Facebook Mail RSS Twitter
  • Everyday
    • Education
    • Neighborhood Notes
  • Sports
  • Food & Art
    • Artist Profiles
    • Food Shopping
    • Local Farmers
    • Music
    • Restaurants
  • Community Channels
    • Around the House
      • Home Inspection Services
      • Insurance
        • Insurance Agent – Melanie Bakala
      • Real Estate Agents in Thurston County Covering Olympia Lacey Tumwater Yelm and beyond
    • Business Networking
      • Chamber
        • Chamber of Commerce
      • Economic Development Council
      • Rotary
        • Gateway Rotary
    • Community Talker
      • Instagram Article Feed
    • Health and Wellness
      • Hospital + Medical Center
      • Physical Therapy
    • Media Partners
      • Thurston Community Media
      • NorthAmericaTalk
    • Mentoring (Big Brothers Big Sisters)
    • Movies
    • Olympia Farmers Market
    • City, County and Government Information
      • People in Public Service
      • City of Lacey, Washington
      • City of Olympia, Washington
      • City of Tumwater, Washington
      • City of Yelm, Washington
      • City, County and Port Meetings
      • Port of Olympia
      • Thurston County Washington
    • Senior Life
      • Cemetery Products
      • In-Home Care
      • Senior Services for South Sound
    • Services
      • Auto Repair
      • Pet Emergency
    • South Puget Sound Community College
    • Thurston County Podcast
  • Featured Businesses
    • Around The House
    • Health Care
    • Local Retail Shops
    • Services
    • Women in Business
  • History
  • Photos
    • Community Events
    • Local Attractions
    • Sporting Events
  • Non-Profits
  • LocalTalk
  • Activities
    • Dogs & Pets
    • Family & Kids
    • Indoor
    • Outdoor
    • Gardening
    • Outdoor Recreation
    • Biking
    • Camping
    • Hiking
    • Running
    • Parks and Beaches
    • Thrifty Thurston
  • Events
    • Calendar
    • Post an Event
  • Calendar
  • Travel
    • Day Trips
    • Overnight Trips
  • Podcast
Search
Sunday, July 6, 2025
  • About
    • Story
    • Team
    • Company News
    • Contact
    • Terms of Use
  • Advertise
    • How our Olympia advertising works
    • Launch a Campaign
    • Grow your Audience
    • Measure the Results
    • Company News
    • Contact
  • Events
    • Community Calendar
    • Articles
    • List an Event
  • I5 Traffic Cameras
Facebook Mail RSS Twitter
Sign in
Welcome! Log into your account
Forgot your password? Get help
Password recovery
Recover your password
A password will be e-mailed to you.
ThurstonTalk
  • Everyday
    • AllEducationNeighborhood Notes
      a woman leans over an older youth in a wheelchair, there are other adults and kids in a playground in the background

      South Sound Parent to Parent Invites Community to Join Them in…

      a group of high school students smile for a photo standing side by side, each with a medal around their neck

      71 North Thurston Public Schools Students Earn Seal of Biliteracy This…

      Tenino Moves Historic Train Depot, 1975

      Arleen Webb Crooks Helped Make Olympia a Better Place

  • Sports
  • Food & Art
    • AllArtist ProfilesFood ShoppingLocal FarmersMusicRestaurants
      Rendering of a spacious cafeteria-style building with people sitting and walking around

      New Restaurant in Downtown Olympia Opening Soon

      Unique Pop-Up Vendor Brings Dirty Sodas to Olympia Area

      a bottle of Woodborne Spirits vodka with chantrelle mushrooms lying around it

      From Forest to Bottle: Woodborne Spirits turns Chanterelles into Award-Winning Gin…

      a bowl of bao with a red spoon with broth held over it. A bao is being held above the spoon with chopsticks

