A Chicago Broker Returns to Find Olympia Unrecognizable
Away for more than two decades, I. I. Hackney marvels at the capital city's real-estate boom, new statehouse ambitions, and the wilderness he once knew as Tacoma.
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I. I. Hackney, a broker residing in Chicago, spent last evening in the city, renewing old friendships that he had formed in Olympia when last here, more than twenty years ago.
“Olympia of today is not the Olympia of twenty years ago,” he said, answering the question whether he noticed any change in the capital city since last residing here. “It has wonderfully improved,” he continued, heaving a sigh that would seem to imply that he regretted having left here before the arrival of the real estate boom. “Then it had but a half thousand inhabitants; now I am informed its population runs close to 10,000. But few of the men whom I knew in those days now reside in the city. General McKenney, George Shannon, Ross O’Brien and Governor Ferry are the only men that I can now call to mind. Governor Ferry was then the surveyor general of the territory, Governor Salomon was the chief executive, Ross O’Brien was a young man, the clerk of Major Hayden, who was, if I remember rightly, collector of internal revenue. I frequently visited in those days the site of the present city of Tacoma. It was then a wilderness, dark and impenetrable. If I am surprised at the growth and prosperity of Olympia, what must be my sensations when I gaze upon Tacoma? I believe Olympia has a future, but one which must be developed by her people. It will always be to a great extent the center of the best society of the state. This should also apply to its becoming in time a great educational center. The building of the new state house must naturally cause the founding of a great public library. I hope to visit the city again next spring when I shall doubtless see even more to notice and commend in the way of street improvements, street car lines and private and public buildings.”
Mr. Hackney left early this morning for his Illinois home, via Portland and the Union Pacific railroad.
““Olympia of today is not the Olympia of twenty years ago. … Then it had but a half thousand inhabitants; now I am informed its population runs close to 10,000.””
Olympia’s 1891 booster talk—population exploding, real estate booming, streetcars and a new capitol on the way—echoes today’s arguments over growth, housing and downtown identity. The visitor’s faith that the city’s future “must be developed by her people” still sounds like a modern civic campaign slogan.
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