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 Sweeper Parts Olympia - Olympia is the capital city of Washington State, with a population of around 46,478. It serves as the county seat of Thurston County. The city is located within the Puget Sound region.
The Lushootseed-speaking peoples inhabited the region before European settlement. These indigenous cultures included Chehalis, Puyallup, Duwamish, Squaxin, Suquamish and Nisqually. During 1792, the British Vancouver Expedition charted the location. In the year 1846, Edmund Sylvester and Levi Smith lay claim to the site which would become the city's downtown. In the year 1851, the city was selected by Congress as the location for the customs house, serving Washington Territory. Numerous settlers arrived via the Oregon Trail and stayed. During the year 1853, the town officially became referred to as Olympia because of its amazing view of the Olympic Mountain range. A fleet of steamboats named the Puget Sound Mosquito Fleet served the people. It was incorporated as a city during 1859.
Olympia has several vital artesian wells. Artesian springs were the principal source of fresh water for the early settlers and nowadays McAllister Springs is still Olympia's source of water. The artesian spring was the place where people 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 main cultural center. There are numerous local theatrical companies including the Capital Playhouse, Olympia Family Theater, Theater Artists Olympia, Harlequin Productions and Olympia Little Theater. The historic State Theater on Fourth Avenue is considered a cinematic treasure. The Washington Center is a major place for music and performance. The Olympia Symphony Orchestra performs there throughout concert season.
The city is a regional center for the visual arts. Local coffeehouses display visual art, the most famous of which are Caffe Vita, Batdorf & Bronson and Burial Grounds. Art House Designs is both a fine art gallery and a jazz venue. Percival Landing along the urban waterfront features public art installations and murals. The Washington Center for the Performing Arts regularly exhibits art within its lobby.
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