I recently read through Thurston County Place Names : A Heritage Guide / edited by Gayle Palmer, Shanna Stevenson. Olympia, Wash. : Thurston County Historic Commission, [1992]

This is a well documented encyclopedia that if read cover to cover is like viewing a fun collage of local history. A very nice resource compiled by real pros.

Some of the more interesting selections of this work have been extracted, with OlyBlog enhancements. Historians, grab your silverware and get ready to eat!

Athens Beach Section 22, T19N, R2W, W.M. The beach is at the north end of Cooper Point on the west shore of Budd Inlet. Athens was a name given by J.R. Chaplin to a utopian community he envisioned at Athens Beach in 1900 where he platted the site for a college to be called the People's University. The college operated for a few years, 1902-1904. The community of Athens Beach now consists of a housing area on Cooper Point in northwest Thurston County.
The Third Time's a Charm

Black Hills Sections 19, 31, 34, T18N, R2W, W.M. This series of hills begins three miles southwest of Olympia. The highest peak, Big Larch Mountain rises 2,659 feet. The hills comprise all of the Capitol State Forest. The hills are named for the Black River.

These hills are mentioned in the Treaty with the S'klallam Indians, January 26, 1855, and they are shown on the Map of the Surveyor General of Washington Territory, 1857. (Meany, Origin of Washington Geographic Names, page 20.)

J.C. Rathbun notes, "In May, 1857 a party of four men started out with a pack horse to explore the Black Hills in the western part of the county." (Rathbun, History of Thurston County, page 37.)
Not Unattended With Danger

Global Wisdom MV seen from Percival Landing, at dusk, Tuesday, June 30, 2009

Global Wisdom; that's an interesting name for an ocean going vessel. It begs me to question the wisdom of shipping logs, the carcasses of clear-cut trees, to overseas markets. Is clearcutting sound ecological practice? Does clearcutting harm wilderness? Does the practice of clearcutting fit in with sustainability? Does clearcutting constitute correct stewardship practices?

More recent photos from around Olympia below:

To take Hal Spencer's old job as the Governor's speechwriter. There's a brief story at PubliCola. (He says the paper plans to hire somebody to replace him.)

OlyBlogger Peter Stroble was appointed to The Olympian's editorial board, too. He's one of the two current community representatives to the board; the job lasts six months.

As the story says: "Stroble and Bierdeman will serve the July through December term which includes the all-important fall election season. They will join other members of the editorial board interviewing candidates for city council, county commission, port district and school board races. They will have an equal voice in The Olympian’s candidate endorsements."

Best,
Thad

A couple of new posts over at the Squaxin Island Tribe's natural resources blog cover issues involving the Deschutes River.

First, on a tour of the river:

One highlight of the tour was stopping at the mouth of Huckleberry Creek not far downstream from the upper Deschutes falls.  Prior to a 1990 rain storm and subsequent landslide on Weyerhaeuser property, about 10% of all returning coho in the Deschutes River system spawned in Huckleberry Creek.

We spoke with Peter Schmid, president of the local homeowners association.  He described how sediment (likely still from the 1990 landslide) continues to aggrade the Huckleberry channel.  He said the channel is now at least three feet shallower than it used to be.  He asserted that was the cause of the ongoing flooding issues the community faces.  When asked about salmon, Peter reported that he has seen none in the last couple years–not in Huckleberry Creek and not in front of his house in the mainstem Deschutes River.

Second, about a study of turbidity in the Deschutes:

Weyerhaeuser published a report in June 2009 in the Journal of American Water Resources Association (Volume 45, Number 3, Pages 793-808) detailing 30 years of turbidity data collected in the upper reaches of the Deschutes (WA) Watershed.  To my knowledge, it is the longest water quality study on private forestlands in the Pacific Northwest.

...

Four percent of Olympia's population gave up their pollution-spewing vehicles and hopped onto their bicycles to compete in the annual bike commuter contest in Thurston county.  Winners were announced on June 20th and stakes were high.  Results from cycling logs were kept from the public beyond the normal timeframe of announcement.  As you might imagine, there are many competing elements to this annual contest like the daunting task of cycling through the miles needed to win and the cyclists who have been involved in it for years.

June 20th bestowed a rich-blue sky with the salty smells of the Puget accompanying a sunshine suitable for any winner's glorious moment.  The award ceremony took place in Olympia's farmers' market amongst the vendors and the bustle of local consumers.  A fitting scene for a man who peddled his share of 1.7% of the total mileage of Thurston County participants!

This is the first time Jonathon has entered the contest and upset the balance of expectations.  I had a chance to interview Jonathon at his home at the Yello Haus, west side of Olympia:

Jonathon, what was the number one thing running, or shall I say, peddling through your mind while trying to win the contest?

Jon-"I wanted to beat my own record and get passed the 1,600 mark."

 Do you normally record and track your progress while biking?

Jon-"I have been, yes."

How did you manage to beat the hardcore cyclists who are in it to win it every year?

Jon-"I didn't really think about them that much.  I didn't see too many people along my route.  It was just me."

What route did you take?

I found today's assistant through the Evergreen Circus Resurgence Group (aka the Juggling Club).  Not only had she been a juggler for the Waldorf auction, AND she had shown up to our congregation one Sunday (a lifelong UU), but she also had prior experience with parties, face painting, AND spoke a smattering of way more than just English and Spanish.  [i.e. Russian, Polish, Arabic, and French!

Tonight's blog runs in reverse chronology (Blame it on Benjamin Button!)

Exhausted from twisting and painting and juggling and pieing and dancing and stuff and more stuff.  AND hungry for something in a tortilla with salsa!

Please bring candles and flashlights to a support vigil for Lindsey Baum, her family, and community.

Location: Beerbower Park, downtown McCleary Washington

I attended a three day nonviolence training retreat over the weekend. It was an intensive, informative, and educational experience. So if you care to please, imagine with me.

Imagine a world where people don't dominate each other (without consent.)

Imagine a world without destructive competition over resources.

Imagine a world where people cooperate to distribute resources equitably.

Imagine a world without oppression; a world without exploitation.

Imagine a world of love, light, prosperity, and consent, where some of the defining ideals of success are health, and to live responsibly and serve life.

Imagine a world where people seek power in community - power with each other - rather than power over each other.

Imagine a world where people care deeply for the well being of all other people, near and far, past present and future.

Imagine a world without unnecessary destructive, and harmful, economic activities.

Imagine a world where all people are treated equally (even Dick Cheney.)

Just imagine: a world where people tolerate personal differences, a world where people don't judge each other based on personal difference. ...ahhhhhh...

The retreat was sponsored by, and held at, St. Michael's Church. Thanks to the St. Michael's. Thanks to the facilitators for their hard work, and skilled leadership. Thanks to those who prepared food. And thanks to everyone who participated. The retreat was a profound experience for me, and deeply informative.

I am now driven to ask more about the nature of my own spirituality, and my own religious inclinations. I am driven to ask: what roles does religion play in oppression, inequality and injustice? How can religion liberate people from oppressive roles in society? Does religion oppress or confine people, and if so, how? How can people of different faiths and beliefs reconcile differences, and learn to appreciate our common humanity, regardless of age, gender, race, ethnicity, socio-economic background, sexual orientation, or whatever personal differences that exist between us?

Here are some photos of wise sayings, which were posted around the main room during the retreat: