What might have been….

In the late 1800’s, vying to be part of the Northern Pacific railway was an important building block for cities to gain “civic greatness”. In Olympia, roadways we travel everyday, almost became railways. Take East Bay Drive as a perfect example of what might have been. Property was purchased and plats were drawn for tracks that “would have crossed the Deschutes River south of the brewery and gotten into Olympia through a tunnel under Capitol Way. Once downtown, it would’ve roughly followed Plum Street, up East Bay Drive and then cut east just beyond Priest Point Park.”  With the pioneer (Ira B. Thomas) dying prior to the construction, history was rewritten and Tacoma was chosen for the railways instead. The history and background of “How East Bay Drive Almost Became a Railroad (Twice)” is a great read! From our friends at Thurston Talk, check out the whole story here at:http://www.thurstontalk.com/2013/02/23/how-east-bay-drive-almost-because-a-railroad-twice/.