A New Home for the Grand Army of the Republic
Veterans of the Civil War plan a grand new headquarters in Olympia, complete with a public hall and space for other lodges.
The plans for the new G.A.R. building on the corner of Main and Third streets are now being finalized. The building will be two stories high. The upper portion will contain two halls, the full dimensions of the building, equipped with sliding doors so that they can be thrown into one large floor space. This is intended not only for the use of the veteran organization but also for the meetings of other lodges in the city. The Post does not expect to incur more than $250 of debt from the building, and they intend to place stores on the lower floor to generate revenue.
“It is the intention to place stores on the lower floor.”
The Grand Army of the Republic (G.A.R.) was a powerful fraternal organization of Union veterans that shaped American politics for decades. Today, the site at Main and Third (now Capitol Way and 3rd Ave) remains a central part of Olympia's downtown, though the veterans' halls have long since been replaced by modern commercial and civic spaces.
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