The purpose of this report is to provide a research tool for working with the historic West Capitol Campus landscape.

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.

The life span of this document is intended to be long term, with phases and strategies anticipated to be incrementally implemented over the course of the next 20, 50, or even 100 years. Adaptive management necessitates periodic monitoring of implementation and attendant revision of the document as a tool to promote and guide resource stewardship. It is intended to be a living document.