~Courtesy of the City of Olympia.

~Courtesy of the City of Olympia. Illustrations courtesy of the Portico Group.

Our Vision

Completing the Vision . .

Heritage Park is the final and crowning piece of the Capitol campus plan that architectural visionaries Walter Wilder and Harry White put forward in 1911. The park visually and physically ties the Capitol campus to Puget Sound by connecting the Capitol group of buildings to the Olympia waterfront with sweeping views and walkways. The Heritage Park design celebrates the history of the entire state, with planned landscape and physical features creating a "walk through Washington" - from the Western Washington Inlet to the Eastern Washington Butte.

In 1996 the Heritage Park fountain and the trail from the Temple of Justice to the lake were constructed. Heritage Park will eventually include a landscaped promenade along the sweeping Arc of Statehood on the edge of Capitol Lake.

In addition, an amphitheater, green spaces, trees, and other commemorative plantings will reflect the ecology of Washington State. A walk through Heritage Park will offer magnificent views of Puget Sound and the Olympic Mountains to the north, and the majestic Capitol buildings to the south. Generations to come will enjoy the terraced walkways and promenades, and learn about Washington State through the interpretation in the commemorative gardens and other park features.

Wilder and White's design for the Washington State Capitol won a nationwide competition in 1911 by capturing the imagination of judges with its unique plan. Heritage Park will continue that legacy by capturing the hearts and minds of the people of the Capitol Campus when it is finally completed.

Heritage Park, Arc of Statehood "Promenade." The walkway will include benches, fountains, lighting, and other pedestrian amenities. Behind the walkway will be two rows of trees. Also included will be a crossing link to the North Campus Trail. ~Courtesy of The City of Olympia.

This information wasprepared by the North Capitol Campus Heritage Park Development Association. If you are interested in joing the effort to complete Heritage Park or would like more information, please call. 360.786.5745.

The Olympian Copyright 2000

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