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August 2026

Happenings

Olympia Tumwater Foundation Announces History & Nature Center at Brewery Park at Tumwater Falls

The Olympia Tumwater Foundation is pleased to announce plans to transform and expand an existing building within Brewery Park at Tumwater Falls into the History & Nature Center—a welcoming new public space where people can discover the natural, cultural, and historic stories that have shaped one of Washington’s most treasured places. The renovated facility will feature exhibits, classrooms, and gathering space for year-round learning, school programs, and public events.

For more than sixty years, the Olympia Tumwater Foundation has preserved Brewery Park at Tumwater Falls as one of the Pacific Northwest’s most beloved public spaces. Each year, approximately 180,000 unique visitors make more than 270,000 visits to experience the park’s waterfalls, salmon runs, historic landscapes, and peaceful setting. The Center represents the Foundation’s next major investment in helping people not only enjoy the park—but also understand the remarkable stories that have shaped it.

The Center is designed to deepen the Brewery Park experience. After exploring the falls, people will be able to step inside to discover the stories of the landscape they have just experienced through engaging exhibits, flexible learning spaces, and opportunities for conversation and discovery.

Join us for the next Evenings at the Falls, a Free Concert Series, on August 8

The Olympia Tumwater Foundation is excited to announce the second concert in its Evenings at the Falls summer series at Brewery Park at Tumwater Falls. Presented by Friends of the Falls, the series brings together live music, local food and beverages, and the natural beauty of one of the South Sound’s most iconic destinations.

The next concert will take place Saturday, August 8, from 4:30 to 7:00 pm. Admission is free and open to the public.

The evening will feature Varda, a fiddle duo formed through Marit Olivia and Mae Kessler’s shared love of the traditional music they grew up hearing. Although Marit lives and sails internationally aboard a wooden boat and Mae performs throughout the Pacific Northwest in Klezmer bands, the two have spent the past decade building a captivating repertoire of lively Scandinavian and Klezmer tunes. Varda is both a heartfelt expression of their friendship and a celebration of the living musical traditions they love sharing with audiences.

Guests are invited to bring lawn chairs or blankets and enjoy live music overlooking the falls. Food from Gold Standard and beverages from the Well 80 Brewhouse beer garden will be available for purchase.

Evenings at the Falls also highlights Friends of the Falls, the Olympia Tumwater Foundation’s membership program supporting the preservation, stewardship, and future of Brewery Park at Tumwater Falls. Membership support helps ensure the park remains a welcoming community resource while creating new opportunities for education, preservation, and public enjoyment.

Special America 250 Museum Open Day

Step into history at the Bigelow House Museum on Saturday, August 8, from 1–4 pm.

Enjoy costumed docents, entertainment and refreshments during this special program honoring women’s voting rights.

Visitors can follow in the footsteps of suffragist Susan B. Anthony, who visited the house in 1871.

Bigelow House Museum

918 Glass Avenue NE, Olympia

Learn more at olympiahistory.org.

Something New at the Schmidt House

Something new is taking shape at the Schmidt House! With support from our board’s Preservation Committee, the shelves on either side of the fireplace have been transformed into display cases for rotating exhibits of Olympia Brewing Company artifacts.

Many thanks to Artech of Tukwila for designing and installing the new glass shelving, cabinet doors, and adjustable lighting. The remote-controlled lights can shift from warm to cool and be positioned to highlight each display.

Pictured are Ellie, Eric, and Ryan, who completed the project with professionalism, care, and attention to detail. We’re excited to begin filling the cases with pieces from Olympia Brewing Company’s rich history.

Our archives at the Schmidt House include lots of photos of brewery employees from the 1950s, 60s, and 70s. If you have relatives or friends who worked for the brewery in those years, we likely have pictures of them! For more info, contact Karen at 360-890-2299 or karen@olytumfoundation.org.

Our popular monthly history talks are taking a summer break, but they'll be back this fall!



Mark your calendar for Thursday, October 1, at noon, when historian Ira Kitmacher presents "Lincoln, Civil War, and the Pacific Northwest."

Did you know that Abraham Lincoln was once offered the governorship of Oregon Territory? Join us to explore this fascinating connection between one of America's most iconic presidents and the Pacific Northwest.

For more information, contact Karen Johnson at 360-890-2299 or karen@olytumfoundation.org.

This wire basket is a relic from the former Mottman store, which stood at the corner of Capitol Way and Fourth Avenue from 1895 to 1967.

One of the store’s most unusual features was a system of wire baskets suspended from overhead cables. The baskets carried customers’ purchases and payments from the sales floor to a cashier on the second floor, who made change, wrapped the merchandise, and sent everything back down to the sales clerk and waiting customer.

Learn more about George Mottman and his remarkable store in Deb Ross’s article in the August 2026 issue of the Thurston County Historical Journal. The issue will be available in the coming weeks through several local heritage organizations.