the third floor. On the north facade, the entrance is in a portico framed by eight Corinthian columns reached by 42 granite steps. A similar portico is on the south facade but it covers a vehicle ramp to the lower level instead of steps. The dome is surrounded by four small sandstone domes and capped by
7104-500: The campus are the Legislative Building, Temple of Justice, John A. Cherberg Senate office building, Irv Newhouse Senate office building, Insurance Building, John L. O'Brien House office building, Joel M. Pritchard Building , and several other office buildings. The Capitol Conservatory , built in 1939 by the Works Progress Administration, housed various types of flora until it was permanently closed on September 5, 2008. The campus also hosts many veterans' memorials. The state seal , which
7215-436: The campus of Saint Martin's University. Art in Ecology is a long-established art-in-the-workplace venue that has works by numerous northwest artists. Permanent installations by Alfredo Arreguin, commissioned by the Washington State Arts Commission, are accompanied by changing solo and group exhibitions throughout the year. Appointments to view the works are needed; tours take about an hour. South Puget Sound Community College has
7326-405: The campus. The Winged Victory monument, commemorating World War I , is one of the most prominent. Sculpted by Alonzo Victor Lewis from bronze , its granite pedestal has four inscriptions. Dedicated May 30, 1938, the monument has been restored numerous times since then. The Tivoli Fountain replica was designed by the architects Wohleb, Wohleb, and Bennett. Inscribed upon it is "Replica of
7437-416: The city was 47.3% male and 52.7% female. According to Olympia's 2021 Annual Comprehensive Financial Report, the county's top employers are: Olympia is a regional center for fine arts. A number of theatrical experiences are available with companies such as Animal Fire Theater, Olympia Family Theater, Olympia Little Theater, Theater Artists Olympia, Broadway Olympia Productions, and Harlequin Productions at
7548-462: The city was 78.4% White , 9.6% Hispanic or Latino , 7.3% Asian , 3.1% African American , and 6.9% from other races or multiracial. As of the 2010 census , there were 46,478 people, 20,761 households, and 10,672 families residing in the city. The population density was 2,608.2 inhabitants per square mile (1,007.0/km ). There were 22,086 housing units at an average density of 1,239.4 units per square mile (478.5 units/km ). The racial makeup of
7659-444: The city was 83.7% White , 2.0% African American , 1.1% Native American , 6.0% Asian , 0.4% Pacific Islander , 1.8% from other races, and 5.0% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 6.3% of the population. There were 20,761 households, of which 25.6% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 36.2% were married couples living together, 11.3% had a female householder with no husband present, 3.9% had
7770-419: The city's biannual Arts Walk, the Procession is organized by the community-based nonprofit organization Earthbound Productions, and is the culmination of an annual Community Art Studio that is free and open to the public. In its July 2009 Best of America feature, Reader's Digest magazine honored the Procession of the Species with the top spot in its "can't resist" parades and processions list. Open to all,
7881-409: The control of Nana Olomu during the conflict in the late 19th century. One is the flag generally known as the Benin Empire flag and one is referred to as Nana Olomu's flag. Among international flags are the United Nations , Europe , Olympic , NATO and Paralympic flags . Flags are particularly important at sea, where they can mean the difference between life and death, and consequently where
7992-399: The design of their own flags. Some prominent examples include: National flag designs are often used to signify nationality in other forms, such as flag patches . A civil flag is a version of the national flag that is flown by civilians on non-government installations or craft. The use of civil flags was more common in the past, in order to denote buildings or ships that were not crewed by
8103-515: The east and Tumwater to the south. The Squaxin and other Coast Salish peoples inhabited the southern Puget Sound region prior to the arrival of European and American settlers in the 19th century. The Treaty of Medicine Creek was signed in 1854 and followed by the Treaty of Olympia in 1856; these two treaties forced the Squaxin to relocate to an Indian reservation . Olympia was incorporated as
8214-548: The estuary at an unspecified date. The city is 47 miles (76 km) southwest of Seattle , the most populous city in Washington, and 100 miles (160 km) north of Portland, Oregon . According to the United States Census Bureau , Olympia has an area of 19.68 square miles (50.97 km ), of which 17.82 sq mi (46.15 km ) is land and 1.86 sq mi (4.82 km ) is water. The cities of Lacey and Tumwater border Olympia. The area
8325-801: The event was Joan Benoit , who won a gold medal at the first women's Olympic marathon at the 1984 Summer Olympic games in Los Angeles . Olympia is the home of the Oly Rollers , the local women's flat track roller derby league whose travel team, the Cosa Nostra Donnas, were the 2009 national champions of the Women's Flat Track Derby Association (WFTDA), winning the national Declaration of Derby tournament in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania . FC Olympia (also known as Oly Town Artesians)
