Olympia is Washington State's capital city, with a population of around 46,478. It serves as the county seat of Thurston County. Olympia is situated in the Puget Sound region.
The Lushootseed-speaking peoples inhabited the region before European settlement. These indigenous cultures consisted of Chehalis, Puyallup, Duwamish, Squaxin, Nisqually and Suquamish. In 1792, the British Vancouver Expedition charted the site. During the year 1846, Levi Smith and Edmund Sylvester lay claim to the location which will become the city's downtown. During the year 1851, Olympia was selected by Congress as the site for the customs house, serving Washington Territory. Many settlers arrived by the Oregon Trail and stayed. During the year 1853, the township officially became referred to as Olympia because of its amazing view of the Olympic Mountain range. A fleet of steamboats referred to as the Puget Sound Mosquito Fleet served the people. It was incorporated as a city during 1859.
Olympia has a number of important artesian wells. Artesian springs were the primary source of fresh water for the early settlers and these days McAllister Springs is still Olympia's water source. The artesian spring was the place where people gathered to socialize. There is still an active artesian well in the Diamond Parking lot at Jefferson Street and Fourth Avenue, preserved by the City of Olympia, and another at the corner of Washington Street and Olympia Avenue. For many years, Olympia Beer was brewed using water from artesian wells. Many of the artesian wells have been covered over by new development.
The city of Olympia is a key cultural center, with numerous local theatrical companies, like the Capital Playhouse, Olympia Family Theater, Theater Artists Olympia, Harlequin Productions and Olympia Little Theater. The historic State Theater on Fourth Avenue is considered a cinematic treasure. The Washington Center is a major venue for music and performance. The Olympia Symphony Orchestra performs there during concert season.
The city is a regional center for the visual arts. Local coffeehouses display visual art, the most popular of which are Batdorf & Bronson, Burial Grounds and Caffe Vita. Art House Designs is both a fine art gallery and a jazz venue. Percival Landing along the urban waterfront features murals and public art installations. The Washington Center for the Performing Arts exhibits art regularly in its lobby.