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