Olympia to name alleys after historic Mosquito Fleet ships

MATT BATCHELDOR | Staff writer • Published August 13, 2012 Modified August 13, 2012

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Unlike the streets of downtown Olympia, its historic alleys have no name.

That is about to change.

The city is about to name five downtown alleys after steamships in the historic Mosquito Fleet that used to serve Puget Sound. It’s part of a process Mayor Stephen Buxbaum calls reclaiming public space.

Now, the alleys are home to less-than-desirable activities, such as people urinating and using hard drugs.

"They’re not a public asset," he told The Olympian’s editorial board last week.

"The more people that start frequenting places, the less you get of undesirable activity."

The city will emphasize cleaning alleys to create something that’s eye-catching. He envisions a little outdoor cafe space.

"When we open up that space … I think that there’s all kinds of things that people are going to start talking about," Buxbaum said.

Brian Wilson, the city’s downtown liaison, said the names for each alley haven’t been decided. But work will start soon.

"What we’re really shooting for here is to get the signs up in the alley within a month," he said.

Wilson said that though the alleys to be named have been identified, the specific locations for the signs hasn’t. The city will consult with busienss owners before installing signs on buildings.

Future additions to the alley will include murals of the steamships and inexpensive lighting, such as artistic LED lights, Wilson said.

"It’s just another example of a lighter, quicker cheaper solution to make use of an underutilized space," he said.

Wilson said the historic commission has funding for the signs and is applying for a $5,000 historic grant from Thurston County for further improvements.

The idea dates to when Buxbaum was a councilman but before he took office as mayor this year, said Chrisanne Beckner, vice chairwoman of the Olympia Heritage Commission. She said the mayor stated an interest in naming them after historical events.

That’s when local historian Roger Easton got involved, Beckner said. Easton died last month.

"He knew a lot about the historic Mosquito Fleet," she said, and he began further research.

"That process was just being completed right about as Roger got ill," she said. "It’s very much his project, and we’re now considering naming an alley after him."

Another proponent of the alley naming project is Erica Cooper, who chairs the design committee of the Olympia Downtown Association. She said the association long has wanted to do something with the alleys.

She said she loves the idea of naming the alleys after the Mosquito Fleet. Her grandfather proposed to her grandmother on one of its ships.

"Our design committee is always interested in anything that can help make things more pedestrian-friendly," she said.

mbatcheldor@theolympian.com
360-704-6869
@mattbatcheldor

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