A Family Homestead for Sale in 1872 Olympia
A historic property listing reveals the price of a comfortable cottage and orchard near the Old Courthouse in the territorial capital.
The story, cleaned up
A cleaned-up reading of the newspaper page: spelling and layout repaired, one story lifted off a crowded page. It follows the original closely but it is not a transcription. The original page is below; read it if a detail matters.
For Sale: A desirable homestead in Olympia, consisting of two lots on the Old Court House block, with a comfortable cottage house with convenient outhouses, an excellent spring of living water, and an abundance of fruit of the best kinds and varieties, in one of the most attractive situations in the city. Price, $1,500. Inquire of Larrabee & Co., Seattle; or F. Tarbell, Real Estate Agent, Olympia.
“An excellent spring of living water, and an abundance of fruit of the best kinds and varieties.”
While this 1872 listing describes a tranquil homestead in Olympia for $1,500, modern property values in the capital have shifted drastically. The dream of a 'comfortable cottage' with an orchard remains a staple of Northwest living, yet the accessibility of such land has become a central point of tension in the region's current housing crisis.
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