8436-408: The exterior with sandstone quarried from Wilkeson, Washington . The structure consists of four floors with the dome at the center that reaches a height of 287 ft (87 m) on the exterior and 175 ft (53 m) from the floor. The first floor is within the raised base and houses offices. The second and third floors are surrounded by Doric columns and capped with a cornice that encircles
8547-399: The face of a foreign warship traditionally indicates a willingness to fight, with cannon , for the right to do so. As of 2009 , this custom is still taken seriously by many naval and port authorities and is readily enforced in many parts of the world by boarding, confiscation and other civil penalties. In some countries yacht ensigns are different from merchant ensigns in order to signal that
8658-400: The flag is turned upside down. Bulgaria's flag is also turned upside down during times of war. These are also considered war flags, though the terminology only applies to the flag's military usage. Large versions of the war flag flown on the warships of countries' navies are known as battle ensigns . In addition, besides flying the national standard or a military services' emblem flag at
8769-583: The freezing mark. The average window for freezing temperatures is October 8 through May 3, allowing a growing season of 157 days, nearly 100 days shorter than in Seattle. See or edit raw graph data . Olympia was historically dependent on artesian waters , including springs that supplied early settlers in Swantown and Tumwater. The artesian spring at Fourth Avenue and Main Street (now called Capitol Way)
8880-611: The historic State Theater, as well as Broadway Olympia's Black Box Theater at Capitol Mall. The Olympia Symphony Orchestra performs five regular-season concerts at the Washington Center and two pops concerts. The Masterworks Chorale Ensemble performs four regular-season concerts at the Washington Center for the Performing Arts. Visual art venues include some of the local coffeehouses, Olympia Coffee Roasting Co., Batdorf & Bronson , and Burial Grounds downtown, with
8991-548: The idea of the 'mobile' flag in which an individual displays their particular flag of choice on their vehicle. These items are commonly referred to as car flags and are usually manufactured from high strength polyester material and are attached to a vehicle via a polypropylene pole and clip window attachment. In Australia, Canada, New Zealand, the Philippines, Ireland and the United Kingdom, a pair of red-yellow flags
9102-526: The landscaping for the campus from 1927 to 1931. Construction of the campus began in 1912, and the Temple of Justice was completed in 1920, followed by the Insurance Building and the power and heating plant. After multiple revisions of the plans, the Legislative Building was completed in 1928. Additional buildings on the campus were constructed during the next several decades. The Capitol Campus
9213-772: The latter indefinitely closed. Art House Designs is an art gallery that also hosts a jazz performance space. Murals and public art installations of sculpture are prevalent in Olympia and are especially featured on the State Capitol Campus and along Percival Landing on the urban waterfront. The Washington Center for the Performing Arts also presents visual art exhibitions throughout the season in its lobby areas. Notable art venues near Olympia include Art in Ecology, housed in Washington Department of Ecology's 322,000-square-foot, three-story building on
9324-541: The legislature met starting in 1854. When President Benjamin Harrison approved Washington's state constitution in 1889, he donated 132,000 acres (530 km) of federal lands to the state with the stipulation that income from the lands was to be used solely for construction of the state capitol. The legislature formed the State Capitol Commission in 1893 to oversee the creation of a new capitol on
9435-623: The military. In some countries the civil flag is the same as the war flag or state flag , but without the coat of arms, such as in the case of Spain , and in others it is an alteration of the war flag. Several countries, including the Royal Air Force , British Army and the Royal Navy ( White Ensign ) of the United Kingdom and the Soviet Union have had unique flags flown by their armed forces separately, rather than
9546-573: The more recent Sultanate of Muscat and Oman , whose flags were both a plain field of red. Colours are normally described with common names, such as "red", but may be further specified using colourimetry . The largest flag flown from a flagpole worldwide, according to Guinness World Records, is the flag of the United Arab Emirates flown in Sharjah . This flag was 2,448.56 m (26,356.1 sq ft). The largest flag ever made
9657-610: The national ensign as their service ensign, following United States Navy practice. To distinguish themselves from ships of the Navy, such ships historically have flown their parent organisation's flag from a forward mast as a distinctive mark. Today, for example, commissioned ships of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) fly the NOAA flag as a distinctive mark. Flags are usually rectangular in shape (often in
