Washington State Capitol Campus - Paperback

by Jennifer Crooks (Author)

The Washington State Capitol Campus is the heart of state government. Olympia was designated the capital of Washington Territory in 1853. The territorial legislature first met in rented quarters before moving to a simple wooden capitol building. After becoming a state in 1889, the government began building an elaborate capitol building until the Panic of 1893 halted construction. As a temporary solution, the state purchased the former Thurston County Courthouse. Over a period of decades, a new group of permanent capitol campus buildings were constructed. Since then, the campus has continued to grow, meeting the changing needs of government. However, the history of the campus is more than a tale of buildings. It is also the story of the workers, legislators, and visitors who have made this place a community.

Author Biography

Jennifer Crooks is an Olympia-raised independent historian. She earned a bachelor of arts in history from Saint Martin's University and a master of arts in history from Central Washington University. A professional writer, she has written for several websites and historical journals. With her father, historian Drew Crooks, she coauthored Images of America: DuPont. Most of the photographs for this book come from the extensive collections of the Washington State Archives.