      Get Your Bao Some Bao in Thurston County: New Dough Zone…

  • Community Channels
    • Around the House
      • Home Inspection Services
      • Insurance
        • Insurance Agent – Melanie Bakala
      • Real Estate Agents in Thurston County Covering Olympia Lacey Tumwater Yelm and beyond
    • Business Networking
      • Chamber
        • Chamber of Commerce
      • Economic Development Council
      • Rotary
        • Gateway Rotary
    • Community Talker
      • Instagram Article Feed
    • Health and Wellness
      • Hospital + Medical Center
      • Physical Therapy
    • Media Partners
      • Thurston Community Media
      • NorthAmericaTalk
    • Mentoring (Big Brothers Big Sisters)
    • Movies
    • Olympia Farmers Market
    • City, County and Government Information
      • People in Public Service
      • City of Lacey, Washington
      • City of Olympia, Washington
      • City of Tumwater, Washington
      • City of Yelm, Washington
      • City, County and Port Meetings
      • Port of Olympia
      • Thurston County Washington
    • Senior Life
      • Cemetery Products
      • In-Home Care
      • Senior Services for South Sound
    • Services
      • Auto Repair
      • Pet Emergency
    • South Puget Sound Community College
    • Thurston County Podcast
  • Featured Businesses
    • AllAround The HouseHealth CareLocal Retail ShopsServicesWomen in Business
      a girl sits at a table on a laptop, a man is next her holding a cellphone and across the table is a young boy holding a tablet

      Comcast Unveils Simpler, Predictable Internet Pricing: What It Means for Thurston…

      outside of the WSECU Hawks Prairie branch with the letters "WSECU" in white on the front and empty parking spaces in front.

      WSECU Guides Members Through Life’s Major Financial Events With In-Person Banking…

      A Multi-Pronged Approach at Penrose Physical Therapy Keeps Patient Healthy and…

      an updated kitchen and dining area with light wood floors, white cabinets and white counters

      Family-Owned Olympia Builder Will Take Your New Home or Renovation Project…

  • History
    • Tenino Moves Historic Train Depot, 1975

      Arleen Webb Crooks Helped Make Olympia a Better Place

      Olympia History: Remembering the Daylight Bakery

      The Marie Bed & Breakfast in olympia

      From Historic Charm to Cozy Retreat: The Story of Our Victorian…

      People in Public Service: Cassandra Messegee Brown, Thurston County Superintendent of…

  • Photos
    • AllCommunity EventsLocal AttractionsSporting Events
      capital city pride

      Thousands Gather in Olympia to Celebrate Capital City Pride 2018

      procession species olympia

      Luminary Procession 2018: Lighting Up the Rainy Night in Downtown Olympia

      snowy winter scene

      ThurstonTalk Readers Capture Christmas Snow

      Twinklefest 2017

      Twinklefest 2017 Window Displays

  • Non-Profits
    • a woman leans over an older youth in a wheelchair, there are other adults and kids in a playground in the background

      South Sound Parent to Parent Invites Community to Join Them in…

      Chris Hyde stands in a kitchen, writing something on a notepad, three woman stand behind him behind a counter

      The Food Source Foundation and ‘Hometown Hero’ Finalist in Olympia Heat…

      a large group of men and woman with a couple kids post for a photo, four are kneeling, the rest are standing. They are in front of a pop up tent that says 'TOGETHER!" with three hand prints next to it One woman is holding a gift basket

      The League of Foundations Unites Three Local Nonprofits to Extend their…

      a man holds a child with a woman standing next to hem and a boat in the background

      South Sound Parent to Parent is a Resource Helping Families With…

      Komachin Middle School Future Business Leaders of America standing behind a long table with food in bins

      Matthew Klifman Takes Over as All Kids Win Board Chair

  • LocalTalk
    • No One Dies Alone Volunteer Program Launches July 1

      Leave Fireworks at Home and Be Careful With Campfires While Celebrating…

      two people hold a jump rope while a dog jumps it

      The Washington Center Announces the 25/26 Season

      FC Olympia women's soccer team clapping while seated on the bench. one woman is standing

