Washington State Capitol Conservatory
Washington State Capitol Conservatory | |
---|---|
Sunken garden and conservatory (looking northwest) | |
Former names | Washington State Capitol Greenhouse |
General information | |
Type | Greenhouse |
Location | Washington State Capitol campus |
Address | 1115 Water Street |
Town or city | Olympia, Washington |
Country | United States |
Coordinates | 47°02′16″N 122°54′13″W / 47.0377°N 122.9037°WCoordinates: 47°02′16″N 122°54′13″W / 47.0377°N 122.9037°W |
Construction started | 1938 |
Opened | 1939 |
Renovated | 1976 |
Closed | 2008 |
Cost | $25,000 |
Owner | State of Washington Department of Enterprise Services |
Technical details | |
Floor count | 2 |
Floor area | 11,300 sq ft (1,050 m2) incl. basement shops |
Design and construction | |
Architect | Joseph Wohleb |
References | |
Some building structural data from State of Washington DES[1] |
The Washington State Capitol Conservatory is a greenhouse on the grounds of the Washington State Capitol in Olympia, Washington. It was funded $25,000 in 1938, designed by architect Joseph Wohleb, and built in 1939 as a Works Project Administration project.[2] In the 1990s it was noted the greenhouse was suffering foundation damage from soil settling of up to 65-foot (20 m) deep fill on which it was built.[3] A 1995 report indicated that there was fear of a landslide causing catastrophe to the building, built next to a steep ravine where "a number of springs and wet areas were observed" (Olympia is noted for both its rainy climate and its artesian springs).[3] Heritage Park's hillside trail climbs from Capitol Lake to a landing containing the Law Enforcement Memorial, adjacent to the conservatory.[4] Due to safety concerns stemming from the settling, the conservatory was closed in 2008.[5] For a time it was used to store the Chief Shelton Story Pole (totem pole) after it was taken down in 2010.[6] Until its closure it was open to the public and was an attraction for visitors to the State Capitol.[7] [8]
References
- ↑ Capitol Conservatory building factsheet (PDF), State of Washington Department of Enterprise Services
- ↑ Jennifer Crooks (October 22, 2017), "Changing Seasons: A History of the State Capitol Campus Conservatory", Thurston Talk
- 1 2 Stephen P. Palmer and Wendy J. Gerstel (January 19, 1995), CAPITOL CAMPUS GREENHOUSE SOIL STABILITY INVESTIGATION STATUS REPORT (PDF), Washington Department of Natural Resources Geology and Earth Resources Division
- ↑ Capitol campus map (PDF), Washington State Legislature
- ↑ HISTORIC CAPITOL CAMPUS CONSERVATORY CLOSES SEPT. 5 (press release), Washington State Department of General Administration, September 3, 2008 – via HighBeam (subscription required)
- ↑ Lynda V. Mapes (April 27, 2011), "The next chapter for old story pole yet to be written.", The Seattle Times – via HighBeam (subscription required)
- ↑ Leson & Irving 1996, p. 354.
- ↑ Don Jenkins (January 9, 2005), "Capitol dome reopens; campus open to public", The Columbian, Vancouver, Washington – via HighBeam (subscription required)
Sources
- Leson, Nancy; Irving, Stephanie (1996). Seattle Best Places: The Most Discriminating Guide to Seattle's Restaurants, Shops, Hotels, Nightlife, Arts, Sights, and Outings. Best Places Guidebooks. Sasquatch Books. ISBN 978-1-57061-055-4. Retrieved 2018-02-22.
External links
Media related to Washington State Capitol Conservatory at Wikimedia Commons