Early Tumwater-
Did New Market settlers ever go to Olympia?

In 1846, Edmund Sylvester and his business partner Levi Lathrop Smith claimed the land that would later become Olympia. It was known as Smithfield until 1848, when Levi Smith died and Edmund Sylvester became the sole owner. In 1850 he laid out the town. It was named Olympia after the Olympic Mountains.  Olympia wasn’t much in the beginning, but the town quickly grew around the waterfront. When Washington Territory was organized in 1853, Olympia was named the capital city and it has been so ever since.
 

This photo shows the Long Bridge connecting Olympia and Tumwater.  A center section moves to allow ships to pass through.

A funny story is told about Reverend J. F. DeVore, who was a Methodist minister. At that time, there was no Methodist church in the South Puget Sound and Sunday services were held in settlers’ homes. Reverend DeVore was determined to build a real church in Olympia. He went to all the businessmen in Olympia and New Market and asked them to donate money for the new building. He figured that wealthy Captain Crosby, who owned the sawmill in New Market, would be able to give a large amount. Captain Crosby was a shrewd businessman, and didn’t want to part with any of his goods. However, he made a deal with the preacher, telling him that he could have as much lumber as he could take away from the mill by himself in one day.

This was no easy task. The mill was about 200 yards from the waterfront, and the boards were huge and heavy. Captain Crosby figured that the young preacher wouldn’t be strong enough to carry very many.

Reverend DeVore

The next morning Reverend DeVore arrived bright and early. He rolled up his sleeves and got right to work, lugging the heavy boards on his shoulder. He worked so steadily that Captain Crosby began to worry. How much lumber would he have to give the young preacher? He tried to get Reverend DeVore to stop for lunch, thinking it would slow him down, but the preacher only stopped long enough for a few sips of water and a few bites from his lunch pail. At the end of the day, Reverend DeVore had carried away enough lumber to build the entire church! The Olympia preacher won the respect of the New Market settlers, even Captain Crosby.

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