      FC Olympia Hosts USL W Title Match Friday at RAC in…

      Mason Health COO Winfried Danke Earns Distinction As Fellow of the…

  • Activities
    • AllDogs & PetsFamily & KidsIndoorOutdoorGardeningOutdoor RecreationBikingCampingHikingRunningParks and BeachesThrifty Thurston
      People on the shore at Tolmie State Beach during low tide, with an island in the distance and clouds in the sky

      State Park Near Olympia-Lacey That’s Great for Picnicking, Walking and More

      a man fishes in a small boat on Lake Sylvia, trees cover the bank on the other side

      Visit Washington Coast’s Lake Sylvia

      Polson Logging Company steam engine pulling the Mt. Rainier Scenic train through the forest

      Mt. Rainier Scenic Railroad Still in Operation After Fire, Take a…

      young boys and girls in t-shirts and shorts stand in a line on a field, the hands of an adult are seen handing the first two kids orange balls. The kid at the front of the line is throwing her ball.,

      New Engaging Youth Summer Camps Have Sports, STEAM, Coding, Music, Water…

  • Events
    • a group of people stand next to a red motorcycle, two of them are holding a giant check.

      An Exciting Summer Is Ahead at Mason Health, With Installation of…

      long sticks with salmon attached them over an open flam. A black belt runs in front of the fire pit that says Lucky Eagle Casino Resort

      Heat up Your Family’s Summer at the Barbecue Festival in Yelm

      a man speaking into a microphone with a young boy next to him at West Bay Park, the new totem carving is in the background

      The West Olympia Rotary Commemorates 50th Anniversary Through ‘Life Is Water’…

      an artist sits at a table with her paintings on display

      Shelton Art Walk Returns in 2025 with a Celebration of Art,…

      black night sky with two fireworks going off in red and green

      2025 July 4th Fireworks in Thurston County

    • Calendar
    • Post an Event
  • Calendar
  • Travel
    • Day Trips
    • Overnight Trips
  • Podcast
Home Don't Miss Back on Track: Repurposing Old Railroad Bed for New Trail

Back on Track: Repurposing Old Railroad Bed for New Trail

By
Bob Partlow
-
Tumwater history
The old railroad track can be seen in this picture of the upper falls. The woman in the picture is Lily Anderson, who historian Don Trosper says may have been part of family operating the Anderson Lumber Mill along the river. Photo courtesy: Chuck Denney

Share via:

94 Shares
  • More
FacebookTweetPin

For more than 35 years, Tumwater Falls Park and Tumwater Historical Park have stood side-by-side but have remained unconnected to each other along the Deschutes River Valley.

The parks will be connected for the first time in 2018 when work is completed on a new trail, one which uses an old railroad bed that carried passengers and freight on the Olympia-Tenino Railroad more than a century ago.

Parts of the old railroad bed can still be seen on the west (freeway) side of Tumwater Falls Park, above the current walking trail on that side of the park, built in 1962.

Tumwater history
The old railroad track can be seen in this picture of the upper falls. The woman in the picture is Lily Anderson, who historian Don Trosper says may have been part of family operating the Anderson Lumber Mill along the river.
Photo courtesy: Chuck Denney

A 10-foot wide asphalt trail with two-foot-wide gravel shoulders will allow easy access to both parks for walkers, bicyclists and others.

“It will be a nice, level trail,” says Don Trosper, who gives historical tours of Tumwater Falls Park as part of his job with the Olympia-Tumwater Foundation, the not-for-profit private organization that owns and operates the park.

The trail will begin at the current vehicle exit from Tumwater Falls Park where part of the old railroad bed, now covered in grass, can be seen. It will end near the two historical houses that stand above Tumwater Historical Park, which was built in 1980.

“The first plans for a trail were proposed in 1986,” says Chuck Denney, director of Tumwater’s Parks and Recreation Department. “But there was never a big push to connect them.”

Security and safety at Tumwater Falls Park—with its rushing water, two major waterfalls, two bridges and trails running just above the river — resulted in a more significant challenge than at the Historical Park.

