Close Washington Street to Wagons: Olympia's 1891 Dream for the Public Square
As the new county courthouse nears completion, the superintendent in charge proposes grading the square level with Seventh Street, banishing heavy teams, and laying winding, shrub-lined walks with a pavilion for evening concerts.
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.
The rapid work on the new county court house will undoubtedly result in its completion within the time allotted, in March, and its handsome appearance will attract the attention of every visitor to the city.
"When the building is completed," said Superintendent Rogers, "there is one matter which will present itself for attention, and that is the disposition of the public square. My idea of beautifying it is this: We want to give the court house and its surroundings the best possible appearance, and in order to do so, it is essential that its front, in particular, should be picturesque. Why not then grade the public square on a level with Seventh street, which will then bring it on a level with the ground surrounding the court house after its completion, shut off Washington street in front of the building to heavy teams, making only a driveway for carriages, and then lay out the entire area from the court house to Main street in winding walks, bordered with shrubbery and pretty plants. A pavilion could be constructed for evening concerts and the improvement would make one of the prettiest spots in Olympia."
“Why not then grade the public square on a level with Seventh street... shut off Washington street in front of the building to heavy teams, making only a driveway for carriages, and then lay out the entire area from the court house to Main street in winding walks, bordered with shrubbery and pretty plants. A pavilion could be constructed for evening concerts.”
The courthouse Rogers was finishing became Washington's capitol in 1901, and the ground he wanted to re-landscape is today's Sylvester Park, still ringed by Capitol Way and Seventh. His argument — take space back from heavy traffic, plant it, and give the city a stage for summer music — is the same one Olympia has about downtown parklets, street closures and pedestrian plazas 130 years later.
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