9768-572: The northbound Coast Starlight, departs Olympia at 6:01pm daily with service to Tacoma and Seattle . Amtrak Cascades trains, operating as far north as Vancouver and as far south as Eugene, Oregon , serve Olympia-Lacey several times daily in both directions. Olympia, Lacey, Tumwater, and the surrounding area are primarily served by Intercity Transit , with connections to Grays Harbor Transit , Mason Transit Authority , Pierce Transit , Sound Transit , and Twin Transit . Intercity Transit maintains
9879-437: The peak of the sailing age , beginning in the early 17th century, it was customary (and later a legal requirement) for ships to fly flags designating their nationality; these flags eventually evolved into the national flags and maritime flags of today. Flags also became the preferred means of communications at sea, resulting in various systems of flag signals; see, International maritime signal flags . Use of flags beyond
9990-584: The preservation of Indigenous fishing, hunting, gathering and other rights. It also included a section which, at least as interpreted by United States officials, required the Native American signatories to move to one of three reservations. Doing so would effectively force the Nisqually people to cede their prime farming and living space. One of the leaders of the Nisqually, Chief Leschi , outraged, refused to give up ownership of this land and instead fought for his people's right to their territory, sparking
10101-407: The property in Olympia. The commission had a nationwide competition to find an architect and chose the submission of Ernest Flagg . Construction began on Flagg's plan, but was soon stalled by poor economic conditions with only the foundation completed. When the legislature finally approved an appropriation of additional funds in 1897, newly elected Governor John Rogers vetoed it. Rogers advocated
10212-458: The purchase of the existing Thurston County Courthouse in downtown Olympia, now known as the " Old Capitol " and home to the Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction. The legislature approved the new location and began meeting there in 1905. The courthouse became the location of all agencies of the state government and within a few years the legislature decided the building was too small and
10323-459: The ratio 2:3, 1:2, or 3:5), but may be of any shape or size that is practical for flying, including square, triangular, or swallow tailed. A more unusual flag shape is that of the flag of Nepal , which is in the shape of two stacked triangles. Other unusually shaped flags include the civil flags of Ohio (a swallowtail ); Tampa, Florida ; and Pike County, Ohio . Many flags are dyed through and through to be inexpensive to manufacture, such that
10434-491: The record cold daily maximum is 18 °F (−8 °C) on January 31, 1950, while, conversely, the record warm daily minimum is 69 °F (21 °C) on July 22, 2006. Between 1991 and 2020 the mean coldest daily maximum was right on the freezing point at 32 °F (0 °C) and the warmest night of the year averaged a very mild 60 °F (16 °C). On average, 6.3 days annually reach 90 °F (32 °C), 1.8 days stay at or below freezing all day, and 78 nights reach
10545-452: The rest of the capitol campus in 1908, the four-story Georgian -style mansion was intended as a temporary structure, and over the years the state legislature has considered replacing it with an office building or a new mansion. The legislature decided to renovate and remodel the existing building in 1973, and since then the private, non-profit Governor's Mansion Foundation has maintained it. There are 19 major art installations and monuments on
10656-415: The reverse side is the mirror image of the obverse (front) side, generally the side displayed when, from the observer's point of view, the flag flies from pole-side left to right. This presents two possibilities: Some complex flag designs are not intended to be shown on both sides, requiring separate obverse and reverse sides if made correctly. In these cases there is a design element (usually text) which
10767-439: The rotunda is suspended 50 feet (15 m) above the floor by a 101 feet (31 m) chain and measures 25 feet (8 m) tall. It could fit a full-size Volkswagen Beetle if put in sideways and features life-size faces, human figures, and 202 lights. The Legislative Building is also home to a large brass bust of George Washington . Over time, the nose on the bust has become shiny from visitors rubbing it for good luck. Facing
10878-412: The rules and regulations for the flying of flags are strictly enforced. A national flag flown at sea is known as an ensign . A courteous, peaceable merchant ship or yacht customarily flies its ensign (in the usual ensign position), together with the flag of whatever nation it is currently visiting at the mast (known as a courtesy flag ). To fly one's ensign alone in foreign waters, a foreign port or in
10989-514: The standard horizontal flag in central and eastern Europe, particularly in the German-speaking countries. This practice came about because the relatively brisk wind needed to display horizontal flags is not common in these countries. The standard horizontal flag (no. 1 in the preceding illustration) is nonetheless the form most often used even in these countries. The vertical flag (German: Hochformatflagge or Knatterflagge ; no. 2)