But now, working together, the City and the Foundation will bring their plans to fruition.

tumwater history
Chuck Denny, Tumwater Parks and Recreation director, stands by the exit to Tumwater Falls Park. Part of the old railroad bed can be seen behind him.
Photo credit: Bob Partlow

“We own all the land on which the trail will be built, but the Foundation has agreed to the idea of the trail,” Denney explains.

Connecting the parks is the initial step of a greater plan for both the City and the Foundation.

The new trail will be the first piece of what will eventually be a 2.7-mile trail connecting five Tumwater parks, starting at Pioneer Park, running by Palermo Pocket Park, Deschutes Valley Park, Tumwater Falls Park and ending at the Historical Park.

It will become a piece of a countywide trail system with other possible tie-ins to land around the Deschutes and Capitol Lake. The Foundation will use the new trail as a linchpin for other changes planned for Falls Park.

The current exit near Falls Terrace Restaurant will be closed. All traffic in and out of the park will come through C Street, which is currently used only as an entrance. “The exit has been troublesome, as motorists and others have to be very careful trying to merge onto Deschutes Parkway,” says Denney.

The park’s native garden will be relocated near its present location below the restaurant. It is planted on the old railroad bed. “Parking near the current exit may be eliminated as the park is reconfigured,” Denney adds.

tumwater history
The railroad track runs by the lower falls. Prominent in the picture is the flume carrying water from upriver to the power generating plant at the lower falls. Photo courtesy: Olympia Tumwater Foundation

For both the City and the Foundation, the trail represents a chance to preserve and build on the area’s history, of which the railroad was a key, if short-lived, part.

In the 1870s, cities in western Washington were engaged in a fevered competition to be the state’s western terminus for the Northern Pacific Railroad, which eventually chose Tacoma and put a branch line to Tenino – but with no connection to Olympia.

“Without any rail connections, Olympia was faced with commercial annihilation,” wrote Winlock Miller, Jr., in a history reproduced on the website of the Olympia Historical Society and Bigelow House Museum. Local leaders, including Hazard Stevens, son of the territory’s first governor, Isaac Stevens, finally cobbled together enough money to build a railroad from downtown Olympia to Tenino. The railway’s first stop was at the Deschutes River adjacent to what was then the main street of Tumwater.

“On August 1 (1878) the road was formally opened,” Miller wrote. “The entire rolling stock of the road, the locomotive, one passenger car, one box car and three flat cars, carried 350 Olympia people to Tenino, the running time being an hour and a half for fifteen miles.”

“From Olympia to Tumwater the fare was 12c; to Bush Station 50c; to Spurlock 75c; to Tenino $1.00. Ordinary freight was $1.00 a ton, bulky things such as hay $2.00,” Miller continued.

Eventually the Northern Pacific bought the rail line and closed it in 1898.

tumwater history
Passengers wait for the train at the Gelbach Flour Mill, first stop for the train after leaving downtown Olympia. Photo courtesy: Olympia Tumwater Foundation

Both parks have tried to respect and interpret the history of the river valley. Cement blocks from the power-generating plant at the lower falls, for example, are used as landscaping near the Falls Park exit and native garden.

People involved with getting the old railroad bed back on track will carry that attitude forward with the new trail.

“A lot of it is about how we are interpreting history,” Denney finishes.

Keep up to date on project details through the Olympia Tumwater Foundation website and Facebook page.

Print Friendly, PDF & Email
FacebookTweetPin

Share via:

94 Shares
  • More
Previous articleThe DeTray Family – 55 Years of Quality Housing in Thurston County
Next articleOlympia Girls Swim Team Excelling Together In and Out of the Water
Bob Partlow

RELATED ARTICLESMORE FROM AUTHOR

a group of people stand next to a red motorcycle, two of them are holding a giant check.

