You can’t do this album without the obligatory “founders” song, so this is it! First and foremost, this is the essential story of how the settlers came and took the land away from the people already living here. The United States had already agreed with England that it “owned” this land. From there it was just a matter of taking possession and moving the local residents (the Indians) out.
There are a few other founders that get mentioned in all the books, but these are your essential regularly named settlers, all featured in my Thurston County, WA Never Knows History Cards sets (from 2012 kids – you can still get them at Gallery Boom)! Local history has come a long way since I was a kid. I don’t remember it being much of a big deal around here before I left town in 1971 - but then, was I even paying attention at eighteen?
Now there is historical stuff everywhere. At the end of the song, I list some great local history resources. On a musical note, I thought this song was done and Nick came up with the whole idea of a retrospective final verse. Brilliant, Nick!
Crooks, Drew, Ed. (2009) Olympia, Washington : A People’s History. Olympia, WA: City of Olympia.
Newell, Gordon. (1950) So Fair A Dwelling Place: A History of Olympia and Thurston County, Washington. Olympia: F. George Warren.
Stevenson, Shanna B. (1985) Olympia, Tumwater, and Lacey. Virginia Beach, VA: The Donning Company Publishers.
For more great Olympia history information check out:
Olympia Historical Society and Bigelow House Museum
olympiahistory.org
Thurston County Historic Commission
www.co.thurston.wa.us/permitting/historic/historic-home.html
Washington State Historical Society
www.washingtonhistory.org