About Olympia's South Capitol Neighborhood

If you're familiar with driving through Olympia's South Capitol Neighborhood, you may have noticed the new neighborhood welcome sign.

The sign project, two years in the making, was finally concluded by the end of 2008. In December the neighborhood received the first of two welcome signs. Funded by a City of Olympia neighborhood grant, designed by yours truly, Sandy Nelson, manufactured by Esco Pacific Signs and installed by Mark Jobson and Bob Thomas. This sign is a monument to the South Capitol Neighborhood's special character and friendliness. The sign is located on the green space between Capitol Way and Washington St. We hope to have another sign greeting visitors travelling south through our neighborhood at Maple Park by the end of 2009.

Sandy Nelson
Olympia Realtor®, Associate Broker, GRI, ASP, Built Green
360-789-7505
www.SandyNelsonRealEstate.com

Olympia's South Capitol Neighborhood quickly became the most popular place to live when the Capitol was being built on the hill. The oldest home dates from 1878, but the majority of houses were built between 1900 and 1928. You can find almost every popular housing style of the early 20th century in this neighborhood.

With over 400 well preserved homes, varying in styles from the English cottage look, Spanish style, to Victorian and Craftsman. In 1991 the entire South Capitol Neighborhood was listed on the National Register of Historic places. Many of the homes in our neighborhood can be found on the Olympia Heritage Register.

The neighborhood's most prominent resident is most likely the current Governor of the state of Washington. Besides the Governor's Mansion, there are two other mansions in the neighborhood: The Mediterranean-style Lord House and the English Renaissance McCleary Mansion. Both were designed by the renowned architect Joseph Wohleb. Wohleb also designed the Mission Revival Lincoln School. The school offers a popular alternative elementary school program. Children from the neighborhood receive priority placement. Other openings are filled by a lottery system.

Contact me if you'd like more information about the South Capitol Neighborhood.

Sandy Nelson
Olympia Realtor®, Associate Broker, GRI, ASP, Built Green
360-789-7505
www.SandyNelsonRealEstate.com