View as Webpage

October 2026

Happenings

Spot an Oly Sign? Send Us a Photo!

This huge Olympia Beer sign once overlooked Seattle’s Pioneer Square in the early 1900s—and it got us wondering: what other vintage Oly signs are still out there?

The next time you’re traveling, keep an eye out for an old Olympia Beer sign, snap a photo and send it to karen@olytumfoundation.org. Be sure to include your name, where you spotted it and any other details you know. Your photo may even appear in an upcoming newsletter!

And don’t stop at Olympia Beer. The Olympia Brewing Company has ties to several other well-known beer brands. OBC purchased the out-of-state plants that produced Hamm’s and Lone Star in the 1970s, while brands including Pabst, Rainier and Blitz-Weinhard were contract-brewed at the Tumwater plant.

So wherever your travels take you, keep your eyes open for a little piece of brewing history.

Have fun, travel safely and send us your photos!

Fall Color at the Schmidt House

The Kousa dogwood, left, and Florida dogwood, right, are both growing on the grounds of the Schmidt House. The grounds are open to visitors. Learn more here.

The dogwood trees on the grounds of the Schmidt House are putting on another beautiful show. Best known for their spring blossoms, dogwoods also bring plenty of interest to the landscape as summer gives way to fall.

Among the trees on the property is the Kousa dogwood, whose distinctive round, strawberry-like fruit is just beginning to take on color. Nearby, the Florida dogwood is already showing off its elongated, bright red fruit, adding another splash of color to the grounds.

These colorful fruits make the trees especially eye-catching this time of year and offer a reminder that there is always something new to notice in the historic landscape surrounding the Schmidt House.

As autumn settles in, the changing leaves, ripening fruit and cooler days make this a particularly beautiful time to visit.

History Talks: Lincoln, Civil War, and the Pacific Northwest

Join the Olympia Tumwater Foundation for History Talks on Thursday, October 1, at noon, featuring author and historian Ira Wesley Kitmacher presenting Lincoln, Civil War, and the Pacific Northwest.

Discover how Abraham Lincoln influenced a region he never visited—and how the Pacific Northwest helped shape the Union he fought to preserve. Kitmacher will explore Confederate ambitions in the West, Lincoln’s response through military strategy and political appointments, and the region’s surprising role in the Civil War era.

Kitmacher is an author, historian, former Georgetown graduate professor and retired senior federal executive whose work focuses on American and European history and folklore.

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

P.S. Want to dig a little deeper? Timberland Regional Library has compiled a special selection of books and other resources related to Ira Wesley Kitmacher’s presentation. Several are also available in large print, audio and digital formats. Click here to explore the collection. Thank you, Timberland Regional Library, for putting these resources together!

Olympia Tumwater Foundation's Early Learning Grants Committee includes Gail Dickerman, Sherry O’Connor, Judy Fondaw, Judy Harold, Laurel Seaman and Joan Halverstadt.

The deadline to apply for Olympia Tumwater Foundation’s 2026 Early Learning Grants is October 16. These grants support local teachers and classrooms serving our youngest learners.

Last year, the Foundation received a record 42 proposals and awarded $12,000 to 22 teachers and classrooms, helping fund creative projects, hands-on learning and meaningful early learning experiences.

Local educators are encouraged to apply and bring their ideas for enriching early learning to life.

Click here for the grant application.