Washington State Capitol Conservatory


The Washington State Capitol Conservatory is a greenhouse on the grounds of the Washington State Capitol in Olympia, Washington. It was funded $25,000 in 1938, designed by architect Joseph Wohleb, and built in 1939 as a Works Project Administration project. In the 1990s it was noted the greenhouse was suffering foundation damage from soil settling of up to deep fill on which it was built. A 1995 report indicated that there was fear of a landslide causing catastrophe to the building, built next to a steep ravine where "a number of springs and wet areas were observed". Heritage Park's hillside trail climbs from Capitol Lake to a landing containing the Law Enforcement Memorial, adjacent to the conservatory. Due to safety concerns stemming from the settling, the conservatory was closed in 2008. For a time it was used to store the Chief Shelton Story Pole after it was taken down in 2010. Until its closure it was open to the public and was an attraction for visitors to the State Capitol.

Capitol gardens

The gardens and grounds at the Capitol campus were filled with plants grown in the conservatory. Over 70,000 flowers and plants each year were grown there in the 1950s.