11100-556: The structure commemorating Washington's addition to the Union as the 42nd state—42 steps lead to the building's North entrance and one of the four 42-star flags owned by the state is displayed in the State Reception Room . Flags with this number of stars were never official because of the admission of Idaho shortly after Washington. The building has a rectangular footprint and is constructed of brick and concrete and faced on
11211-751: The town settled on the name Olympia, at local resident Colonel Isaac N. Ebey 's suggestion, because of its view of the Olympic Mountains to the northwest. The area began to be served by a small fleet of steamboats known as the Puget Sound Mosquito Fleet . Over two days, December 24–26, 1854, Governor Isaac I. Stevens negotiated the Treaty of Medicine Creek with the representatives of the Nisqually, Puyallup, Squawksin, Steh'Chass, Noo-Seh-Chatl, Squi-Aitl, T'Peeksin, Sah-Heh-Wa-Mish, and S'Hotl-Ma-Mish tribes. Stevens's treaty included
11322-505: The well were completed in late 2011, including surface improvements, solar lighting, and a raised area to fill bottles. In spring 2012, sea-themed mosaic artwork created by community members was installed at the site of the well. As of the 2020 census , there were 55,605 people within the city. The population density was 2,825 inhabitants per square mile (1,090.7/km ). There were 25,642 housing units at an average density of 1,303 units per square mile (503 units/km ). The racial makeup of
11433-459: The yacht is not carrying cargo that requires a customs declaration. Carrying commercial cargo on a boat with a yacht ensign is deemed to be smuggling in many jurisdictions. Traditionally, a vessel flying under the courtesy flag of a specific nation, regardless of the vessel's country of registry, is considered to be operating under the law of her 'host' nation. There is a system of international maritime signal flags for numerals and letters of
11544-574: Was allowed in the building. In December 2008, an atheist sign was displayed adjacent to a nativity scene in the Capitol as part of a Christmas display; it was erected by the Freedom From Religion Foundation in response to the nativity scene. This sparked widespread media coverage and controversy; the sign was stolen, but eventually found and returned to the Capitol. There was a rapid influx of requests from individuals and groups wanting to display other material, including
11655-497: Was covered by a curtain after being displayed for less than a year, with critics of the work in the House chambers calling it "pornographic". Both Legislative Building murals were removed, from the Senate in 1987 and the House in 1993. Lawmakers also rejected plans for monumental murals by Jacob Lawrence to adorn the Capitol rotunda. Three major earthquakes have affected the capital since its construction. The first, in 1949, damaged
11766-558: Was just the silk itself, later fashioned by people who had independently conceptualized a rectangular cloth attached to a pole. Flags were probably transmitted to Europe via the Muslim world , where plainly coloured flags were used due to Islamic proscriptions . They are often mentioned in the early history of Islam and may have been copied from India. In Europe, during the High Middle Ages , flags came to be used primarily as
11877-530: Was originally planned to cut through the city, but was moved further out to save costs. It opened to traffic on December 12, 1958, and was later expanded in 1991. Olympia is at the southern end of Puget Sound on Budd Inlet , where the Deschutes River estuary enters the Sound. The river was dammed in 1951 to create Capitol Lake ; in late 2022 the state government approved the dam's removal to restore
11988-844: Was placed on the National Register of Historic Districts in 1974 and contains or contributes to some of the most valued views in the State including the Olympic Mountains, Puget Sound, Mt. Rainier, the Capitol Dome and the Capitol Group of buildings on the hill. The design of the Capitol Campus is a grand example of the City Beautiful style of the Progressive era of the early 20th Century. Located on
12099-483: Was the flag of Qatar ; the flag, which measures at 101,978 m (1,097,680 sq ft), was completed in December 2013 in Doha . The general parts of a flag are: canton (the upper inner section of the flag), field or ground (the entire flag except the canton), the hoist (the edge used to attach the flag to the hoist), and the fly (the furthest edge from the hoist end). Vertical flags are sometimes used in lieu of
12210-590: Was the flag of the Netherlands, which appeared during the 80-year Dutch rebellion which began in 1568 against Spanish domination. Political change and social reform, allied with a growing sense of nationhood among ordinary people, led to the creation of new nations and flags all over the world in the 19th and 20th centuries. One of the most popular uses of a flag is to symbolise a nation or country . Some national flags have been particularly inspirational to other nations, countries, or subnational entities in
12321-409: Was the main community well where settlers, as well as the local Steh-Chass and visiting Native Americans, gathered to socialize. Settler accounts recall paying Native Americans to collect water here. The artesian well at Artesian Commons park, a former parking lot, is active. Another still flows at the corner of Olympia Avenue and Washington Street. A small park was constructed around another spring in
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