Set on the shores of South Puget Sound, with the rugged Olympic Mountains rising in the distance across the water and the dome of Washington's Capitol soaring above the town, Olympia ranks as one of America's loveliest cities. We enjoy all the pomp and pageantry that come with being a state capital...the marble halls, the monuments, and the gorgeous capitol grounds. But surrounding the stately dome, there is still a small town at heart.

Olympia is the largest city in Thurston County with a population of 42,514. The neighboring cities of Lacey and Tumwater and other jurisdictions make up a total county population of 204,300.

"Cheetwoot" (the black bear place) to the Coastal Salish who occupied the site for many generations before the American settlement was established. Budd Inlet was a favorite shellfish gathering site for many Coastal Salish tribes. Evidence exists that potlatches, the Northwest tribal custom in which tribal leaders shared their wealth with neighboring tribal groups, were held both east and west of the Inlet near Olympia.

The falls of the Deschutes River at Tumwater called "Stehtsasamish" by the Nisqually Indians may have been occupied as a permanent village site for shellfish and salmon harvesting for 500 years or more before the coming of white settlers.

Olympia, Washington is a thriving and economically strong city center today.