Even when the Capitol Center building was under construction in the mid-1960s, it immediately became the structure we all loved to hate. In the 40+ years since it has invaded the space on the thin strip of land between downtown and the Westside, I have never heard anyone express a positive opinion about it. If my memory serves, that piece of land was used for Lakefair activities pre-1965. Anyway, it was not unusual to hear Olympians communicate the desire, in a joking way of course, that the place be blown up. Well, in 1975 someone did just that.

Here's some background on the status of the building in 1975 according to the Daily Olympian's end of the year wrap-up, Jan. 1, 1976:

"Without a doubt the top local story of the year was the selection at the end of June by Thurston County commissioners of the Evergreen Park site for a future courthouse."

"The saga of the once and future courthouse started more than eight years ago. Last Feb. 19 the county received no bidders in an attempt to sell the Capitol Center Building. County commissioners had surprised everyone when they bought this white elephant for $2.6 million as a future courthouse."

"The Thurston County Citizens Advisory Committee for courthouse site selection told the commissioners March 11 the best of all possible courthouse sites was one owned partly by the City of Olympia, next to city hall on Plum Street. After harsh words, much debate and head-knocking, Commissioners George Yantis and Ken Stevens came to support the site, with new Commissioner Marj Yung also expressing an interest."

"Suddenly, Olympia commissioners, apparently led by Mayor Tom Allen, on June 10 told the county commissioners they would not sell the city's land. Allen said the city needed the property and suggested the county commissioners build the courthouse on the Evergreen park property."

"After some more hand-wringing and an appearance by a group wanting to move the courthouse to Lacey, county commissioners set to work on the Evergreen Park site.

"They sold the Capitol Center Building for $320,000 less than they paid for it. By year's end the county rulers had a tri-building courthouse complex estimated to cost $6.9 million on the drawing board."

"However, the county commissioners were not home free. On Oct. 28 the Citizens for Responsible Courthouse Siting and Planning filed recall charges against all three county commisioners, alleging numerous acts of malfeasance in office. The petition drive is due to conclude today and appears to have a dubious chance of success."

And, as I remember, the County Commissioners survived. The County Courthouse in 1975, by the way, was the stone building on Capitol Way that is kitty corner from the Hands On Childrens' Museum (in 1975 the Museum building was a restaurant called the Melting Pot). I love the newspaper's description of the Capitol Center as a "white elephant" even though the building was only a decade old at that time. But, back to the Center being "blowed up real good", as my old pals Big Jim McBob and Billy Sol Hurok would say. The following article is from the June 1, 1975 Daily Olympian:

Capitol Center Office Bombed

"'A boom that sounded like a cannon shook the ground under me and when I looked across 4th Avenue toward the Capitol Center Building, the whole side was blowing out, I thought.'"

" Allen Ramsey, a cook in the Olympia Oyster House, was describing the Saturday pre-dawn bombing of Thurston County's controversial lakeside office building."

"Federal agents at week's end still were sifting shreds and splinters scattered through the blasted second floor at the northeast end of the structure and on the damaged first and third floors. A bomb of still unidentified composition had been planted in the offices of the State Department of Social and Health Services; maybe a time bomb; by person or persons unknown."

"Ramsey said, 'I was standing in the parking lot behind the Oyster House, when it happened, talking to a friend. I was getting ready to go home. From where I stood, I could see across Fourth and across the parking lot to the office building. Right after it blew I heard a whining sound. My friend and I ducked. We heard something plop into the bay behind us.'"

"Ramsey said, 'I don't what it was, but it sounded like metal.'"

"Special Agent B.K. Uptagrafft, in charge of the bomb invesitgation for the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Fire Arms, said Saturday morning the bomb probably was home made, probably was a pipe bomb, and he indicated, measuring in the air with his hands, that it was about the size of a six-pack of beer. It had exploded in the office of the Parole Office deputy director, Robert Tropp."

"Olympia police said entry into the building had been made through a fire escape doorway. They said the door had been forced open. Uptagrafft, however, was unwilling to accept any theory on entry. 'This has not yet been established,' he said."

"The Oyster House cook, continuing his story, said that on the heels of the blast which shook all of down town, he heard what sound like a hail storm -- showers of window glass from pelleted 20 or more windows on three levels, beating down upon the half-block sized parking lot and adjoining streets."

"And now ribbons of gray smoke began oozing out of the open side of the building."

"Ramsey hustled inside the restaurant and called the police."

"'Do you see any fire?' the dispatcher asked."

"'No, only a little smoke.'"

"But when Ramsey got back outside, flames were licking through the murk."

"Olympia Fire Department trucks showed up in due course and extinguished the relatively small fire on the second story where the bomb had blasted a hole in the floor."

"By that time (about 2 a.m.) according to witnesses of the ensuing activity, the area was crawling with rescuers and spectators. Sharing street room in the vicinity were ambulance, fire trucks, Medic units, and police, sheriff's and State Patrol vehicles."

"Eight hours later, relative calm had descended upon the 5th Avenue building. Behind barricades, the Feds were in full charge and were well into the investigation they expected to continue for next three or four days, according to Agent Uptagrafft. They would be searching for clues, he said, to lead them to the person or persons who planted the bomb."

"Uptagrafft said that though the northeast side of the building, on the second floor, had been fairly well gutted, and the area above it on the third floor and below on the first (all occupied by state government agencies) he doubts the building has been structurally weakened. He estimated 'it's only a guess,' that damage will run to more than $100,000."

County Commissioner Marj Yung said Saturday afternoon she was attempting to locate a structural engineer, at the Bureau's request, to examine the building ..."

In subsequent articles, a note found in a Seattle phone booth claiming to be from the George Jackson Brigade, a prisoners' rights underground group, took responsibility for the bombing. In a typewritten communique, the Brigade charged that some prisoners from Walla Walla are sent to out-of-state prison mental facilities against their will as part of behavior modification experiments. But not all government officials, such as Commissioner Yantis, were willing to accept this explanation. He thought the "Brigade" was merely embroidery for another, less political, purpose.

Was anyone ever arrested over this incident? If they were, I sure don't remember it. The whole thing quickly faded from memory. Today, of course, an incident like this would make national news and the conjecture would be on all networks. The coast to coast fear factor is up several more notches since 1975. If any of you other long-time Oly folks can add to this story, join in.