Percival Landing Park

Percival Landing Park
Percival Landing Park, 2012
Interactive map of Park location
TypeMunicipal
Location405 Columbia St NW, Olympia, Washington
Coordinates47°02′48″N 122°54′15″W / 47.04667°N 122.90417°W / 47.04667; -122.90417
Area3.38 acres (13,700 m2)
Opened1977
EtymologySam Percival
Owned byCity of Olympia
StatusOpen
Hiking trailsBoardwalk, 0.9 miles (1.4 km)
HabitatsWaterfront
WaterBudd Inlet
CollectionsPublic art
ParkingParking lot
EventsHarbor Days, Wooden Boat festivals
FacilitiesPicnic and playground areas, bathrooms, moorage
WebsiteOfficial City Website

Percival Landing Park is a public park in Olympia, Washington, located on the southern most tip of Puget Sound.[1]

History

Named after a former commercial steamship wharf, the park is a well-known maritime landmark in the Pacific Northwest. Built in 1860 by the park's namesake, Sam Percival, the wharf operated for several decades, and was torn down and replaced several times during that period.[2][3][4]

Completed in three phases, the first efforts at Percival Landing Park were completed and opened in 1977,[a] with the second phase opened in 1985, and the third phase in 1988.[5]

The former Unocal Tank Farm site was acquired by the City of Olympia in 1996, and is now an open lawn.[6]

In November 2009, the park underwent structural repairs and was intermittently closed.[7] The city also installed two pavilions in 2010,[6] replaced 700 feet (210 m) of deteriorating boardwalk in 2011 and installed a new bulkhead in 2019.[8] As of 2022, additional repairs were in consideration.[9]

Features

The park features picnic areas, public art, boat moorage and a playground. A 0.9-mile (1.4 km) boardwalk extends along the eastern shoreline of the West Bay of Budd Inlet from the Fourth Avenue Bridge to Thurston Avenue.[5][6]

Plinths throughout the park display annual selections of sculptures by local artists and the community votes for the one to purchase for permanent display.[10][11][5] The park includes a carved Orca by Olympia artist Joe Tougas, who competed an identical work for Yashiro, Olympia's sister city.[12]

There are several events held annually at Percival Landing Park, including the annual Harbor Days festival and "Sand in the City", as well as the Wooden Boat Festival.[13][4] The moorage is home to the historic Sand Man tugboat.[4]

See also

Notes

  1. ^ Sourcing mentions the first phase may not have been completed until 1978.[5]

References

  1. ^ "Percival Landing". Experience Olympia. Retrieved June 16, 2025.
  2. ^ "Percival Landing". City of Olympia. Retrieved June 16, 2025.
  3. ^ "City of Olympia's Historic Places: Percival Landing", Thurston Regional Planning Council. Retrieved August 2, 2008.
  4. ^ a b c Pucci, Carol (May 2, 2012). "It's the wander: Enjoy outdoor walks around our state capital". The Seattle Times. Retrieved August 25, 2025.
  5. ^ a b c d KIRO News Staff (July 11, 2025). "Help Olympia pick its next art installation". KIRO 7 News. Retrieved August 25, 2025.
  6. ^ a b c "Percival Landing". City of Olympia. Retrieved June 27, 2025.
  7. ^ "Percival Landing repairs to finish by Jan. 15". The Olympian. November 27, 2009. Retrieved June 16, 2025.
  8. ^ "2022-2028 Parks, Arts & Recreation Plan" (PDF). City of Olympia. February 1, 2022. p. 70. Retrieved August 26, 2025.
  9. ^ Vinson, Ty (September 30, 2022). "Olympia's Percival Landing needs a makeover. The city needs a plan and funding first". The Olympian. Retrieved June 16, 2025.
  10. ^ "Percival Plinth Project". City of Olympia. Retrieved June 16, 2025.
  11. ^ "Story Map Shortlist". ArcGIS Olympia's Percival Plinth Project. Retrieved June 16, 2025.
  12. ^ Stevenson, S.B. (1985) Olympia, Tumwater and Lacey: A pictorial history. Donning Publishers. p 221.
  13. ^ "Olympia Wooden Boat Fair 2025 | Boat Festival & Events". Experience Olympia. Retrieved June 16, 2025.

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