December 1, 2022
The Season of Gratitude
As 2022 comes to a close, we thank everyone for another year of visiting Brewery Park at Tumwater Falls and the Schmidt House. A special thank you to our dedicated Schmidt House and Centennial Rose Garden volunteers.

We look forward to what 2023 has in store!
Foundation Updates
Give Local 2022
Thanks to local donors, we raised $1,900 during our Give Local campaign. We'll use this money for park improvements and maintenance.
In early November, the east side of the Brewery Park trail near the Boston Street bridge experienced a rock slide.

This section is closed until the bank is stabilized. We will know more when we receive the geotechnical report.
We hosted a group of tourism professionals from the UK and Ireland on a trip around the state visiting places to promote when they go back home. They learned about the Deschutes River's importance to local history, our hatchery system, and how the water and salmon are deeply ingrained in our culture.
Education Program
In 2022, we gave $140,000 in high school scholarships. Since the inception of our memorial scholarship program in 1967, we've donated over $2.2 million to local high school seniors.

In November, we gave $15,000 in early learning grants to 15 schools and organizations to go toward K-3 classroom projects.
Geologic History of Thurston County
November's History Pub with Gary Ritchie was another packed house!
Dr. Ritchie explained the formation of Thurston County and how it relates to the Yellowstone Hotspot.

The talk stemmed from an article in the Thurston County Historical Journal which can be read for free here.
Upcoming Events
History Pub at Heritage:
A Journey Down the Deschutes
Take a trip from the headwaters of the Deschutes River to the mouth of Budd Inlet!

Tumwater Water Resources Specialist Grant Gilmore will highlight historical moments from the time of the receding Vashon Glacier, watershed functions and features, activities from human impacts, how we currently manage water resources, and possibilities for the future.

Join us Thursday, January 19 in the cask library (downstairs) at Heritage Distilling Co. in Tumwater at 6:00 pm.

Registration is encouraged so we can get a headcount: register here.
From the Curator
Karen Johnson runs the Schmidt House archives—which contains the Olympia Brewing Company and Schmidt family papers—and showcases historical treasures from around the house or the house's grounds on social media.

One of those weekly stories is highlighted here.
Louis Schmidt, brother of Olympia Brewery founder Leopold, moved from Tumwater to Hope Island in 1905. His farm included a sizable house, barns, and a hop kiln (drying shed). Some of the family’s fruit trees still exist—the entire island is now a state park.
Questions? Contact us at [email protected] or 360.943.2550.