An Exciting Summer Is Ahead at Mason Health, With Installation of New MRI and Summer Fundraising Events

Tenino Moves Historic Train Depot, 1975

long sticks with salmon attached them over an open flam. A black belt runs in front of the fire pit that says Lucky Eagle Casino Resort

Heat up Your Family’s Summer at the Barbecue Festival in Yelm

Upcoming Events

Jul
7
Mon
8:30 am Crusader Camps-Sports Camp @ Evergreen Christian School
Crusader Camps-Sports Camp @ Evergreen Christian School
Jul 7 @ 8:30 am – 4:30 pm
Crusader Camps-Sports Camp @ Evergreen Christian School
Join us at camp this summer at Evergreen Christian School. Camps facilitated by educators and open to students age 3 – 12. Low counselor to camper ratio. It is going to be LOTS of fun![...]
View Calendar
Add
  • Add to Timely Calendar
  • Add to Google
  • Add to Outlook
  • Add to Apple Calendar
  • Add to other calendar
  • Export to XML

Local Community Sponsors

Local Community Sponsors

Business

a girl sits at a table on a laptop, a man is next her holding a cellphone and across the table is a young boy holding a tablet

Comcast Unveils Simpler, Predictable Internet Pricing: What It Means for Thurston...

Submitted by Comcast Comcast, Western Washington’s largest internet service provider, is rolling out a new pricing structure for its Xfinity Internet plans, promising simpler, more...
outside of the WSECU Hawks Prairie branch with the letters "WSECU" in white on the front and empty parking spaces in front.

WSECU Guides Members Through Life’s Major Financial Events With In-Person Banking...

A Multi-Pronged Approach at Penrose Physical Therapy Keeps Patient Healthy and...

an updated kitchen and dining area with light wood floors, white cabinets and white counters

Family-Owned Olympia Builder Will Take Your New Home or Renovation Project...

Kim Parks posing for a photo between framing on a house being built, wearing a black tank top and a tool belt

Welcoming Kimberly Parks to the Boggs Inspection Services Family

Trending Now

Rendering of a spacious cafeteria-style building with people sitting and walking around

New Restaurant in Downtown Olympia Opening Soon

Unique Pop-Up Vendor Brings Dirty Sodas to Olympia Area

a group of people stand next to a red motorcycle, two of them are holding a giant check.

An Exciting Summer Is Ahead at Mason Health, With Installation of...

Editor Picks

an artist sits at a table with her paintings on display

Shelton Art Walk Returns in 2025 with a Celebration of Art,...

young boys and girls in t-shirts and shorts stand in a line on a field, the hands of an adult are seen handing the first two kids orange balls. The kid at the front of the line is throwing her ball.,

New Engaging Youth Summer Camps Have Sports, STEAM, Coding, Music, Water...

black night sky with two fireworks going off in red and green

2025 July 4th Fireworks in Thurston County

Recent Posts

  • New Restaurant in Downtown Olympia Opening Soon
  • An Exciting Summer Is Ahead at Mason Health, With Installation of New MRI and Summer Fundraising Events
  • No One Dies Alone Volunteer Program Launches July 1
  • Leave Fireworks at Home and Be Careful With Campfires While Celebrating This Holiday Weekend
  • South Sound Parent to Parent Invites Community to Join Them in Recognizing ‘Disability Pride Month’ in July
ABOUT US
ThurstonTalk is a community social network delivering positive stories about what it’s like to live, work and play in Thurston County Washington, including Olympia, Lacey, Tumwater, Yelm, Tenino and the surrounding area. Advertise with ThurstonTalk. Brand your business and tell your story to your target market.
Contact us: info@thurstontalk.com
FOLLOW US
Facebook Mail RSS Twitter
  • About
    • Story
    • Team
    • Company News
    • Contact
    • Terms of Use
  • Advertise
    • How our Olympia advertising works
    • Launch a Campaign
    • Grow your Audience
    • Measure the Results
    • Company News
    • Contact
  • Events
    • Community Calendar
    • Articles
    • List an Event
  • I5 Traffic Cameras
© ThurstonTalk, Inc.
Share via
Facebook
X (Twitter)
LinkedIn
Mix
Email
Print
Copy Link
Powered by Social Snap
Copy link
CopyCopied
Powered by Social Snap